Reform, Inclusion and Teacher Education

This ground-breaking book considers current perspectives on special education reform in the Asia-Pacific region. It has a major focus on a new era of special education, and how this relates to education reform towards inclusive education.

With major changes being proposed under current educational reform and confusion as to how to instigate these measures, this book provides ways to better prepare teachers. It is helpfully divided into three different sections of education reform:

• "Education Reform in the Asia-Pacific region" reviews broad trends and issues in special education across the region, including Taiwan, Korea, Australia, India, China and Hong Kong.
• "Preparing Teachers to work in Inclusive Classrooms" focuses on curricula and pedagogical practices for teacher education. This section considers different approaches to preparing teachers such as cross-categorical, collaborative, innovations, and the impact of teachers’ attitudes, perceptions and concerns on inclusion.
• "Effective Special & Inclusive Practices" draws upon evidence–based research to provide best practice models to assist in developing inclusive school communities.

Each section addresses a list of objectives and questions; suggests best practice pedagogy; and concludes with a support section with useful websites and suggested professional development activities. This book will interest teachers, teacher educators, university lecturers in education and post graduate students.

Chris Forlin is Head of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology Counselling & Learning at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Ming-Gon John Lian is the Director of the Centre for Advancement in Special Education (CASE) at The University of Hong Kong.