Khochen, M; (2017) Including disabled students in mainstream educational provision in Lebanon with particular reference to those with vision impairment. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This research explored what it means for disabled students to be included in mainstream private and governmental schools in Lebanon. It investigated the mainstream secondary school selection that students with vision impairment (SVI) and their parents follow; the experience of disabled students in mainstream education from the perspective of SVI and those around them; and the way inclusive education (IE) is applied and practised in schools that have SVI. After adopting Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, qualitative and quantitative research methods were applied. One hundred and five semi-structured interviews involving 136 participants (SVI, their parents, peers, teachers, learning support teachers, headteachers, higher education tutors and individuals from governmental and non-governmental organisations) were conducted. Additionally, quantitative data from 85 teachers were gathered. Thematic and quantitative analyses were applied to the interview and questionnaire data. Three key themes emerged: lack of autonomous decision making by SVI and their parents; unpreparedness of mainstream schools for inclusion; approaches to inclusion. The findings indicated that whilst SVI and their parents seek mainstream provision, their school selection is largely influenced by the opinion of professionals. When an autonomous decision was made, it was connected to ‘normalisation’, whereby SVI were required to act in a way that was considered acceptable by society. Accessing information, undertrained teachers, poor knowledge of the principles of inclusion and the absence of a whole school approach to inclusion were major barriers to implementing IE in Lebanon. The various support approaches utilised for SVI at these mainstream schools demonstrated that no full inclusion has been reached. Instead, SVI have experienced educational facilitation and social integration rather than inclusion. The findings highlight that the inclusion practices of SVI, in place for over a decade, are a long way from delivering these in full. Proposals regarding enhancing IE practices are offered and the potential generalisability of the study are discussed.

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