The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on learners with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. These learners were already facing significant challenges before the pandemic, such as lack of access to education, assistive technology, and other essential services. The pandemic has only made these challenges worse.
There are a number of things that can be done to address the impact of COVID-19 on learners with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. These include:
- Ensuring that all schools are accessible to learners with disabilities.
- Providing learners with disabilities with the necessary assistive technology and learning materials.
- Training teachers on how to teach learners with disabilities.
- Raising awareness of the challenges faced by learners with disabilities and promoting inclusion.
- Investing in research and development to find new ways to improve the education of learners with disabilities.
We can all do our part to make education accessible for all learners, regardless of their disability. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable education system for everyone.
The infographic highlights the good practices and calls to action for the education of learners with disabilities in Vietnam, Samoa, and the Philippines.
- In Vietnam, the Vietnam Association for Education for All (VAEFA) works closely with C5, a non-formal learning center for learners with hearing disabilities, to advocate for disability-inclusive education.
- In Samoa, there is an NGO called SENESE Inclusive Education Support Services that facilitates learning and provides support to children and youth with disabilities in schools and communities.
- In the Philippines, E-Net Philippines, along with the Social Watch Philippines-Alternative Budget Initiative (SWP-ABI) and its Education and Persons with Disabilities Clusters, actively engaged in budget advocacy to restore the budget for the instructional materials for learners with disabilities.
To improve education practice during the pandemic for learners with disabilities:
- Strengthen the implementation of inclusive education policies and legislative frameworks at all levels and embed disability-inclusive education and disability awareness raising in the mandate of key departments and offices.
- Make all educational institutions accessible by creating an enabling environment for learners with disabilities through appropriate and learner-centered curriculum, pedagogy. assessment, learning materials, teacher training, and disability-inclusive infrastructure.
- Guarantee the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in engaging with governments and informing education policies, financing, and programmatic responses aimed at advancing disability-inclusive education.
Overall, the importance of inclusive education for learners with disabilities provides examples of good practices from different countries.