On Data and Disability: Piloting the Child Functioning Module in Nigerian Schools

Written by Liesbeth Roolvink and Gillian Mackay | Sightsavers | Basic Education Coalition member

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. In its honor, let’s discuss disability inclusion, and how it has long been a neglected, under-prioritized issue in international development.

Around the world, an estimated 244 million children are not in formal education, and Nigeria has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in the world. Many of these children are girls with disabilities, who often experience double discrimination based on their gender and disability.

But since the United Nations’ Transforming Education Summit last September, there has been an increased understanding that Sustainable Development Goal 4 – inclusive, equitable quality education for all – cannot be achieved if children with disabilities are not included. Identifying children with disabilities and special needs is critical to realize a truly inclusive education system and provide the support they need to thrive, yet there is a lack of reliable data on disability and little evidence about what works best to identify these children.

Abdullahi, who has a visual impairment, receiving support from his teacher at school in Nigeria.

To address these challenges, the Support Mainstreaming Inclusion so all Learn Equally (SMILE) project in Kaduna, Nigeria was developed. SMILE is a community-driven initiative to promote inclusive education in mainstream schools so that all children can successfully participate in their local school. The project is managed by a steering committee, bringing together government representatives from the federal, state and local level and representatives from organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) with support from Sightsavers, meaning that learnings will help to strengthen the local education system.

Based on an in-depth situation analysis of the barriers to education in Nigeria, the steering committee recognized that in order to support children with disabilities to thrive there needed to be a better understanding of each child’s individual learning needs. To address this, the project piloted the use of the Child Functioning Module (developed by the Washington Group/UNICEF) during school enrolment.

The module is a questionnaire, administered by teachers and answered by parents or guardians, and is used to determine if a child has difficulties with any day-to-day tasks that may mean they struggle in a learning environment. It identifies functional difficulties in the areas of seeing, hearing, mobility, self-care, fine motor skills, communication and information processing, rather than providing a medical diagnosis or condition.

If a child is identified as having a functional difficulty, this information is shared with their parent or caregiver with recommendations for further medical assessment. To help parents feel that they’re not alone, the school also provides information on resources to support them through a dedicated parent support guide. The design of this guide was led by OPD partners and includes a directory of services for follow-up support.

Parents are given the parent support guide developed by OPD partners and Sightsavers.

What we learned from the pilot

The initial outcomes of the pilot in eight schools showed that among the 671 newly enrolled students, teachers identified 166 children with additional support needs and recommended educational interventions and medical referrals to parents. The teachers’ feedback on the use of the Child Functioning Module was positive: they considered it a practical way to learn better what a child’s requirements are and how to adapt their teaching and classroom to best support them.

As well as providing training on administering the questionnaire, the SMILE project also supports teachers to make these adaptations and supports school-based management committees and parents to create the best environment for each child. Zachariah, one of the teachers who received training, found this training valuable:

“As a teacher, the Child Functioning Module has given me a guide on how to handle children with disabilities… those who used to think people with disabilities have no impact in society are beginning to see that they have impact… They enroll them in school so they have access to knowledge just like the other children.”

Teacher Zachariah has seen the impact of the module in his school and community. All images © Kabantiok Solomon/Sightsavers

Parents also shared that the project has encouraged them to enroll their child in the pilot schools:

“The school-based management committees came to our community, and it was through them I knew I could enroll my child in school. I became more convinced that my child could do well when I started attending sensitizations led by people with disabilities. There was one who came and said she’s a lawyer. I was impressed. Seeing the woman, I made up my mind that my daughter will go to school and become like her.”

“I believed my child could do well when I started attending sessions led by people with disabilities.”

The long-term impact

The SMILE project has shown how vital early identification of functional difficulties is, and what a difference it can make in the lives of children with disabilities from a young age. By using the Child Functioning Module and tailoring their teaching accordingly, schools can help foster stimulating environments to support the development, inclusion and active participation of children with disabilities.

The SMILE project has helped to strengthen the local education system, and is being shared as an inclusive education model with the Nigerian government. It is also guiding the approach for the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria programme, the UK government’s flagship education programme, which is now underway to support foundational learning for all children including those with disabilities.

This project is part of the Inclusive Futures Disability Inclusive Development programme, funded by UK aid. Please find Sightsavers’ original blog post here.

Considerations for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human-Centered Design

Written by Jody Britten, Ph.D. | Team4Tech Foundation | Basic Education Coalition member

Jody is a member of BEC’s EdTech working group. Stood up in 2020, this working group has held regular technical exchanges with BEC’s members to share best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from the EdTech space. The group has collaborated on conference presentations and panels, organized and shared at Fail Fests and webinars, and carried out a BEC-wide EdTech survey “Governments’ Organizational Responses to COVID-19”.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly impacted global education in the past year. From advanced algorithms and personalized learning materials to data analysis and automation of administrative tasks; generative AI has brought positive changes to education. Even with all the advances and opportunities, there is still work to do to ensure that generative AI is developed and used ethically and transparently.

Team4Tech is a nonprofit impact accelerator that leverages technology to drive positive change in education. By combining the power of technology, education, and collaboration, we use human-centered design to ensure technology solutions are developed with the aspirational needs of our network of education-focused nonprofit organizations at the forefront. Through our collaborative efforts, we have successfully implemented training and created resources that help global partners harness the potential of generative AI to enhance learning experiences and support educators.

Over the past ten years, we have witnessed first hand how human-centered design can play a crucial role in supporting the inclusive design and development of educational technologies. As a multidisciplinary approach that places user needs, behaviors, and experiences at the epicenter of the design and development process, human-centered design is rooted in a deep researcher base that goes beyond mere usability to foster meaningful interactions and sustainable engagement.

With members of our community of practice representing more than 85 countries and 500 unique non-government organizations (NGOs), Team4Tech has engaged our community in meaningful conversations and training opportunities around generative AI. Through that process over the past six months, we have identified five salient considerations for developers and users alike which have the potential to positively impact the use, design, and development of these tools as we move forward.

• Consideration 1: Ethical Implications of Autonomy

• Incorporate ethical considerations from the outset, bringing accessibility and equity to the table during initial design and pro-typing. 

• Utilize frameworks like Ethical-by-Design or Value-Sensitive Design to support design teams that lack global experiences or perspectives.

• Address questions about agency, consent, and data privacy and be transparent with where, how, and when data is shared, stored, and used for AI training.

• Consideration 2: User-Centric Personalization

• Balance personalized experiences with user cognitive load, cultural context, and privacy expectations.

• Ensure pathways to delete data and validate personalization techniques.

• Prioritize equity in personalization practices, being diligent and transparent about how users can customize, adapt, and train generative AI tools to better meet their needs.

• Consideration 3: Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Adopt an interdisciplinary approach to integrate generative AI with human-centered design.

• Include domain experts in machine learning, UX design, ethics, and behavioral psychology.

• Foster open community conversations about AI by involving diverse stakeholders and generate opportunities for feedback loops with end-users.

• Consideration 4: Algorithmic Transparency

• Strive for transparency in decision-making processes without compromising intellectual property.

• Address questions about algorithm training and the inclusion of diverse global audiences.

• Test algorithms with specific audiences in mind and share the test-user demographics to demonstrate attention and awareness of bias.

• Consideration 5: Usability and Accessibility

• Conduct rigorous usability testing to ensure broad accessibility and transparency in how population differences have been accounted for in AI training.

• Prioritize accessibility features and involve end-users in collecting continual feedback.

• Routinely address the data and power consumption that is needed to use and build generative AI tools and applications.

As we continue to navigate the intersection of generative AI and human-centered design in education, it is crucial that we foster an ongoing dialogue and collaboration among users and developers. By working together, we can ensure that generative AI tools are designed and used equitably, promoting inclusive learning experiences for all.

To contribute to this dialogue, users and developers can engage in open conversations and advocate for ethical guidelines. Participate in online forums, communities, and conferences dedicated to discussing generative AI and human-centered design in education. Share insights, ask questions, and learn from others to enrich the collective understanding of equitable design practices. And encourage the development and adoption of ethical guidelines and standards for generative AI in education. Advocate for transparency, fairness, and inclusion in AI algorithms and decision-making processes. By promoting ethical considerations, we can shape the future of generative AI to prioritize the well-being and empowerment of learners and educators.

Team4Tech is continually exploring the possibilities of generative AI while ensuring that it aligns with the principles of human-centered design and equity. By embracing these important considerations and taking action, we are doing what we can to pave the way for a future where technology truly enhances education for everyone.

You can see cataloged resources focused on AI in global education that are continually curated by Team4Tech’s Director of Learning Technologies here.

Making Assessments More Accessible for Children with Disabilities

Written by Veronica Stapleton, global technical lead for education at Sightsavers

Below, BEC member Sightsavers shares about its work adapting a key evaluation tool to support young children with disabilities.

The International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) tool, created by BEC member Save the Children in 2011, measures children’s early learning and development. Its play-based tasks help evaluate motor development, emergent literacy, emergent numeracy and social-emotional development. The tool is designed to assess children from three to six years old and has been used in 78 countries.

IDELA has already been adapted for use with children who have mild to moderate learning difficulties. Since 2021, in a project under the Inclusive Futures initiative in Kenya, Sightsavers has further adapted the tool to make it more accessible for children with disabilities. Sightsavers used it to measure children’s baseline developmental outcomes and will re-administer it at endline to measure progress.

Irene, a pupil at one of the project schools, interacts with other children in her class.

This use of IDELA is part of a larger innovation project aiming to identify affordable, contextually-appropriate inclusive early childhood development education approaches for children with disabilities. The project is implemented by a consortium of international NGOs including BEC member Humanity & Inclusion, Sense International, IDS and government stakeholders such as national and county ministries of education, local and national organisations of people with disabilities, including United Disabled Persons of Kenya, as well as relevant semi-autonomous government agencies working in education. The project is being implemented in three different settings in Kenya: two in Homa Bay and the third in settlements around Kakuma refugee camp.

The project has a monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework and a focus on measuring intervention impact. Data is being collected from across the project on an ongoing basis. Sightsavers has conducted qualitative participatory research with children with disabilities, their parents, teachers and other stakeholders, as well as carrying out a cluster non-randomized control trial to measure the impact of other project interventions.

Over the 2021-2022 project period, Sightsavers developed adaptations and used them with 253 children with disabilities in nine project schools and nine ‘control’ schools.

Allan, a researcher working on the project, uses the IDELA tool with a pupil.

What was done?

Along with Sightsavers’ consortium partners who have expertise in working with children with disabilities, they reviewed the existing guidance and recommended approaches for administering the tool to children with disabilities.

For each task, Sightsavers identified and documented adaptations for a range of disabilities, being careful to ensure this did not change the purpose of the assessment. Not all items could be adapted for all disabilities, and this was documented. Sightsavers modified the training to develop the skills of assessors to administer the tool with the adaptations. They also ensured that project staff were available to provide extra support during the data collection activities.

Sightsavers conducted assessments with more than 1,600 young children, including 253 with functional difficulties. They built on their learning from this process by conducting focus group discussions with the assessment teams in all geographical locations.

What was learned

Here’s what Sightsavers learned from the research and project implementation:

• There is value in using the adaptations for children with disabilities: Assessors applied the adaptations for children with a wide range of difficulties. Most children enjoyed the assessments, particularly when demonstrations and real objects were used.

• Assessors need additional guidance about child development and working with children with disabilities: Sightsavers developed additional training and guidance on how to use the adaptations, but at times the processes were misunderstood, or inappropriate adaptations were used. This highlights a need for additional training time, enhanced training materials and more opportunities for practice before data collection begins.

• It’s important to understand the context and culture: The IDELA training is careful to emphasize the need to recognize and adapt to different contexts and cultures. The diversity of languages in the refugee setting was a particular challenge and this was exacerbated for children with functional difficulties, adding complexity to the data collection.

Pupils from the inclusive early childhood development education project schools in Homa Bay get ready for World Children’s Day. All images © Ninth Wonder Productions/Sightsavers

The way forward

The project has helped Sightsavers to refine their thinking and practice around the use of IDELA for children with disabilities. The enhanced adaptations enabled assessment of almost all children with disabilities in the study sample. Ongoing data collection will provide further insight into these adaptations and their suitability for broader use.

There were some challenges that need further consideration. For example, it often took a long time to administer the tool because of the concentration levels of the children. Despite receiving support from their supervisors, some assessors found it difficult to make decisions about which adaptations to use, and the strategy of using caregivers to translate/interpret for their children was difficult to monitor.

It will be useful to pilot the use of the adaptations further, incorporating our learning from this project. Sightsavers needs to consider the costs involved in increasing training and support for assessors and how to make the management of additional materials easier.

There is limited data available about the developmental progress of young children with disabilities in low and middle income countries and IDELA is a useful tool in gathering this data. Through adapting the tool, a large number of children with disabilities were assessed and their developmental progress is now being monitored alongside their peers. As the international education community seeks to improve inclusive practices and ensure that all children can access a quality education, it will be useful to see if the adaptations can be further developed for general use with the tool.

This project is part of the Inclusive Futures Disability Inclusive Development programme, funded by UK aid. Please find the original blog post on Sightsavers’ website here.