The Roads to Inclusion tool will support CBR teams in assessing communities’ progress in becoming more inclusive of persons with disabilities and planning activities to further the inclusion process. It promotes reflection on changes related to inclusion rather than judging projects on the impact of their work, and is thus not a tool for impact evaluation or comparing inclusion between different countries and cultures. The roads to inclusion tool has been developed by ENABLEMENT and LIGHT FOR THE WORLD on the basis of an action research programme carried out in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and North East India. Communities in two sites of each country were asked to define what inclusion meant to them and those definitions were used as a basis for developing this tool. The tool can be used in a variety of contexts. We recommend adjusting it to fit your organisation’s needs and seeing it as an inspiration on how it could be done, not as a prescription on how it should be done.

1. A tool for
Community Based
Inclusive
Development
projects to identify
progress towards
an inclusive society
Roads to Inclusion
0

2. What is the Roads To Inclusion Tool?
• A consensus building tool to establish what the
current level of inclusion is in the project (area)
• A tool to discuss what realistic and desired level
of inclusion should be achieved
• It makes use of progress markers (indicators) on
key elements found to be characteristic of an
inclusive society
• It provides guidance to programmes in working
towards full and equal participation of people
with disabilities in communities
• It helps you to define the roads (the ways) that
can lead to inclusion
1

3. The Roads to Inclusion
Tool tries to
deal with the complexity
of Disability Inclusive
Development…
The tool enables to
identify status/level of
inclusion
2

4. About the community-based
rehabilitation (CBR) matrix
• We assume that most people are familiar with
the CBR matrix (see next slide); however in
brief the CBR matrix:
– Gives an overall visual representation of CBR. The
matrix illustrates the different sectors, which can
make up a CBR strategy.
– Consists of five key life domains or components,
each divided into five key elements.
3

5. 4

6. Health
Information
Care/treatme
nt
Health
insurance
Primary
education
Secondary
education
Higher
education
Non-formal
education
Computer
rooms/inter-
net cafe
Formal
employment
Businesses
Vocational
training
Bank services
Social
protection
Micro-credit
Markets/store
s
Acces to
Public
transport
Support by
mainstream
development
agencies
Household
Marriage
Sports
Leisure
Friendships
Religious
activities
Equal
treatment by
Police
Voting
Self Help
Groups
Agriculture
Prevention
5
This is an example of what local
people with disabilities in
North-east India thought about life
domains that affects them in
terms of exclusion and that were
important focus areas for improving
inclusion

7. Elements of the Tool
• A management tool to measure progress in the area of
inclusion and develop actions to further work on
inclusion
6
1. A user guide
2. An assessment grid with 5
levels of inclusion
3. A final – planning - card
showing all 5 domains which
should be used for planning
activities

8. An assessment grid with 5 levels of inclusion
7

9. 8
An assessment grid with 5 levels of inclusion

10. An assessment grid with 5 levels of inclusion
9

11. An assessment grid with 5 levels of inclusion
10

12. An assessment grid with 5 levels of inclusion
11

13. Steps in applying the Tool (1a)
A more detailed description of the steps to be
taken can be found in the guideline
• Preparation of data collection
– Organise a group discussion(s) with people with
disabilities and their families and ensure that local
in-/ex-clusion issues are discussed (and not all
components of the CBR matrix). See slide 5 where
you find an example of what mattered in North-
east India when discussing this.
– Nominate a facilitator; someone who has good
communication skills and someone who can listen
well.
12

14. Steps in applying the Tool (1b)
• Preparation of data collection
– Present the assessment grid i.e., all the cards and 1) either
select the ones that are relevant for the group of people with
disabilities and your programme or 2) let people review all the
cards; and 3) always ask the group if they miss certain subjects
that are important to them. You can add cards if relevant for
your group!
– NB: you may decide to have a group discussion with people with
different types of disabilities or have several group discussions
with people with a single type of disability. The latter may be
useful as often there is a hierarchy in groups (also in the world
of disability) and more homogenous groups often allow for a
better representation of experiences and ideas. For instance
people who are deaf may experience completely different
hindrances in life than people who are using a wheelchair and
mothers of children with intellectual disabilities may experience
very differences form of exclusion than children who are blind.
13

15. Steps in applying the Tool (2)
• Facilitation of group discussion
• A facilitator plays a very important role to help the group
build consensus regarding what levels of exclusion people
experience and what levels of inclusion they desire and
see as being realistic.
• Have someone who takes minutes of the discussions and
captures the reasons as well as the sentiments in the
group.
14
Be a facilitator and not a manipulator!

16. Steps in applying the Tool (3)
• Analysis of data, goal setting and planning actions
– Use the information from group discussions to
• Help them to discuss and decide about future developments they
want to see happening: i.e. ask the group where – at which level -
they want to be in terms of inclusion in 1 year; and in 3 to 5 years
time. NB: this in fact is about goal setting!
• Discuss the necessary actions/activities to reach the desired level
of inclusion
15

17. Steps in applying the Tool (4)
• Discussion with the CBR/project team
– After the group discussion with people with disabilities
(your users, beneficiaries) about levels of inclusion, have a
similar discussion with your own CBR/CBID project team
based on your expertise and experiences which adds to
the understanding of the levels of exclusion (though one
should realise that your ideas are perceived and not felt
ones). It also adds to the richness of developing realistic
ideas about levels of inclusion.
16

18. Steps in applying the Tool (5)
• Analysis of data
– Use information from the group discussions + the own grading
by your CBR/project team
– Discuss possible differences but use the voice/the views of
people with disabilities as a basis. Their perspective and
opinions are in fact verified with your own insights and then:
• Review, discuss and decide about future developments they and
you want to see happening: i.e. ask yourself at which level - they
and you want to be in terms of inclusion in 1 year; and in 3 to 5
years time. Review and discuss the necessary actions/activities to
reach the desired level of inclusion
• The planned activities should be specific and describe the planned
activity in precise terms! Don’t be general like raising awareness
but be more precise e.g. raising awareness about the importance
of changing the mindsets of teaching staff
17

19. In summary
• The tool is showing the inclusion status.
• It gives insight into the importance of doing your
work with various stakeholders. You cannot
achieve inclusion on your own. There is an
interconnectedness and inseparability also shown
in the CBR matrix (See the connecting lines!).
• It is a flexible and easy-to-use tool; it shows a
good representation of the actual situation.
• It is an affordable tool.
• It is a very good tool for planning as it helps to
reflect on reality.
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20. Assignments/Questions for reflection (1)
1) The last level of inclusion which you find at the bottom of
each card talks about ‘exerting influence’. What could be a
problem with this level?
2) Inclusion refers to equal involvement and participation in
the mainstream of society:  yet some people would argue
that the special track (of the twin-track) may be a condition
for inclusion… so how would you deal with that track?
3) Do you think that it may be useful to have discussions with
community stakeholders as well? Why (not)? If yes, how and
with whom?
19

21. Assignments/Questions for reflection (2)
4) The tool is focussing on consensus building!
However, there is a risk when you ask people to
individually rate the levels that you sum up all the
levels and come to an ‘average opinion’. What is the
problem with this?
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22. Applying the Roads to Inclusion
Read also:
Roads to Inclusion Guidelines
Roads to Inclusion CARDS
The cards were originally developed with adults with a disability. For a CBR programme with
many children with disabilities, some extra cards were made. Only selected cards were used.
First:
Do a screening of how inclusive your programmes are (preferably with your team)
• Select the cards you would use
• Develop new cards which should be added
• Score your programmes from your point of view
• Discuss what is needed to get a better score: identify the goals you want to achieve and what
actions need to be done
Second:
See the next session on “Involving your community in the development of a disability inclusive
society”.
21

23. 22
Acknowledgements
This tool has been developed by:
- Light for the World International
- Enablement
With support of the Austrian
Development Corporation
See the following link where you can download the entire tool:
https://enablement.eu/tools#roads-to-inclusion