Furthering Inclusive Education in Papua New Guinea through Teacher Training: Reflections on Challenges and Transformations

Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals

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18

Foreign Countries; Inclusion; Regular and Special Education Relationship; Students with Disabilities; Teacher Competencies; Program Effectiveness; Teacher Educators; Teacher Attitudes; Barriers; Teacher Education Programs

Papua New Guinea; Australia

10.1080/13603116.2021.1941321

1360-3116
1464-5173

Papua New Guinea confronts unique and complex challenges with national reform policies promoting the increase of children with a disability enrolling in mainstream schools. Despite these policies being introduced in the last two decades, the translation to practice has been slow. In order to equip teachers with the necessary skills, knowledge and dispositions to implement inclusive education in Papua New Guinea, there is a pressing need to identify and understand the challenges teacher-educators experience. Data collected as part of an Australian-funded Fellowship, from ten Papua New Guinea education leaders, elucidate the perceived challenges associated with teacher-training for inclusive education. Content analysis of the participants' reflections revealed insights into how and what pedagogical and curriculum transformations in teacher education training courses could improve inclusive education practices in Papua New Guinean schools. These findings enhance agency for the education leaders to promote positive change so that Papua New Guinea can further its implementation of inclusive education.

As Provided

2024

EJ1423021