International development, disability, and education: Towards a capabilities-focused discourse and praxis

•Young people with disabilities in low income countries experience educational neglect.•The international development community must respond appropriately to this situation.•IDC should adopt person-centred, context-sensitive approaches in this field.•These approaches collectively constitute a ‘capabilities-focused’ discourse and praxis.•There are opportunities for and obstacles to the adoption of this discourse-praxis.

This exploratory study seeks to identify ways in which the international development community (IDC) can contribute to improved educational provision for young people with disabilities in low income countries. The discourse and praxis often adopted by IDC in this field are critiqued in the light of development realities and the principle that education systems should develop the diverse potentials of all students. It is concluded that IDC needs to adopt a new, ‘capabilities-focused’ discourse-praxis that is person-centred and context-sensitive – although it is acknowledged that there are significant obstacles to (as well as opportunities for) the adoption of this discourse-praxis.