Understanding inclusive education practices in schools under local government jurisdiction: a study of Khon Kaen Municipality in Thailand

ABSTRACT

This article investigates inclusive education practices in schools under the jurisdiction of Thai local government through a study of schools in Khon Kaen Municipality in Northeastern Thailand. Thailand’s 1997 Constitution and 1999 National Education Act both legislated that the educational system must become inclusive, and under these laws schools are required to admit all groups of children, including children with special educational needs (SEN). This study sheds light on the situation of inclusive education in schools with regard to administrators’ policy implementation, teachers’ practices, and parents’ perception of inclusive education management. The findings derive from a survey of 11 school administrators, 114 teachers, and 274 parents (of 137 regular and 137 students with SEN), together with six focus groups with administrators and teachers from six schools. The results demonstrate that most school leaders support inclusive classrooms, most teachers are willing to work with SEN students, and parents of regular students accept the concept of inclusion. Actual practices of inclusive education vary, however, depending upon the perception of administrators and the will of the teachers to implement inclusive education. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the policy of the municipality may have resulted in the development of inclusive practices in schools under its jurisdiction.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive education
• practices of inclusion
• local government schools
• special educational needs

Acknowledgements

The researcher is grateful to all the participants, namely the parents of both regular students and students with SEN, the school administrators and teachers from eleven schools, and the three research assistants. The researcher would like to express her sincere gratitude to Erin Gallegos for her meticulous manuscript review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Pennee Kantavong is an Associate Professor in International and Development Education at the College of Local Administration, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Her research interests include teacher development, non-formal education and inclusive education. She has spent the past ten years studying and researching inclusive classroom practices and classroom management.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by the Rockefeller Foundation through Social Survey Center, College of Local Administration, Khon Kaen University.