E-profiles University of Exeter

eProfiles

- Listing by Discipline
- - Listing by Researcher
  - A-C
  - D-F
  - G-I
  - J-L
  - M-O
  - P-S
  - T-V
  - W-Z

Tracey Warren

Department: EdD
Discipline: Education
Research Centre/Unit: Special Needs and Inclusive Education

Project Summary

Title of thesis: Parents’ perspectives on the policy and practice of inclusive education in Dubai private schools

Abstract: The signing and ratification of UNCRPD by the UAE government in 2008 and the passing of Dubai Law no.2 in 2014 paved the way for inclusion within this rapidly evolving city. With the publication of inclusive policies and guidelines by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (2017, 2019a, 2019b, 2021), the education authority with responsibility for regulation of private schools in Dubai, set the scene for change within the private school sector.
This study considered how the education for all (EFA) agenda provided the justification behind Dubai’s eagerness to become an inclusive society global leader. The focus was on how the Dubai regulator established inclusive policy and practice within the Dubai private school sector from the perspective of parents of children identified with special educational needs. Using adaptive theory approach to address the research questions at three levels: Dubai policy framework to support inclusive practices, how schools implemented inclusive practices and what educational opportunities students identified with SEN accessed (through the eyes of their parents). Mixed methods were used for data collection including a documentary analysis of four key papers that influenced the Dubai inclusive education strategy, a parent online survey, in-depth semi-structured interviews with a senior member of the private sector regulatory body and parents.
The findings of the 73 online survey responses and 23 parent interviews provided a unique view on their understanding of inclusion, their ideas of what inclusion should look like for their child’s educational provision and their expectations for their child’s future. Parents had varied understanding of what the Dubai government aspired to but also questioned if the government knew what was actually happening in schools and how these schools were interpreting the legal framework. Three revealing findings were: firstly, how these parents identified the high cost of education for their child, two the emotional impact of having a child identified with special educational needs had on them and their family. The third finding of note were that these parents wanted nothing different to any other parent: for their child to access learning and be considered an equal with their peers.
This study provided a significant contribution to knowledge as it established an invaluable perspective of parents during a period of reform as Dubai private schools implement the government inclusive educational policy. This unique lens on inclusive education provides the KHDA, schools and operators with the opportunity to review, evaluate, and improve provision for students identified with SEN during this time of change. It would also be an opportunity for schools to gain parent trust, so they feel confident to voice their experiences during these early stages of policy implementation, engaging them as valued stakeholders in their child’s learning.
Keywords: inclusion, inclusive education, Dubai private schools, parents

Thesis published at ORE:

http://hdl.handle.net/10871/127133

Supervisory Team

Christopher Boyle

Brahm Norwich

Wider Research Interests

Inclusion, diverity and equity in the UK and in an international context
Parents role in inclusion
The impact of a diagnosis on parents' choices and inclusion into mainstream school