Official Report on Access and Inclusion In Jamaican Schools

Acknowledgements

The Centre for Disability Studies  (CDS),  wish  to  express  profound  gratitude to  the different individuals and organizations that contributed to this research and report. The support and contribution of the various stakeholders, have contributed to this ground-breaking research on the issue of access and inclusion of  persons with disabilities in the education system in Jamaica. The most comprehensive analysis of the Jamaican education system from a disability perspective since the last 50 years. We would first like to express profound gratitude to the UWI, for the budgetary allocation to the CDS. It is through this budgetary allocation that this research was funded.

We would like to express gratitude to the Ministry of Education (MOE) for the support that they gave to the research. They provided us with the directory of schools which allowed us to select the schools which participated in the research. Also, they endorsed the research and this made it possible for us to engage much easier, the authorities in the schools.

We would like to simultaneously thank  the school Principals who responded to the research by  completing the questionnaires. There were challenges in this regards, but we all stuck to the task and the majority of the questionnaires were returned.

Thanks must be given  to institutions such as the Combined Disabilities Association (CDA) who examined the questionnaires and gave us their feedback as it relates to the issue of access and inclusion.

The research could not be completed without the input of those who administered the questionnaires in  the field and on the telephones. These were all students from the UWI and commendations must be given to them for their efforts.

Finally, special commendation and acknowledgement must be given to the staff of the CDS and team  members who assisted in preparing this research and report. Notable mention must be given to Mr. Sean  Harvey who did extensive research on the issue of access and inclusion of persons with disabilities in  educational institutions, to Shantoy Bernard for her follow-up calls to the schools and to Mr. Marvin Gayle for doing the analysis of the data through the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program.

Executive Summary

The UWI is the premier educational institution in the English-Speaking Caribbean. In 1995, UWI Mona adopted a progressive policy which was designed to increase access for persons with disabilities in Jamaica and by extension, the wider Caribbean. The policy states: “The University of the West Indies [hereafter UWI] is consciously seeking to facilitate the efforts of persons with disabilities to acquire university education.

The university’s goal is that as far as possible the number of students with disabilities at the institution be increasingly brought in line with the number of disabled persons in the relevant age cohorts in the wider society. It is the aim that no student whose academic qualifications are good enough to qualify for competitive entry be unable  to accept a place at the UWI because of a disability” (F&GPC, 1995)

The policy was adopted amidst the growing demand of persons with disabilities to gain access to education as a means of improving their marketability and professionalism. Since the adoption of this policy, over 100 persons with disabilities have graduated from the institution. However, the UWI is nowhere near achieving its stated policy objectives. This is largely attributed to the lower levels  of  the  education  system  in  Jamaica  and  the  wider  Caribbean.  At  these  levels,  the educational institutions are not inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities, thus making it extremely difficult for persons with disabilities to matriculate in large numbers for the UWI. But the UWI has no control over what takes place at the lower levels of the education system. The most  that it can do is to engage in a scientific analysis of access and inclusion of the education system with the aim of providing policy makers with credible data which will lead to tangible  changes  in  the  infrastructure  and general  school  environment  for  persons  with disabilities.

The study which was conducted amongst 100 primary and high schools (approximately 10% of schools in  Jamaica) between January and March 2001 has provided us with some interesting results.  These  results  should  serve  as  a  guide  to  policy  makers  in  improving  the  general education system for persons with disabilities. The results have shown amongst other things, the following:

•    High levels of respondents believing that education is a right to all Jamaicans (98.8% agree).

•    Significant numbers of schools believe that children with disabilities should be included in the general education system (98.8%).

•    Poor  levels  of  access  for  children  with  disabilities  in  the  general  education  system (23.8%) have ramps and 83.3% reporting no bathroom facilities for the disabled.

•    Positive attitude towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in extra-curricula activities (approximately 80%).

•    High percentages of schools believe that students should be taught how to relate to students with disabilities (84.5%).

•    Respectable levels of awareness of institutions catering to the needs of persons with disabilities:   Jamaica  Council  for  Persons  with  Disabilities  (JCPD)  89.1%;  Early Stimulation Program (ESP) 53% and the Special Education Unit 77.9%.

These findings in the survey are substantiated from focus group discussions that took place amongst some 16 schools that were consulted for a special project that is being developed to make 1 primary school in each parish accessible for children with disabilities. It is our hope that the MOE will  use  these findings to their advantage and make more schools in the education system accessible for persons with disabilities.

 Introduction 

It is the mantra of the Ministry of Education in Jamaica that “Every child can learn and every child must learn.” Such a statement is a profound and deep mission for any education system. It captures and gives recognition to  the  innate ability of every living human being to seek and discover knowledge. A desire that is not confined to “able-bodied” individuals, but also includes persons with disabilities. The mission of the MOE is therefore inclusive. But the fundamental question that is being asked is if the institutional mechanism is inclusive and  accessible to persons with disabilities.

Most individuals suspect that the cause for the high levels of poverty amongst persons with disabilities in Jamaica is the low levels of access and inclusion in the education system. Data from a recent survey on Broadband Access in the Caribbean by Hopeton Dunn, indicated that only a mere 5% of respondents, who had a disability were employed and only 4% of those who indicated  that  they  had  a  disability,  had  access  to  the Internet  (Dunn  2011).  Whilst  the information on this cohort of Jamaicans is limited, the information garnered from the survey is confirming experiences amongst members of this vulnerable community which points to the high levels of poverty.

Scientific data on the issue of access and inclusion in the education system is therefore woefully lacking in the  context of Jamaica. For credible policy to be formulated and effective program developed, scientific analysis must be brought to the fore. This research was therefore designed to measure the issue of accessibility and inclusivity of the Jamaican education system to persons with disabilities, by conducting a survey of 100 government run schools, namely, primary and high schools. This constitutes approximately 10% of the total schools in the island. 

Instruments contained in this research were geared towards measuring:

1.  The accessibility of schools.

2.  The inclusivity of schools.

3.  The awareness of school administrators as it relates to the issue of disabilities.

4.  The views of school administration where this topic is concerned. The following was the methodological approach for this research:

In order to execute this project, a survey was conducted amongst 100 government schools across the  island.  These  schools  were  randomly selected  from  the  Ministry  of  Education  (MOE) Directory of Schools. This Directory has a listing of all the schools in Jamaica (998) and their locations. The schools were selected in such a way that  it reflected a mix of rural and urban schools. This enabled us to capture data from all 14 parishes in the island and to give greater generalisability and credibility to the findings.

A total of 84 schools (41 primary and 43 high) completed and returned the questionnaires making it an 84%  response from the schools. This level of responsiveness to a survey of this nature is acceptable by international standards.

The questionnaire, designed to capture information on accessibility, inclusion and awareness, was  developed.   The  variables  highlighted  in  the questionnaire  are  quintessential  for  the development of an education system that is responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.

In conducting this survey, there was stakeholders support. The Ministry of Education, through the  Permanent  Secretary,  endorsed  the  project. Also,  the  Combine  Disabilities  Association (CDA) was contacted for their  endorsement. Upon completing the design of the questionnaire and the stakeholder support, the questionnaires were distributed to the different educational institutions that  were selected to participate in the study. The questionnaires were sent to the principals of the educational institutions.

Upon completing the questionnaires, the forms were collected by the agents in the field and handed to the  Research Assistant who was charged with the responsibility of monitoring the process. Once the questionnaires  were collected, we commenced the process of analyzing the data.

In analyzing the data, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized. This gives a truly scientific analysis of the data and made it much easier for the writing of the report. Upon completing the analysis of the data, we commence the writing of the report; the findings of which are now being published in this document for public consumption. The facts as extracted from the questionnaires are clearly stated. However, they are followed by observations from the chief researcher, Floyd Morris, based on his experience and knowledge of  the  subject under analysis.

Main Findings 

Education is an established right for all in Jamaica

As it relates to education is an established right for all in Jamaica, 86.9% of the respondents strongly  agree,  while  approximately  11.9%  agree and 1.2%  disagree.  The  response  from respondents corresponds with the high value that Jamaicans place on education. This has been established by scholars such as Steven Rodriquez and others who have done extensive work on values and attitudes towards institutions of socialization in Jamaica.

Education should be inclusive and accessible to all in Jamaica

As it relates to education should be inclusive and accessible for all in Jamaica, 85.7% of the respondents strongly agree, while approximately 13.1% agree and 1.2 % of the respondents were undecided.

This finding is indicating that the vast majority of respondents accept inclusion and access as the way to go for the development of the education system. It further suggests that there is a great acceptance of the mantra of the MOE which states “Every child can learn and every child must learn.”

Have your, school, in the past or present registered a student with disability?

Approximately 63.1% of the respondents have registered a student with disability in the past or present, while  approximately 25% have not registered a student with disability in the past or present and 11.9% did not respond to the question.

The high levels of schools that have accepted students with disabilities in the past and present, indicates that  administrators in the education system, understand what is meant by the term “disability.”  Disability  covers  a   wide  variety  of  impairments  such  as  hearing,  physical, mental/intellectual and visual and some of these disabilities would be manifested in the schools whether they are in mild or severe forms.

Is your school equipped with ramps to accommodate students with physical disabilities?

70.2 % of the respondents’ schools have not been equipped with ramps to accommodate students with physical  disabilities, while approximately 23.8% of the respondents’ schools have been equipped with ramps to accommodate students with physical disabilities and 6% did not respond to the question.

This  finding  confirms  a  view  that  has  been  held  amongst  the  community of  persons  with disabilities that  the  vast majority of schools in the island are indeed inaccessible. It therefore points to the possible reason why a vast majority of persons with disabilities are not accessing tertiary education as they lack the basic qualification which will cause them to matriculate for these higher level educational institutions.

Are bathroom facilities at your school designed to accommodate children with physical disabilities?

Approximately 83.3% of the respondents’ schools do not have the proper bathroom facilities at their school  designed to accommodate students with physical disabilities, while 10.7% of t he  respondents  schools  have   the  proper  bathroom  facilities  at  their  school  designed to accommodate students with physical disabilities and 6% did not respond to the question.

The absence of proper bathroom facilities in the schools is indeed a major contributing factor for the exclusion of children with physical disabilities from the general education system. It would be extremely difficult for school administrators to admit children with physical disabilities in such an environment.

Is your school equipped with adaptive technologies such as Job Access with Speech to accommodate students with visual impairment? 

Approximately 96.4% of the schools are not equipped with adaptive technologies such as Job Access with Speech to accommodate students with visual impairment, while 2.4% of the schools are  equipped  with  adaptive  technologies  such  as  Job  Access  with Speech  to  accommodate students with visual impairment and the remaining 1.2% did not respond.

Again, the absence of the requisite technology from the schools to give support to students with disabilities is a major factor for exclusion. JAWS is the software that enables a blind person to interact with the computer in a normal manner. The absence of such technology from the school system would make it extremely difficult for students who are blind to function effectively.

Are there any members of staff who is trained with the skill of sign language?

48.8% of schools have members of staff who is trained with the skill of sign language, while 44% of schools do not have members of staff who is trained with the skill of sign language and 7.1 % did not respond to the question.

Of all the results, this is most surprising. A high level of schools is indicating that they have members of staff who are equipped with the skill of sign language. A possible reason for this is related to a number of groups that have been establishing sign language as a means of cultural expressions in social organizations such as the  church. This skill however, might just be very basic or at the beginner level.

Are students with disabilities provided with reading and examination materials in an accessible format such as Braille in your institution?

Approximately 83.3 % of the schools do not provided for students with disabilities with reading and examination  materials in an accessible format such as Braille in their institution while approximately 6 % of the schools do not provide for students with disabilities with reading and examination materials in an accessible format such as Braille in their institution and 10.7% did not respond.

Are there any teachers at your school trained to teach children with disabilities?

27.4% of the respondents said yes that there are teachers at their school trained to teach children with disabilities, while 66.7% of the respondents said no, that there are not any teachers at their school trained to teach children with disabilities and 6 % did not respond.

This finding speaks to a major challenge confronting the education system in Jamaica. With most of the schools reporting that they have no member of staff that is trained to deal with students with  disabilities,  this  reflects  a  major  short-coming  in  the  training  program  in  the tertiary institutions  charged  with  the  responsibility  for  preparing  teachers.  This  situation  has  to  be addressed urgently especially within the context of the Charter of Rights which has been adopted by the Jamaican Parliament in 2011 and gives the right to every citizen to have a primary education.

If your answer to the above is yes, how many?

Of  the  schools  that  had  teachers  trained  to  teach  children  with  disabilities  16.7%  had approximately 1 –  2, while 4.8% had a visible 3 – 4 trained teachers, 2.4% had a noticeable amount of 5 – 6 and 1.2% had a marginal amount of 7 – 8 trained teachers to teach children with disabilities.

Are teachers at your school exposed to regular training seminars on how to relate to students with disabilities?

10.7% of teachers are exposed to regular training seminars on how to relate to students with disabilities, while  88.1% of teachers are not exposed to regular training seminars on how to relate to students with disabilities and 1.2% did not respond.

The high levels of institutions indicating that their staff has not been exposed to regular training on how to relate to students with disabilities (88%), indicates a major challenge for the education system.  The  MOE  has  to   establish  a  mechanism  to  constantly  expose  teachers  how  to successfully relate to students with disabilities.

Has your school, in the past or present employed a teacher with disability?

 14.3% of the school have employed a teacher with disability in the past or present while 65.5% of the school have not employed a teacher with disability in the past or present and 20.2% did not respond.

The employment of trained persons with disabilities in the education system has also been a major challenge. This is despite the fact that there are qualified teachers who have a disability. If the  negative  attitudes  towards  persons  with  disabilities  in  the  education  system  are  to  be permanently eradicated, more trained and qualified persons with disabilities must be employed and placed in the classroom.

If yes, how many? 

14.3% of the schools that have employed a teacher with a disability either in the past or present have only employed 1 – 2 teachers.

Students with disabilities should be allowed to participate in physical education activities at school?

Approximately 36.9% of the respondents strongly agree that students with disabilities should be allowed to participate in physical education at school, while 42.9% agree that students with disabilities should be allowed to participate in physical education, while a noticeable 2.4% strongly disagreed, 15.5% of the respondents were undecided and 2.4% did not respond.

Students with disabilities should be allowed to participate in all extra-curricular activities?

42.9 %  of  the  schools  strongly  agree  that  students  with  disabilities  should  be  allowed  to participate  in  all  extra-curricular  activities,  32.1  %  of  the  schools  agree  that  students  with disabilities should be allowed to participate in all extra-curricular activities, 1.2 % of the schools strongly disagree that students with disabilities  should be allowed to participate in all extra- curricular activities, 3.6 % of the schools disagree that students  with disabilities should be allowed to participate in all extra-curricular activities, 16.7% of the schools were undecided that students with disabilities should be allowed to participate in all extra-curricular activities and 3.6% did not respond.

A cumulative 75% of respondents have a positive view towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities in extra-curricular activities in the education system. This is consistent with the views posited by these respondents as it relates to the general inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular schools and in physical activities.

Students within the education system should be taught how to relate to persons with disabilities

84.5% of the schools strongly agree that students within the education system should be taught how to relate to persons with disabilities, while 13.1% of the schools agree that students within the education system should not be taught how to relate to persons with disabilities and 2.4% did not respond.

Are you aware of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) which is established by the government to provide services to persons with disabilities?

89.3 % of the schools are aware of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) which is established by the government to provide services to persons with disabilities while 6 % of the schools are not aware of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) which is established by the government to provide services to persons with disabilities and 4.8% did not respond.

There is a high level of awareness as it relates to the JCPD amongst respondents and this is a positive  development.  The  JCPD  over  the  years has  been  engaging  schools  with  various sensitization seminars on  the subject of disability and it seems as if this work has had some positive impact.

Are you aware of the Early Stimulation Program which has been established by the government to assist in the early stimulation of children with disabilities? 

53.6 % of the schools are aware of the Early Stimulation Program which has been established by the government to assist in the early stimulation of children with disabilities, while 41.7 % of the schools are not aware of the Early  Stimulation Program which has been established by the government to assist in the early stimulation of  children with disabilities and 4.8% did not respond.

The 53% of respondents who indicated an awareness of the ESP is an average one. The ESP provides a critical  function in stimulating children with disabilities in their early lives so that they can function normally in the society. However, more work needs to be done to expand its reach across the island and to promote its work.

Are you aware of the Special Education Unit in the Ministry of Education, which was established to give support to educational institutions that have children with disabilities?

77.4% of the schools are aware of the Special Education Unit in the Ministry of Education, which  was  established  to  give  support  to  educational  institutions  that  have  children  with disabilities while19% are not aware of the Special Education Unit in the Ministry of Education, which  was  established  to  give  support  to  educational  institutions  that  have  children  with disabilities and 3.6% did not respond.

The 77% of respondents who have indicated an awareness of the Special Education Unit in the Ministry of  Education  is  high.  However,  it  is lower  than  the  89%  that  have  indicated  an awareness of the JCPD which is not a part of the “family” of the MOE. It therefore means that the Special  Education  Unit  has  to  intensify  its  sensitization  program  amongst  the  various education institutions in the island.

Are you aware of the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities?

 63.1 % of schools are aware of the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, while 33.3% of schools are not  aware of the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities and 3.6% did not respond.

The 63% of respondents indicating an awareness of the National Policy for the Disabled is commendable and is indicative of some of the work of the JCPD. The JCPD must ensure that issues relating to the national  policy  are intensified in their public education efforts in the schools.

Recommendations 

The research conducted by the UWI Centre for Disability Studies constitutes a major effort to scientifically assess the levels of access and inclusion of the disabled in the Jamaican education system.  Some  interesting  results  have  been  uncovered  and  confirmed.  Policy  makers must therefore  move  to  make  the  necessary  adjustments  to  make  the  education  system  more responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities. The CDS would like to make the following recommendations: 

1.  For  the  Government  to  enforce  the  policy  of  all  new  schools  to  be  built  with  the necessary access features for persons with disabilities.

2.    For the Government to move to ensure that every constituency in the island has at least 1 primary and 1 high school that is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

3.    For the Government to establish a mechanism whereby individuals with a disability pursuing their  education can receive a one-off assistance with the requisite adaptive technology to aid in their educational development.

4.    For the Government to establish a policy that individuals attending teacher training institutions be exposed to training on how to relate with persons with disabilities in the classroom.

5.    For all state agencies that have responsibilities for persons with disabilities to intensify their public  education on the subject of disability to eradicate the negative attitudes towards these individuals.

6.  For the Ministry of Education to make available to all schools, a list of the various government agencies that provide services to persons with disabilities.