CAIRO: Education experts worldwide have unanimously agreed that inclusive education, which means including people with disabilities in the school system, is better not only for the person with a disability but for the society as a whole as it promotes equality and tolerance. "Inclusion should start at nurseries; the earlier the inclusion the less the need for structuring opportunities for its promotion, said Hala Abdel Hak, consultant on Inclusive Education and Disability and psychology professor at the American University in Cairo. "Teacher training - now that inclusion is expanding - should be a priority. Addressing parents' future fears regarding self-help, disruptive behavior, and bullying is important, There are many varying statistics on the number of people with special needs in Egypt. According to an international statistic they make up 10 to 12 percent of the population. On the other hand, the Central Authority for Public Mobilization and Statistics in Egypt (CAPMAS) says that they do not exceed 3.4 percent. Abdel Hak however argues that people with special needs make up 10 percent of the population in Egypt. According to statistics collected in 2005 by the Ministry of Education with reference to the status of state-owned special education schools, there are 804 schools for various special needs. However, with only 1.48 percent, according to UNICEF, receiving educational services, there is a wide gap between those who need the services and those receiving them. But progress is being made in inclusive education with the Ministry of Education dedicating an entire section in its National Strategic Plan for Pre-University Education Reform. "Our overall goal is to provide quality and equal educational opportunities and ensure the inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream general education schools, stated the plan on the ministry's website. Private schools in Egypt are arguably the most successful in implementing the inclusive education model and giving people with disabilities their right for education. Leading the Way A good example of inclusive education is the American International School in Egypt (AIS) which opened its Learning Support Center (LSC) for students with special needs nearly 12 years ago. "LSC is filling a gap in our society, in our community, in the Arab countries. Kids with learning disabilities have double the problems kids in America or Europe face because of their parents and families denial, Walid Abushakra, chairman and superintendent of LSC, told Daily News Egypt. "[Parents] don't like to admit that their child has a learning disability whether mild, medium or severe, so the kid suffers. In many families they even hide the child; they don't want people to know that this kid has a learning disability. This is a challenge we are trying to overcome, Abushakra said. There are two types of students at the LSC; full-time and part time. However all students, part-time or full-time, have to attend mainstream classes for their elective courses such as Music, Physical Education, Art and Computer in addition to Homeroom, field trips and any afterschool activities and lunch. "I strongly believe in [inclusive education], Cheryl Topping, principal of the LSC, said. "It s better because of socialization, which is always one of the parents and children s fears. If their children are taken and put in one particular area with smaller class sizes, they are not socializing and making friends and dealing with other people in a social environment, she added. When a student first comes to the LSC, an individual education plan is developed after many assessments. "[Through it] we can look at where they have trouble with performances, where we would like them to be and the steps we are going to take to achieve that goal, Topping explained. "We decide what will be the best placement for them and then we work with them in filling the gaps. The child is then given strategies which he learns to use independently, then slowly we start transitioning them into the mainstream classes, explained Topping, adding that the children who have transitioned have notably become more successful. The teachers at the LSC collaborate with the other teachers, both use the same curriculum which is based on Virginia National Standards but depending on the student's individual educational plan, the curriculum is adapted and modified as needed. The LSC hosts children until Grade 9 because the school's goal is to transition the child to the mainstream system by Grade 10. "We are working on providing children with disabilities the opportunity to be successful ... with our least restrictive environment, students have the least restrictions possible to do everything they could possibly do and we help them do that and encourage them to move forward. Our goal is to get them ready for university, said Craig Paul, school director. Another private school offering an inclusive educational system is Al Hayat International Academy. "[Our school] adheres to the belief that all students should be educated with their peers as much as possible, equipping all staff to teach to a variety of learning styles is important to this inclusion model of education, said Kirk Holderman, assistant principal for middle and high school as well as Special Education Supervisor. "Our special needs teachers follow a co-teaching model. If there is a need for small group instruction or review, we have our Content Mastery Center, where students are sent for one-on-one support, he explained. Challenges There are several challenges facing children with special needs in Egypt, according to Holderman. These include the lack of a localized system for parents and schools to receive information if their son or daughter needs a speech therapist, a psychologist, or counseling. Second, is the availability of some of the medication needed to control behavior; and a third challenge is the lack of a centralized body of educators, doctors, and parents that could address these challenges and keep the focus on educating the students. The most common learning disabilities both schools have come across are dyslexia, difficulty with reading; dysgraphia, having difficulty with writing, and dyscalcia, having difficulty with numbers. In addition, there are students who need more time to process information, think about what they read and think about what they want to write. There are also students with attention issues who may be hyperactive and need help with learning the best way to channel that energy and help them focus more. "Inclusive education helps develop special needs children s social, language and academic skills, in addition it is beneficial for all children as the students without disabilities become empathetic, helpful and supportive by themselves without any facilitation from others, said Abdel Hak. "All arguments aside, [inclusion] is more practical than developing special education facilities. This is a social responsibility not charity, it is [the children s] right as citizens, she added.
