Pilot Implementation and Evaluation of “MIDDLE”: Mainstreaming and Inclusion of children with Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopia

MIDDLE, “Mainstreaming and Inclusion of children with Developmental Disabilities in Learning in Ethiopia” is a co-developed intervention that aims to address key barriers faced by children with developmental disabilities for accessing education and quality learning support within mainstream schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It comprises a community-awareness session, a teacher training programme and restructuring of education tracks for children with developmental disabilities.This study aimed to pilot MIDDLE and evaluate the implementation process and outcomes in four mainstream primary schools in Addis Ababa.We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation of the pilot implementation through observation and fieldwork notes taken throughout the study, process data collected before, during and after the implementation and qualitative interview data collected after the implementation.Successful implementation suggested that MIDDLE was feasible, although some scheduling adjustments were necessary and we were unable to schedule the awareness raising sessions in two schools. Qualitative data and high attendance rates suggested that MIDDLE was acceptable and perceived as useful.Further research should focus on completing revisions suggested by stakeholders and formal quantitative evaluation of the impact of MIDDLE.