Abstract:

Objective:
This paper aims at reporting on an exploratory research to understand the perception of inclusion among pupils, parents, educators and staff in Lebanese schools.

Relevance:
Lebanon places good efforts on promoting inclusive education in schools, as per legislation like Law 220/200, emphasizing integration of disabled individuals into communities. However, schools are not mandated to accept special needs pupils (SNP), creating variability in support. Only a handful of Lebanese schools accommodate SNPs, mostly private institutions. Families shoulder additional costs, limiting access due to financial constraints in a country where many earned, already before 2019, less than $10,000 annually (PNUD, 2014). It can cost more than 100K$ to send 2 children to school over 4 years (i.e. 12500 $ per child per year), which restricts such a service to very few.
The accuracy of disability statistics in Lebanon remains uncertain, with 8’558 registered disabled children aged 5-14. Of these, 3,806 are in government-funded institutions, a few are in public and private schools and many do not attend any schools. Yet, UNICEF estimates that at least 5 per cent of children under 14 have a disability. We can assume that the real number of school aged children with disabilities possibly reaches 45,000 (Human Right Watch, 2018, UNICEF, 2013). This clearly indicates a huge potential to improve the inclusion situation in schools.
Although this preliminary research focused on Lebanon's educational scenario, the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region faces similar challenges, evident from data reflecting inadequate schooling for disabled children (UNESCO report 2018). Recognizing disabled children's rights is vital for their inclusion.

Methodology:
We conducted altogether 20 focus groups with SNP, non-special needs pupils (NSNP), parents of SNP, parents of NSNP, school staff and educators in private and public schools, inclusive (In.) as well as non-inclusive (N-In.) (except for SNP and their parents).

Results:
In Inclusive private schools NSNP generally accept SNP peers, yet occasionally display irritation or exclusion. In N-In. public schools pupils show positive attitudes towards inclusion but fear peers' misunderstanding, advocating personalized adaptations. SNP in In. private schools feel mostly accepted but face integration challenges, proposing curriculum adjustments.
Parents in N-In. schools endorse inclusion but worry about SNPs' well-being. In. public schools’ parents demand qualified teachers and support, in-line with other public schools where proper infrastructure is also called for. In. private school's parents highlight curriculum issues and resources inadequacies.
In In. private schools, despite financial and parental challenges, functional processes are established. In. public schools welcome diverse needs but face environmental and material hurdles. Teachers in N-In. public schools resist inclusion, calling for awareness campaigns.
Staff in In. private schools encounter admission hurdles due to high costs and resource scarcity. In. public schools face capacity-versus-obstacle discrepancies. N-In. schools' staff cite social issues and prefer specialized schools for SNP.

In summary:
All parties demand better qualified resources, awareness, and understanding for inclusion, while divergence exists in acceptance, perceptions, and overcoming hurdles across educational settings. Further post-2019 economic crisis research is needed.

Keywords:

Perception, disability, schools, education, inclusive, Lebanon, MENA.