Passion and vision for inclusion

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to selects a teacher training program located in China’s rural area and focus on its preservice teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in China and their expectations of teacher training programs. Design/methodology/approach The selected teacher training program is in School of Education of a comprehensive university, located in a small town in Northeast China. Five preservice teachers in the Department of Teacher Education were interviewed. The interviewees were randomly selected among those who have already gained at least 60 credits of coursework prior to the interview. Each interview lasted for approximately 0.5 h. Interview notes were summarized and coded using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step approach. In addition to interview data, other data sources were used, such as classroom observation and review of curriculum and program requirement. Findings Although the selected teacher preparation program started offering some selective special education courses to preservice teachers, there are limited number of offerings and a lack of field placement in inclusive settings, and stereotypical opinions towards disabilities still exist as a roadblock for choosing special education teacher profession. Research limitations/implications The current study only focuses on one rural teacher training institution and report preservice teachers’ opinions toward teacher education curriculum, factors that lead to their decision in the teacher education major and their vision towards inclusion in China. Recommendations are provided to increase public awareness of disability, and create more field based experience in inclusive settings for preservice teachers. However, the result may not be generalized to reflect preservice teachers of teacher training institutions located in developed areas where there are rich opportunities for field experience in inclusive setting or special education programs, and who offer more extensive special education courses. Practical implications It is recommended that teacher preparation program modify curriculum and offer more special education courses, as well as develop connections with local special education schools and inclusive programs, thus creating more field based opportunities for preservice teachers to work with children with disabilities. Originality/value There are limited studies on rural preservice teachers’ attitudes towards being a special education teacher and how the teacher training programs prepare them to become a special education teacher. The current study fills the gap and conduct an interview study of preservice teachers’ from a rural teacher training programs perceptions of China’s special education, how they choose the program of study that prepare them to become a special education teacher, and their rating of the teacher preparation program.

The quadripartite system of inclusive education provision in China: A qualitative synthesis of policy documents

“…Another crucial outcome was the need to implement efficient and effective training programmes for teachers, especially teachers of inclusive education who, in most cases, are regular education teachers—not well qualified to teach inclusive education (An et al, 2018; Carrington et al, 2015; Croft, 2012; Deng & Zhu, 2016; Feng as cited in; Pang, 2018; Poon-McBrayer, 2016; Wang et al, 2017).…”

“…However, Pang (2018) mentioned that “in recent years, with increased legislative support and evidence-based studies for individuals with disabilities, and China witnessed improved rehabilitative services and early intervention opportunities for individuals with disabilities” (p. 3). The author also asserted “inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classroom is more common in rural areas than in developed regions in China, where children with disabilities more likely attend special education programs” (p. 3) due to the availability of more facilities in the developed regions.…”

Moving toward the Inclusion of University Students with Disabilities: Barriers, Facilitators, and Recommendations Identified by Inclusive Faculty

“…Faculty training was also identified by the faculty members as a facilitator, in agreement with the works of Moriña & Carballo (2018) and Pang (2018). However, the participants stated that, due to the voluntary nature of the continuous training programmes, those faculty members who are not sensitive toward inclusion will not attend such courses.…”

“…Therefore, it is fundamental to foster positive relationships between the faculty and students with disabilities, following the principles of UDL (Seale 2008), and thus adjust the study program (Veitch, Strehlow, & Boyd 2018) with the aim of attaining a more inclusive higher education. In this line, several studies have concluded that, in order to reach the full social and educational inclusion of students with disabilities, certain actions are required, such as the creation of mechanisms that improve organization and coordination at the institutional level (Gairín, Muñoz, Galán-Mañas, Fernández, & Sanahuja 2013), the establishment of inclusive study program (Everett & Oswald 2018;Hockings 2010), the organization and provision of adequate training programmes for faculty members in disability and attention to diversity (Moriña & Carballo 2018;Pang 2018) and the flexibilisation of inclusive practices (Grimes, Southgate, Scevak & Buchanan 2019).…”