INTRODUCTION

The implementation of the Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons is central to fulfilment of the Decade goal of full participation and equality of persons with disabilities. Education is one of the 12 areas of the Decade Agenda for Action. There are 7 education targets for implementation of the Decade Agenda for Action.

Access to education for children and youth with disabilities is a vital means of empowerment and self-help. Although children and youth with disabilities have the same citizenship entitlements as their non-disabled peers, very few have equal education opportunities in ESCAP developing and least developed countries and areas.

There is a critical need to promote awareness of the basic right of children and youth with disabilities to education, and to address significant gaps between entitlements and aspirations on the one hand, and policy and practice on the other.

This questionnaire is in two parts. Part I covers educational services from primary level upwards. Part II focuses on pre-primary, including early childhood, intervention, care and education.

Annexes 1 to 5 contain background information that may be useful to you and your colleagues in completing this questionnaire. The same annexes are also attached to Part II as it is envisaged that Part II may be completed by a different team of respondents.

The responses that you and your colleagues provide to this questionnaire will be an important contribution to an assessment of the status of education for children and youth with disabilities in the ESCAP region, and the identification of measures required to strengthen their participation in education.

Thank you for working with us to help give children and youth with disabilities a better chance in life.

CONTACT DETAILS
Contact details of officer who can be contacted for clarification of items in Part I

Ms. / Mr. (Circle one)
Officer’s family name:
Officer’s first name:
Title / position:
Full name of Ministry / Department/ Organization:
Contact Address:
City:
Country:
E-mail:
Tel no.: (country code ) - (city code ) - (tel. no. )
Fax no.: (country code ) - (city code ) - (tel. no. )
 

COUNTRY / TERRITORY NAME:

________________________________________________

A. MANDATES

1. Has your country/territory ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child? YES / NO

2. In relation to the education targets for the implementation of the Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (see annexes 2 and 3), what are your national education targets for children and youth with disabilities?

3. With respect to children and youth with disabilities, what is the action taken so far to fulfil the above-mentioned?

(a) national education targets:

(b) regional education targets for implementation of the Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons:

4. In your country / territory, is there separate legislation for the education of children and youth with disabilities? 
NO / YES
If yes, please give the full title of that legislation and the date it was adopted.

5. What is the policy position on the education of children and youth with disabilities?

B. PROGRAMME AND FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY

1. Concerning the education of children and youth with disabilities, which Ministries / Departments are responsible for plans, programmes, projects, and for their funding arrangements? Please use this table format for your response.

2. What is the main funding source for education services for children and youth with disabilities in your country / territory?

3. What type of services are provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in support of the education of children and youth with disabilities?

4. Of the total education services provided by all parties for children and youth with disabilities, what is the proportion provided by NGOs at the following levels for both these groups?

Formal:

(a) Primary:
(b) Secondary:
(c) Post-secondary:

Non-formal:

(d) Literacy programmes:
(e) Vocational education:

5. What types of services are funded by foreign donor agencies in support of the education of children and youth with disabilities?

6. In your education system, which are the official and non-official positions (please specify) that are best placed to initiate the changes required for more disabled children and youth to be educated at both primary and secondary levels? Please use this table format for your response.

Best placed to initiate improvements

C. BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

By "children", we refer to those aged 0 to 18 years; by "youth", we refer to those aged 15 to 24. If the data you provide refer to age groups that differ from these, kindly specify.

1. What is the total population of children (aged 0 to 18) in your country / territory?
If you have data on the total number of children aged 4 to 14, please indicate the number:

2. What is the total population of youth aged 15 to 24 in your country / territory?

3. What is the percentage of children in school in your country / territory?

4. What is the percentage of youth in educational institutions in your country / territory?

5. In your country / territory, what is the:

(a) total number of disabled children?

(b) percentage of disabled children in schools (both mainstream and special schools)?

(c) total number of disabled youth?

(d) percentage of disabled youth in educational institutions (both mainstream and special institutions)?

6. In your country / territory, is schooling compulsory? YES/NO
If yes, please specify from what age to what age and class level:

7. Are government and government-aided schools providing compulsory and free education for children and youth with disabilities?      YES/NO
If yes, please indicate from what age to what age and class level:

8. What is the total number of schools at the following levels?

(a) Primary:
(b) Secondary:

9. What is the total number of the following types of schools?

(a) Special:
(b) Vocational:

10. Of the total primary, secondary and vocational schools, what percentage includes children and youth with disabilities?

(a) Primary:
(b) Secondary:
(c) Vocational:

D. TEACHER TRAINING

Pre-service training:

1. Duration of training teachers for the following schools:

2. Disability concerns are a core component of the general pre-service training of teachers for:

3. Teacher training in addressing the education needs of children and youth with disabilities is provided for through:

(a) Curriculum elements addressing the specific needs of diverse disability groups (e.g., students who are blind, deaf or learning disabled): YES/NO

(b) Curriculum elements on teaching methods which encourage group work and mutual support among students with diverse abilities, needs and learning styles: YES/NO

Please list the curriculum elements provided in 3(a) and (b):

4. In the formal training of mainstream school teachers (nursery, primary, secondary and vocational), the following are standard components (circle applicable):

(a) Early childhood development: YES / NO

(b) Orientation and mobility: YES / NO

(c) Braille reading and writing: YES / NO

(d) Sign language: YES / NO

(e) Use of locally available materials for making teaching materials: YES / NO

(f) Accessible school environments: YES / NO

(g) Information technology (computer training, Internet): YES / NO

(h) Other (specify): YES / NO

5. In specialist/support teacher training, there exists standard components on the following (circle applicable) :

(a) Early childhood development: YES / NO

(b) Orientation and mobility: YES / NO

(c) Braille reading and writing: YES / NO

(d) Sign language: YES / NO

(e) Use of locally available materials for making teaching materials: YES / NO

(f) Accessible school environments: YES / NO

(g) Information Technology: YES / NO

Using computers: YES / NO

Using the Internet, Intranet: YES / NO
Adaptive technology options for making information technology accessible to disabled students YES / NO

(h) Other (specify): YES / NO

6. How can pre-service training be strengthened to support the education of disabled children and youth?

In-service training

7. Is there a regular and active programme of continuing teacher skills upgrading? YES / NO

8. Are disability concerns included as part of the above mentioned in-service training? YES / NO
Please give information:

9. What are the main challenges concerning in-service training on disability-related concerns?

10. What are your views on how these could be addressed?

General teacher training

11. What is the feedback concerning the relevance of training (specify pre- or in-service) which has included disability concerns?

12. The UNESCO Teacher Education Resource Pack is used in teacher training: YES / NO

Has the UNESCO Teacher Education Resource Pack been translated into national and local language(s)? YES / NO

What action has been taken to promote the use of the UNESCO Resource Pack?

13. Are persons with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities involved in the teaching of disability-related matters?

Persons with disabilities YES / NO
Parents of children with disabilities YES / NO
If such involvement exists, please give details:

14. Specific measures exist to train the following as teachers:

(a) Deaf persons: YES / NO

(b) Blind persons: YES / NO

(c) Persons with mobility impairments: YES / NO

(d) Persons with other impairments: YES / NO

15. What are these measures?

E. DISTANCE EDUCATION

National-level open universities may be consulted for the information sought in Section E.

1. Are there distance education programmes in your country/territory? NO / YES

2. Do those distance education programmes in your country/territory support the needs of the following groups?

(a) Teachers who are in mainstream schools which have enrolled children and youth with disabilities
NO / YES

(b) Teachers who are in special schools NO / YES

(c) Children and youth with disabilities pursuing an education: NO / YES

(d) Teachers whose main interest is in obtaining certificates in education: NO / YES

Please attach brief details on type and level of education offered.

Please explain how distance education supports the needs of the above groups:

4. Are Internet services and satellite-based communication used to support directly the education of children and youth with disabilities?

Internet services: YES / NO
Satellite-based communication: YES / NO

Please give details of status

3. Please give information on the main distance education contact(s) in a position to make decisions in favour of using distance education to address the needs of those groups cited in # 2 (a) through (d) above:

Distance Education Contact Person:

Family name: Mr. / Ms:
First name:
Title / Position:
Full name of institution or government agency:
Contact address:
City:
Country:
Tel no.: (country code ) - (city code ) - (tel. no. )
Fax no.: (country code ) - (city code ) - (tel. no. )
E-mail:

F. EDUCATION OF DISABLED CHILDREN AND YOUTH

1. Are there measures aimed at enabling children and youth in the following disability groups to be educated?

(a) Low vision: YES / NO

(b) Blindness: YES / NO

(c) Hard of hearing: YES / NO

(d) Deafness: YES / NO

(e) Mobility disability: YES / NO

(f) Cerebral palsy: YES / NO

(g) Deaf-blind: YES / NO

(h) Speech and language disorders: YES / NO

(i) Learning disabilities YES / NO
(including mental retardation and dyslexia), please specify which:

(j) Emotional problems: YES / NO

(k) Behavioural problems: YES / NO

(l) Autism: YES / NO

2. In which of the following settings are disabled children and youth educated?
Please tick as applicable and give details for examples that exist.

Special home-based programmes: ___

Institutional setting (rehabilitation centre / hospital): __

Separate special schools: ___

Special classrooms in mainstream schools: ___

Included as part of regular classes for non-disabled children: ___

Non-formal education programmes for all children and youth: ___

Other (please specify): ___

3. In the education of deaf children and youth, what is the dominant communication mode used?
(Please tick as applicable)

Sign language interpretation: ___
Total communication: ___
Oral-aural method: ___

4. Sign language is taught and encouraged as a communication mode: YES / NO
Please give information on the status of sign language as a communication mode:

5. There are examples of non-disabled children and youth being encouraged to learn the following:

(a) Sign language: YES / NO
(b) Braille reading and writing: YES / NO
(c) Orientation and mobility: YES / NO

If examples do exist, please give details.

G. SUPPORT MEASURES

1. What support measures are available to facilitate the mainstream education of disabled children and youth? (Please tick if applicable)

• Cost-free availability of assistive devices (e.g., hearing aids, corrective lenses, Braille kits): ___
• Learning - teaching aids (e.g., additional instructional material, tape recorders, writing or reading stands, special writing devices for children with locomotion disabilities, computer technology): ___
• Awareness-raising measures (among education authorities, teachers, parents and non-disabled children [underline the appropriate group(s)]): ___
• Child-to-child activities/support (e.g., peer tutoring, learning in small groups, cooperative learning): ___
• Joint recreational activities for all children and youth, with emphasis on the inclusion of disabled children and youth: ___
• Parent support (e.g., training and mobilization): ___
• Mobilization and support from volunteers: ___
• Teacher education (pre- and in-service training): ___
• Adaptation of curriculum and examination (e.g., increased flexibility, relevant and accessible to all children): ___
• Cooperative learning strategies: ___
• Promoting a school climate of acceptance of each child and youth (e.g. through change in attitudes, individual needs are respected): ___
• Community-based rehabilitation (supporting and promoting the goal of developing inclusive schools):__
• Early childhood education (early identification, assessment and stimulation of the young child 'at risk' to promote physical, intellectual and social development and school readiness): ___
• Non-formal education programmes for out-of-school children and youth: ___
• Additional resource funding: ___
• Transport facilities (to and from educational programmes): ___
• Other: ___ Please specify:

2. What is the situation concerning access by disabled children and youth to computer skills training?

3. Please give examples of innovations, if any, in supporting access to computers and computer-based learning among disabled children and youth. Indicate the nature of rural/urban and gender differences in this group’s access, focusing on the situation of those from poor families.

H. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

1. Are disabled persons’ organizations and groups of parents of disabled children and youth consulted by the Ministry / Department primarily responsible for education? Please use the following table format for your response.

2. Concerning the education of children and youth with disabilities, please specify the institutional mechanisms for government consultations with disabled persons’ organizations and groups of parents of children and youth with disabilities. Please use the following table format for your response.

3. What is the role of disabled persons’ organizations and groups of parents of children and youth with disabilities in the education of children and youth with disabilities?

I. BEST PRACTICE

We would like to give international publicity to best practices on the education of children and youth with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Kindly select one best practice example either from the government or non-government sector. Preferably, the case-study of the best practice selected may be written by the principal person directly responsible for its design and implementation.

The case-study may be within 10,000 words and contain the following structure:

Description of problem addressed:

Main features of programme or project:

Key lessons learned from implementation and process (including feedback from those involved):

Suggestions for (a) sustainability; (b) replicability.

In addition, please attach:

(a) Two or three captioned photos of publishable quality to illustrate the case-study.

(b) Name and contact details of responsible person for further information:

Ms. / Mr. (Circle one)
Family name:
First name:
Title / position:
Full name of Ministry / Department / Non-governmental organization:
Contact address:
City:
Country:

E-mail:
Tel no.: (country code: ) - (city code: ) - (tel. no.: )
Fax no.:(country code: ) - (city code: ) - (tel. no.: )

J. FORUM AGENDA

1. From the perspective of your country / territory, please suggest topics that would be important for inter-country exchange in the regional forum on the education of children and youth with disabilities, to be held in Bangkok in from 15 to 19 November 1999.

2. Furthermore, please indicate those topics on which your national coordination committee on disability requires more information in order to strengthen its work on promoting the education of children and youth with disabilities.

K. ATTACHMENTS REQUESTED
(English versions)

1. Specific articles of the Constitution which support the right to education of disabled children and youth (with reference to section A).

2. Education legislation and policy (with reference to question 4 and 5, section A)

3. If there is involvement of more than one agency or NGO in the programme development decisions for the education of children and youth with disabilities, please attach a brief explanation of the situation, as well as the division of responsibility among various agencies. (with reference to question B - 1)

4. Brief details on type and level of distance education programmes offered (with reference to question E - 2)

5. Captioned photos of publishable quality (with reference to question I - 5)

ANNEX 1

GLOSSARY

Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons: is a blueprint for action to improve the quality of life of citizens with disabilities. The Agenda consist of 12 inter-related policy areas: national coordination; legislation; information; public awareness; accessibility and communication; education; training and employment; prevention of causes of disabilities; rehabilitation services; assistive devices; self-help organizations and regional cooperation.

Autism: a condition occurring in young children before the age of three years, characterized by unresponsiveness to human contact, deficits in language development and idiosyncratic responses to environmental stimuli.

Blindness: is the total loss of visual perception and low vision: is diminished visual activity, and/or limited fields of vision.

Braille reading and writing: Braille is a system of representing letters by raised dots, which blind people read by touch.

Cerebral palsy: a group of disorders characterized by the loss of movement or loss of other nerve functions. The disorders are caused by injuries to the brain that occur during fetal development or around the time of birth.

Communication mode: method used for communicating, e.g., sign language, oral-aural, computer technology, spoken and written language.

Cooperative learning strategies: a learning process in which students work in small teams of mixed membership on activities requiring the exercise of collaborative social skills and tasks demanding the combined efforts of students to achieve both individual and group learning goals. [Waterworth and Shepherdson 1993, 44]

Deaf-blind: profound or total loss of auditory sensitivity perception, combined with profound or total loss of visual perception.

Deafness and hearing impairments (hard of hearing): deafness is a profound or total loss of auditory sensitivity perception. Hearing impairment, with or without a hearing aid, is the inability to successfully process linguistic information through audition.

Disabled people’s organizations: (also known as self-help organizations of people with disabilities): is an organization run by self-motivated disabled people to enable disabled peers in their communities to become similarly self-motivated and self-reliant.

Distance education programmes: education programmes provided outside regular school or university settings. This can be done through a variety of methods such as correspondence, television, radio, computer and telecommunications systems.

Dyslexia: is a neurologically-based disorder which interferes with the acquisition and processing of language. Varying in degrees of severity, it is manifested by difficulties in receptive and expressive language, including phonological processing in reading, writing, spelling, handwriting and sometimes in arithmetic.

Impairment, Disability and Handicap: according to the World Health Organization (1980) classification system, an "impairment" may be a consequence of disease or injury. Impairment occurs at the level of an organ of the body including the brain. A "disability" may or may not be a consequence of impairment. A disability refers to the function relevant to the performance of a normal social role, which has either remained undeveloped or has been lost. A "handicap"is the result of social factors outside the person which react with an impairment or a disability.

Inclusion: being part of a whole, see integrated education and inclusive education.

In-service training: training provided while in service.

Integrated education and inclusive education: integrated education is the term used to describe the process of bringing children with disabilities into mainstream schools. Inclusive education is a wider process of integration, incorporating the idea of access for all (other disadvantaged groups with special needs as well as those with disabilities) and the accommodation of the mainstream school to the diverse needs of all children. Both terms are commonly used to describe the process of providing access to mainstream education for children with disabilities. Internationally, "integrated education" as a term to describe the process has been succeeded by "inclusive education". In inclusive schools, all children learn together, the school recognizes and responds to the diverse needs of their students, accommodating both different styles and rates of learning and ensuring quality education to all through appropriate curricula, organizational arrangements, teaching strategies, resource use and partnership with their communities.

Internet services: services such as networking, e-mailing, downloading information, distance education programmes that can be conducted by using the Internet, which is a global network of cables and computers.

Learning disabled: a broad category of students who have the common problem of having difficulty in school learning especially in reading and/or maths. Some educators view learning disability as distinctly different from mental retardation and others do not.

Mental retardation/learning difficulties: a developmental disability characterized by significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour and manifested during the developmental period (American Association on Mental Deficiency 1984). Intellectual disability may or may not be a consequence of an organic impairment. There are mild, moderate and severe to profound levels of learning difficulties.

Mobility disability: physical impairment limiting movement.

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization delivering services at minimal or no cost to programme beneficiaries (children and youth with disabilities and/or their parents).

Oral-aural method: also called oralism does not use sign language. Instead it relies on developing good use of residual hearing, speech reading, and speech skills through which students learn and communicate. Included in this method is lip-reading; speech training and speech reading.

Orientation and mobility: orientation and mobility for persons with visual impairments can be provided by verbal and tactile information regarding specific areas/situations so that they can determine the positions of objects, and become accustomed and adapt to new situations and move about with greater independence and ease.

Parent groups: groups/organizations formed by parents of children with (similar) disabilities. These groups often provide a forum for discussion, mutual support and action.

Pre-service training: training provided prior to initiating service

Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action: the Salamanca Statement is a statement on principles, policy and practice concerning the education of all disabled children. It recognizes the necessity and urgency of providing education for all children, young people and adults within the regular education system. The Framework of Action outlines guidelines for action at national, regional and international levels on how regular ordinary schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. These two documents are important tools for efforts to make sure schools work better and to fulfil the principle of Education for All.

Satellite-based communication: communication of information via satellites.

Sign language: the language used by the deaf community; it uses the precise movements of the hands, face, eyes and body.

Sign language interpretation: the translation of oral information into sign language and vice versa.

Special class: class for students with disabilities who are given instruction by special educators who are trained for work in the area of disability.

Specialist/support teachers: specially trained teachers, who work in the regular classroom and engage in the regular teaching, providing support and assistance for individuals or groups of children having special educational needs.

Speech and language disorders: (speech impairment): any or several speech problems. Dysathria is difficult, poorly articulated speech; Aphasia is impaired expression or comprehension of written or spoken language.

Total communication: requires the use of appropriate aural, manual, and oral modes of communication to maximize communication in all situations with both hearing and deaf people. Although it does not require simultaneous speech and signing in all or most situations, speech and some form of sign language is usually used simultaneously. This method includes signed language; visual-gestural communication; speech training and lip-reading.

UNESCO Teacher Education Resource Pack: resource materials developed by UNESCO to help schools and teachers respond to pupils with special needs. The pack stimulates and supports progress towards forms of schooling that can facilitate the learning of all children in the community.