Upskilling all mainstream teachers for inclusion: What is viable?

Nowadays, inclusive education is not new or strange in school education. Its core thoughts not only represent the global trend in education reform, but also direct the work of school practitioners. The paradigm shift of medical model to social model leads to insights and efforts on removing learning barriers in school access, teaching and curriculum, rather than overcoming individual problems. In the Salamanca Statement of 1994 (UNESCO, 1994), the framework for action on special needs education further highlighted the significance of inclusive education, in relation to the changing focus of special education. Inclusive education is considered as a strategy contributing towards the ultimate goal of promoting an inclusive society, one which enables all children/adults, whatever their gender, age, ability, ethnicity, impairment or HIV status, to participate in and contribute to that society (EENET: www.eenet.org.hk). For these ten years, although inclusive education might be considered as the resulting outcome on the issues of equality and equity, however, education authorities of different countries exerted effort to achieve success far beyond the goal of simply providing equal opportunity of education to all students. Instead, the experience and encounters they gained further advanced their understanding, attitude and competence in meeting the special needs of all students in the special provisions or inclusive settings. In response to the difficulties and challenges, the presentation will focus on identified viable skills appropriate for upskilling the mainstream teachers in Hong Kong schools. With reference to the expected outcomes in the special needs courses, the teacher empowerment will result the final change of curriculum reform and student learning for classroom diversity.