Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia
Background: In Ethiopia, children with disabilities face significant barriers to education, which are exacerbated for those living in remote villages and areas affected by conflict and insecurity. Several studies have highlighted the important role that sustained multistakeholder collaborations coul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-03-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Disability |
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| Online Access: | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1569 |
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| author | Mikyas Abera Grace L. Francis Ansha N. Ahmed Solomon Dawud Mohammedsani Ali Gebrekidan Shibabaw Bilen M. Araya Shana J. Haines Heather M. Aldersey |
| author_facet | Mikyas Abera Grace L. Francis Ansha N. Ahmed Solomon Dawud Mohammedsani Ali Gebrekidan Shibabaw Bilen M. Araya Shana J. Haines Heather M. Aldersey |
| author_sort | Mikyas Abera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In Ethiopia, children with disabilities face significant barriers to education, which are exacerbated for those living in remote villages and areas affected by conflict and insecurity. Several studies have highlighted the important role that sustained multistakeholder collaborations could play in removing barriers to inclusive education, supporting students with disabilities and helping countries like Ethiopia achieve inclusion.
Objectives: This study explored stakeholders’ strategies and the programmes and support they provide to schools or students with disabilities (K-12) to promote inclusive education in the central Gondar zone, Ethiopia.
Method: This study used key informant interviews to collect detailed information on education stakeholders’ collaborations to support the inclusion of children with disabilities. The interviewees include experts, administrators and policymakers from purposively selected governmental and civil society organisations and schools.
Results: This study found that collaboration focused on promoting accessibility, students enrolment and retention, financial, material and medical support, capacity-building, and institutional accountability.
Conclusion: This study concluded that persistent instability and conflict hindered stakeholders’ collaborative efforts in the region. It also argued that structured or semi-structured collaborations are more effective for promoting inclusive education.
Contribution: This article presents research findings on collaboration among educational stakeholders to promote inclusive schools and support students with disabilities. Its holistic approach identifies ecological and institutional factors that affect collaborations for inclusion, as well as the support and services that could be further explored in future research. Additionally, it highlights the lessons that education programmes could use to enhance community and stakeholder participation in school inclusivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a2b856ab1ce049d6a6bed17c3b366c95 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2223-9170 2226-7220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Disability |
| spelling | doaj-art-a2b856ab1ce049d6a6bed17c3b366c952025-08-20T03:03:44ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Disability2223-91702226-72202025-03-01140e1e1110.4102/ajod.v14i0.1569443Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, EthiopiaMikyas Abera0Grace L. Francis1Ansha N. Ahmed2Solomon Dawud3Mohammedsani Ali4Gebrekidan Shibabaw5Bilen M. Araya6Shana J. Haines7Heather M. Aldersey8Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Gondar, GondarDivision of Special Education and Disability Research, College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University, VirginiaDepartment of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Department of Rehabilitation Science, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University, Kingston, OntarioDepartment of English Language and Literature, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Gondar, GondarDepartment of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Gondar, GondarDepartment of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Gondar, GondarDepartment of Rehabilitation Science, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Clinical Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, GondarDepartment of Education, College of Education and Social Services, University of Vermont, VermontDepartment of Rehabilitation Science, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University, Kingston, OntarioBackground: In Ethiopia, children with disabilities face significant barriers to education, which are exacerbated for those living in remote villages and areas affected by conflict and insecurity. Several studies have highlighted the important role that sustained multistakeholder collaborations could play in removing barriers to inclusive education, supporting students with disabilities and helping countries like Ethiopia achieve inclusion. Objectives: This study explored stakeholders’ strategies and the programmes and support they provide to schools or students with disabilities (K-12) to promote inclusive education in the central Gondar zone, Ethiopia. Method: This study used key informant interviews to collect detailed information on education stakeholders’ collaborations to support the inclusion of children with disabilities. The interviewees include experts, administrators and policymakers from purposively selected governmental and civil society organisations and schools. Results: This study found that collaboration focused on promoting accessibility, students enrolment and retention, financial, material and medical support, capacity-building, and institutional accountability. Conclusion: This study concluded that persistent instability and conflict hindered stakeholders’ collaborative efforts in the region. It also argued that structured or semi-structured collaborations are more effective for promoting inclusive education. Contribution: This article presents research findings on collaboration among educational stakeholders to promote inclusive schools and support students with disabilities. Its holistic approach identifies ecological and institutional factors that affect collaborations for inclusion, as well as the support and services that could be further explored in future research. Additionally, it highlights the lessons that education programmes could use to enhance community and stakeholder participation in school inclusivity.https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1569students with disabilitiesgondarethiopiacollaborationinclusioneducation |
| spellingShingle | Mikyas Abera Grace L. Francis Ansha N. Ahmed Solomon Dawud Mohammedsani Ali Gebrekidan Shibabaw Bilen M. Araya Shana J. Haines Heather M. Aldersey Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia African Journal of Disability students with disabilities gondar ethiopia collaboration inclusion education |
| title | Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in gondar ethiopia |
| topic | students with disabilities gondar ethiopia collaboration inclusion education |
| url | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1569 |
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