For the 93 million children with disabilities across the globe, access to quality education is often difficult or nonexistent. Consequently, those with disabilities are at a distinct economic and social disadvantage to their peers as they are unable to develop their skills and talents through inclusive education and advance their employment opportunities.

Inclusive education and inclusive employment pathways are frequently undervalued and misunderstood, perpetuating the gap in opportunity and further marginalizing millions of young people that are ready to contribute their unique and valuable skill sets to participate in their communities, improve their societies, and grow their economies.

The challenges that people with disabilities face in both education and employment, however, are not insurmountable. The business sector has a tremendous opportunity to be active changemakers in supporting educational and economic opportunity for people with disabilities while at the same time improving business and social impact.

Disability and Inclusion Task Force

The Global Business Coalition for Education’s Disability and Inclusion Task Force seeks the advice and guidance of leaders in business, education, disability, and inclusion to:

1. Develop recommendations for businesses
2. Promote the dissemination of the recommendations
3. Encourage the business community to take action

The initial members of the task force include:

• David Boutcher, Partner, Reed Smith
• Joyce Cook, General Secretary, FIFA Foundation
• Sara Basson, Chief Accessibility Evangelist, Google
• Nasser Siabi, CEO, Microlink
• Joyce Malombe, Senior Program Officer, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
• Susan Scott Parker, CEO, Business Disability International
• Nafisa Baboo, Senior Director, Light for the World
• Danielle Brown, Paralympian, United Kingdom
• Vibhu Sharma, Disability and Inclusion Researcher, Theirworld