Education for Children with Disabilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Developing a Sense of Belonging

by Margarita Schiemer

Overview

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.

This book presents insights into the lived realities of children with disabilities in primary schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It examines specific cultural and societal characteristics of Ethiopia that influence the education of children with disabilities. The book presents findings drawn from interviews with, and participant observation of the schoolchildren, family members, teachers and other “experts”, and places these findings in a cultural-historical context. The multidimensional approach taken allows for, on the one hand, the provision of a historical grounding of the book, explaining the main historical junctures and their implications for education, and the discussion of the role of culture and society as barriers and facilitators of education. On the other hand, it gives the book a more personal angle, allowing the reader to gain insight into what it means to feel like a family, develop a sense of belonging, and tr

ying to move toward educational equity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319607672
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	08/04/2017
Series:	Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity , #4
Edition description:	1st ed. 2017
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments.- Introduction.- 1. How to Make Sense of “Developing a Sense of Belonging” through “Feeling like a Family” in the Light of Cultural and Societal Backgrounds.- 2. Three Reasons for Dealing with Disability, Education and the Majority Word.- 3. Facts and Challenges regarding Grounded Theory, the ICF and Ethical Issues.- 4. Reality Bites: Listening to Children, Parents, Teachers and Other Experts.- 5. The Core Category:  Feeling Like a Family.- 6. Generation of Theory.- 7. Concluding Remarks Related to the Study.- 8. Critical Reflections on the Study.- 9. Integrating the Perspective of the Capability Approach.- 10. Inclusive Education and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).- 11. Appendix: All about Working with the Data.- References.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This manuscript incorporates the voices of children, parents, teachers as well as other experts in a unique cultural-historical context and provides insights and descriptions of specific cultural and societal characteristics in Ethiopia that influence the education of children with disabilities. In this way, especially against the background of a well-developed research design and methodology, a deeper understanding of the lived realities of children with disabilities in what the author calls a Majority world country is created.” (Petra Engelbrecht, North-West University, South Africa)

“This book's strengths include crucial historical grounding of important historical junctures and their implications for education, necessary given persistence and change in special education. This historical and culturally-sensitive analysis of Ethiopian education is multidimensional in providing findings based on interviews with and ethnographic observations of the schoolchildren, family members,teachers as well as other “experts”. In contrast to other studies that privilege elites and their views (and participation) in political decision-making processes, this work richly presents and analyses the diverse meanings of disability within the cultural context studied, namely a sample of schools in Addis Ababa.” (Justin J.W. Powell, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg)

“The idea of “feeling like a family” and “sense of belonging” that pervades throughout the text is a strong point to note. So often the social and emotional needs of children with special needs are overlooked as they are grouped together in a homogenous category. It highlights the fact that there are many different needs to be met in order to create an inclusive environment for all children, including their sense of belonging. Support is crucial for both parents and children. Following this, the section on belonging and ethnic identity is an excellent bridge between the historical/geographic context of Ethiopia and the current understanding of inclusion that the author maps”. (Renato Opertti, International Bureau of Education, UNESCO, Geneva, Switzerland)