Education inclusiveness among children with learning disabilities in Nigeria: Implications for counseling

Abstract

Education is seen as the cornerstone of every development forming the basis for literacy, skill acquisition and technological advancement, as well as the ability to harness the natural resources of the state. Participants in the World Conference on Education for All pointed out that education is a fundamental right of all people of all ages throughout the world. Learning disabilities occur when the learning process is hampered due to problems within the central nervous system which results in an inconsistency between the individual's intelligence quotient and academic achievement. Education for All programmes emanating from UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Bank have had some positive results for non-disabled children. School enrolment and literacy rates have risen in almost all countries to date; however, the same cannot be said for children with disabilities. Despite the numerous meetings, declarations and encouraging developments that have followed over the years, this progress has certainly not been matched. The development of education inclusiveness can be viewed in three stages: segregation, integration and education inclusiveness. Successful inclusion is less to do with the individual factor such as amount of support for the child; rather, it is the interaction of certain key factors that brings about the likelihood of a more successful inclusion outcome for the child. Children