Special Education and Inclusion Policies in Different Cultural Contexts

Abstract

 The current paper looks into the impact of cultural aspects in designing, implementing, and success of the policies concerning special education and inclusion. Globally, the inclusion policy is the one followed in most countries due to global policies, for example, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). However, each country implements the policy in its own way. The current paper uses a mixed method for analyzing the issue at hand: case studies, policy analysis, and surveys and interviews were conducted. The aim is to look at the role and effect of some cultural aspects, such as society's attitude toward persons with disabilities, family structure, and historical views on disability, in the effectiveness of the policy in question. It was found that inclusion was successful in cultures with high collectivism and specific structural support, namely Scandinavia and select East Asian contexts like Japan, while in other regions, even with inclusion policies in place, barriers persist. In conclusion, this paper stresses the significance of implementing culturally sound policies and practices that conform to cultural values in order to achieve the success of inclusion. In addition, the study indicates the necessity to eliminate the cultural stigmatization, train teachers on how to conduct an inclusive education environment and allocate necessary resources for teachers.