Expansion of special education and promotion of inclusive education in China: conflict or cooperation? Stakeholders' views

Abstract

A key objective of inclusive education is to provide learners with special educational needs with an environment that fosters a sense of belonging. They lose the sense of belonging when they feel being separated from the rest of society. Segregation is, however, a logically necessary method and means of the pursuit of inclusion. The focus of this study was to uncover the experiences and views of Chinese stakeholders regarding the possible conflict between expansion of special education (i.e., segregation, exclusion) and promotion of inclusive education (i.e., inclusion, mainstreaming). We conducted in‐depth interviews with nine academics, administrators, and practitioners to better understand the possible impact of inclusive education on regular education. The main finding is that special education can be provided in four forms which the participants argued is an advantage to meet the needs of all learners. They argued that giving home education for learners with high severity, attending special education schools and mainstreaming schools are rehabilitation methods to prepare learners for full integration should they prove successful. The study contributes to a broader understanding of how special education is provided in China and its potential effects on regular education (e.g., challenges in teacher preparation, lack of resources).

Making sense of policy development of inclusive education for children with disabilities in China

“…In short, the policy vision is one that regardless of the type of schools disabled students attend, they should be able to access resources and support from the other provision to maximise their educational experiences - in other words, breaking down barriers to learning, which is among the core values of inclusion. In this regard, a recent study (Alduais & Deng, 2022) finds that from Chinese stakeholders’ views including nine academics, administrators, and practitioners, the expansion of special education and special schools is not perceived to be in conflict with the promotion of inclusive education, but rather an advantage to meet students’ additional needs which is seen as contributing to overall inclusive learning experiences. This suggests that a broader understanding of special education in China is needed.…”

The effect of social support on attitudes towards inclusive education and self‐efficacy among pre‐service special education teachers in Egypt

“…Conceptually, the inclusion of learners who have SEN generates a variety of positive outcomes. Some of these benefits include developing a greater knowledge and appreciation of diversity, generating long‐lasting friendships, exhibiting esteem for all individuals, being able to master skills through practicing them as well as teaching them to others; preparing for a future inclusive‐based society (Sharma & Mahapatra, 2007) and fostering a sense of belonging (Alduais & Deng, 2022). Consequently, IE is supported by human rights initiatives that highlight the need of offering equal educational opportunities to learners with disabilities (Lindsay, 2007).…”

Conceptualising, defining and providing special education in China: stakeholder perspectives

“…For all intents and purposes, tensions between special education and inclusive education continue to exist. In very recent studies, this conflict was investigated in different contexts, such as Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands (Huilla, Lay, and Tzaninis, 2022) and China (Alduais and Deng, 2022b). There will always be a need for special education schools, just as there will be a need for mainstream schools (Alduais and Deng, 2022a).…”