Accessing Inclusive Education: Family Stories From India

• In Event: Inclusion, Tracking, and Social Justice in Global Contexts

Abstract

Amidst many analyses of inclusive education policy in India, few studies have described the experiences of families of students with disabilities. This study investigated the experiences of families of youth with disabilities in Chennai, India who were enrolled in mainstream high schools and college settings. Data from the study showed that despite the support given by NGO educators, the onus for making the mainstream educational contexts accessible to their offspring fell largely on families. Family descriptions of navigating physical and curricular inaccessibility indexed the significance of material resources and supports in configuring their children’s futures. Furthermore, an intensely competitive educational climate informed by an “examination” culture, reinforced the significance of the “illusory interiority” (Graham & Slee, 2008) of inclusive education.

Authors

• Srikala Naraian, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Poonam Natarajan, The National Trust, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India