Education for children with disabilities

17 October 2010

Children with disabilities are much less likely to go to school in the developing world than children who do not have disabilities. The 2010 Education For All Global Monitoring Report entitled, “Reaching the marginalized” highlights the challenges the international community faces in realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of universal primary education and gender parity in education. The education and gender Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved without addressing disability. 

In response to this DFID has developed a Guidance Note on Education and Disability. This note has been developed through consultation with civil society organisations working directly with children with disabilities both in the UK and abroad, the note is intended for use by DFID staff in country, staff from partner governments and other development partners working in this field.

Guidance Note: Education for children with disabilities - Improving quality and access

The note aims to offer practical advice and tips on how to support children with disabilities to access education.  It provides the following outcomes:

• synthesises current thinking
• signposts to available resources – research, case studies etc
• sets out options for mainstreaming disability and inclusive education including Value for Money options
• provides a contextual overview of key issues to consider when evaluating the relative strengths of the various options