ABSTRACT
This chapter emerges from an ongoing study, which is exploring the outcome of access to early childhood education of disabled people in Zimbabwe. A case study approach is used to explore the extent to which 15 disabled people aged between 18 and 30 accessed early childhood education. A thematic content analysis was used to analyse data, drawing out similarities and differences of experiences and perspectives from detailed case study accounts. While it is expected that the study will bring to the fore a broad range of significant issues, findings thus far indicate that children with disabilities confront difficulties in accessing early childhood education programmes due to some traditional belief systems. For families that value such education, identifying an appropriate early childhood learning centre, which caters for the specific needs of children with disabilities, is not easy. There is evidence that the violation of the rights of children with disabilities, in relation to education, perpetuates into later years, with life-time consequences such as increased poverty and vulnerability to sexual and emotional abuse.
