Conference Paper: Inclusive education: Equality and equity (Teachers' views about inclusive education in Malaysia's primary schools)

Inclusive education: Equality and equity (Teachers' views about inclusive education in Malaysia's primary schools)

• February 2020

• Conference: Special Education International Conference (SEIC) 2019 (25-27 Sept 2019) 
• At: Putrajaya, Malaysia

• Project: 
• CPD AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

• Lab: 
• Rosmalily Salleh's Lab

• Rosmalily Salleh
• John Woollard

Abstract

The desire for inclusive education is recognised by many countries, but the practice is inconsistent because of the complexities and variability in implementation. Malaysia has committed to and embarked on the journey towards educational system reform. The pledge to provide quality and inclusive education is emphasised in the 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint. However, Malaysia’s contexts, including its diverse ethnicity, language, culture, religion, education and school systems, have implications for the implementation and promotion of inclusive education. This study explores and brings to light teachers’ significant yet overlooked views of inclusion and inclusive education at this important juncture of the country’s phase. It aims to bring a better understanding of the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia’s primary schools, by focusing on the practitioners’ views. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs descriptive and exploratory methods. Participants are purposely sampled from five national primary schools: three schools with the Special Education Integration Programme (SEIP) and two schools without SEIP. They, 25 teachers (mainstream and special education) including the headteachers, are interviewed individually and 51 participated in eight focus group interviews. The findings are processed through a thematic, inductive approach using qualitative analysis software. This paper argues that teachers view inclusive education as a challenging concept. Such views are influenced by a range of factors such as socio-cultural attitudes towards disability, educational systems, inefficient utilisation of resources, insufficient facilities, and teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills about special education and SEN. The findings will be of value to those responsible for planning and developing the policy and programmes regarding inclusive education, special education, and specifically educational systems in moving towards inclusive systems and schools. (PDF) Inclusive education: Equality and equity (Teachers' views about inclusive education in Malaysia's primary schools). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339593088_Inclusive_education_Equality_and_equity_Teachers'_views_about_inclusive_education_in_Malaysia's_primary_schools [accessed Jan 25 2022].

Abstrak

Hasrat untuk pendidikan inklusif diiktiraf oleh banyak negara, tetapi amalan itu tidak konsisten kerana kerumitan dan kebolehubahan dalam pelaksanaan. Malaysia telah komited dan memulakan perjalanan ke arah pembaharuan sistem pendidikan. Ikrar untuk menyediakan pendidikan yang berkualiti dan inklusif ditekankan dalam Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025. Walau bagaimanapun, konteks Malaysia, termasuk kepelbagaian etnik, bahasa, budaya, agama, pendidikan dan sistem sekolah, mempunyai implikasi terhadap pelaksanaan dan promosi pendidikan inklusif. Kajian ini meneroka dan mendedahkan pandangan guru yang signifikan namun diabaikan mengenai pendidikan inklusif dan inklusif pada persimpangan penting fasa negara ini. Ia bertujuan untuk membawa pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang promosi pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia, dengan memberi tumpuan kepada pandangan pengamal. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang menggunakan kaedah deskriptif dan penerokaan. Para peserta sengaja dijadikan sampel daripada lima sekolah rendah kebangsaan: tiga sekolah dengan Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (SEIP) dan dua sekolah tanpa SEIP. Mereka, 25 guru (aliran perdana dan pendidikan khas) termasuk guru besar, ditemu bual secara individu dan 51 menyertai lapan temu bual kumpulan fokus. Dapatan diproses melalui pendekatan tematik, induktif menggunakan perisian analisis kualitatif. Kertas kerja ini berpendapat bahawa guru melihat pendidikan inklusif sebagai satu konsep yang mencabar. Pandangan sedemikian dipengaruhi oleh pelbagai faktor seperti sikap sosiobudaya terhadap ketidakupayaan, sistem pendidikan, penggunaan sumber yang tidak cekap, kemudahan yang tidak mencukupi, dan kekurangan pengetahuan dan kemahiran guru tentang pendidikan khas dan SEN. Penemuan ini akan memberi nilai kepada mereka yang bertanggungjawab merancang dan membangunkan dasar dan program berkenaan pendidikan inklusif, pendidikan khas, dan khususnya sistem pendidikan dalam menuju ke arah sistem dan sekolah inklusif. (PDF) Pendidikan inklusif: Kesaksamaan dan kesaksamaan (Pandangan guru tentang pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia). 

Utk mengakses Kertas Persidangan yang lengkap, sila layari:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339593088_Inclusive_education_Equality_and_equity_Teachers'_views_about_inclusive_education_in_Malaysia's_primary_schools

Conference Paper: Embracing Inclusive Education: Teachers' Views About Their Professional Development

 Conference Paper

Embracing Inclusive Education: Teachers' Views About Their Professional Development

• August 2021

• Conference: 5 th International Conference on Teacher Learning and Development (ICTLD) 2021 Edition (03 – 05 August 2021)
• At: ITE Temenggong Ibrahim Campus, Ministry of Education

Abstract

Inclusive education is being promoted as a process of moving towards quality and equality for all students. To embrace inclusive education, teachers are expected to improve personally and professionally to provide quality-teaching suitable for the 21st century. Teachers have undergone various professional development activities to be competent for all students. This study brings to light teachers' significant yet overlooked perspectives on the necessity and efficacy of this change. It aims to understand the teachers' views on the requirement for the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia's primary school. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs interpretative and exploratory methods to elucidate teachers' views. There were 76 participants from five National primary schools, and 25 teachers were interviewed individually and 51 participated in eight focus-group interviews. Ten classroom observations were conducted prior to the individual interviews. The data were analysed thematically by the inductive approach, using NVivo software. Theories of inclusive education and the 'Cognitive Activation in the Mathematics Classroom and Professional Competence of Teachers' (COACTIV) model of teachers' professional competence was adopted to analyse teachers' views. In the model, four aspects of competences were identified as needing improvement through professional development: beliefs, values and goals; motivational orientations; professional knowledge; and self-regulation. The results show that teachers view an inclusive professional development activity to be necessary to embrace inclusive education. Such activities must be continuous and based on the teachers' requirement considering the relevancy of Malaysian context. The findings will be of value in developing teacher training programmes and informing the potential topics for Continuous Professional Development programmes.

Abstrak

Pendidikan inklusif dipromosikan sebagai satu proses menuju ke arah kualiti dan kesaksamaan untuk semua pelajar. Untuk menerima pendidikan inklusif, guru diharapkan untuk meningkatkan diri dan profesional untuk menyediakan pengajaran berkualiti sesuai untuk abad ke-21. Guru telah menjalani pelbagai aktiviti pembangunan profesional untuk menjadi kompeten untuk semua pelajar. Kajian ini mendedahkan perspektif guru yang signifikan namun diabaikan tentang keperluan dan keberkesanan perubahan ini. Ia bertujuan untuk memahami pandangan guru tentang keperluan promosi pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang menggunakan kaedah interpretatif dan penerokaan untuk menjelaskan pandangan guru. Terdapat 76 peserta dari lima sekolah rendah Kebangsaan, dan 25 guru telah ditemu bual secara individu dan 51 menyertai lapan temu bual kumpulan fokus. Sepuluh pemerhatian bilik darjah telah dijalankan sebelum temu bual individu. Data dianalisis secara tematik dengan pendekatan induktif, menggunakan perisian NVivo. Teori pendidikan inklusif dan model 'Pengaktifan Kognitif dalam Bilik Darjah Matematik dan Kecekapan Profesional Guru' (COACTIV) model kompetensi profesional guru telah diterima pakai untuk menganalisis pandangan guru. Dalam model tersebut, empat aspek kecekapan dikenal pasti memerlukan penambahbaikan melalui pembangunan profesional: kepercayaan, nilai dan matlamat; orientasi motivasi; pengetahuan profesional; dan peraturan kendiri. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa guru melihat aktiviti pembangunan profesional inklusif adalah perlu untuk menerima pendidikan inklusif. Aktiviti sedemikian mestilah berterusan dan berdasarkan keperluan guru dengan mengambil kira kerelevanan konteks Malaysia. Penemuan ini akan menjadi nilai dalam membangunkan program latihan guru dan memaklumkan topik yang berpotensi untuk program Pembangunan Profesional Berterusan.

(Kertas Persidangan yang lengkap boleh di akses dan dirujuk di laman berikut:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366000047_Embracing_Inclusive_Education_Teachers'_Views_About_Their_Professional_Development 

Conference Paper: Inclusive Education in Malaysia's Primary Schools: The Teachers View

 September 26, 2021 Conference Paper

Conference paper Open Access

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA'S PRIMARY SCHOOLS: THE TEACHERS VIEW

Rosmalily binti Salleh; John Woollard

Abstract:

Malaysia, like many countries in the world, is recognising inclusive education and has pledged a commitment in the 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint. However, the journey of providing a quality and inclusive education for all is complex, leading to inconsistency in practice. The Malaysia context with its diverse ethnicity, language, culture, religion besides the education and school systems have implications for the promotion and implementation of inclusive education. This study explores and highlights teachers’ relevant yet overlooked perspectives on inclusion and inclusive education in the period of educational system reformation. By focusing on teachers’ perspectives, the research aims to provide a better understanding of the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia’s primary schools. This interpretative, exploratory, qualitative study employed multiple methods to obtain rich and in-depth data. Participants are purposely sampled from five national primary schools: three schools with the Special Education Integration Programme (SEIP) and two schools without SEIP. They were 76 participants; 25 teachers were interviewed individually and 51 participated in eight focus-group interviews. Ten classroom observations were conducted prior to the individual interviews. The data were analysed thematically by the inductive approach, using NVivo software. Theories of inclusive education were adopted to analyse teachers’ responses. The results show that teachers view inclusive education as a challenging concept to implement. Such views are influenced by multiple factors, such as miscommunication between departments, sociocultural attitudes to disability, educational systems, inefficient utilisation of resources, insufficient facilities, and teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills about special education and pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The findings will be of value to those responsible for planning and developing the policy and programmes regarding inclusive education, special education, and specifically educational systems in moving towards inclusive systems and schools.

26 September 2021Kertas persidangan 

PENDIDIKAN INKLUSIF DI SEKOLAH RENDAH MALAYSIA: PANDANGAN GURU

Rosmalily binti Salleh; John Woollard

Abstrak:

Malaysia, seperti kebanyakan negara di dunia, mengiktiraf pendidikan inklusif dan telah berikrar komitmen dalam Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025. Walau bagaimanapun, perjalanan menyediakan pendidikan yang berkualiti dan inklusif untuk semua adalah kompleks, membawa kepada ketidakkonsistenan dalam amalan. Konteks Malaysia dengan kepelbagaian etnik, bahasa, budaya, agama selain sistem pendidikan dan persekolahan mempunyai implikasi terhadap promosi dan pelaksanaan pendidikan inklusif. Kajian ini meneroka dan menyerlahkan perspektif guru yang relevan namun diabaikan mengenai pendidikan inklusif dan inklusif dalam tempoh reformasi sistem pendidikan. Dengan memberi tumpuan kepada perspektif guru, penyelidikan bertujuan untuk memberikan pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang promosi pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia. Kajian interpretatif, penerokaan, kualitatif ini menggunakan pelbagai kaedah untuk mendapatkan data yang kaya dan mendalam. Para peserta sengaja dijadikan sampel daripada lima sekolah rendah kebangsaan: tiga sekolah dengan Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (SEIP) dan dua sekolah tanpa SEIP. Mereka adalah 76 peserta; 25 orang guru telah ditemu bual secara individu dan 51 orang telah mengambil bahagian dalam lapan temu bual kumpulan fokus. Sepuluh pemerhatian bilik darjah telah dijalankan sebelum temu bual individu. Data dianalisis secara tematik dengan pendekatan induktif, menggunakan perisian NVivo. Teori pendidikan inklusif telah diterima pakai untuk menganalisis tindak balas guru. Hasil kajian menunjukkan guru melihat pendidikan inklusif sebagai satu konsep yang mencabar untuk dilaksanakan. Pandangan sedemikian dipengaruhi oleh pelbagai faktor, seperti miskomunikasi antara jabatan, sikap sosiobudaya terhadap ketidakupayaan, sistem pendidikan, penggunaan sumber yang tidak cekap, kemudahan yang tidak mencukupi, dan kekurangan pengetahuan dan kemahiran guru tentang pendidikan khas dan murid berkeperluan pendidikan khas (SEN). . Penemuan ini akan memberi nilai kepada mereka yang bertanggungjawab merancang dan membangunkan dasar dan program berkenaan pendidikan inklusif, pendidikan khas, dan khususnya sistem pendidikan dalam menuju ke arah sistem dan sekolah inklusif.

(Teks lengkap Kertas Persidangan ini boleh dilihat/dirujuk di halaman berikut:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357766284_Inclusive_Education_in_Malaysia's_Primary_Schools_The_Teachers_View

Kertas Penyelidikan: Count Them In! The Politics of Inclusive Education According to Teachers

• Project: 
• CPD AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

• Lab: 
• Rosmalily Salleh's Lab

• Rosmalily Salleh

Abstrak

Mengubah sikap, membangunkan pemahaman orang ramai dan menyediakan infrastruktur yang dipertingkatkan untuk guru semuanya mencabar. Malaysia telah memulakan perjalanannya ke arah transformasi sistem pendidikan. Kerajaan meneruskan komitmennya untuk mencapai agenda dan aspirasi Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025. Pelan Tindakan ini bergema dengan matlamat Pendidikan UNESCO 2030 yang memastikan pendidikan berkualiti inklusif dan saksama serta pembangunan profesional berterusan guru. Pelbagai konteks Malaysia, termasuk kepelbagaian etnik, bahasa, dan sistem sekolahnya, mempunyai implikasi terhadap pelaksanaan dan promosi pendidikan inklusif. Kajian ini mendedahkan perspektif guru yang signifikan namun diabaikan mengenai promosi pendidikan inklusif pada persimpangan penting dalam fasa negara ini. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang menggunakan kaedah deskriptif dan penerokaan. Peserta sengaja diambil sampel dari lima sekolah rendah kebangsaan. Mereka, 25 guru termasuk guru besar, ditemu bual secara individu dan 51 menyertai lapan temu bual kumpulan fokus. Pemerhatian bilik darjah dilaksanakan untuk memaklumkan beberapa soalan untuk temu bual individu. Dapatan diproses melalui pendekatan tematik, induktif menggunakan perisian analisis kualitatif. Kertas ini berhujah bahawa, walaupun terbuka kepada pendidikan inklusif, wacana guru adalah tindakan penentangan, terutamanya apabila mereka mencerminkan murid berkeperluan pendidikan khas. Walau bagaimanapun, dengan mendengar dan melibatkan guru dalam penyelidikan mereka membangunkan pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang pendidikan inklusif, menyedari faedahnya, dan menyedari kepentingan pembelajaran terarah kendiri dan amalan inklusif. Rasa tanggungjawab bersama menghubungkan inisiatif individu dengan kolegial supaya pembangunan profesional yang diperibadikan boleh direka bentuk untuk membina pengetahuan profesional dan kapasiti komuniti sekolah dan seterusnya menangani kepentingan sistem.

Abstract

Changing attitudes, developing people’s understanding and providing an enhanced infrastructure for teachers are all challenging. Malaysia has embarked on its journey towards the educational system transformation. The government continues its commitment to achieving the agendas and aspirations of the 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint. The Blueprint resonates with the aims of UNESCO Education 2030 that ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and teachers’ continuing professional development. Malaysia’s various contexts, including its diverse ethnicity, language, and school systems, have implications for the implementation and promotion of inclusive education. This study brings to light teachers’ significant yet overlooked perspectives on the promotion of inclusive education at this important juncture in the country’s phase. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs descriptive and exploratory methods. Participants are purposely sampled from five national primary schools. They, 25 teachers including the headteachers, are interviewed individually and 51 participated in eight focus group interviews. Classroom observation is executed to inform some questions for the individual interviews. The findings are processed through a thematic, inductive approach using qualitative analysis software. This paper argues that, although open to inclusive education, teachers’ discourses are acts of resistance, especially when they reflect upon pupils with special educational needs. However, by listening and involving teachers in the research they develop a better understanding of inclusive education, realise its benefits, and recognise the importance of self-directed learning and inclusive practice. A shared sense of accountability links individual initiatives to the collegial so that personalised professional development can be designed to build the professional knowledge and capacity of the school communities and so address system interests.

(Nota: Ini merupakan kertas penyelidikan ilmiah yang telah dipublikasi dan dikompilasi dalam Jurnal Kurikulum Jilid 7/ 2022 terbitan Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. Saudara-saudari dijemput membaca, melontarkan idea serta merujuknya utk tujuan ilmiah atau akademik. Sila rujuk teks selengkapnya di laman berikut:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365995685_Count_Them_In_The_Politics_of_Inclusive_Education_According_to_Teachers