Our Theory of Change - Special Attention Project

Special Attention Project (SAP):

...for the Rights of Children with Specific Learning Difficulties!

The Problem:

Exclusion of Children with Learning Difficulties from Mainstream Education.

Root Causes:

- Families & communities fail to acknowledge learning problems of children or interpret it as spiritual (ignorance among parents) because of lack of general awareness

- No implementation of Inclusive Education policy, leading to absence of adequate support services in schools, no early identification, absence of appropriate curriculum and teaching materials and capacity gaps

-Absence of data on children with learning difficulties in Ghana

Consequences:

-Children drop out of school or complete basic education without achieving their educational potential

-This leads to increased unemployment and loss of talents for the labour market

-This leads to increased crime

-Families break down because of frustration and blame-game about poor performance and behaviour issues of children

Our Solution:

-Family and community sensitization on learning difficulties

-Advocacy for implementation of Inclusive Education

-Inclusive / accessible information resources on learning difficulties

-Development & promotion of teaching materials and methods that are inclusive for children with learning difficulties

Our Primary Target Group:

Children between 5 and 15 years

Our Theory of Change:

Activities	Results	Intermediate Outcomes	Long-term Outcomes
Information: -Create information resources and media messages on learning difficulties that are accessible to large groups of citizens -Spread information and messages	Information: -Accessible information on learning difficulties -Media buy into information spread on learning difficulties	Information: -General public has access to information on learning difficulties -Intensive and consistent information spreading on learning difficulties	-General public is aware of learning difficulties in children -Children complete their education and reach their academic potential -Adequate government budget allocations for Inclusive Education; adequate support services in schools -Sufficient teacher capacity -‘Inclusiveness’ included as criteria for quality education -Data on children with learning difficulties available
Advocacy: -Create community advocacy groups -Create advocacy messages on Inclusive Education	Advocacy: -Effective advocacy messages -Advocacy support groups in many communities	Advocacy: -Intensive and consistent advocacy for adequate budget for Inclusive Education
Interventions: -Develop learning solutions and services for children in mainstream schools -Develop & conduct training; liaise with Colleges of Education -Institute award scheme for inclusive schools & teachers	Interventions: -Learning services for children empower their caregivers and teachers to help them adequately -Interest from Colleges of Education to include training on learning difficulties -Award scheme for best inclusive school / teacher in place	Interventions: -Learning services are adopted by schools and integrated in school systems -Training on Specific Learning Difficulties included in mainstream teacher training curricula -Increased grassroots efforts to make schools more inclusive / higher esteem for teacher efforts
Data: -Develop data systems	Data: -Data collection on learning difficulties integrated in education data systems	Data: -Data on learning difficulties is generated