Mainstreaming or targeting? Literature review on inclusive education for children and youth with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries

This report aims to stimulate more disability-inclusive development cooperation in the field of education, and strengthen efforts to satisfy the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) articles and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators on equality and education. The report outlines different definitions and measures of disability and explains the consequences they have for development policies, practices and outcomes. The second chapter analyses the prevalence and nature of disabilities among children and youth in low- and middle-income countries, identifies the gaps in education between young people with and without disabilities, and discusses the barriers that different groups of children and youth with disabilities (CYWDs) face in accessing opportunities for learning. The third chapter explores policies and practices aimed at improving access to education and learning outcomes for CYWDs, in order to enhance their wellbeing and participation in society. The review concludes with a list of options and trade-offs to consider in approaching disability inclusion from a (Dutch) donor perspective.