Using the ICF-CY to Support Inclusive Education in Ghana

Abstract

The international classification of functioning, disability, and health for children and youth (ICF-CY) developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) is a framework for understanding concepts of disability specific to children and youth. This framework has been used in countries around the world to support the education of children with disabilities. In this article, we argue that the ICF-CY has the potential to inform and support Ghana’s education system and to improve the implementation of education for children with disabilities, particularly inclusive education, in Ghana. Specifically, we use children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as an exemplar to examine how the ICF-CY can support inclusive education for children with disabilities within its main components: Body Functions and Structures, Activities and Participation, Environmental Factors, and Personal Factors. Examining the ICF-CY in these areas is significant, as many similar low- and middle-income contexts have yet to adopt the framework and may draw insights and lessons for its significance in educational contexts.