Accommodations for the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools in Trinidad: a mixed methods approach

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the accommodations for the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools in Trinidad. A multiphase mixed methods design consisting of three phases is used. In the first phase, the environmental accommodations essential for the inclusion of children with disabilities in schools are identified. This information is obtained through interviews with parents and advocates of children with various disabilities. Five themes emerge, namely, qualified human resources, educational materials, physical access, supportive learning systems, and supportive school policies and rules. A questionnaire is then developed in the second phase based on these qualitative findings which is administered to a representative sample of primary and secondary schools in the third phase. Qualitative data are also collected in the third phase. Particularly, data on inclusive education policy are collected from primary and secondary schools and data on legislation supporting inclusion from government officials. The integrated findings indicate that existing environmental accommodations, law, and policy do not fully support the inclusion of children with disabilities in Trinidad. They further illustrate the need for national discourses to move beyond access to maximum participation, and for stronger legislation to ensure inclusion in schools.

KEYWORDS:

• Accommodations
• children with disabilities
• inclusion
• inclusive education
• mixed methods
• Trinidad

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/.

2 Convergent designs are discussed further by Creswell (2015) and Creswell and Plano Clark (2011).

3 This sampling approach was used based on the sampling size associated with 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error.

4 No participant quotes are reported because notes were used to capture the information.

5 No participant quotes are reported because of this mode of data collection.

6 https://theodora.com/wfbcurrent/trinidad_and_tobago/trinidad_and_tobago_economy.html.

Additional information

Funding

The fieldwork for this research was funded by the School for Graduate Studies and Research at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Notes on contributors

Bephyer Parey

Bephyer Parey was awarded a PhD in Social Policy in June 2019 from The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Her thesis titled ‘Essays on Disability in Trinidad: A Mixed Methods Approach’ examined disability and inclusion in Trinidad focusing on education of children with disabilities and employment of working-age persons with disabilities.