Abstract
This study explores early childhood teachers' understanding of inclusion, beliefs and concerns about including young children with disabilities in early childhood programmes in Thailand. The study adopted a qualitative approach of group discussions to gather data from nine early childhood teachers selected from one large preschool enrolling 255 children aged 2-6 years in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. Using framework analysis (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994), the findings point to basic conceptualisations of inclusion with beliefs and concerns related to three important themes: (i) cultural and religious issues, (ii) training issues and (iii) type of disability as the main barriers to inclusive education of young children. How to support the teachers to accept all children and practise inclusion in totality have also been discussed.
Highlights
In recent times inclusive education of young children has become a central concern within early childhood education (Reay, 2006)
This move is supported by international legislations and conventions on inclusive practice (UN, 1989; UNESCO, 1994, 2000), which advanced arguments that inequalities arising from early childhood educational practices have not been adequately addressed globally
The purpose of this study is to explore early childhood teachers' understanding of inclusion, beliefs and concerns about including young children with disabilities in early childhood programmes in Thailand
Summary
In recent times inclusive education of young children has become a central concern within early childhood education (Reay, 2006). Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Myanmar (Burma). Thailand has 76 provinces, which is subdivided into six regions namely, Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, North Eastern (Isan) and Central. Each of these regions is quite different in terms of physical conditions, cultural and socioeconomic structures. The population of Thailand in 2010 stood at 67 million people but has slightly declined to approximately 66.7 million people in 2011 (CIA World Fact Book Thailand, 2011)
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