Objectives. Conceptualizing Disability- Inclusive Education in PI. 23-May-15. Pacific Islands Needs. How do we know if our practice is exceptional?

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1 How do we know if our practice is exceptional? CHRIS FORLIN, International Education Consultant & JANINE SIMI, Dean of School of Education and Humanities, Solomon Islands National University. Objectives Conceptualizing disability-inclusive education in the Pacific Islands Why evidence-based practice? Issues in measuring inclusive education Developing and applying indicators The Solomon Islands experience ACEL SUMMIT 7 TH MAY 2015 Page 1 Disability Reform: Leading & Sustaining Exceptional Practice Page 2 Conceptualizing disabilityinclusive education Conceptualizing Disability- Inclusive Education in PI Disability-Inclusive Education is the means by which the rights of children and youth with disabilities to education are upheld at all levels within the general education system, on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live. It involves identifying and overcoming barriers to quality education in the general education system; reasonable accommodation of the individual s requirements; and provision of support measures to facilitate access to and participation in effective quality education. Page 3 Page 4 Pacific Islands Needs Why evidence-based practice? IE is a new focus for the Pacific Islands Demonstrate change and improved outcomes Inform future decision-making Equity across diverse contexts Page 5 Page 6 1

2 Complexity in Measuring Inclusive Education Ethical dilemmas Problems with applying measurement models in different cultural contexts Issues concerned with policy, resourcing, teacher preparation, pedagogical practices and how leadership for inclusive education might be viewed. Issues in measuring disability-inclusive education Page 7 Fiji workshop planning session Page 8 Measuring Inclusive Education How do countries / education systems monitor achievement? How do we know if our practice is just OK or exceptional? Forlin, C., & Loreman, T. (Eds.) (2014). Measuring inclusive education. U.K.: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd Monitor and Evaluate (M&E) M&E helps us to know whether our program is on track and provides information to help us steer the program in the desired direction It allows us to build an evidence base that we can use to help us manage performance Enables us to report the results of the program to others Series: International Perspectives on Inclusive Education Page 9 Page 10 Key Principles Underpinning the Project Developing & applying indicators Planning Meeting in Fiji Page 11 Forlin, C., Sharma, U., Loreman, T., & Sprunt, B. (2015). Developing indicators for inclusive education in the Pacific Islands. Prospects. Page 12 2

3 ADRAS Research Project: Developing and testing indicators for inclusive education in the Pacific To gain an understanding of existing indicators that are being used to monitor and evaluate education in the 14 PI countries, data were collected through: Surveys with key administrators at government level, Interviews with education directors and other stakeholders, and Systematic literature reviews Foundation Phase to Developing Indicators SURVEYS INTERVIEWS DEVELOPMENT OF INDICATORS SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEWS Page 13 Members from the 14 Pacific countries Page 14 Key Themes 10 dimensions emerged as highly pertinent to the monitoring of inclusive education in the PI These were reviewed across the continuum of input, process, and outcomes Three levels of implementation; micro, meso, and macro The Pacific Islands Experience Page 15 Associate Investigator Savaira, Fiji Page 16 Pacific Islands 14 Pacific Island countries have adopted the Pacific Education Development Framework (PEDF). Special and Inclusive education are seen as a priority in the Framework. As a result, member countries agreed to work towards disability inclusive education at the regional & national levels Australian Development Research The ADRAS project was undertaken to support the development of a set of contextually specific indicators for monitoring the progress of disabilityinclusive education in the Pacific Island countries. Page 17 Samoan Group at Fiji Workshop Page 18 3

4 Participating Countries All 14 Pacific Island countries participated in providing information 4 case countries involved in piloting, refining & testing Pacific Indicators for Disability- Inclusive Education (Pacific-INDIE) Implementation The project builds capacity for the implementation of the Pacific-INDIE within: Ministries of Education, Schools, Teacher training colleges, Non-government agencies; Disabled Persons Organisations. Fiji Samoa Vanuatu Solomon Islands Page 19 It will also build skills within these organisations in critical analysis of data arising from the indicators. Page 20 A Collaborative Approach Government and Non-government organizations working together with disability organizations to advocate for people with disabilities. Pre-service training programs for teachers have incorporated units on Special Education, Disability and Inclusive Education. Solomon Islands The concept of Inclusive education has only surfaced recently. The National Education Action Plan (NEAP ) identified IE as a key priority. The development of the Pacific-INDIE has helped the country on working towards that goal. Teams working in Fiji on the Indicators, 2014 Page 21 Page 22 Solomon Islands Current Focus Reviewing the Education Act and developing an Inclusive Education Policy. Providing support to People with Disability Association Solomon Islands (PWDSI) to do more awareness on accessing education for CYWD Providing training for pre-service teachers on Special Education and Inclusive Practices Establishing a National Resource Learning Centre with teaching and learning materials to support the education for CWD. SI Current Focus cont. Strengthening the network and between parents of CYWD and the Government s Service Provider like the Community Base Rehabilitation (CBR) department. The Red Cross Special School supporting the transition of CYWD into regular schools Technical Schools are now working towards opening up to students with disabilities. Page 23 Page 24 4

5 Potential Issues with Implementing Pacific-INDIE in SI The lack of Awareness on Disability Inclusive Education at all levels of the society. Preparedness of all Stakeholders Government, School Institutions, Non Government Organizations, Parents, and Churches working together to support and implement these indicators in the country. Basic Implementation Issues of IE in Solomon Islands Teachers lack of knowledge on special education and inclusive practices in the classroom. Lack of resources and teaching materials to support teachers. Over crowdedness in urban classrooms. Porakari, J., Sevala, B., Miniti, P., Saemane, G., Sharma, U., & Forlin, C. (2015). Solomon Islands School Leaders Readiness for Inclusive Education. International Journal of Inclusive Education Page 25 Page 26 Implementation Issues Cont. Schools and classrooms not adapting to meet the needs of CWD at school Parents not allowing their CWD to attend school because of a lack of knowledge on inclusion and fears that their child will be teased General negative attitudes of the community that CWD cannot learn, therefore, placing them at school is not important. Where are we now? Most PI Governments have shown commitments. They have reviewed their legislations and developed policies that support disabilityinclusive education. Established Inclusive Education Division within their Government System Page 27 Page 28 Where to Next? 4 countries will pilot the Pacific-INDIE Indicators will be refined Quality Assurance country visits to discuss Pacific-INDIE and use within M&E frameworks Finalising Pacific-INDIE for use across all 14 countries Conclusion Page 29 Page 30 5

6 Current Pacific Islands Situation Conclusion All countries are struggling in regard to measuring Data alone do not change the world, but they outcomes for students with disability make change possible by providing an No structured district or national data collection to evidence base for action, investment and record enrolment, attendance, or retention at school accountability. Data are more than just for SWD numbers they represent the reality of life for Collecting data seems to be occurring locally in some children, women and men; showing us where schools / regions we come from and guiding where we need to More data collected in special schools but not the case for regular schools go next. Countries are aware that they need to address this and most indicate they are actively working towards this Sharma, U., Simi, J., & Forlin. (in press). Preparedness of Pre-service Teachers for Inclusive (UNICEF Social Policy Specialist Bjorn Gelders, Honiara, SI) Education in the Solomon Islands. Australian Journal of teacher Education Page 31 Page 32 Acknowledgements DFAT acknowledgement: This research has been funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade s Australian Development Research Awards Scheme under an award titled Developing and testing indicators for the education of children with disability in the Pacific. Project acknowledgement: This research project has been undertaken in partnership by Monash University, The CBM - Nossal Institute Partnership for Disability Inclusive Development, Pacific Disability Forum and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Further Information ts/pacific-indie/ chrisforlin@outlook.com janinesimi@gmail.com umesh.sharma@monash.edu (Project Leader) Evidence-based practice &feature=related Page 33 Page 34 6