Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Guatemala

Grantee: Association of Parents and Friends of People with Disabilities (ADISA)
Location: Santiago, Atitlan, Guatemala
Grant Amount: $10,500
Project Dates: November 2007 - April 2008
Project Title: Inclusive Education: Learning Together
Project Details: ADISA has been working since 1997 with families and friends of children with disabilities to provide better educational access to children with disabilities. Their project focused on providing inclusive education for children with disabilities by raising the awareness of teachers as well as members of the community about how they can support children with disabilities. The project facilitated cross-disability inclusion in the education community through sensitizing workshops for teachers and students with and without disabilities.

Results:

• 25 students with disabilities, including developmental, learning, auditory, visual, and physical disabilities were successfully integrated into mainstream schools.
• 22 students were served in the Special Education Center next to the mainstream school.
• 22 teachers have students with disabilities in their classrooms
• 765 students from different classrooms became classmates with the integrated children and participated in the sensitizing workshops
• A ramp was constructed at the entrance of the Mateo Herrera Central School
• ADISA met with the Supervisor of Education of Santiago Atitlan, who endorsed the project, and discussed plans for having the Ministry of Education provide long-term support for the project.