Culture & Education | Tuesday 10 February, 2015 8:11 am |

As the UAE’s agenda on children with special needs places new pressures on school leaders, Dubai-based Ebdaah puts the spotlight on the issue at a one-day forum later this month (February 28).

According to Ebdaah’s director of education and training, Andrew Westerman, the UAE Disability Act requires that public and private schools provide equal access to all children.

“It is imperative that educators, healthcare practitioners and parents of children with special needs are fully up-to-speed with the UAE’s vision on inclusion to help ensure that schools, emirate-wide are ready. This one-day event will do just that,” Westerman said.

He confirmed that Fatma Belrehif, head of the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) will deliver the keynote address at the event on February 28 at Dubai’s Media Rotana Hotel.

“We will take a practical look at what makes an Inclusive School, as well as offering insights to help better understand the school inspection agenda on inclusion. No longer can disability be used as a reason to deny a school place to a child,” he said.

DSIB’s Belrehif will be joined by international specialist in educational psychology, Dr Madeline Portwood.

Dr Portwood will offer insights on the implications behind the requirements, as well as taking part in a panel discussion. The panel will look at the challenges facing schools as they move to meet the international standards set in place by KHDA to ensure Dubai’s goal to be a disabled-friendly city.

She will be joined by Ebdaah’s special needs specialist, Chris Huntley, and Marie-Therese Abi-akel, senior speech and language therapist at Dubai’s Rashid Centre for Disabled. Abi-akel is ready to give the view point from the side of the school.

Indeed, Westerman noted that collaboration between educational institutions and social services was identified by the Community Development Authority as a principle challenge in meeting this objective.

“Ebdaah is committed to supporting the forward-thinking directive for special needs and inclusion in classrooms. Our regular forum and conference series is part of our strategy to ensure this happens. We want teaching faculty nationwide to feel confident and equipped to include all children in their classes in a positive and successful way,” Westerman concluded.