Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has provided inclusive classrooms in 82 schools of all grades for students with disabilities, said an official.
“Inclusive classes have been made in 70 specialised regular schools operating across the country for students with disabilities (boys and girls),” said a Special Education Guidance Expert at Ministry of Education and Higher Education Manaa Al Hababi.
Speaking to Qatar TV recently, she said that inclusion is also provided in four schools for students with visual impairments and in two schools for students with hard-of-hearing.
“There are six specialised schools called ‘Al Hedaya School for Special Needs’ with two kindergartens for all grades for boys and girls,” said Al Hababi.
She said that schools with inclusion are running a number of programmes to support students with disabilities such as early intervention, individual education, family support, vocational and technical paths for secondary school students according to their inclinations.
Inclusion involves supporting students with disabilities through individual learning goals, accommodations, and modifications so that they are able to access the general education curriculum (in the general education classroom) and be held to the same high expectations as their peers.
Speaking about teachers for students with disabilities, Al Hababi said: “A number of teachers with disabilities are also working with schools of inclusion which have adequate number of qualified teachers.”
She said that the students of secondary school received education of technical and professional streams.
“The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in coordination with local universities are providing professional diploma courses to students with disabilities after their school graduation,” said Al Hababi. She said that the MoEHE also coordinates with the Ministry of Labour to provide suitable job to such students to lead a happy life.
Al Hidaya Government Schools for People with Special Needs received full support from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. This is part of state efforts to improve the quality of education for all segments of society, and the school provides care and attention to students in order to rehabilitate them and integrate them into normal life.
The schools adopt technology to help develop students’ abilities and skills by relying on the latest electronic devices that help the teacher in his/her work and open the students’ minds, including modern devices that help develop movement and balance, control nerves and control emotions.
This is done through electronic drawing, and following different geometric shapes with colours and musical tones, which motivate students to play and move. There are other devices for drawing via the screen that work to develop the ability to control, and create a spirit of challenge among people of determination.
The students are divided into different classes according to the percentage and type of disability, and cases are dealt with individually and sometimes collectively according to the type of activity.
