Comparing priority ranking of inclusive education indicators using multi-criteria decision-making methods: children with locomotor disabilities vs. physical disabilities

Abstract

This study explores the priority ranking and importance of indicators for effective inclusive education (IEIE) based on the perspectives of school stakeholders regarding the inclusion of children with locomotor disabilities (CwLDs) versus those with physical disabilities (CwPDs) in mainstream primary schools in Delhi. A paper-based survey collected ratings using a Likert scale. The data underwent reliability testing with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, indicating good reliability. Then, analyzed using three Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods (TOPSIS, GRA, and RIDIT) to assess potential variations in indicator rankings. Further, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients demonstrated a positive relationship within each inclusion case of CwLDs and CwPDs, but a contrasting relationship when ranking compared against each other (i.e., CwLDs versus CwPDs) among all three methods. Results highlight stakeholders’ emphasis on qualitative aspects over financial and administrative support, with certain indicators (e.g. student-teacher ratio, trained/untrained educators, awareness about UDL) deemed more significant for CwPDs due to their greater needs. The findings advocate for enhancing inclusive education facilities and raising awareness among primary school stakeholders to foster greater inclusion of children with disabilities. This study contributes valuable insights into the complex dynamics of inclusive education prioritization and underscores the importance of addressing diverse needs of inclusive learning environments.

Keywords

• Inclusive education
• indicators
• priority ranking
• children with disabilities
• multi-Criteria decision-making analysis
• comparison