Inclusive education in South East Asia: critical challenges in Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Indonesia

This paper aims to explore some of the experiences of Inclusive Education projects in four different South East Asian countries. It is concerned with the development of more inclusive practices and systems in contexts which might be considered as particularly challenging, both socially and economically in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia. All four projects share the common aim of trying to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools, whilst at the same facilitating the development of quality education through the introduction of a child centred teaching pedagogy. These initiatives reflect national policy development, driven by the Education for All / Millennium Development Goals agenda and attempts to initiate system wide change. We describe some of the complex issues affecting these policy changes through the lens of practice development at local level in schools and communities. The paper draws on research and reflects the experiences of project workers in all four countries and considers the challenges faced in trying to ensure that inclusive values reflecting the rights of all children are at the heart of any attempts to improve the quality of schools. The research identifies a number of critical issues concerning the inclusion of children with disabilities in education, which the writers believe need to be addressed through a more systematic approach which demands greater investment in local communities and schools.