Exclusion of children with learning disabilities within Ghana’s Basic Education System: a study in the Amansie Central District

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in its first article that, “…all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” (United Nations 1949:2). One of such rights is that of education for all children without discrimination (Article 26) (United Nations 1949:5). This idea of non-discrimination, whether based on a handicap or any other basis, is supported by numerous international and state legal instruments and policy papers (UNCRC 1989; UNESCO 2001; African Charter 1999; Ministry of Education 2015:2). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the exclusions that Ghanaian children with learning disabilities experience in the classroom when they attempt to access the curriculum despite the availability of an established legal and institutional policy framework guaranteeing such rights. Eight children with perceived learning disabilities and five teachers from the Amansie central district participated in this study. In-depth interviews with the participants and non-participant observations provided the primary data. An examination of the curriculum document served as the source of secondary data. Findings show that the learning needs of children with learning disabilities are not sufficiently supported by the school curriculum currently in use, hindering participation with their peers as equals. Additional findings also indicate that teachers are constrained by the prescriptive nature of the curriculum in trying to support this category of learners. The implications for curriculum design and pedagogical practices are discussed.