T2T Disability and Inclusion Programme (DIP)

Training Community Volunteer Teachers to be inclusive champions

CVTs suggested the need for more inclusion of children with specific needs. CVTs were concerned that children with even quite mild disabilities were at risk of neglect as were not allowed to attend school.

T2T responded by setting up the DIP programme that works to support all children regardless of their learning needs. T2T trains CVTs in the best, child centred teaching approaches so that they become inclusion champions within their local communities.

Supporting all teachers and their students

For persons with disabilities who are enrolled and attend school, they receive little specialist support as teachers have insufficient knowledge around how to support children with additional needs to integrate into mainstream education. Teachers need guidance in how to engage students to be independent learners who can access remote learning tools with confidence and intelligence, and to be health messengers to amplify to the entire community the lessons learnt about resilience during the lockdown. 

Teach2Teach CVTs are trained in differentiated learning strategies that put the student firmly at the centre of their learning and progress. Following the UNESCO definition of a ‘learning friendly’ classroom, we create a learning environment that is adaptable to the needs of all students.In school, we train CVTs in how to access resources and set up an inclusive learning environment for children with mild to moderate disabilities, who with adaptions and support can access mainstream school.

Raising awareness around supporting students with disabilities

T2T helps CVTs create accessible education for persons with disabilities both inside and outside the classroom. Out of school, we train CVTs in how to advocate within communities to change attitudes towards all disabilities and break down barriers around access to education. T2T employs mechanisms to support these students and their parents outside of the classroom, and explores possible ways of removing educational barriers through appropriate community awareness campaigns and sensitisation.

Children with disabilities have an enrolment rate of less than 40% regarding their national population. Children with disabilities are also not progressing through the education system and a large proportion of those enrolled are over-age. (Ghana Education Service, 2018)

Working closely with CVTs T2T analyses the obstacles to school attendance and academic attainment for children with disabilities, whilst also supporting teachers with special learning needs

• T2T is committed to consolidating disability-friendly teaching approaches

• T2T enables schools and teachers to be as inclusive as possible with the resources they have

• T2T Delivers comprehensive training on disability awareness using credible resources such as The Washington Child Group functioning questions to identity disability

• T2T Trains teachers to source and use inclusive teaching resources

• Employing inclusive teaching methods to support students with disabilities outside of the classroom and ways of removing educational barriers through appropriate community awareness campaigns

Learning together

T2T believes in targeted instruction to ensure that each child is taught to their ability level. T2T’s aim is to enable schools and teachers to be as inclusive as they can with the resources they have available. CVTs are trained in inclusive teaching practices so that children benefit not only from learning by themselves, or from their teachers, but also from the learning of others who may have different needs and learn in different ways.