Understanding how context impacts on advocacy for and the inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in education in Ethiopia and Argentina: a qualitative comparative study

BackgroundChildren with developmental disabilities are at a disadvantage in accessing education opportunities, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Their caregivers often lack access to information and resources on how to access support and education for their child. Little is known about perspectives on what education models may best serve the interests of children with developmental disabilities across LMICs.ObjectivesWe investigated stakeholder perspectives on existing and new practices for advocacy and inclusive education in Ethiopia and Argentina. MethodsWe conducted a qualitative comparative analysis of data from a study of caregiver empowerment in Ethiopia and Argentina. In-depth interviews were carried out with 63 participants in Ethiopia and 32 participants in Argentina. Participants included caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, health care providers, representatives of non-governmental organisations and local social care, health care, and education institutions. Data were comparatively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThree themes were developed: “Schools’ reluctance and difficulty to include children with developmental disabilities”; “Access to resources shapes views on education models” and “Caregiver advocacy for inclusion in light of support from other stakeholders”. While themes from the Ethiopian dataset were centred around advocating for services that are currently limited, Argentinian participants were more focused on improvement of existing services. In Argentina, caregivers had a stronger preference for inclusion in regular schools. Ethiopian caregivers, whose children rarely accessed regular schools, wished to have special schools available. Inclusive education and caregiver advocacy initiatives for service development were underway in both countries, but views differed about how best to promote the rights of children with developmental disabilities.ConclusionCaregivers’ preferences regarding educational models are impacted by service availability. Advocacy initiatives promote inclusion across settings; but persons with disabilities should be at the forefront, with their family as their support network, to ensure their preferences and priorities are addressed.