Towards the Improvement of the Inclusion of Secondary School Students with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEN/D) in Nigeria: A Case Study of an Inclusive Public and Private Secondary School in Lagos State

This PhD study explores the inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs/Disability (SEN/D) in mainstream secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Inclusive Education (IE) is a contested term across the Globe, including in countries in the Global South such as Nigeria. While the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (UNESCO, 1994) argued that all SEND students have the right to be educated alongside their peers in mainstream schools, some scholars view IE as meeting the needs of the young person with SEND within a Special School setting. This study explored the understanding and experiences of IE for young people with and without SEND, families and educational professionals as well as the challenges faced in inclusion for young people with SEND in two secondary schools in Lagos State Nigeria. A qualitative case study design was utilised along with elements of constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (Charmaz, 2006) to analyse data from interviews with twenty participants. Analysis was conducted through the lens of decoloniality theory, exploring the epistemic hegemony of some Global North conceptualisations of inclusion on Global South scholarship, policy and practice.

Findings suggest that participants conceptualised IE in varied ways, although many see mainstream education as the most important factor, even in less resourced school. Emphasis was placed on the opportunities for social interaction and participation for SEND students as well as the need for adequate resourcing. Underlying most themes was the legacy of colonialism that has exacerbated inequality and a lack of state provision. However, indigenous concepts of Inclusion such as the role a community places on supporting each other were also highlighted. The study is timely and important because it provides an opportunity to advance the discussion on SEN/D students' inclusion in Lagos State and, by extension, Nigeria. Therefore, it can influence the design and implementation of inclusion policy, as well as contribute to scholarly debate and discussion.