Caracterización urbana

The data also revealed that general infrastructure and school environment can hinder inclusion. Through observation the researcher noted that the general infrastructure and school environment were not inclusive. Classroom spaces were very small and in some classrooms there were no desks, tables or chairs for children. Participants had different views about the impact of school infrastructure and the school environment. A participant said:

“Skul em ol wokim blo ol normal pikinini ino blo ol disabol, planti samting lo skul em ino inap lo ol... klasrum em ino nap lo ol (ol sumatin wantaim disability )” The school is made for the normal children, it is not for students with disabilities, a lot of things in the school are not meant for them... The classroom does not suit them [children with disabilities] (T1, S3).

Practically, the whole structure of the buildings and the layout of the schools were not welcoming to disabled students. Modifications in regards to virtually everything were recommended in elementary schools in the rural areas in order for them to practise inclusion. A participant said:

“Ol nidim bikpela space na yu lukim kain population lo hia ya em bai nogat space blo dispela pikinini stret, klasrum tu em liklik na kain samting tu wokim na playing field tu liklik, nau ol pikinini tu stap ya, em no fitim ol tu” They need bigger space and just see our population in the school now, we would not have

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enough space for these children [children with disabilities] and the classroom space is even too small, and even the playing field is too small (T4, S2).

In thinking about inclusive school environments, many participants thought about children who were visually impaired or who were wheelchair users. With these disabilities in mind they saw that the whole school environment, let alone the classrooms, was too small to include them. As T2, S1 suggested:

“Klasrum space em liklik, na ol aipas ol save usim stik so ol bai bamim diwai, stone, ples ino open tumas lo ol” The classroom space is too small, and the visually impaired use sticks, so they will bump into trees and stones. The place is not too open for them (T2, S1).

Teacher One in School Two (T1, S2) and Teacher Three in School One (T3, S1) also said that classrooms were too small plus the school environment and space was not able to cater for children with disabilities. The small area in the community that had been allocated for elementary school was unable to accommodate bigger buildings. If the school expanded there would not be playgrounds for children, as T1, S1 commented:

“Samting we em wokim hat lo ol gutpela pikinini na disabol pikinini lo mix wantaim na skul lo mainstream skuls em olsem environment em ino inap lo ol because ol bai nidim bikpela more space...Ol nidim ples were klia na klin na igat footpath” The thing that will make it difficult for non-disabled and disabled children to attend mainstream schools together is that the school‟s environment (space) is too small. They [students with special needs] need bigger space...They need a place where it is clear, clean and has footpaths (T1, S1).

Facilities in the schools needed to be modified to suit all children. In this regard T1, S1 mentioned that:

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“Wanwan ol (disabol sumatin) kam ol save lusim skul na go because environment em no gutpela lo ol. Ol bai kam tasol still ol bai lusim skul na go yet” The few [students with special needs] that come leave school and go because the environment is not applicable to them. They can come but they are still going to leave school (T1, S1).

One female participant made specific mention of the school toilet, since schools in the rural areas have pit toilets. This participant said:

“Ol bai kam tasol wanpela samting em toilet em no septic or em no safe” They can come to school, but one thing is that we do not have septic tanks…. It is not safe (T3, S2).

T1, S1 said:

“Wokim separate skul blo ol dispela disabol pikinini, wantaim olsem gutpela environment we em gutpela blo ol na igat planti samting we ol bai nidim lo usim. Lo normal pikinini em orait tasol lo disabol pikinini em hatwok tru, so ol nidim spesol area” Build separate schools for these disabled children, with a good environment where it is good for them, and where many things which they need to use are provided. For a normal child it is all right, but for a child with disability it is very hard work, so they need a special area (T1, S1).

Data revealed that because of the very limited knowledge participants had about the different types of disabilities they were thinking primarily of visually impaired children and children who were wheelchair users. They were not considering the possibility of including children who might have intellectual disabilities but who were otherwise physically able. Participants‟ comments also suggest that without proper infrastructure and with an already crowded environment, they would not be keen to include disabled children.

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