An Analytical Study of the Palestinian Inclusive Education Policy and Its Application in Reality: Toward Developing A Visionary Model in Light of International Criteria and Local Experiences رسالة دكتوراة

Abstract

An Analytical Study of the Palestinian Inclusive Education Policy and Its Application in Reality: Toward Developing A Visionary Model in Light of International and Local Criteria. Bushra Izzat Mohammad Albadawi The study aimed to propose a visionary model of inclusive education in Palestine by analyzing the application of inclusive education policy in Palestine in the Light of national and international criteria. To achieve the aims of the study, the study used a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative) relaying on content analysis, questionnaire, interviews, decision analysis tools (influence diagram and decision trees) with the focus group as study tools. The study adopted four dimensions of inclusive education (concept, policy statements, "systems and structure", and practice) from UNESCO (2016, 2017). The study was conducted in four phases: phase I; content analysis, where (4) Palestinian inclusive education policies documents were reviewed and analyzed. Phase II; recognize the reality of implementing inclusive education policies in Palestine's schools through questionnaire and interview, a questionnaire distributed on (206) inclusive education officers, (principals or his deputy); working in Palestinian schools located in three directorate (Jerusalem, north Hebron and Bethlehem), while the interviews conducted with (10) inclusive education officers and special needs supervisor working at Ministry of Education of Palestine. Phase III; content analysis of (9) international inclusive education documents. Phase IV; recognize influence diagrams and decision tree construction through discussions with the focus group consists of ten experts includes (4) inclusive education officers, (3) PMoE special needs supervisors, and (3) academic experts in the field of inclusive education for the visionary model development. XII The results of validity and reliability tests for all study tools are sufficient to conduct the study. Content analysis finding revealed that Palestinian inclusive education policies adopted by the Ministry of Education are in line with international documents. Questionnaire finding revealed that the application of inclusive education policy in Palestinian schools is still underdeveloped for all-inclusive education dimensions, policy concept, policy statement, “systems and structure”, and practice from study sample viewpoint, finding of the study showed differences in sample' responses about inclusive education application in Palestinian schools attributed to demographic variable (supervising authority, directorate of School, gender-based school type). The proposed model included the development of UNESCO's four dimensions in the context of society. The study recommended an urgent need to develop Palestinian educational policy, regulations and practices to ensure that inclusive education is for all students. The study also recommended PMoE to develop the currently teachers' technical and vocational training programs to implement inclusive education effectively, redesigning textbooks and curricula especially meet the needs of students in inclusive context, the PMoE may use the early intervention, the universal design, and allocating a website that includes inclusive education services in Palestine for all segments of society.