Eman Gaad

Cross‐cultural perspectives on the effect of cultural attitudes towards inclusion for children with intellectual disabilities

This paper presents a cross-cultural review of recent developments in the relatively recent phenomenon of including children with intellectual disabilities in regular schools with other non-disabled children. It looks at traditional cultural issues and values that shape attitudes towards individuals, particularly children with intellectual disabilities. An attempt is made to consider the effect of these culturally derived attitudes on educational decisions and provision in relation to including disabled children in the regular class setting in different parts of the world. The three countries identified in this brief review are Egypt in North Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Asia, and England in Europe. The researcher used her linguistic, professional, and cultural access when living and working in the three countries to access, analyse and generate data. Views of some parents and educators of children with intellectual disabilities from the three countries were gathered through interviews. For the purposes of this research, the issue was of attitude formation and how culture is carried through curriculum and pedagogy, and how in turn it could be mediated to support the inclusion of disabled children in regular class settings. The study concludes with a discussion of main key emerging issues in the shaping of cultural attitudes towards children with intellectual disabilities, and how that may affect their inclusion.

Index for Inclusion: A Framework for School Review in the United Arab Emirates.

This study uses the ‘Index for Inclusion’, developed by Booth and Ainscow, as a framework for investigating inclusive provision in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), introduced through the ‘School for All’ initiative. The study, by Nadera Emran Alborno of the American University in Dubai and Eman Gaad of the British University in Dubai, adopts a qualitative research approach, using a multiple case study methodology, to provide a rich and contextualised picture of implementation from the perspective of the various stakeholders. Following the ‘Index for Inclusion’, the findings are presented in terms of the three key school dimensions of cultures, policies, and practices. Themes emerging from the data include barriers to participation and learning such as the lack of effective training, adequate support services, and inclusive classroom structures. Also included are positive system characteristics such as the welcoming school climate, support among stakeholders, and emerging parent and community involvement. The study provides insights into the possible challenges to the implementation of the ‘Index for Inclusion’ in schools in the UAE.

Look Who's Coming to School: The Emirati Student Voice in an Intervention-Based Study on Inclusion of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in Emirati Mainstream Government Schools.

Although there are many factors that can affect the success of the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools, the attitude of typically developing peers towards peers with disabilities is one of the critical factors leading to success. This study examines the effects of a planned intervention on the attitudes of the typically developing peers related to their perceptions about students with intellectual disabilities during a half-day workshop which took place in each of the target schools and their opinions about including these students in mainstream schools in the United Arab Emirates. The intervention involved both a presentation about the abilities of persons with intellectual disabilities and an opportunity for personal interaction with these students. Following the intervention, the subjects were interviewed and their responses analysed. The results showed that after the intervention, most typically developing students had gained a basic knowledge of intellectual disability which affected their expectations for the abilities of same-age learners with intellectual disabilities and their acceptance of their inclusion in the mainstream school. Analysis of the responses of the typically developing peers also indicated that the intervention had a positive effect which can lead to a change in attitudes towards possible inclusion of such students in their schools. For future practice and further research, recommendations are made to assist decision makers in this field.