Exploring the educational preferences for children with multiple disabilities: A retrospective analysis of parental perspectives from Chennai, India

Abstract This paper explores the educational preferences of parents having children with multiple disabilities and makes use of a retrospective analysis conducted at the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, which is a unit of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. This is followed by an analysis of current schooling options for these children, including special school, inclusive school and home‐based schooling. It also relates these decisions to contextual factors, including geographical locality and the nature and extent of disability and hopes of the parents. The results of this analysis reveal major trends of parental decision‐making when it comes to the education of their children and help to systematically determine the barriers that impede the execution of inclusive education among this group's members. Though the promotion of inclusive education among children with disabilities is increasingly becoming an issue of great concern, children with multiple disabilities remain outside of these pedagogical models as they have complex support needs and infrastructural issues. Recommendations on inclusive policies/practices are provided based upon empirical data and practical information to guide working practitioners and policymakers.