INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR ARAB PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS (EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND HEALTHCARE) FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN THE ARAB SECTOR IN ISRAEL

Samer Omary

Abstract


This research examines the effectiveness and sufficiency of the educational, social, and healthcare support systems for young adults with special needs in the Arab sector in Israel. This inquiry arises from the observation of service disparities and the need for culturally relevant support structures to aid or inhibit independent living. The research provides both theoretical and practical implications for a marginalized and vulnerable group. Using qualitative methods, data were collected from the semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a total of 40 participants, representing young adults with special needs and their families. In the findings, considerable structural deficits were identified: first, the educational support system is piecemeal and lacks long-term planning; second, social supports disconnect during the transition into adulthood, undermining social construction; and third, healthcare services remain inaccessible linguistically and geographically in the Arab sector. The study concludes that while there are legislative provisions for inclusion, these provisions remain inconsistent and disjointed. The recommendations for policy reform are based on the tenets of person-centered and culturally sensitive service delivery. The research contributes to the literature on disability and social policy, and provides a policy reform road map to institutional improvements and individuals’ empowerment (service users) in the Arab sector.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


independent living, Arab sector, special needs, support systems, educational support, social services, healthcare accessibility, person-centered care, disability policy, transition to adulthood

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ai-Yagon, M., & Margalit, M. (2001). Special and Inclusive Education in Israel. Mediterranean Journal of Educational Studies, 2, 93-1. Retrieved from https://files.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/83022679.pdf

Amin, H., Badran, L., Gur, A. & Stein, M. (2023). The experiences of Palestinian Arabs with disabilities in Israel. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 43. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-01-2023-0032

Ari-Am, H., & Gumpel, T. P. (2014). Special Education Today in Israel. Special Education International Perspectives: Practices across the Globe, 473–504. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/S0270-401320140000028022

Babik, I. & Gardner, ES. (2021). Factors Affecting the Perception of Disability: A Developmental Perspective. Front Psychol., 12. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.702166

Bani, O. & Lach, LM. (2024). Barriers to, and facilitators of, education for children with disabilities worldwide: a descriptive review. Front Public Health. 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1294849

Bar, N., & Kanj-Sirhan, B. (2019). The “parents” choice: the recent perceptual changes in special education law in Israel and its implementation in the field. Interdyscyplinarne Konteksty Pedagogiki Specjalnej, 26.

Barlev, L., Pur, Y., & Oren, Y. (2021). People with disabilities in Israel 2020: Facts and Figures. Jerusalem, Israel: The Ministry of Justice, the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute.

Barlev, L., Pur, Y., & Oren, Y. (2020). People with disabilities in Israel 2020: Selected statistical data. Jerusalem, Israel: The Ministry of Justice, the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. (Hebrew)

Castleberry, A. & Nolen, A. (2018). Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: Is it as easy as it sounds? Currents in pharmacy teaching and learning, 10(6), 807-815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2018.03.019

Correale, C., Borgi, M., Cirulli, F., Laghi, F., Trimarco, B., Ferraro, M., & Venerosi, A. (2022). The Impact of Health and Social Services on the Quality of Life in Families of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Focus Group Study. Brain Sci., 12(2), 177. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020177

David, L., Lachman, M., Hadas, H. & Tessler-Lozowick, S. (2022). Mental health policy in Israel's community-based mental health services. In Research Handbook on Mental Health Policy (pp. 223-242). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800372788.00026

DeJonckheere, M., & Vaughn, L. M. (2019). Semistructured interviewing in primary care research: A balance of relationship and rigour. Family Medicine and Community Health, 7(2), e000057. https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2018-000057

Dimitriadou, I.& Lefkothea, K. (2017). The Role of Support Systems for the Independence of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. International Journal of Pedagogy and Curriculum, 24(3),39-48. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-7963/CGP/v24i03/39-48

Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11

Gumpel, T., & Sharoni, V. (2007). The Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children Current Best Practices in Learning Disabilities in Israel. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 22(3), 202–209.

Hamovitch, E., Choy-Brown, M. & Stanhope, V. (2018). Person-Centered Care and the Therapeutic Alliance. Community Mental Health Journal, 54, 951–958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0295-z

Idelman, R., Koren, Y. & Gorbat, A. (2023). Social services in the field of personal accompaniment in the community. Myers Joint Brookdale Institute

Idelman, R., Koren, Y., Gadge, N., Yabo, M. (2022). Social services in the community for people with disabilities. An international review. Myers Joint Brookdale Institute

Ioanna, D. & Kartasidou, L. (2017). The Role of Support Systems for the Independence of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. The International Journal of Pedagogy and Curriculum, 24 (3), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-7963/CGP/v24i03/39-48

Kiger, M.E. & Varpio, L. (2020). Thematic analysis of qualitative data: AMEE Guide No. 131. Medical teacher, 42(8), 846-854. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2020.1755030

Koller, Donna & Pouesard, Morgane & Rummens, Joanna. (2017). Defining Social Inclusion for Children with Disabilities: A Critical Literature Review. Children & Society, 32. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12223

McCausland, D., Murphy, E., McCarron, M. & McCallion, P. (2022). The potential for person-centred planning to support the community participation of adults with an intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil., 26(3),603-623. https://doi.org/10.1177/17446295211022125

Mason, R. & Munn-Rivard, L. (2020). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: an Overview. Parliamentary Information, Education and Research Services, Publication No. 2013-09-E. Retrieved from https://lop.parl.ca/staticfiles/PublicWebsite/Home/ResearchPublications/HillStudies/PDF/2013-09-E.pdf

Mikalef, P., Boura, M., Lekakos, G. and Krogstie, J., 2019. Big data analytics and firm performance: Findings from a mixed-method approach. Journal of Business Research, 98, pp.261-276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.044

Mishra, S.B. and Alok, S. (2022) Handbook of Research Methodology. Educreation publishing, Delhi. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319207471_HANDBOOK_OF_RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY

Morgan, D. L., & Nica, A. (2020). Iterative Thematic Inquiry: A New Method for Analyzing Qualitative Data. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920955118

Naon, D., Morginstin, B., Schimmel, M., & Rivlis, G. (2019). Children with Special Needs: An Assessment of Needs and Coverage by Services. JDC - Brookdale Institute National Insurance Institute. Retrieved from https://brookdale-web.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/01/355-00-Children-with-Disabilities-ES-ENG.pdf

Nijhof, K., Boot, F., Naaldenberg, J., Leusink, G. & Bevelander, K. (2024). Health support of people with intellectual disability and the crucial role of support workers. BMC Health Services Research, 24(4). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10206-2

Olenik-Shemesh, D., Heiman, T., & Assaig, A. (2020). The Challenges Facing Arab Students with Learning Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions and the Role of Support Centers in Their Academic Functioning: A Preliminary Study. International Education Studies, 13(11), 44. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v13n11p44

Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed-method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y

Renjith, V., Yesodharan, R., Noronha, J. A., Ladd, E., & George, A. (2021). Qualitative methods in healthcare research. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12, 20. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_604_19

Rimmerman, E., Abrami, S. & Arten-Bergman, T. (2011). The policy towards people with disabilities in Israel: an overview, Historically, current situation and prospective for the future, in Integration to Integration, Beit Easy Shapira Publishing House. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267029334_Policy_towards_Persons_with_Disabilities_in_Israel_Future_Challenges

Ross, P.T. and Bibler Zaidi, N.L., 2019. Limited by our limitations. Perspectives on medical education, 8, pp.261-264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-00530-x

Shaked, L. (2020). The Inclusive Education: Policy Issues and Challenges. The Rights in the Amended Special Education Law in Israel (1988). Autism and Developmental Disorders, 18, 14-23. https://doi.org/10.17759/autdd.2020180102

The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). (2020). Data from the Persons with Disabilities Register on the Occasion of the International Day for Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Hebrew)

Wynne Bannister, E. & Venkatapuram, S. (2020). Grounding the right to live in the community (CRPD Article 19) in the capabilities approach to social justice. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101551




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpss.v8i2.2075

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Samer Omary

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The research works published in this journal are free to be accessed. They can be shared (copied and redistributed in any medium or format) and\or adapted (remixed, transformed, and built upon the material for any purpose, commercially and\or not commercially) under the following terms: attribution (appropriate credit must be given indicating original authors, research work name and publication name mentioning if changes were made) and without adding additional restrictions (without restricting others from doing anything the actual license permits). Authors retain the full copyright of their published research works and cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.

Copyright © 2017 - 2026. European Journal Of Political Science Studies (ISSN 2601-2766) is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and  Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.