Disability and inclusive education : a paper prepared for the InterAmerican Development Bank

This paper describes the current situation of inclusive education in the Americas. It pays special attention to the situation of disabled children in rural areas. Only a small proportion (between 1% and 10%) of the children with special needs in the Americas have access to schooling. Almost none of these children now have the opportunity to attend a regular community school with their non-disabled peers.
The paper states that education systems for all children can be created with adequate funding targeted at community schools. Segregation and exclusion has failed. Inclusion and the good educational practice that it offers hope to a region that needs to ensure educational equity and participation by all