The case of out of school children in Pakistan is vital to resolve in gaining a respectable place among global community. Children with disabilities are disproportionally and systematically marginalized in Pakistan. In-spite of many efforts by government, a large number (95%) of those children have no access to education and only 5% are in all types of schools. This huge disparity indicates that existing schooling that consists of segregated thought and charity paradigm is inherently incapable to bring out of school children in school. Moreover, these children constitute one third of 20 million children who are out of school. It appears that commitments on national and international treaties cannot be fulfilled until these children are mainstreamed in the system. The right based approach is a viable solution internationally and is now getting its roots in Pakistan as well. Various empirical studies indicated that poverty and disability are major causes that keep children out of school. Even this relationship is bilateral and serve as both cause and effect. The results of a recent study reveals that along with many other reasons, two eminent barriers reported by children with disabilities and their parents were ''distance‘ and ''Poverty‘. Distance exerts extra penalty in accessing school whereas poverty eliminates the hopes to be in schools. Disability, instead of viewing it as a fixed individual phenomena, has been defined as an evolving concept. The interplay among three variables i.e. disability, distance and destitution is complex as they keep changing according to local context and culture. Keeping in mind this complex relationship among these variables, the present study was designed to explore the intensity of interrelationship among these variables (disability, distance & destitution) and the cumulative effect of these 3Ds on hopes of children to be in schools. Four scales (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, Distance Scale, Destitution Scale and Inclusion Hope Scale) along with demographic factors sheet were developed and validated. Data were collected from 722 respondents (361 children and 361 parents) from 16 union councils (8 urban, 8 rural) of three districts of Punjab i.e. Lahore, Sheihkupura and Kasur. Multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select sample of the study. The demographic statistics of the sample were closely related to the population parameters making it fairly representative of its population. The findings of study included that there is interrelationship among all variables i.e. disability, distance, destitution and hope. The regression analysis indicated that cumulative effect of 3Ds diminishes hopes for inclusion of children to be in schools. However, the intensity of the effect varies. For example, distance from home to school affects hopes more adversely than other two variables (destitution and disability). Results also revealed that out of school children with disabilities living in rural areas are less hopeful because of distance penalty. On the basis of research findings, implications were drawn and validated by a panel of experts. The study recommends that government should take immediate measures to bring changes in the existing policy and infrastructure to reduce the home to school distance for children with disabilities. The only suitable solution recommended by this study is to improve existing primary school at the door step so that they can accommodate few children with disabilities. This could be economical as well as comprehensive solution to bring all children in school. The implementation of inclusive education may serve as an effective step to increase hopes and bring all children in schools including children with disabilities.
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