Inclusive education: teacher perspectives from Malaysia

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of views of inclusive education expressed by nearly 300 Malaysian primary school teachers involved in remedial literacy and numeracy education under the country's Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. Overall, the views expressed were positive towards the principle of inclusion. However, despite common professional development on special educational needs, these teachers lacked a common consensus about the benefits of inclusion; they expressed concern about the lack of teacher skills in this area; and they articulated a negative view of children with disabilities and their families. The paper concludes that further professional development is required to address these shortcomings, and that, given the lack of sufficient teacher educators in this area, it seems likely that the government's aim of implementing inclusive education remains a distant goal.

Keywords:

• Malaysia
• inclusive education
• special education
• teacher attitudes

Notes on contributors

Dr Lucy Bailey is a sociologist of education who is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Her research interests include the impact of social inequalities on educational outcomes, including gender and special needs, and international schooling. She is programme coordinator of the MA Education, and also teaches on the MA TESOL.

Dr Alefiya Nomanbhoy is Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. She is Director of the Postgraduate Taught Programmes and teachers on the MA Special Needs. Her research areas are in inclusive education, teacher training, ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger disorder and behaviour management.

Dr Tida Tubpun is Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. She is programme coordinator for the MA Special Needs, and also trains prospective teachers on the BA TESOL and BA Special Needs.