Inclusion in Pakistan

In Pakistan, people with disabilities used to be viewed as a curse, punishment, & burden to society. Because of this, these people were marginalized & stigmatized, & as a result, were denied the opportunity receive a quality education. To remedy this, the American Institutes for Research, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development, created the Engaging with Disabled People's Organizations (DPOs) in Development Coorperation (ENGAGE) Project. The ENGAGE project was developed to create examples of inclusive development in the sectors of education, governance,& HIV in the countries of Mexico, Pakistan, & Zambia. In Pakistan, the primary aim has been to increase access and participation to quality learning environments for children with disabilities.

To achieve this aim, ENGAGE has two approaches. The first, a teacher training project where a cohort of 7,000 primary teachers completed a 2-year training provided by RISE - Revitalizing, Innovating, & Strengthening Education - helped teachers to become more aware of how to create inclusive classrooms & be more sensitive to the needs of all students. The second, a pilot-inclusive education project provided additional training & support to 25 teachers from 19 different schools so that they would be able to educate children with disabilities in their classrooms.

On the whole, the ENGAGE Project has raised awareness about the needs of children with disabilities. Teachers are more confident in their abilities to educate children with disabilities & have become more accepting of all types of learners. Most importantly, as attitudes have changed about children with disabilities, more welcoming and supportive environments in and out of the classroom have evolved.

The full report, "Inclusive Education in Pakistan: Experiences and Lessons Learned from the ENGAGE project" can be found at: http://www.air.org/files/Inclusive_Education_in_Pakistan_-_Lessons_Learned_from_Engage.pdf