Inclusive education and children with disabilities in the Gulf Cooperation Council member states

Abstract

The argument for inclusive education of children with disabilities is one that has been embraced by developing nations in theory, if not always in practice. It is claimed that this is becoming a global movement (Leyser and Romi, 2008). However, little is known about how far the principles underpinning integration in mainstream education for historically excluded groups have been accepted in various world regions, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. Yet, the GCC region is a particularly interesting one to explore in relation to disability due to the raised awareness of this issue, together with the rapid development of the social infrastructure taking place. So poor is our knowledge of this issue that we remain heavily reliant for information based on a limited body of research that has been used to construe some broad generalisations about disabilities across the Arab region. It has been estimated that 85 per cent of children with disabilities are located in developing regions, including in GCC countries (Milaat et al., 2001). Yet, although the majority of people with disabilities live in the world’s poorer regions there is correspondingly less recognition of what constitutes disability, compared with the higher rates of reported incidence among affluent nations (Barnes and Mercer, 2007). Explanations for this discrepancy refer to the improved survival rate of people with disabilities living in wealthier regions, together with the greater longevity of the general population resulting in disability at a later point in the lifespan. A further explanation could lie in the weaker educational infrastructure in many poor countries preventing schools from being sufficiently equipped to accommodate the needs of pupils with disabilities. A final and cogent point considers the issue of normative behaviour and expectations, where dyslexia, for example, is considered to be a notable handicap for individuals living in societies that depend highly upon literacy skills. However, in the Arab States, traditionally, illiteracy has been widespread in the population, particularly among women, and until recently disability has not been viewed as especially disadvantageous to their prospects in life (Ashencaen Crabtree, 2007a; Haw, 1998). However, the contemporary social agenda of many countries, including the Arab States, is focusing ever more closely on the issues of disability and access to education. The ideologies that underpin more inclusive models of education depend upon particular social constructions of disability; these in turn conform to normative beliefs regarding the roles of individuals within society. Thus, quite different connotations may be given towards the whole conceptualisation of disability in the various parts of the Arab region and their associated life prospects, compared with those found in other regions. Arguably, there is an urgent need to begin a more systematic scoping of educational inclusion within the geographical boundaries of the GCC. Such an enterprise unfortunately lies beyond the scope of a single chapter, particularly as this information remains difficult to access. Instead, we offer a condensed review of the educational opportunities available to children with disabilities in the GCC states. Over and above the mapping of inclusive education in this region, we offer an analysis of contextual knowledge regarding the social construction of disability in Arab societies.