Regular pre-service teachers’ perception on inclusive education of students with disabilities in Vietnam.

Abstract: Aim: The study investigates the perceptions of Vietnamese regular pre-service teachers on inclusive education (IE) of students with disabilities (SWD) in Vietnam by examining how pre-service teachers understand the concept of inclusive education, the primary sources of information used by pre-service teachers to acquire knowledge about inclusive education, and their perceived preparedness to include students with disabilities in regular classrooms. Theory: The charity model or Confucian philosophy, the medical model, and the social model of disability were adopted to explore the perceptions of Vietnamese regular pre-service teachers. Method: The study employed a qualitative approach based on purposive sampling, whereby semi structured interviews were held with six pre-service teachers studying at three universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and document analysis (university program curriculum). The data collected were analyzed thematically. Results: The results reveal that most Vietnamese pre-service teachers understand IE of SWD as physical placement of SWD in regular classes with students without disability. The pre service teachers’ perceptions are framed mainly by the charity and the medical model of disability. The prospective teachers mainly gained information about IE from the media such as Internet, radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, rarely from teacher training at university or college. Most of the pre-service teachers felt frustrated with IE of SWD and ill-prepared for the implementation of IE. Insufficient initial teacher training and limited knowledge in teaching SWD in regular classes, lack of school supports, limited awareness of the community about SWD, lack of contact with people of disabilities, and the pre-service teachers’ skepticism about the effectiveness of IE are factors that affect prospective teachers’ preparedness. The study calls for the need of providing teacher training about inclusive education for all educational levels in Vietnamese universities