THE CAPABILITY APPROACH (CA) TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: INTEGRATION CULTURAL FACTORS IN THE EDUCATION OF PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND DISABILITIES
Keywords:
Capability Approach (CA), education of persons with developmental disabilities and disabilities, inclusion, culturally competent practice, Serbian cultural heritage, tradition, cultural identity, social justice
Abstract
The paper analyzes the application of the Capability Approach (CA) in the education of persons with developmental disabilities and disabilities. Using the method of content analysis of normative documents and scholarly works addressing the theoretical framework and implementation of the CA, the paper emphasizes the importance of implementing culturally competent practices for inclusion. The list of central capabilities aims to ensure a minimum threshold of dignity, freedom, and active participation in society for every individual, while social justice is based on the premise that each citizen possesses a sufficient level of basic capabilities, in accordance with the defined culture, history, and religion. It is essential to recognize how cultural values influence the development of key capabilities in education, which requires intercultural dialogue. In the context of Serbian culture, traditional values and cultural heritage can play a significant role in supporting inclusive education. Special attention is devoted to the role of traditional cultural forms, such as kolo and music therapy, as means of developing cognitive abilities, social skills, interpersonal connectedness, and a sense of belonging for persons with developmental disabilities and disabilities. Therefore, the paper highlights the need to preserve and integrate cultural resources into inclusive education as instruments for developing capabilities and fostering cultural identity, and as a prerequisite for combating multiple discrimination and achieving social justice.
References
ЛИТЕРАТУРА
Ainscow & César 2006: Mel Ainscow & Margarida César. "Inclusive education ten years after Salamanca: Setting the agenda." European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21(3), 231-238.
Bashinova et al. 2018: Svetlana N. Bashinova, et al. "The Influence Of Music Therapy On Children With Disabilities In Educational Organizations." European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences 45.
Booth & Ainscow 2000: Tony Booth & Mel Ainscow. Index for Inclusion: Developing Learning and Participation in Schools. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.
Breitenfield, Vrbanić 2011:B D. Breitenfeld, V. Majsec Vrbanić. „Kako pomoći djeci glazbom”. Paedomusicootherapi. Zagreb: Ruke.
Caust 2019: Josephine Caust. "The arts funding divide: Would ‘cultural rights’ produce a fairer approach?." The Routledge Companion to Arts Management. Routledge, 220-233.
Cerić 2004: Haris Cerić. „Definiranje inkluzivnog obrazovanja.” Naša škola 50.29, 87-95.
Clark 2005: David A. Clark. The Capability Approach: Its Development, Critiques and Recent Advances. Global Poverty Research Group.
CRC 1989: Convention on the Rights of the Child. United Nations General Assembly, 20 November 1989.
CRPD 2006: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sixty-first session of the UN General Assembly by resolution A/RES/61/106, 12 December 2006.
Deneulin & McGregor 2010: Séverine Deneulin & J. Allister McGregor. "The Capability Approach and the politics of a social conception of wellbeing." European Journal of Social Theory, 13(4), 501-519.
Deneulin 2006: Séverine Deneulin. The Capability Approach and the Praxis of Development. Department of Social & Policy Sciences. Centre for Development Studies.
European School Education Platform 2024:“Art, Music and Dance Therapy for an Inclusive Classroom.” European School Education Platform, European Commission, https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/sr/learn/courses/art-music-and-dance-therapy-inclusive-classroom-1?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 20 July 2025.
Harnacke 2013: Caroline Harnacke. "Disability and capability: Exploring the usefulness of Martha Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach for the UN disability rights convention." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 41(4), 768-780.
Hoffman 2006: Aaron M. Hoffman. The Capability Approach and educational policies and strategies: Effective life skills education for sustainable development. Paris: AFD..
Hofstede 2001: Geert Hofstede. Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California.
Juliawan 2012: Benny Hari Juliawan. "The Question Of Identity In Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach." Diskursus-jurnal filsafat dan teologi stf driyarkara, 11(1), 2-19.
Khader 2011: Serene J. Khader. Adaptive preferences and women's empowerment. Oxford University Press.
Kittler et al. 2011: Markus G. Kittler, David Rygl & Alex Mackinnon. "Special Review Article: Beyond culture or beyond control? Reviewing the use of Hall’s high-/low-context concept." International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 11(1), 63-82.
Kljajić 2006: Jelena Kljajić. „Terapija pokretom i plesom deteta sa autizmom: prikaz slučaja.” Pedagogija, 61(1), 67–74.
Koch et al. 2019: S. C. Koch, R. F. Riege, K. Tisborn, J. Biondo, L. Marti & A. Beelmann. "Effects of dance movement therapy and dance on health-related psychological outcomes. A meta-analysis update.." Frontiers in psychology, 10.
Lim 2019: Sumin Lim. "The Capabilities Approach to inclusive education: re-envisioning the individuals with disabilities education act’s least restrictive environment." Disability & Society, 35(4), 570-588.
Mendelson et al 2016: Jenna Mendelson, et al. "A preliminary investigation of a specialized music therapy model for children with disabilities delivered in a classroom setting." Autism research and treatment 2016.
Nagi 1991: Saad Z. Nagi. "Disability concepts revisited: Implications for preventions." Disability in America: Toward a national agenda for prevention, 309-327.
Nettl 2005: Bruno Nettl. The study of ethnomusicology: Thirty-one issues and concepts (2nd ed.). University of Illinois Press.
Nozick 1974: Robert Nozick. Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.
Nussbaum 2007a: Martha C. Nussbaum. Frontiers of justice: Disability, nationality, species membership. Frontiers of Justice. Harvard University Press.
Nussbaum 2007: Martha C. Nussbaum. "Capabilities as fundamental entitlements: Sen and social justice." Capabilities equality. Routledge, 54-80.
Nussbaum 2011: Martha C. Nussbaum. Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach. Harvard University Press.
Nussbaum 1997: Martha C. Nussbaum. Capabilities and human rights. Fordham L. Rev. 66.
Nussbaum 2000: Martha C. Nussbaum. Women and human development: The Capabilities Approach. Cambridge University Press.
Poortinga 2015: Ype H. Poortinga. "Cross-cultural psychology." International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences 5, 311-317.
Rawls 1985: John A. Rawls. Theory of Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Riddell & Watson 2003: Sheila Riddell & Nick Watson. Disability, culture and identity. Routledge.
Robeyns 2009: Ingrid Robeyns. “Justice as fairness and the Capability Approach.” Arguments for a better world: Essays in honor of Amartya Sen. Eds. K. Basu & R. Kanbur. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Robeyns 2017: Ingrid Robeyns. Wellbeing, freedom and social justice: The Capability Approach re-examined. Open book publishers, Cambridge.Sen i Nusbaum 2020: Amartja Sen i Marta K. Nusbaum. Blagostanje, razvoj i društvena pravda: uvod u pristup zasnovan na sposobnostima. Beograd: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju.
Sen 1990: Amartya Sen. “Development as capability expansion”. The community development reader, 41-58.
Sen 1999: Amartya Sen. Development as Freedom. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Sen 2004: Amartya Sen, A. “Capabilities, Lists, and Public Reason: Continuing the Conversation”. Feminist Economics, 10(3), 77–80.
Sen 2005: Amartya Sen. "Human Rights and Capabilities". Journal of Human Development, 6(2), 151–166.
Stephenson 2006: Jennifer Stephenson. "Music therapy and the education of students with severe disabilities." Education and training in developmental disabilities, 290-299.
Stewart 2013: Frances Stewart. “Nussbaum on the Capabilities Approach.” Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 14(1), 156–160.
Terzi 2005: Lorella Terzi. “Beyond the Dilemma of Difference: The Capability Approach to Disability and Special Educational Needs.” Journal of Philosophy of Education, 39(3), 443 - 459.
UNESCO 2000: UNESCO. The Dakar Framework for Action. Education for All: meeting our collective commitments (including six regional frameworks for action). Conference: World Education Forum, Dakar, 2000 (57).
Walker & Unterhalter 2007: Melanie Walker & Elaine Unterhalter. Amartya Sen's Capability Approach and social justice in education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US.
Гојмерац и Зечић 2013: Ivana Gojmerac, Sadeta Zečić. „Plesno-muzička terapija za djecu sa posebnim potrebama”. Putokazi - časopis Fakulteta društvenih znanosti dr. Milenka Brkića, Sveučilište/Univerzitet „Hercegovina“, I.(1), 37-46.
Ђорђевић 1966: Jovan Đorđević. Mala politička enciklopedija. Savremena administracija.
Жегарац 2016: Nevenka Žegarac. „Kulturne kompetencije stručnih radnika u socijalnoj zaštiti.” Vodič za kulturno-kompetentnu praksu u socijalnoj zaštiti. Novi Sad: Pokrajinski zavod za socijalnu zaštitu.
Јеремић и Миленовић 2020: Biljana Jeremić, Živorad Milenović. „Društveni kontekst nastave muzičke kulture u funkciji negovanja tradicionalnog narodnog stvaralaštva Srba”. Baština, 30(52), 441-461.
Јеремић и сар. 2025: Biljana Jeremić, Zagorka Markov, Lidija Nikolić. „Tradicionalna muzika u vrtiću i razvoj socijalno-emocionalnih kompetencija dece predškolskog uzrasta”. Društvene i humanističke studije 2.23, 541-556.
Нешић 2025: Нешић, Невена. „Значај образовања за интеграцију миграната у Републици Србији као држави благостања.” Нова школа - часопис за теорију и праксу савремене школе и предшколства. Бијељина: Педагошки факултет, 2025.
Нешић и Марковић 2024: Невена Б. Нешић и Ања Д. Марковић. „Лични и породични фактори као предиктори етноцентризма и расизма код појединаца.” Баштина, 34 (64), 205-219.
Николић, Бркић и Нешковић 2018: Miroslav Brkić, Miroljub Nikolić i Andrijana Nešković. „Komparativni prikaz sistema zaštite mentalnog zdravlja u zajednici u Italiji i Srbiji.” Godišnjak 19, 53-68.
Рађеновић 2022: Marija Rađenović. „Muzikoterapija kao element u procesu inkluzivnog obrazovanja.” Зборник радова: 35.
Савез особа са инвалидитетом 2025: Savez osoba sa invaliditetom. Kulinarske radionice. Dostupno na: https://savezosi.org/kulinarske-radionice-2/ [Pristupljeno 20. jul 2025].
Савет Европе 2018: Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning (2018/C 189/01). Official Journal of the European Union.
Санчанин и Пењишевић 2023: Branislav Sančanin, & Aleksandra Penjišević, A. "The importance of the digitization process for the promotion of cultural heritage of the Republic of Serbia: Empirical and statistical findings". International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 11(2), 221-229.
Ainscow & César 2006: Mel Ainscow & Margarida César. "Inclusive education ten years after Salamanca: Setting the agenda." European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21(3), 231-238.
Bashinova et al. 2018: Svetlana N. Bashinova, et al. "The Influence Of Music Therapy On Children With Disabilities In Educational Organizations." European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences 45.
Booth & Ainscow 2000: Tony Booth & Mel Ainscow. Index for Inclusion: Developing Learning and Participation in Schools. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.
Breitenfield, Vrbanić 2011:B D. Breitenfeld, V. Majsec Vrbanić. „Kako pomoći djeci glazbom”. Paedomusicootherapi. Zagreb: Ruke.
Caust 2019: Josephine Caust. "The arts funding divide: Would ‘cultural rights’ produce a fairer approach?." The Routledge Companion to Arts Management. Routledge, 220-233.
Cerić 2004: Haris Cerić. „Definiranje inkluzivnog obrazovanja.” Naša škola 50.29, 87-95.
Clark 2005: David A. Clark. The Capability Approach: Its Development, Critiques and Recent Advances. Global Poverty Research Group.
CRC 1989: Convention on the Rights of the Child. United Nations General Assembly, 20 November 1989.
CRPD 2006: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sixty-first session of the UN General Assembly by resolution A/RES/61/106, 12 December 2006.
Deneulin & McGregor 2010: Séverine Deneulin & J. Allister McGregor. "The Capability Approach and the politics of a social conception of wellbeing." European Journal of Social Theory, 13(4), 501-519.
Deneulin 2006: Séverine Deneulin. The Capability Approach and the Praxis of Development. Department of Social & Policy Sciences. Centre for Development Studies.
European School Education Platform 2024:“Art, Music and Dance Therapy for an Inclusive Classroom.” European School Education Platform, European Commission, https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/sr/learn/courses/art-music-and-dance-therapy-inclusive-classroom-1?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 20 July 2025.
Harnacke 2013: Caroline Harnacke. "Disability and capability: Exploring the usefulness of Martha Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach for the UN disability rights convention." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 41(4), 768-780.
Hoffman 2006: Aaron M. Hoffman. The Capability Approach and educational policies and strategies: Effective life skills education for sustainable development. Paris: AFD..
Hofstede 2001: Geert Hofstede. Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California.
Juliawan 2012: Benny Hari Juliawan. "The Question Of Identity In Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach." Diskursus-jurnal filsafat dan teologi stf driyarkara, 11(1), 2-19.
Khader 2011: Serene J. Khader. Adaptive preferences and women's empowerment. Oxford University Press.
Kittler et al. 2011: Markus G. Kittler, David Rygl & Alex Mackinnon. "Special Review Article: Beyond culture or beyond control? Reviewing the use of Hall’s high-/low-context concept." International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 11(1), 63-82.
Kljajić 2006: Jelena Kljajić. „Terapija pokretom i plesom deteta sa autizmom: prikaz slučaja.” Pedagogija, 61(1), 67–74.
Koch et al. 2019: S. C. Koch, R. F. Riege, K. Tisborn, J. Biondo, L. Marti & A. Beelmann. "Effects of dance movement therapy and dance on health-related psychological outcomes. A meta-analysis update.." Frontiers in psychology, 10.
Lim 2019: Sumin Lim. "The Capabilities Approach to inclusive education: re-envisioning the individuals with disabilities education act’s least restrictive environment." Disability & Society, 35(4), 570-588.
Mendelson et al 2016: Jenna Mendelson, et al. "A preliminary investigation of a specialized music therapy model for children with disabilities delivered in a classroom setting." Autism research and treatment 2016.
Nagi 1991: Saad Z. Nagi. "Disability concepts revisited: Implications for preventions." Disability in America: Toward a national agenda for prevention, 309-327.
Nettl 2005: Bruno Nettl. The study of ethnomusicology: Thirty-one issues and concepts (2nd ed.). University of Illinois Press.
Nozick 1974: Robert Nozick. Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.
Nussbaum 2007a: Martha C. Nussbaum. Frontiers of justice: Disability, nationality, species membership. Frontiers of Justice. Harvard University Press.
Nussbaum 2007: Martha C. Nussbaum. "Capabilities as fundamental entitlements: Sen and social justice." Capabilities equality. Routledge, 54-80.
Nussbaum 2011: Martha C. Nussbaum. Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach. Harvard University Press.
Nussbaum 1997: Martha C. Nussbaum. Capabilities and human rights. Fordham L. Rev. 66.
Nussbaum 2000: Martha C. Nussbaum. Women and human development: The Capabilities Approach. Cambridge University Press.
Poortinga 2015: Ype H. Poortinga. "Cross-cultural psychology." International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences 5, 311-317.
Rawls 1985: John A. Rawls. Theory of Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Riddell & Watson 2003: Sheila Riddell & Nick Watson. Disability, culture and identity. Routledge.
Robeyns 2009: Ingrid Robeyns. “Justice as fairness and the Capability Approach.” Arguments for a better world: Essays in honor of Amartya Sen. Eds. K. Basu & R. Kanbur. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Robeyns 2017: Ingrid Robeyns. Wellbeing, freedom and social justice: The Capability Approach re-examined. Open book publishers, Cambridge.Sen i Nusbaum 2020: Amartja Sen i Marta K. Nusbaum. Blagostanje, razvoj i društvena pravda: uvod u pristup zasnovan na sposobnostima. Beograd: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju.
Sen 1990: Amartya Sen. “Development as capability expansion”. The community development reader, 41-58.
Sen 1999: Amartya Sen. Development as Freedom. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Sen 2004: Amartya Sen, A. “Capabilities, Lists, and Public Reason: Continuing the Conversation”. Feminist Economics, 10(3), 77–80.
Sen 2005: Amartya Sen. "Human Rights and Capabilities". Journal of Human Development, 6(2), 151–166.
Stephenson 2006: Jennifer Stephenson. "Music therapy and the education of students with severe disabilities." Education and training in developmental disabilities, 290-299.
Stewart 2013: Frances Stewart. “Nussbaum on the Capabilities Approach.” Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 14(1), 156–160.
Terzi 2005: Lorella Terzi. “Beyond the Dilemma of Difference: The Capability Approach to Disability and Special Educational Needs.” Journal of Philosophy of Education, 39(3), 443 - 459.
UNESCO 2000: UNESCO. The Dakar Framework for Action. Education for All: meeting our collective commitments (including six regional frameworks for action). Conference: World Education Forum, Dakar, 2000 (57).
Walker & Unterhalter 2007: Melanie Walker & Elaine Unterhalter. Amartya Sen's Capability Approach and social justice in education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US.
Гојмерац и Зечић 2013: Ivana Gojmerac, Sadeta Zečić. „Plesno-muzička terapija za djecu sa posebnim potrebama”. Putokazi - časopis Fakulteta društvenih znanosti dr. Milenka Brkića, Sveučilište/Univerzitet „Hercegovina“, I.(1), 37-46.
Ђорђевић 1966: Jovan Đorđević. Mala politička enciklopedija. Savremena administracija.
Жегарац 2016: Nevenka Žegarac. „Kulturne kompetencije stručnih radnika u socijalnoj zaštiti.” Vodič za kulturno-kompetentnu praksu u socijalnoj zaštiti. Novi Sad: Pokrajinski zavod za socijalnu zaštitu.
Јеремић и Миленовић 2020: Biljana Jeremić, Živorad Milenović. „Društveni kontekst nastave muzičke kulture u funkciji negovanja tradicionalnog narodnog stvaralaštva Srba”. Baština, 30(52), 441-461.
Јеремић и сар. 2025: Biljana Jeremić, Zagorka Markov, Lidija Nikolić. „Tradicionalna muzika u vrtiću i razvoj socijalno-emocionalnih kompetencija dece predškolskog uzrasta”. Društvene i humanističke studije 2.23, 541-556.
Нешић 2025: Нешић, Невена. „Значај образовања за интеграцију миграната у Републици Србији као држави благостања.” Нова школа - часопис за теорију и праксу савремене школе и предшколства. Бијељина: Педагошки факултет, 2025.
Нешић и Марковић 2024: Невена Б. Нешић и Ања Д. Марковић. „Лични и породични фактори као предиктори етноцентризма и расизма код појединаца.” Баштина, 34 (64), 205-219.
Николић, Бркић и Нешковић 2018: Miroslav Brkić, Miroljub Nikolić i Andrijana Nešković. „Komparativni prikaz sistema zaštite mentalnog zdravlja u zajednici u Italiji i Srbiji.” Godišnjak 19, 53-68.
Рађеновић 2022: Marija Rađenović. „Muzikoterapija kao element u procesu inkluzivnog obrazovanja.” Зборник радова: 35.
Савез особа са инвалидитетом 2025: Savez osoba sa invaliditetom. Kulinarske radionice. Dostupno na: https://savezosi.org/kulinarske-radionice-2/ [Pristupljeno 20. jul 2025].
Савет Европе 2018: Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning (2018/C 189/01). Official Journal of the European Union.
Санчанин и Пењишевић 2023: Branislav Sančanin, & Aleksandra Penjišević, A. "The importance of the digitization process for the promotion of cultural heritage of the Republic of Serbia: Empirical and statistical findings". International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 11(2), 221-229.