DR YASMIN HUSSAIN
MAZMI MAAROF
DIYANA KAMARUDIN
SEAMEO SEN
WINDOWS ON INCLUSION:
THE EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH
EAST ASIA
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THIS PAPER ADDRESSES
 Current practice and issues of inclusive education for students with disabilities
among 11 SEAMEO member countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao
PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and
Timor Leste)
 SEAMEO SEN’s initiatives in providing services to cater for the development
of inclusive education in the region
 Findings are gained through articles, journals and reports written in
workshops for Special Education conducted by universities and institutions in
the region and workshop conducted by SEAMEO SEN and educational visits
to member countries.
 Current development of inclusive education in the countries are highlighted.
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THE SEA REGION
 Home to 11 countries and 593 million people (Latitudes, 2012)
 The United Nations Economics and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (ESCAP in Cohen, 2009), estimated that about 400
million persons with disabilities live in the Asian and Pacific
regions.
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THE SEA REGION
 Comparison studies conducted on individuals with disabilities (in
this region) are very challenging given these reasons;
• non-uniform reporting requirements and data collection
processes,
• varying definitions,
• selective reporting,
• societal marginalisation,
• social exclusion due to economic level or perceived status in
the society,
• geographic isolation,
• religious prohibitions and cultural views.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION : ENRICHING LIVES
“This view implies that progress is more likely if we recognise that
difficulties experienced by pupils results from the ways in which
schools are currently organised and from rigid teaching methods. It
has been argued that schools need to be reformed and pedagogy
needs to be improved in ways that will lead them to respond
positively to pupil diversity-seeing individual differences not as
problem to be fixed, but as opportunities for enriching lives”
(UNESCO in Winter and O’Raw,2010)
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: including the excludes
Salamanca statement in 1994 reaffirming the EFA Agenda
(United Nations in the World Bank Group, 2013)
Every child has a
fundamental
rights to
education
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Every child has
unique
characteristics,
interests ,
abilities and
learning needs
Inclusive
settings combats
discriminatory
attitudes,
creating
welcoming
communities,
foundations to
building an
inclusive society
Child-centred
educational
setting that
respects and
made reasonable
adjustments
allows deeper
understanding of
students’
diversity
This involves
curriculum
adaptations,
planning for
individualise
instructions
modifying the
classroom
social, physical
and academic
environments
(Foreman,1998).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: MALAYSIA
 Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025; transformation and new
directions for Malaysian education system
 Influenced by Salamanca Statement in 1994, Dakar World
Education Forum 2000 and Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities by UN in 2006
 The Ministry of Education Malaysia has recognized the needs to
increase the enrolment of children with special needs into inclusive
education and made it an aspired initiative under the Integrated
1Agenda Ministry of Education Malaysia in 2013.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: MALAYSIA
 By 2015, 30% of students with disabilities will be placed in inclusive settings
schools. At present there are 1742 special and integration schools and 436
classes that are under the inclusive education program that cater for 5376
(which accounts for 9.6%) students with special needs all over Malaysia
(Bahagian Pendidikan Khas, 2014).
 A guideline on inclusive education (2013); to ensure all capacities in the
MOE Malaysia from the levels of teachers, administrators, local education
department and states as well as teacher training institutes, examination
Board, the inspectorate and quality department are informed and able to help
by tailoring the assessment and program so that it will be in line with the
development of inclusive education program nationwide
 Hosting of SEAMEO SEN; a commitment to lead and take up Special
Education field in the region.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: MALAYSIA
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: BRUNEI
 The Inclusive framework is influenced by Declaration of Rights of
Disabled Persons; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the
World Conference on Education for All; the Year of Special Needs in
the Classroom; the World Conference on Special Needs Education
(UN, UNESCO, Norjum, Koay & Sim in Mundia, 2009).
 The Special Education Unit is formed in 1994 by the Ministry of
Education and there after students with partial/mild to moderate
disabilities started being included in the ordinary schools (Special
Education Unit, Koay in Mundia, 2009).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: BRUNEI
 MOE of Brunei developed a curriculum guide for students with high
support needs (Special Education Unit in Mundia, 2009)
 The current development for inclusive system in Brunei is
progressing very well with nearly up to 70% of students with
disabilities are placed in Model Inclusive Schools that provides
excellent services for Children (Special Education Unit, 2014)
 In these schools students with special needs are given therapy
sessions, taught on independent living skills as well as the
opportunities to study among their non-disabled peers (Special
Education Unit, 2014).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: CAMBODIA
 Emphasis on Special Education is still very initial as the country emerges from
the post-POL POT regime. The reconstruction of education system is still
picking up its process and faces a lot of challenges; lack of sufficient
teachers, adequate school facilities, overcrowded classrooms and high drop
out rates. Given these conditions the education for children with disabilities is
not given emphasis (Unicef, 2003)
 Inclusive education is carried out through its Child Friendly Policy and
Education for All in 2007 through three main strategies; equal access to
education, improving quality and relevance (teacher training and drop out
reduction programs) and institutional capacity development (improving the
quality of leadership, management and administration) (Ministry of Education,
Youth and Sports, 2014a).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: CAMBODIA
 Master Plan on Education for Children with disabilities developed
in 2008 to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to
schools and obtain formal and non-formal education with their
regular peers in public schools so that they can become successful
and productive members of society (Ministry of Education, Youth
and Sports,2014b).
 Currently the Moe Ys is working collaboratively with NGO such as
Rabbit school foundation to initiate Inclusive Education Program in
government school especially for students with learning difficulties.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: INDONESIA
Motivated by the inclusion movement around the world, the
Indonesia government reformed its educational system to
accommodate children with disabilities (Antonio Tsaputra,
2012)
 Currently the development of education for children with
disabilities is moving from special education towards inclusive
education with awareness that special schools for the disabled
reinforces segregation and marginalisation (Sunardi in Antonio
Tsaputra, 2012).
 Statistics showed that only 29104 children with disabilities
are admitted to special schools across 32 provinces in
Indonesia (Antonio Tsaputra, 2012).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: INDONESIA
The policy Regulation no 70/2009 is enacted for inclusive
education (Djajda Raharja, 2014) which includes initiatives
such as:
• The establishment of Special Class in regular schools
as guidance center
• The establishment of Resource Room in regular
schools as a consultation center, as an assessement
center and as a training center
• Other arrangements including central and regional
government, headmaster, regular school teacher,
resource center, special guiding teacher, administration
staff, professional/expert staff, accessibility, school
committee and parents.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: LAO PDR
• Special Education is also a new heightened awareness in LAO
PDR education system.
•
There is no reliable information on the number of people with
disabilities in the Lao PDR (International Labour Organisation,
2009)
•
In 1993, the LAO Inclusive Education project was started
supported by Save the Children (UK) and UNESCO that included
initiatives such as establishing inclusive kindergartens and
capacity building for teachers and other educational personnel
implementing the project (Unicef, 2003)
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: LAO PDR
• The number of schools carrying out the programme in 2002-2003
has increased to 200 schools with 1600 students with disabilities
studying together with than 60, 000 mainstreamed students
(Unicef, 2003).
•
Lao PDR developed a new Inclusive Education Policy in 2009 and
adopted The National Policy on Inclusive Education in 2010 and
The National Strategy on Inclusive Education in 2012 (Ministry of
Education and Sports Lao PDR, 2014).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: MYANMAR
 The report “The State of World Children” by UNICEF in 2013,
found that children with disabilities are least likely to enjoy
education and healthcare services in Myanmar (Myanmar
Times,2013).
 Only 800 students from 318,000 children with disabilities go to
government schools and 1450 children attend special schools
(Myanmar Times, 2013). 50 percent of all people with disabilities
including physical and intellectual disabilities were neglected of
education because they were denied entrance at the governments’
mainstreamed schools (Michaels, 2013)

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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: MYANMAR
 Myanmar adopted the inclusive education in 2004 the level of implementation
has yet to be documented (Mari Koistenen and Tha Uke, 2013).
 Tight education budget resulting lack of resources to establish special
education schools and building capacity to turned existing schools in the rural
areas to accept inclusive education as about 70 percent of the 60 million
population lives in rural areas (Michaels, 2013).
 Myanmar currently passed the National Education Law in October 2014 that
focuses on education for people with disabilities and school construction
guidelines are currently drafted based on the global Comprehensive School
Safety framework. The National Education Sector Plan (2016-2021) which is
currently being developed will also include the needs and rights of people with
disabilities are mainstreamed into the plan.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: PHILLIPINES
 The Philippines’s special education and inclusive education is
centered on the existence of the disabled persons contact and
relationship with his community. Collaboration and attention from
both private and public sectors on the well being of the disabled
members of the community is very much emphasised (Darlene
Descallar Echavia, 2007).
 The Philippines decade of Persons with Disabilities 2003-2012 is
declared by the government orchestrating the effort to implement
plans, programmes and activities towards the development of
persons with disabilities from all government bodies (Teresita G.
Inciong, 2007).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: PHILLIPINES
 The Special education centers’ roles are enhanced to conduct
assessment for children with special needs, provide in service
training for creating inclusive schools and assist regular teachers
to have provide appropriate educational program, curricular
modification and individualised support services for children with
disabilities (Teresita G. Inciong, 2007).
 The MOE of Philippines plays prominent roles in ensuring inclusive
education takes place in mainstreamed schools. Initiatives such as
advocacy caravan for schools without SEN programs, provision of
modified materials and curriculum, handbook of inclusive
education, search for outstanding SPED centers and other
support systems are given for schools (Olores, 2014)
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: SINGAPORE
 Singapore education system is very well prepared and embraces
the concept of inclusion for students with SEN
 The Ministry of Education of Singapore has successfully placed
the majority of students with SEN to be fully included in inclusive
schools (MOE Singapore, 2014)
 Students with mild to moderate disabilities are supported in
mainstream schools with initiatives that focussed on training and
deployment of Special Needs officers, additional funding for
resourced schools, training mainstream teachers to teach students
of special needs and provision for providers of early intervention in
primary schools (Cohen, 2009).
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: THAILAND
• Framed by three main legislative and policy framework; The
National Education Act BE 2002, Constitution of the Kingdom of
Thailand 2007 and the Education for Individuals with Disabilities
Act 2008.
• Emphasis on the education for the disabled must be provided by
the state as at the same education opportunities as accorded to
others.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: THAILAND
• The implementation of inclusive education is carried out by the
Office of the Basic Education Commission that provides services
for Special education needs in various inclusive settings:
mainstreamed education, regular classes with Special Support
Services in Resource Rooms, Classes for Special Needs
education, Special education schools and special education
centers.
• Ministry of Education of Thailand envisions an inclusive education
which is distinct from special education. Inclusive education must
be reflected in the national curriculum, in expanded core
curriculum activities and non-academic activities that exist within a
least restrictive environment.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: VIETNAM
 The practice of inclusive for CWD in Vietnam can be concluded as
thriving and efforts are made to rectify the challenges in the
implementation of inclusive education. The MOET and MOLISA
should be given appraisal for their efforts to ensure that Vietnam
will advance into the right directions in implementing inclusive
education despite the obstacles and problems faced.
 In recent years inclusive education mainly focused on raising the
number of children with disabilities but neglected the quality of
education as the schools lack of means such as tools and
equipments to provide inclusive education.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: VIETNAM
 Vietnam introduced Special Decree on inclusive education for
children with disabilities in 2006, the Law of Persons with Disabilities
in 2010 and Strategy for Education Development 2011-2020 which
aimed at increasing the enrolment of children with disabilities up to
70% in schools by 2020 (Bui The Hop, 2014).
 Need to overcome challenges in terms of practicing the standard
inclusive education, the initiative to create adaptive curriculum and
classroom settings that can cater to the CWD learning environment
(Hang M. Le, 2013). Many schools who are willing to embrace
inclusive education for CWD are located in urban cities and teachers
need pedagogical training in inclusive classroom (Bui The Hop, 2014).
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SEAMEO REGIONAL CENTER FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
 The youngest center to be established in 2010 in Malaysia and is
fully in operational in May 2013.
 The purpose of establishing the center as dictated in the
SEAMEO SEN Enabling Instrument (2013) is to “assist the
Member States to improve education in the field of special
educational needs in their respective countries and, the Centre
shall undertake research and development, provide training, serve
as an information centre and clearinghouse as well as engage in
other related activities within and outside Malaysia” (Enabling
Instrument, 2013).
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SEAMEO REGIONAL CENTER FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
 SEAMEO SEN’s vision to be a leading centre for quality teaching
and learning in Special Education Needs and the mission to
promote and enhance the quality of Special Education Needs
practices among SEAMEO member countries.
 SEAMEO SEN’s First Five Year Development Plan (2014-2019)
is based on the trend of educational agenda that focuses on Post
education 2015. The emphasis on Inclusive education is very
much evident in the plan. The support is given through training of
SE teachers in the region to upgrade on their existing skills or
knowledge on Inclusive education.
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SEAMEO SEN’S INITIATIVES FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
 Conducting Regional Training for Special Education teachers for
upgrading existing skills and knowledge in inclusive education.
 Contributes suggestions and recommendations to Malaysian
Council for Disable, MOE Malaysia and related Ministries in
Malaysia in terms of implementation of Inclusive Education.
 Organise seminars and workshops as platforms to convene ideas
and best practices in Inclusive Education.
 Conduct research to inform policy makers and ministries of
education on best practices in inclusive education.
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WAY FORWARD FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN SEA
 The practice of inclusive education in the eleven SEAMEO
member countries in the Southeast Asian region is positive and
moving towards the right directions. Singapore and Brunei
Darussalam have succeeded to carry out inclusive education to
date. It is undeniable that leadership style, financial and support
from government and policies have impacted the practice of
inclusive education at its best in these countries.
 For Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia the practice of inclusive
education for the disabled is heading towards improvements in
implementation of inclusive education through pilot projects and
practices that best suited the countries’ settings. With educational
policies and regulations these countries need to translate the
policies into tangible actions.
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WAY FORWARD FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN SEA
 As for Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Vietnam, the provision
for inclusive education for children with disabilities is a new
awareness and focus. Although they have just reached political
and internal stability, these countries have shown tremendous
efforts and interests in undertaking inclusive education in their
educational system. With heightened understanding of the
importance of inclusive education for their children, no doubt these
countries will also be able to provide appropriate settings for their
disabled children in the inclusion settings.
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