Prevalence of Disability Categories in Special Education: A Potential Barrier to Inclusive Education and Islamic Perspective

Abstract

Pakistan faces long-standing challenges in introducing new trends in every sector of the education system. Policies and practices suggest that the special education system in Pakistan seems to organized around pre-determined pervasive categories of disability that tends to hinder the process of inclusion in Pakistani. Some practices reveal a slight shift to inclusive education; nevertheless, most of these were pilot projects launched for initiation of inclusion. The present study aims to analyze the prevalence of disability categories as a potential barrier to inclusive education in view of the existing body of literature in education and Islamic perspective. It draws implications on the inclusion of children with disability in mainstream education of Pakistan. Though, labels and categories permeate education system as a potential barrier to inclusive education, yet, literature propounds that there is a promising likelihood for the initiation of inclusive education provided the persistence in practicing Islamic values and patience to wait for the outcomes of planned projects is ascertained. Thus, despite many obstacles to introducing inclusive education, there is evidence of positive attitude and efforts to build up a world of mainstreaming where one can grow up to one’s utmost potential.