AusAID Development Research Award
Scheme 2013-2015
Strengthening capacity for
disability-inclusive education
development in policy formulation,
implementation and monitoring in the
South Pacific Region
QUT
Suzanne Carrington
Hitendra Pillay
Jenny Duke
Megan Tones
USP
Subhas Chandra
Joyce Heeraman
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Queensland University of Technology
Overview
• Purposes of the Project
• Research Questions
• Research Team
• Design & Methodology
• Procedures
• Data Collection - The Index for Inclusion
• Phases of the Research Process
• Ongoing Communication, Engagement & Outcomes
• References
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Purposes of the Project
• Progress culturally-appropriate inclusive
education in Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa &
Solomon Islands
• Develop capacity of all involved (equal
partners)
• Ensure that progress towards inclusive
education is sustainable
•
Inclusive education is a response to global concerns that all children have
the right to access and complete a free and compulsory education that is
responsive to the needs and relevant to their lives (UNESCO, 2000)
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Research Questions
1. What are existing data in relation to disabilityinclusive development?
2. What are the regional, national and local
priorities for progressing disability-inclusive
education?
3. How can action-research projects contribute
to building capacity and progressing
sustainable disability-inclusive development in
school communities?
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Research Team
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Design and Methodology
Phase 1 of Project (Archival Review)
Phase 2 of Project (Action Research
Case Studies)
RQ1. Existing Data
RQ2. Country
Priorities
RQ3. School Case
Studies
Situational Analysis
Needs Analysis
Action Research
- Document analysis
-Document analysis
- Questionnaires
-Individual and focus
group interviews
Phase 1-3 of Index
for Inclusion
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-Questionnaires
-Individual and focus
group interviews
Phase 4-5 of Index
for Inclusion
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Phase 1 – Archival Review
• Situational analysis of potential factors
influencing the development, advancement and
outcomes of inclusive education in Fiji, Samoa,
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu (Armstrong, Armstrong &
Spandagou, 2010; McConkey & Bradley, 2010).
• Literature review and consultation with national
researchers to confirm findings. Examples of
literature include:
– Country specific policy documents
– NGO reports
– Journal articles and books
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Country/ Region Context
• Pacific Region Profile
– Social perceptions of disability in the Pacific
– Opportunities and challenges for people living with
disability in the Pacific
– Educational context and resources for people with
disbilities
• Country Specific Profiles
– Geography and general population statistics
– Background and history of the education of children
with disabilities (including available data)
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Rights of Children with Disabilities
(McConkey &
Bradley, 2010)
• UN Declarations (Equal Rights) – Have the countries ratified the
Convention on the Rights of the Child and Rights of Persons with
Disabilities?
• National Laws (Social Justice) – Are above covered in national laws
e.g. legal and constitutional provisions and legislation on education
for people with special educational needs.
• Policy Guidance (Fair Implementation) – Inclusive and special
education policies directed towards schools.
• Rights promotion/ Advocacy – e.g. Disabled Persons’ Organisations,
Parents’ associations, Non-Government Organisations (coalitions of
common interest).
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Example: Rights of Children with
Disabilities
Fiji
Samoa

Ratified Convention
on Rights of the Child
Ratified Convention
on Rights of Persons
with Disabilities
Solomon Is

Vanuatu

 Signed only
Signed
only

Compulsory
Education Legislation


Special/ Inclusive
Education Policy

 Mentioned in
Strategic
Plan
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


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Summary Phase 1
• The ongoing review of archival documents
shows that there is a real need for research and
data collection to provide evidence for effective
and sustainable inclusive education for students
with disabilities in the Pacific.
• Phase 2 of this study is intended to address this
by conducting action research in inclusive
schools.
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Phase 2 – Action Research Case Studies
• The action research case studies will be
conducted in at least two schools per participant
country.
• Inclusive education will be facilitated via the
Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2002)
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Design & Methodology
(RQ’s 2 & 3)
• DESIGN – participatory action research within
volunteer school communities (case studies)
• PARTICIPANTS – young people with disability,
their parents/carers, their peers, their teachers,
their school principal & community professionals
• DATA COLLECTION – questionnaires, individual
& focus group interviews (based on the Index for Inclusion)
• DATA ANALYSES
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The Index Process
Phase One:
Starting the Index Process
Phase Two:
Finding out about the school
Phase Three:
Producing an inclusive development plan
(i.e., set priorities and plan first cycle of
action research)
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The Index Process
Phase Four:
Implementing developments
Phase Five:
Reviewing the Index process
Figure 1- A cyclic and spiral process incorporating the phases of planning,
implementation and review.
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Data Collection
The Index for Inclusion
• Questionnaires, individual interviews and focus
group interviews will be based on the three
dimensions of the Index for Inclusion
– Dimension 1: Creating inclusive cultures
– Dimension 2: Producing inclusive policies
– Dimension 3: Evolving inclusive practices
• The questions will be adapted from those
suggested in the Index
– e.g., Dimension 3 - ‘Are students encouraged to take responsibility
for their own learning?’
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Induction and Capacity Building:
Research Team
• Phase 1: Establishing the Foundation (Complete)
– Regional Workshop at USP (roles & responsibilities)
• Phase 2: Reviewing and Setting Priorities (Complete)
– Regional Workshop at USP (baseline data & procedures)
• Phase 3: Planning, Implementing and Knowledge Transfer
– Local Action Research Sessions at Schools (establish teams & procedures)
• Phase 4: Reviewing and Building Capacity
– Local Action Research Sessions at Schools (research outcomes & planning)
– Regional Workshop at USP (outcomes & recommendations)
• Phase 5: Ensuring Sustainability
– National Workshops – Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa & Solomon Islands
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Ongoing Communication,
Engagement & Outcomes
• Progress and outcomes will be shared among the research groups/participants
(and interested others):
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Site visits to schools and communities
Regular email & Skype video-conferences
Action Research Sessions (at schools)
Workshops (at USP Suva)
Engagement with the Pacific Disability Forum
USP as ‘hub’ for training/resources – culturally appropriate approaches to
disability-inclusive education
Visual representations (photos & videos)
Newsletters, Materials & Resources (USP & PIFS)
Academic & professional journal articles
Colloquia and workshops at QUT Faculty of Education
Media releases
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References
• Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. & Spandagou, I. (2010). Inclusive Education: International Policy and
Practice. London, UK: SAGE Publications.
• Booth, T. & Ainscow, M. (2011). Index for inclusion: Developing learning and participation in schools.
Bristol, UK: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.
•
McConkey, R. & Bradley, A. (2010). Promoting inclusive education in low-income countries. In: A Long
Walk to School: International Research on Inclusive Education across the Life-Span. (Eds: Timmons,
Vianne and Walsh, Patricia Noonan), Sense Publishers, pp. 7-26. ISBN 978-94-6091-211-5
• UNESCO (2000). The Dakar framework for action, education for all: Meeting our collective commitments.
Paris: Author. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001211/121147e.pdf
• UNESCO (2001). Understanding and responding to children’s needs in inclusive classrooms. Paris:
Author. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001243/124394E.pdf
• UNESCO (2003). Overcoming exclusion through inclusive approaches in education: A challenge and a
vision. Conceptual paper. Paris: Author. Retrieved from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001347/134785e.pdf
• UNESCO (2004). Changing teaching practices: Using curriculum differentiation to respond to students’
diversity. Paris: Author. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001365/136583e.pdf
• UNESCO (2005). Guidelines for inclusion: Ensuring access to education for all. Paris: Author. Retrieved
from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001402/140224e.pdf
• UNESCO (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. Paris: Author. Retrieved from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0017/ 001778/177849e.pdf
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