DUBAI // There is a long way to go before the UAE is at an acceptable level of providing learning disability support systems within educational institutions, according to school teachers specialising in the area. Speaking at the second GCC Learning Disability Conference held in Dubai, Stuart Dennis, the chief executive and executive principal of Gems World Academy, said several challenges needed to be overcome by schools and communities before learning disability was no longer seen as a hindrance in education, especially with an "all inclusion" policy.
"I don't believe in 'stand alone' special needs schools," said Mr Dennis. "All schools should include all children to create a balanced society. The external challenge is the perception of what a school looks like to others if it incorporates children with special needs. Other challenges include the additional skills that are needed in the school to accommodate these children. "As important is the issue of cost; private schools cannot keep asking parents for more money - rather they need to seek out funding in other ways," he added.
Mr Dennis emphasised the inclusion method in use at Gems, where every child, despite their learning disability, is included in the classroom and taught the same curriculum as children without disabilities. Just seven weeks old, the academy already has 620 students, 70 of whom have some kind of learning disability ranging from dyslexia, autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) to cerebral palsy.
A key part of the teaching methods is "immersive learning", where not all the teaching is carried out in the classroom. To assist this practice, the school has built a planetarium. "Sitting in that planetarium is mesmerising," Mr Dennis said. "Immersive learning creates a new paradigm that engages the children much more." Many of the schools in the UAE do not have learning disability support systems, which means parents must employ a teacher at their own cost to shadow their children throughout the school day and ensure they are capable of keeping up with the others.
"You have severe special needs schools and you have the normal schools, but nothing in between," said Clare Appleby, the head of department at the Emirates International School and a private educational psychologist. "Those children who are not severely disabled with learning disabilities are forced to attend schools that may not be able to cater to their needs." This, she says, results in them struggling even more to keep up and fit in. In addition, many parents cannot afford the additional costs.
Therese Avril, a learning support teacher at Emirates International School, said there was a lack of recognition of the problem, and therefore "a lack of experience in dealing in this area". "There is still a clash of cultures. Some people do not want to face the fact that their child has special needs," she said. Ms Appleby added: "What is needed is a mixed policy of inclusion and withdrawal, so the children feel secure enough to join the classroom without feeling left behind.
"There is a big gap at the moment for the students who have been left behind, and more focus needs to be made by the Ministry of Education on this area. They need to recognise learning support." nsamaha@thenational.ae
