Inclusive education for children and young people with disabilities in Uzbekistan: The perspectives and experiences of key players
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis explored the educational conditions for children with disabilities in Uzbekistan and the current development stage of inclusive education there. Of particular interest was how various groups perceived and understood the concept of inclusive education, what they saw as the critical issues in introducing inclusive practices, and how their experiences informed its better provision. These groups included parents of children with disabilities, teachers in general and specialised schools, non-governmental disability organisations (NGOs), and the government. The research is of importance as little has been written about inclusive education in Uzbekistan. It offers a platform for academics, policy-makers, and practitioners to further the agenda of equity in education in and beyond this setting through research, policy, and practice. The research used phenomenology as a research methodology to explore the experiences and perspectives of the participants. Within this study, the social model of disability and the human rights treaties were utilised as a theoretical framework. A mixed-methods approach was applied to collect data. Semi-structured interviews were employed for parents, teachers, and government officials and an on-line questionnaire was completed by representatives of non-governmental bodies. In total, 23 interviews were conducted and six questionnaire responses were received. The findings from the study suggest that inclusive education was mainly perceived as providing equal opportunity for children with disabilities to study in neighbourhood general schools, in age-appropriate classes, and with the necessary support to develop their skills and realise their potential. Children’s social development was considered by many participants to be the most important aspect of inclusion. Yet, children with intellectual disabilities were considered as unsuitable to attend general schools. Multiple challenges in the enactment of inclusive education were identifie…
abstract: This thesis explored the educational conditions for children with disabilities in Uzbekistan and the current development stage of inclusive education there. Of particular interest was how various groups perceived and understood the concept of inclusive education, what they saw as the critical issues in introducing inclusive practices, and how their experiences informed its better provision. These groups included parents of children with disabilities, teachers in general and specialised schools, non-governmental disability organisations (NGOs), and the government. The research is of importance as little has been written about inclusive education in Uzbekistan. It offers a platform for academics, policy-makers, and practitioners to further the agenda of equity in education in and beyond this setting through research, policy, and practice. The research used phenomenology as a research methodology to explore the experiences and perspectives of the participants. Within this study, the social model of disability and the human rights treaties were utilised as a theoretical framework. A mixed-methods approach was applied to collect data. Semi-structured interviews were employed for parents, teachers, and government officials and an on-line questionnaire was completed by representatives of non-governmental bodies. In total, 23 interviews were conducted and six questionnaire responses were received. The findings from the study suggest that inclusive education was mainly perceived as providing equal opportunity for children with disabilities to study in neighbourhood general schools, in age-appropriate classes, and with the necessary support to develop their skills and realise their potential. Children’s social development was considered by many participants to be the most important aspect of inclusion. Yet, children with intellectual disabilities were considered as unsuitable to attend general schools. Multiple challenges in the enactment of inclusive education were identifie…
author: Nam, Galina
keywords: Inclusive education, Children with disabilities, Uzbekistan, Human rights, Equity, Partnership
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/7e27daaf-1cd2-44a3-875f-a3029f81618a/download
date published: 2021
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:24Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato