According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one billion persons suffer from some kind of disability. In addition, it is projected that between 93 and 150 million persons living with disability are children. Reports from the Plan International suggest that children are ten-fold less likely to attend school as compared to other children. Again, in case they are lucky to attend school, they are likely to do so in segregated areas (Bakhshi, Babulal " Trani, 2017). Statistics also highlight that more than 90 percent of disabled children in developing countries do not enroll in school. The United Nations in 2016 noted that children with disabilities from the refugee community lack the opportunity to join school. There are over six million refugee children across the globe but only half of these obtain education (Manning, Baruth " Lee, 2017). Children with disabilities in countries with refugee crisis from nations like Syria are less likely to attend schools
Traditionally, children with disabilities have failed to benefit from the formal education system because they are registered in special schools. Besides, they are isolated from their families and retained in prolonged residential structure where they are educated in seclusion from the society (Grimes, Stevens " Kumar, 2015). Such practices are prevalent in various parts of the world. For instance, Eastern Europe has the largest proportion of institutionalized kids across the globe and a kid with a disability is more 17 times at risk of being institutionalized as compared to other children (Manning, Baruth " Lee, 2017).
According to Kauffman et al., (2017), children with disabilities have minimal levels of early enrolment. In case they are enrolled in school, such children have a higher chance of dropping out and early discontinuation without being given a chance to transit to high school or higher education. Similarly, these children are highly susceptible to bullying and violence in school hence curtailing the safe satisfaction of their liberty to education (Kauffman et al., 2017). Such figures and facts demonstrate the effect of the substantial ongoing obstacles to learning experienced by children with disability.
A study conducted by Bakhshi, Babulal " Trani, (2017) highlighted children with disabilities experience a myriad of cases associated to discrimination which contributes to their isolation from school and community. Similarly, attitudes towards these children coupled with unavailability of resources to meet their needs increase the problems they encounter in acquiring the best education (Bakhshi, Babulal " Trani, 2017). Although access to education is a major concern, the inability of academic system to guarantee quality learning for children with disability is equally a significant issue.
In Asian countries such as China, nearly 5.8 million children with disabilities are unable to acquire education. Moreover, the level of school dropouts for such children is more than 35 percent while over fifty percent having never enrolled in any kind of formal education at all (Hornby, 2015). The policy environment in China is distinctive because it admits a large number of disabled children with particular academic needs into general schools. In this regard, this kind of special education is known as “Learning in Regular Classrooms” (LRC). As a result the policy has contributed to doubling the number of children with disabilities in general learning institutions from 1992 to 2015 (Manning, Baruth " Lee, 2017). The problem of having learners with disabilities sufficiently served and integrated in general schools is attained, only in paper, through the introduction of resource rooms in learning institutions, utilized to reinforce the learning of children with disabilities in general classroom settings.
However, the troubling factor is that while fifty percent of all Chinese learners with special needs in education are registered in non-special academic system, only less than three percent of municipalities and counties in the country have effectively developed resource centers to reinforce these children (Grimes, Stevens " Kumar, 2015). In LRC system, resource rooms are utilized to assist learners with particular academic needs to obtain education in normal classroom environment. Such rooms connect the academic experience between regular classroom learners with special education settings by offering supplementary resources for kids with unique academic needs (Hornby, 2015). The problem with inclusive education in China is that a large number of general schools do not prepare any customized learning structure for learners with disabilities while other have no manageable infrastructure to meet the needs of students especially those with physical disabilities (Toms, 2018).
Parents of disabled children are not sufficiently included in the county academic system. Similarly, academic authorities have not created links with community hospitals or institutions that may help in provision of extra support (Manning, Baruth " Lee, 2017). Furthermore, the education system is grappling with severe scarcity of resource rooms and required staff to assist these learners.
Studies have pointed out that in other developed countries especially in the US, Australia, and EU, children with disabilities also experience unprecedented challenges. For instance, they encounter prejudice and discrimination which hinder them from enjoying learning on equal levels to others. In addition, most of them are segregated or excluded from regular school settings and are forced to attend regular schools (Bakhshi, Babulal " Trani, 2017). Similarly, they are subjected to substandard quality of learning especially when they are included in the regular education system without adequate resources. Most children with disabilities lack adequate curriculum resources while others have not developed an appropriate curriculum (Toms, 2018).
Empirical evidence have recommended introduction of new initiatives aiming to help learners with special needs to enjoy quality education as other children. Hornby, (2015) argued that education professionals should transform the model to “inclusive learning” from “regular classes learning” in appreciation of the idea that learners with disabilities have a fundamental right to be part of regular schools. In addition, inclusive learning policies must be integrated into all academic learning (Hornby, 2015). Besides, the policy makers should broaden the coverage of learners with disabilities from conventional needs such as intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment, and visual impairment to the comprehensive categories.
The authorities must accomplish commitments on Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to create process for reparation, complaint, enforcement, independent monitoring, and coordination. Assessing transformation in learning for kids with disabilities demands the availability of measures based on nationwide representative home examinations instead of just kids who are in learning institutions (Grimes, Stevens " Kumar, 2015). The department of education must create inclusive curricula to assist in elimination of break down barriers encountered by kids with disabilities in the classroom. Creation of special schools for learners with disabilities is harmful to their potential and development because these settings isolate them from families or peers (Manning, Baruth " Lee, 2017). On the other hand, tutors should be empowered with pedagogical tools and training to meet the demands of children with disabilities. Strategies to learning for children with disabilities have transformed over the recent past. Although the original focus was on ‘special schools’ trends have shifted towards a more inclusive education. Orientation and preparation of tutors for inclusion must take place via training which emphasize on the child-centered pedagogy and attitude towards learners with disabilities (McConkey et al., 2016). Again, the training should support or prepare families to inspire them to keep their kids informed and in school on the potential of their children. Likewise, more teachers with disabilities must be employed and different sectors must offer early childhood services to meet the needs of many kids. Besides, strategies to support children with disabilities should engage the community to ease societal obstacles to progress. Finally, more funds are needed to satisfy the academic needs of kids with disabilities (Bakhshi, Babulal " Trani, 2017). According to the UN resolution on the rights and freedom of persons with disabilities, nations should take necessary steps to guarantee that children with disabilities acquire free, quality, and inclusive secondary and primary education equally with others in the societies in which they live.
Conclusion
Children with disabilities across the globe face a significant challenge in the education system. Approximately 93-150 million people with disabilities worldwide are children. However, 90 percent of these children are less likely to enjoy their right in terms of quality and free education. Disabilities among children contribute to problems encountered in education such as discrimination which contribute to exclusion from school and community (Hornby, 2015). Furthermore, they face inadequate infrastructure in school to facilitate their education. In European countries, special schools isolate learners with disabilities from their families which hamper their development. Therefore, it is important for education department to introduce inclusive and accessible learning settings to strengthen education for learners with special needs. Moreover, training of teachers should be used as a strategy of meeting the academic needs of learners.
References
Bakhshi, P., Babulal, G. M., " Trani, J. F. (2017). Education of children with disabilities in New Delhi: When does exclusion occur?. PloS one, 12(9), e0183885.
Grimes, P., Stevens, M., " Kumar, K. (2015). An examination of the evolution of policies and strategies to improve access to education for children with disabilities, with a focus on inclusive education approaches, the success and challenges of such approaches and implications for the future policy direction. Background paper for the UNESCO 2015 Global Monitoring Report: Education for all 2000–2015: achievement and challenges.
Hornby, G. (2015). Inclusive special education: development of a new theory for the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities. British Journal of Special Education, 42(3), 234-256.
Kauffman, J. M., Hallahan, D. P., " Pullen, P. C. (2017). Handbook of special education. Routledge.
Manning, M. L., Baruth, L. G., " Lee, G. L. (2017). Multicultural education of children and adolescents. Taylor " Francis.
McConkey, R., Kelly, C., Craig, S., " Shevlin, M. (2016). A decade of change in mainstream education for children with intellectual disabilities in the Republic of Ireland. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 31(1), 96-110.
Toms, S. (2018). A Study of the Relationship Between General Education Teachers and the Parents of Children with Disabilities in an Inclusive Classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University).
