Making sense of inclusive education in the Pacific region: Networking as a way forward

Abstract

This article is based on material collected in researching the viability of a regional network focused on the inclusion of children with disabilities in education in the Pacific region. It discusses the importance of balancing the international vision of a rights-based approach to education with indigenous inclusive values in the small and scattered Pacific island populations. A case study is analysed of the development of community-based inclusive education in Samoa by a national non-governmental organisation in collaboration with various government ministries, and finally, the potential of networking in generating new, contextually relevant knowledge about inclusive education is debated.This article seeks to identify obstacles to, and opportunities for, the development of inclusive education in the small island countries of the Pacific region. In doing so, we explore some of the tensions, contradictions and dilemmas involved in transposing the

Stakeholder perspectives on barriers and facilitators of inclusive education in the Solomon Islands

“…It seems that the western notion of schooling, and inclusive education, is highly problematic in the Solomon Islands context. This cultural disconnect, noted in other research in the region (Le Fanu, ; McDonald and Tufue‐Dolgoy, ; Miles, Lene, and Merumeru, ) is potentially responsible for many of the difficulties faced and must be challenged directly. Perhaps a new way forward can be found.…”

“…She involved 10 local participants in three focus group discussion (FGD) sessions, identifying three major themes in her data: negative community attitudes; teacher and school unpreparedness, and; a lack of national commitment towards inclusion. Each of these barriers could conceivably stem from a superficial application of a foreign education paradigm, as might be deduced from the work of McDonald and Tufue‐Dolgoy () and Miles, Lene, and Merumeru (). Lau's research was included in a broader study (see Sharma, Forlin, Sprunt, et al., ).…”

“…On the other hand, many community practices outside of schools continue to remain very inclusive (McDonald and Tufue‐Dolgoy, ). Miles, Lene and Merumeru (), also in Samoa, noted the importance of balancing the international rights‐based perspective of inclusive education with the reality of the local cultural contexts in the region. Le Fanu (), with reference to Papua New Guinea, observed that new disability‐inclusive school curriculum implemented in that country was developed from a Western educational perspective.…”

Parent and Teacher Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education in Nauru

“…A specific teacher education course in inclusive education has been recognised to be effective in improving attitudes towards inclusion practices (Boyle et al, 2013). Additionally, in-service professional development (Sokal & Sharma, 2014) and community education courses have been shown to positively affect attitudes towards disabilities and can be implemented at a local level (Miles, Lene, & Merumeru, 2014).…”

Dependency on Australian aid and the introduction of inclusive education initiatives in Kiribati

“…Bilateral Australian aid has been particularly influential in the Pacific, where Australia has been the largest donor. The Australian government has been the “most influential in providing support to Pacific governments” (Miles, Lene, & Merumeru, , p. 3).…”