Inclusion Reform in the United Arab Emirates - Report Example

Inclusion Reform in the United Arab Emirates Name Institution Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Education in the UAE 3 Inclusion in the UAE 4 School Information 5 Wadeema’s Case 7 Inclusion 10 Implementation 10 Accountability 13 People 14 Recommendations 16 Conclusion 20 References 20 Introduction Education in the UAE The UAE increased its attention to the education sector after successful oil exploration and socio-economic development. The Ministry of Education developed a plan to increase the education level of nationals to 90 percent by 2020 (Anati & Ain, 2012). To meet this goal, the Ministry of Education and Youth established several departments that would be responsible for ensuring the right to education for all nationals without discrimination to women, youth, students with special needs and adults (Bataineh & Alsagheer, 2012). Presently, the government provides free education to all Emiratis in the government school. Educators are also required to support the Ministry’s Vision 2020 plan by improving teaching effectiveness, adopting appropriate methodologies and using effective evaluation processes. They have also shifted from role-learning to learner-centered teaching to improve the performance and motivation of children. The Ministry has also set up a special department to cater to the education needs for children with special needs. This department achieved successes such as establishment of a farm called Zayed Agricultural Center for the Challenged that was operated by students with physical disabilities. Since the establishment of the special department, the UAE government has remained commitment to providing equal welfare (including education) to children with special needs. This commitment is reinforced by the Federal Law No.29 enacted in 2006 to protect the rights of individuals and children with special needs (Dukmak, 2013). Inclusion in the UAE The inclusion philosophy has been implemented effectively in OECD countries but is a new concept in Arab countries. According to Weber (2012), the implementation of this theory in Arab countries has been a complex and a controversial process due to the different education policies, historical factors, and cultural influences on the education model and practices. In countries such as U.S. where the inclusion reform has been successful reflects the second-order change, which emphasizes on transformation from different perspectives including structural, processes and cultural changes (Evans, 1996). Nevertheless, there is no singular strategy on the implementation of inclusion in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region (Weber, 2012). The special education services structure has undergone significant change in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). UAE however needs to embrace the second-order change approach in order to overcome the numerous barriers to the implementation of the inclusion reform especially changes in the instructional strategies as well as the culture or perceptions about education for individuals with special needs. The UAE government has made a number of supportive attempts and commitments to inclusion in the UAE, it has encountered several challenges. A significant number of disabled students have been integrated in private and public schools and nurseries. Some of these students were taught at the Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation and Care Center for People with Disabilities (Lewis & Shaheen, 2010). A total of 173 students from the center have been integrated into higher education institutions and public education systems, including those without previous schooling (Anati & Ain, 2012). Those in government schools receive free education while non-national students with disabilities would have to pay fees for their education. Students with learning difficulties can be enrolled in the mainstream private classroom. These private schools permit students with disabilities but impose higher fees on parents to fund their special education programs. However, teachers in these private classrooms have bemoaned the fact that they are not ready and unable to include students with special needs in their classrooms (Anati & Ain, 2012). They claim that they do not receive pre-service training to support students with special learning needs. The challenge for the government, through the Ministry of Education, is to provide special education at all levels of public schooling and to supervise the implementation of inclusion principles and practices in the private sector (Alghazo & Gaad, 2004). Inclusion in special education is not implemented effectively in the UAE to enhance students learning. School Information Alnassr Kindergarten provides pre-school education to Emirati children. The kindergarten provides schooling from Grade KG1 to grade KG2 (Office of Strategic Affairs, 2012). A principal and vice-principal run the school. The kindergarten has four classes where two classes provide lessons to boys and girls separately at KG1 and KG2. The kindergarten level admits 244 pupils with 127 girls and 117 boys. About 38 teachers and other administrative and subordinate staff that play a critical role in the ensuring efficiency in the school operations run the school. Twenty-six of these teachers are expats while 12 are Emirati nationals (Office of Strategic Affairs, 2012). In compliance with Federal Law No.29 on the inclusion of children with disabilities, the school has enrolled 7 pupils with special needs in different classes defending on the stage and category of the special needs. In my school and indeed pre-schools in the UAE, several measures have been taken to promote inclusion of children with special needs from the pre-schools level. We acknowledge that inclusion of these children from the Kindergarten level is critical in helping such children develop healthy relationships with other “normal” children. In addition, inclusion at this stage is important in helping the “normal” children to appreciate children with special needs and learn to treat them as normal despite their challenges with consequent successful acceptance and inclusion at the societal level. Some the unique and interesting features in my school that could favor the inclusion reform include presence of teachers from diverse cultures including Arabic, U.S.A, Canada and the UK. Students are provided with the opportunity to learn from teachers with diverse cultural perspectives enabling them to appreciate diversity at young age, a phenomenon that helps them to fit into any society successfully especially with advent of globalization where the world is soon becoming a global village. The school is grounded on the Islamic teachings with Islam as the main religion. The current principal and the administration at large is committed towards building a learning environment characterized by a friendly environment that appreciates differences at the classroom level and in the running of the school. The Principal has been on the forefront in building a friendly environment with parents getting an opportunity to express their views as well as contribute in improving the quality of education and experiences of the students. As you enter my school, you experience students running and screaming, a phenomenon that is highly encouraged in an environment where children are allowed to grow in a friendly environment and with limited restrictions. In addition, our great work as teachers and the student’s hard work is visible within and outside the classrooms as shown by beautiful art in form of paintings. Parents and visitors have an opportunity to visit a show room where the works of different students are displayed, a concept that make majority of the teachers proud of what they have been able to achieve with the different students. Nevertheless, challenges are inevitable in any institution and one of the key challenges especially in respect to the inclusion reform is the lack of resources, materials and training to handle different categories of needs among the children. The kindergarten is also required to comply with the Education Ministry’s inclusion and instruction procedures and regulations for mainstream schools. Wadeema’s Case As a teacher in this school, I have had the opportunity to have one pupil with attention deficit hyperactivity. The girl with this condition serves to expose some of the weaknesses in the UAE’s inclusions reform, some of which have been encountered at a personal level. One of the weaknesses identified through personal experience with the attention deficit hyperactivity girl is the lack of training among the teachers on how to handle students with special needs that require training. Surprisingly, some parents either do not understand manifestations of some special needs among their children or are not willing to accept that indeed such children have special needs that require special attention. This scenario was clearly demonstrated by Wadeema one of the students enrolled in my class and later identified with attention deficit hyperactivity. I realized Wadeema had this problem from her behavior in class characterized by frequent fights with other students, and inability to take or listen to my instructions in class. In addition, I noticed that Wadeema could not settle in her seat or one place for at least 5 minutes. Wadeema could also not stick to one task for a period of 10 minutes with most of the time constantly shifting to new activities. This was particularly noticed during class work activities such as painting and coloring where Wadeema could keep distracting other students by snatching their painting materials and pushing them without any reason. In her class work, Wadeema had significant challenges compared to other students in respects to organizing tasks as well as having many mistakes in all her class work. Following persistence in her distractive behaviors in class and my inability to control her, I decided to forward the matter to the school administration for further guidance. Other teachers too, observed the unique behavior and the challenges presented by Wadeema and recommended the need to address the issue with the administration and the parents. Upon approaching the school principal and the vice principal, they were particularly concerned and took it upon themselves to be part of the class where they confirmed that indeed Wadeema’s behavior required special attention from the a trained personnel. At first, when the parent was contacted she denied that her child any unique behavior that could be classified as a special need. However, after meeting with mother and having a lengthy discussion, we discovered that despite not thinking that the child’s behavior was unique, she had taken up stringent measures to control her behavior. She narrated to us that she had been compelled to lock her in the room for long hours, and restricted her movements for what she described as engaging in dangerous behaviors such as playing with the gas. The parent explained that she had noticed that Wadeema was hyperactive but she would never thing that her child had a problem that really needed medical attention. In her views, she thought Wadeema’s behavior was a growth process that she would soon overcome as she grows. The school administration under the leadership of the school principal showed compassion to the mother and assisted her to have the child’s case reviewed by a physician in which reports revealed that she had attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Nevertheless, Wadeema’s parent cannot be condemned for thinking that her child had no problem because every parent wishes her children to grow normally and succeed in life. This case highlights just one of the experiences parents and teachers at the Kindergarten level go through before identification of children with special needs. As such, the inclusion reform provides a great opportunity to help parents in appreciating special needs among their child and engagement of the appropriate people and institutions to help such children enjoy rights and freedoms that other children enjoy. An examination of the school’s adoption of the reform shows that the adoption of the reform has not been transparent. The school principal and vice principal do not communicate the reasons for the reform or include teachers in the change process. As a result, most teachers are often caught unawares when children with special needs are enrolled in their classes. The school principal believes that the kindergarten has made an effort to adopt the reform by allowing children with disabilities in the classroom. The principal argues that the incorporation of these students in regular classrooms with the non-disabled students demonstrates the kindergarten’s efforts in institutionalizing inclusion reform. When probed on the success of this inclusion process, the school principal says that the kindergarten has not established any measures for evaluating the success or the impact of inclusion efforts. There is a gap in data collection because teachers are not involved in collection of data on inclusion. Furthermore, there is no specific procedure or standard that the school has developed to help teachers assess the impact of inclusion in their classes. There is also lack of information on how inclusion feedback is shared and discussed. The school principal has not instituted mechanisms for measuring and sharing feedback on the success and impact of the inclusion process. Inclusion Implementation The implementation process has been inconsistent in Alnassr Kindergarten. The Ministry’s goal has been to specify the requirements for instructing and accepting students with special needs in the private school system. This goal is influenced by the Ministry’s vision on public awareness and the fostering of effective interventions for children with special needs. Presently, these efforts have not yielded much because there is a need for greater partnership among stakeholders in the education sector (Gaad & Khan, 2007). A similar observation has been observed at Alnassr where partnership among teachers, the school principal, the vice principal and parents is missing. This lack of partnership is caused by lack of training and lack of support and resources to address the needs of disabled children in the classroom. Firstly, the implementation of inclusion is hampered by the limited support to the Alnassr kindergarten. Majority of the teachers feel that they lack the support from parents, principals, and school administrators to help them understand the education needs of disabled students. A challenge for these teachers is that they lack this support especially on the provision of materials and equipment for the inclusion reform (Dukmak, 2013). Just like mainstream teachers in the UAE, Alnassr kindergarten teachers confirm that they do not have instructional material and equipment for teaching students with diverse educational needs and disabilities. As a result, the teachers find it difficult to modify their assignments, develop alternative tests, or develop individualized programs to meet the special education needs of disabled students. The need for support for mainstream teachers is therefore a great concern in the UAE (Fullan, n.d). These teachers need access to resources such as special education instructors or teacher aides to help them manage their teaching workload (Dukmak, 2013). Secondly, the implementation of inclusion at the kindergarten requires sufficient training resources for the teachers. The kindergarten teachers lack the training to instruct students with special needs in their mainstream classrooms (Dukmak, 2013). In particular, most teachers have claimed that they have not received any training on the characteristics of disabled children, individualization of education programs and adjustments to current course content to meet the needs of disabled students. As a result, most teachers are unaware of the students’ expectations, lack vision on the operation of an inclusive program and lack the expertise to implement inclusion in their instruction strategies. The teachers’ lack of capacity to meet the special educational needs demoralizes disabled students (Gaad & Khan, 2007). As a result, disabled students have to take extra classes beyond their school time to ensure that they have acquired sufficient skills and knowledge for life after school. Steps are needed to ensure that these teachers receive the required training to adapt to inclusion at the kindergarten. Majority of mainstream teacher in the UAE have indicated that they would be interested in receiving training on special education, behavior management training and strategies for modifying their instruction (Gaad & Khan, 2007). The case study confirms that the kindergarten teachers are open to receiving training on the various instructional strategies and methods of special education, methods for assessing their students’ progress, effective communication tools and the adjustments for class requirements. Their openness towards training shows that the kindergarten teachers are interested in training to help them adapt to the changes in their classroom composition and diversity of student populations. Researchers confirm that mainstream teachers need training and are open to receiving special education training in their specific areas of teaching (Alghazo & Gaad, 2004). Thirdly, the allocation of time and class size is a challenge for the teachers. Presently, the ratio for the Alnassr kindergarten teachers is 1:23. The inclusion reform means that the teachers would have to adapt their class size as recommended by UAE’s Ministry of Education. Already, mainstream teachers in private schools have an average of 30 students in each class. The inclusion of students with special disabilities in the kindergarten would increase this class size as well as the ratio of students to teachers. A challenge for these teachers is that they need extra time to plan and collaborate with their colleagues to accommodate the education needs of students with disabilities (Gaad & Khan, 2007). Alnassr kindergarten teachers need extra time to adjust their assignments, courses and evaluation mechanisms to incorporate the learning needs of students with special needs. The teachers are also concerned with the potential increase in their workload once students with special needs are included in their classrooms. Research confirms that teachers expect to have more burnout because inclusion would create a stressful situation (Bataineh & Alsagheer, 2012). Currently, the kindergarten’s teachers assert that inclusion would increase their class load and that they would expect the Ministry of Education to provide mechanisms for reducing their class load so that they can provide student-centered teaching. Fourthly, the implementation of inclusion philosophy in the kindergarten is inconsistent because the school principal has not invested in specific tools and equipment for inclusion. Mainstream schools have to invest in special laptops, smart boards, portable magnifiers, electronic magnification kits, Braille printers, talking calculators, Perkins Braille, Derbi Share language Testing Kit and the Tactile globe (Anati & Ain, 2012). These tools are used with equipment such as large-screen televisions, low vision aids, AirWriter and manipulative equipment such as play dough and blocks. Access to these tools and equipment is quite limited for the kindergarten because it is a government school that depends on public funds. A research study on the availability of these resources showed that each tool was only available in two or three schools out of 26 schools (Anati & Ain, 2012). As a result, there are disparate efforts towards the implementation of inclusion in the kindergarten. The UAE Ministry of Education would have to play a greater role in ensuring government schools have the learning equipment and tools for successful inclusion. Accountability UAE has established an organizational structure to ensure accountability and facilitate the implementation of the special education policy headed by the department of special education in the Ministry of Education. This is then followed by educational zones headed by a Head for the Special Education department in each zone. The zonal heads are tasked with administration tasks related with the implementation of the special education policy, assessment and evaluation of special education programs and services within the stipulated region. With assistance from special education specialists and program experts, the zonal head provide direct and supervision and support to ensure effective and high quality special educational programs and services to the benefit of the students with special needs (United Arabs Emirates Ministry of Education: Special Education Department, 2010). The zonal heads are expected to conduct surveys in their areas of jurisdiction to ensure that the various special education programs and initiatives not only meet the expected standards but also meet the needs of the targeted population. In addition, they should also ensure that ongoing professional training and development in relation to provision of special education is effective as well as creates awareness and advocate for inclusion of children or individuals with disabilities in the society. On the other hand, school principals play similar roles but within the school setting including administrative roles such as ensuring at least one special education teacher is recruited in each school to address the needs of special needs students. This is congruent with the ongoing campaign that favors inclusion. Most importantly, the school principals are expected to maintain data on special needs students and the services provided and forward such information to the Director of Special Education in the district (United Arabs Emirates Ministry of Education: Special Education Department, 2010). In addition to the school heads and zonal heads, the department of special education also sends senior supervisors to develop and facilitate implementation of training programs and enhance the skills and knowledge of those involved in the provision of the special education services. The lower but important players in the organization of special education in UAE include the special needs instructor or teacher, peers of students with special needs, parents and the community, the students. People The human component of inclusion is very critical. The role of teachers in the instruction of children with special needs is important. Their perception towards inclusion has a significant impact on the successful integration of disabled students in the mainstream classroom. At Alnassr kindergarten, the teachers’ attitude towards inclusion is partly negative. Some teachers claim that they are discouraged the school decided to enroll disabled children without their involvement or consent. Gaad and Khan (2007) confirm that majority of teachers in the UAE are discouraged about inclusion of disabled student in the mainstream classrooms. Some teachers have positive attitudes towards the education and integration of students with disabilities in the mainstream classroom. However, majority of the teachers feel that students with learning disabilities were disruptive to the non-disabled students in the classroom. In the case study, majority of the kindergarten teachers feel that students with disabilities did not have the skills to master the course content taught in the public classrooms. Similar findings on the teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion in the UAE have been reported in studies by Anati and Ain, (2012). The authors observed some mainstream teachers did not favor inclusion whereas only 33 percent supported the adoption of inclusion philosophy in public and private school systems. A study conducted by Alahbabi (2009), revealed that kindergarten teachers in the UAE were less willing to accommodate children or students with special needs compared to teachers at the elementary levels. This partially accounts to the limited number of students with special needs enrolled in UAE kindergarten or pre-school level. On the perceived workload, the teachers at the Alnassr Kindergarten feel that their workload would increase as more disabled children join their classrooms. Research confirms that most teachers perceive an increase in their workload as negative impact of the inclusion reform. In addition, much focus in the inclusion reform has been on inclusion of students with special needs as from the elementary level (Comstock-Galagan, 2008). This implies that students with special needs are expected to enroll in the elementary schools either from special education schools or from home-based support programs thus affecting their capacity to fit in the general classroom setting effectively. The poor attitude towards inclusion at the kindergarten level has been attributed to numerous factors including fear by kindergarten teachers on how to handle children with special needs such as behavioral disturbances and other severe disabilities (Comstock-Galagan, 2008). This points to lack of training among the kindergarten teachers, a phenomenon that explains their fear towards including students with special needs in their classrooms (Alahbabi, 2009). Owing to the focus on elementary level as the beginning of the inclusion process, training and professional development has been concentrated among teachers at this level at the expense of the kindergarten teachers. In addition, the focus on elementary level also explains why studies indicate increased willingness among the elementary level teachers towards inclusion of students with special needs compared to instructors in high school and higher levels of education. For instance, Gaad and Khan (2007) observe that all of the teachers agree that they feel overburdened by the inclusion of students with disabilities in their classrooms. The teachers are also less confident in their ability to adapt their instruction to the learning needs of students with disabilities. This perception could be because teachers are not sure they could adapt their lessons or adjust their assignments to include students with disability needs because they do not feel that those students can understand their course content. Recommendations Administrative support is another factor affecting the success of inclusion reform at Alnassr Kindergarten. Alnassr teachers confirm that the school principal and vice principle do not understand that inclusion requires a shift in instruction and evaluation from grade-level goals to individual-level goals. They argue that school administration should understand the challenges that they face in teaching students with special needs and provide the motivational support to help the teachers adjust their instruction strategies. The teachers need administrative support, understanding and motivation from their principal and vice principal as they adjust to the expectations of students with special needs (Fullan, 2011). Parental support is another factor affecting the kindergarten’s inclusion process. The kindergarten teachers need the support of parents of students with special needs. They need support from parents as they seek instructional resources and funds from school administrators to implement inclusion practices in their classrooms (Bradshaw, 2009). According to Comstock-Galagan (2008), parents and teachers must avoid limiting the expectations of children when they realize they have challenges in their learning or have other special needs. Enrolling such children to pre-schools provides a great opportunity for such children to grow in environments where everyone expects to fit in as adults (Bendova, Cechackova & Sadkova, 2013). It has been demonstrated that children with special needs included in the pre-school level reduce their dependence on human service systems with consequent positive or effective inclusion in the community. Most importantly, inclusion at this stage creates natural support for the child in future as an adult trough development of relationships with other children without special needs thus enhancing acceptance. However, studies have shown that the inclusion of children at the kindergarten level is not only affected by parents’ attitude towards children identified as having special needs but also particularly pronounced poor attitude among the Kindergarten teachers. Parental support would motivate the school principal to provide resources and funding for the inclusion of students with special needs in their classrooms (Bradshaw, 2009). In addition, parental support would motivate the kindergarten teachers to develop individualized education strategies and adapt their instruction to meet the education needs of special needs students. As observed in the case of Wadeema, parents and the community at large need to be informed on how to identify the various special needs that children may have. In addition, parental appreciation that children with disabilities can still lead a successful life would be crucial in enabling them enroll their children early enough at the kindergarten in order to ensure successful inclusion. Professional support is a critical factor affecting the teachers’ performance at Alnassr kindergarten. Mainstream teachers need the support of special education professionals such as special education educators, counselors, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, teacher assistance, audiologists, recreational therapists and occupational therapists (Anati & Ain, 2012). However, access to these professional resources in the kindergarten is limited and varied. Although the kindergarten teachers operate in a government school and can request the support of special education teachers and other professionals, these personnel resources are not easily accessible (Anati & Ain, 2012). The kindergarten teachers at AlNassr need the support of the community. Presently, there is a need to educate the public on the rights of the disabled children in the community (Bradshaw, 2009). This is because local customs in the Gulf region are negative towards the treatment of children with disabilities. These pre-Islamic customs do not discourage Gulf families from shaming, blaming, or reproaching children with disabilities (Weber, 2012). These customs view people with disabilities as a financial burden, a curse and a shame to the society. Disabled people are often given derogatory names that are identified by the disability and have their rights often violated by the society. As a result, it has become commonplace for disabled children in the Gulf region to be separated from non-disabled children through special education schools or home schools. This segregation has reduced public acceptance of disability and reduced the work opportunities for disabled persons (Weber, 2012). These customs and cultural views hinder the successful implementation of inclusion in government and private schools. Alnassr kindergarten teachers need the community’s support as they integrate disabled students in their classrooms. This support can only be achieved by the Ministry of Education’s involvement and awareness programs on the rights of disabled children and adults. This involvement would improve public awareness on the plight of disabled people, reduce the stigma of disability and develop positive attitudes towards inclusion in UAE classrooms. Effective leadership remains central to the successful implementation of the inclusion reform in the UAE. As such, the special needs department needs to emphasize on the need to combine both instructional and transformational leadership styles in the process of integrating special education into the mainstream schools (Bush & Coleman, 2000). Studies have shown that school principals in UAE schools have focused on transformative leadership, a phenomenon that explains the existences of some of the challenges in the implementation of the inclusion reform (Ibrahim & Al-Taneiji, 2012). In order to achieve improved performance of teachers, attitudes, satisfaction and willingness to support inclusion of students with disabilities, the school principals should be trained and encouraged to combine transformative leadership and instructional leadership styles (Bush & Coleman, 2000). This would play a critical role in ensuring that the principals provide direction and guidance to the teachers in respect to the inclusion process. The leadership style of the principles has the potential to influence mainstream teachers’ attitude towards inclusion, satisfaction and commitment to the inclusion process (Fullan, 2011). As such, the department of special education should roll-out leadership training programs, workshops, and conferences targeted at nurturing both transformative and instructional leadership styles among the school principals. Conclusion United Arab Emirates has made tremendous steps towards the inclusion reform, particularly through laying a strong foundation in terms of laws and policy. However, implementation of the inclusion reform continues to face numerous challenges including inadequate allocation of resources, training needs especially for mainstream teachers including the kindergarten teachers, poor attitudes towards the inclusion of students with special needs, limited community awareness and support for teachers as well as poor leadership. Nevertheless, the inclusion reform in UAE could be significantly improved through implementation of the recommendation provided in this paper including change in strategy to emphasize on kindergarten as the appropriate stage for initiating the inclusion process, increasing creation of awareness, leadership training for principals, and community mobilization. References Alghazo, E., & Gaad, E.N. (2004). General education teachers in the United Arab Emirates and their acceptance of the inclusion of students with disabilities. British Journal of Special Education, 31(2), 94-99. Anati, N., & Ain, A. (2012). Including students with disabilities in UAE schools: A descriptive study. International Journal of Special Education, 27(2), 75-85. Bataineh, O., & Alsagheer, A. (2012). An investigation of social support and burnout among special education teachers in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Special Education, 27(2), 5-13. Bradshaw, K. (2009). 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