SSIUNICEF Action Research Project Evaluations and Findings Mumbai, 20012003

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SSI-UNICEF Action Research ProjectEvaluations
and FindingsMumbai, 2001-2003

• Urvashi Shah, Ph.D.
• Research Consultant

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ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

• Background
• Project Demonstrating the how of inclusive
  pre-school education in a community setting.
• Research Boundary Six demonstration sites in
  socially disadvantaged areas (N6000HHs)
• Target group 3-5 year old pre-school children,
  marginalized by disability/ gender/ poverty
• (N 600)
• All children with disability included (N 51)

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The Research Brief

• Macro-Qualitative Study
• (Research Agency- A.C. Neilson)
• Comprehensive listing of demographic and
  disability details from all households.
• Tracking attitudinal changes, if any, in the
  community- in families, local government
  officials, community leaders.

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The Research Brief

• Micro-Qualitative Study
• (Research Consultants, Shah and Sovani)
• Tracking changes, if any, in a sub-sample of the
  children
• Listing of barriers to inclusion and assessing
  shifts, if any, in these due to the intervention.

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EVALUATIONTracking.. Whom?

• The Sample
• Pre-school children (Disabled and Non-Disabled)
• Parents of these pre-school children
• Other families in the community
• Local leaders
• Social Workers
• Policy Makers

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EVALUATIONTracking. How?
The Method
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EVALUATION Tracking
What?
Independence Skills
Social Skills
Well Being
Emotional Skills
Motor Skills
Creative Skills
Communication Skills
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EVALUATIONThe Research Tool

• Development Scales
• Social Development Scale
• Emotional Development Scale
• Communication Development Scale
• Creativity Development Scale
• Motor Development Scale
• Functional Skills of Independence Scale

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EVALUATIONTracking What?
Classroom Activities
Physical Space
Barriers to Inclusion
A.M.Ws Behaviour
Parents Attitudes
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EVALUATIONThe Research Tool

• Barrier to Inclusion List (BIL)
• Schedule A Physical Space
• Schedule B Teachers (AMW) Behaviour
  
• Schedule C Parents Attitudes
• Schedule D Classroom Activities

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Seven Steps of Analysis
Graphs
Summary score sheet
Av. score for each scale
Scores for each factor
Descriptors for each factor
Individual child summary
Log notes
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EVALUATION Tracking..Where?

• The Six Sites
• Multi-lingual, Multi-religious communities
• Pucca houses, poor sanitation, toilet and water
  facilities outside the house

Jawahar Nagar
PMGP,Dharavi.
Nargis Dutt Nagar
Mukund Nagar
Murti Nagar
Mahim
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EVALUATION Tracking... Where?

• The Seventh
  Site-I.C.D.S
• Four visits
• Average of 3-4 children present
• No educational activities.
• Focus on
• Nutrition-food distribution
• Health records- immunization and ht./ wt.
  records.
• Tracking expectant mothers and providing
  nutritional inputs
• Liaison with government hospital for medical care
  for children

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FINDINGSSocio Demographic Data

• Profile of an average family in the community
• Mother Illiterate/Primary education, Housewife.
• Father Secondary education, skilled/unskilled
  worker, temporary jobs.
• .Average total earnings lt Rs. 4000/- p.m.

CWE in 20 of the HHs are illiterate.
On the whole, 78 of the HHs are below Rs 4000
MHI, of which 38 are earning below Rs. 2500 p.m.
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FINDINGSSocio Demographic Data

• Profile of an average family in the community
• Type of family Nuclear
• Number of rooms per household 1
• Number of people per household 5
• Number of children per family 3

HH are mostly single family nuclear type.
Average family size is 5. There is overcrowding
of members as they mostly stay in one room only.
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Findings Qualitative DataParent Speak..

• Theme Education
• High motivation despite adverse circumstances
• Education a must, several benefits.
• Times are changing now for any job, however
  small, in any situation, education is a must
• At school they learn to talk well, they will
  have respect and not be humiliated like us
• .

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Findings Qualitative Data Parent Speak.

• Pro-inclusive education, perceived benefits for
  all
• Children must learn to live together without
  differences from an early agecaste-creed,
  ability-disability, boy-girl all these
  differences will disappear and that is how it
  should be
• My child will be motivated to work hard when she
  sees the disabled child overcome challenges, she
  will learn values of love and helping othersthe
  disabled child will learn by imitation and
  improve

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Findings Qualitative DataParent Speak.

• .. but some reservations about the
  intellectually disabled child.
• The mentally challenged children should be in
  special schools. Watching him our children may
  start behaving in a funny way

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Findings Qualitative DataParent
SpeakPost-Intervention

• Specific improvement in children with disability
• Inclusion is possible even for children
• with intellectual disabilities.
• Positive changes in children-hygiene, manners,
  learning, communication and overall confidence.

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Findings Qualitative DataOther Voices in the
Community

• School principals, slum lords, social workers,
  health department officials.
• Overall positive towards inclusion but concerned
  about implementation.
• Lack of infrastructure and training perceived as
  key barriers.
• Government officials felt support from NGOs
  important and nutrition a must in any such
  program.

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Qualitative ImpressionsIn the classroom Before
Training

• Teacher/AMW
• Difficulty managing
• the class, chaos and confusion

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After Training

• Effectively addressed different needs

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After Training

• Variety of activities, structure, time-table
• Confident, caring and firm

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After Training

• Parents satisfied and full of praise

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Qualitative ImpressionsIn the classroom..

• Peer Interactions
• Inclusive behaviour
• Unusual Pairings between Disabled
• and Non-Disabled

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Qualitative ImpressionsIn the classroom

• Children Observations at End-Term
• Disabled children confident and participative
• All children loved to come to school

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Findings Across SitesQuantitative Data
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Findings Across SitesQuantitative Data
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Findings Across SitesQuantitative Data
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Findings Across SitesQuantitative Data
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Findings Across SitesQuantitative Data
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Final Impressions

• All children gained at multiple levels in the
  inclusive nursery
• No negative impact on Non-Disabled children
• Disabled children gained more- the realization of
  a dormant potential
• Acceptance by Non-Disabled children
• Community accepting of inclusion
• Community workers can be trained to teach
  effectively in an inclusive set up
• Human resources v/s Material resources
• Effective teachers are the key to bring about
  change even in the most challenging, deprived
  environments.

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Outcome

• A model for Inclusive nurseries in impoverished
  communities that can be replicated and up-scaled
  across the country.
• Manuals demonstrating the how of inclusion in a
  community
• An effective teacher training program for
  training community workers.

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An idea whose time has come

• Let children be children
• Together