Abstract
The Right to Education for Children Living with Disabilities: A Case Study of South Africa, Nigeria, and the United States examines inclusive education policy in these three nations. All three nations are signatories to international conventions like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the UNCRC, but socio-economic contexts, resource allocations, and cultural attitudes toward disability affect their practical outcomes.
Policy documents, legislative frameworks, and educator, policymaker, and family interviews inform the comparative qualitative study. The data show that infrastructure, teacher training, and social stigmas continue notwithstanding constitutional protections in South Africa and the US and legislative advances in Nigeria. The study shows that school resource discrepancies slow inclusive policy implementation in South Africa. Cultural stereotypes and infrastructural issues in Nigeria hinder disabled children's education. The US has a more advanced implementation of inclusive education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but resources vary by state and district.
For inclusive education to succeed, robust legal frameworks, policy enforcement, finance, and societal attitudes must change, according to the report. Increase financing for inclusive education programs, improve teacher training, and promote community awareness campaigns to minimize stigma. The comparative research shows that adaptable policies, cross-national learning, and political will are needed to really include disabled children in education.
This research contributes to educational rights discourse by finding shared difficulties and varied methods among these three countries, revealing policy changes and best practices for inclusive education globally.