Which Agenda?: Inclusion Movement and its Impact on Early Childhood Education in Hong Kong

Abstract

TO EXAMINE THE CURRENT status of inclusion in early childhood in Hong Kong, this article highlights the overall structure of early childhood and special education services in the region, the historical movement toward inclusion before and after 1997 (the year Hong Kong returned to the People's Republic of China), and its impact on early childhood education. The author addresses the question of whether the development of inclusive education was driven by an educational agenda or other factors, and discusses challenges of inclusive practices in early childhood education, and future possibilities.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

AngloINFO Hong Kong. (n.d.). Special needs education. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from http://hongkong.angloinfo.com/information/family/schooling-education/special-needs-education/

Board of Education. (1996). Report of the sub-committee on special education. Hong Kong: Author.

Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. (2012a). Statistics on school fees of kindergartens. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp370.jsp?productCode=FA100083

Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. (2012b). Population by ethnicity, 2001 and 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/so20.jsp

Chan

D. W.

(1998). Helping students with learning difficulties. Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Cheuk

, & Hatch

J. A.

(2007). Teachers' perceptions of integrated kindergarten programmes in Hong Kong. Early Child Development and Care, 177(4), 471–432.

Campbell

, & Oliver

(1996). Disability politics. London: Routledge.

Crawford

(1998). Inclusion and teacher development: The challenges for Hong Kong. Hong Kong Special Education Forum, 1(2), 87–90.

Crawford

, Hui

L. N.

, & Heung

(2000). Inequity without excellence? The need for educational reform in Hong Kong. Chulalongkorn Educational Review, 7(1), 37–46.

10.

Division of Early Childhood Council for Exceptional Children. (2000). Division for early childhood position on inclusion. Denver, CO: Author.

11.

Education and Manpower Bureau. (2002). Understanding and helping students with special educational needs. Hong Kong: Author.

12.

Education and Manpower Bureau. (2003). Circular memorandum No. 314/2003. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.emb.gov.hk

13.

Education and Manpower Bureau. (2004). Catering for student differences: Indicators for inclusion. Hong Kong: Author.

14.

Education Bureau. (2008). Education Bureau circular No. 9/2008: Learning support grant for secondary schools. Retrieved from www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_7434/edbc08009e.pdf

15.

Education Bureau. (2010). Operation guide on the whole school approach to integrated education. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_7385/ie%20guide_en.pdf

16.

Education Bureau. (2012a). Kindergarten education in Hong Kong. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=916

17.

Education Bureau. (2012b). Profile of kindergartens and childcare centres. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from http://kgp.proj.hkedcity.net/eng/parser.php?file=eng/content_ginfo.htm

18.

Education Bureau. (2012c). Comprehensive child development service. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=5840&langno=1

19.

Education Bureau. (2012d). Special education services. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_7427/2011%20speds.pdf

20.

Education Commission. (2000). The educational blueprint for the 21st century: Learning for life, learning through life—reform proposal for the education system in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Author.

21.

Education Department. (2001). Intensive remedial teaching programme for primary schools: Guidelines. Hong Kong: Government Printer.

22.

Education Department and Social Welfare Department. (2002). Consultation document of the Working Party on Harmonization of Pre-primary Services. Hong Kong: Government Printer.

23.

Equal Opportunities Commission. (2001). Update—the code of practice on education under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance. Equal Opportunities Commission News, 18, 3.

24.

Forlin

C. L.

(2007). Inclusive educational practices: A way forward for Hong Kong. Chinese Education and Society, 40(4), 63–75.

25.

Goatly

(2002). Conflicting metaphors in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region education reform proposals. Metaphor and Symbol, 17(4), 263–294.

26.

Gooch

(2007, 1 December). Something special for inclusive schooling—teacher attitude can change with the right kind of training. South China Morning Post, p. 4.

27.

GovHK. (2011). General information on the tight of abode in Hong Kong. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/idcard/

28.

Heung

(2006). Can the introduction of an inclusion index move a system forward? International Journal of Inclusive Education, 10(4–5), 309–322.

29.

Heung

W. K.

(2008). Our ten years under the DDO—moving forward, changing cultures. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/upload/2008424115541472.doc

30.

Hong Kong Government. (1977). Integrating the disabled into the community: A united effort. Hong Kong: Government Printer.

31.

Hong Kong Government. (2002). The Report on the first five years of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.info.gov.hk/info/sar5/elaw_1.htm#abode

32.

Hong Kong Government. (2007a). Press releases and publication. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeid=1037

33.

Hong Kong Government. (2007b). Integrated programme in child care centre. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_integrated2/

34.

Hong Kong Government. (2010). Hong Kong fact sheets—Immigration. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/factsheets/docs/immigration.pdf

35.

Hui

(n.d.). The rights to have an integrated education. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Committee on Children's Rights. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.childrenrights.org.hk/10articl.htm

36.

Information Services Department. (2007). Hong Kong: The facts-education. Hong Kong: Government Printer.

37.

Kwong

(1997). Culture and the education of young children: A personal reflection on the development of early childhood education in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the Symposium on Early Childhood Education, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

38.

Lee

, Na

, & Yee

(2004). Hong Kong pre-primary education in transition: ‘Consultations document of the working party on harmonization of pre-primary services’. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 5(1), 95–105.

39.

Leung

P. S.

(2002, 26 January). Bureaucratic inertia stalls hope for special needs children. South China Morning Post, p. 5.

40.

Lian

M-G. J.

, & Poon-McBrayer

K. F.

(2002). Special needs education: Children with exceptionalities. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.

41.

Luk

(2005). Managing change in an integrated school—a Hong Kong hybrid experience. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 9(1), 89–103.

42.

Lynch

(1994). Provision for children with special educational needs in the Asia region. Washington, DC: World Bank.

43.

McDonnell

(2003). Development in special education in Ireland: Deep structures and policy making. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 7(3), 259–269.

44.

Millar

, & Morton

(2007). Bridging two worlds: Special education and curriculum policy. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 11(2), 163–176.

45.

Morris

, & Scott

(2003). Education reform and policy implementation in Hong Kong. Journal of Education Policy, 18(1), 71–84.

46.

, & Liu

(1999). Teaching English to Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong secondary schools. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.multilingual-matters.net/lcc/012/0229/lcc0120229.pdf

47.

Pearson

, & Rao

(2006). Early childhood education policy reform in Hong Kong: Challenges in effecting change in practices. Early Childhood Education Journal, 82(6), 363–368.

48.

Poon

(2008). The development of pre-primary services in Hong Kong: Quality review as a lever of continuous school improvement. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 2(1), 15–26.

49.

Poon-Mcbrayer

K. F.

(2004). To integrate or not to integrate: Systemic dilemmas in Hong Kong. The Journal of Special Education, 37(4), 249–256.

50.

Potts

(1998). A luxury for the First World: A Western perception of Hong Kong Chinese attitudes towards inclusive education. Disability & Society, 13(1), 113–124.

51.

Rao

(2002). Early childhood education in Hong Kong: Moving toward child-friendly policies, curricula, and practices. In Sollars

(Ed), Curricula, policies and practices in early childhood education (pp. 76–88). Malta: P.E.G.

52.

Social Welfare Department. (2012a). Residential special child care centre. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_residentia/

53.

Social Welfare Department. (2012b). Early education and training centre. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_earlyeduca/

54.

Social Welfare Department. (2012c). Special child care centre. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_specialchi/

55.

Social Welfare Department. (2012d). Integrated programme in kindergarten-cum-child care centre. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_integrated2/

56.

Tung

C. H.

(1997). Chief executive's policy speech. Retrieved 24 April 2013 from www.info.gov.hk/pa97/english/patext.htm

57.

Turnbull

, Turnbull

, & Wehmeyer

(2007). Exceptional lives: Special education in today's schools (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

58.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. Spain: Author.

59.

Vislie

(2003). From integration to inclusion: Focusing global trends and changes in the western European societies. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 18(1), 17–35.

60.

Zhang

L. F.

, Biggs

, & Watkins

(2010). Learning and development of Asian students: What the 21st century teacher needs to think about. Pearson Prentice Hall: Singapore.

61.

Westwood

(1999). Moving toward inclusion in Hong Kong? Proceed with caution: A personal viewpoint. Hong Kong Special Education Forum, 2(1), 29–38.

62.

Wong

K. P. D.

, Pearson

, & Lo

M. K.

(2004). Competing philosophies in the classroom: A challenge to Hong Kong teachers. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 8(3), 261–279.

63.

Wong

K. P. D.

(2002). Struggling in the mainstream: The case of Hong Kong. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 49(1), 79–94.

64.

Yeun

, Westwood

, & Wong

(2004). Meeting the needs of students with specific learning difficulties in the mainstream education system: Data from primary school teachers in Hong Kong. International Journal of Special Education, 20(1), 67–76.

65.

Yung

K. K.

(1997). Special education in Hong Kong: Is history repeating itself? Special Education Forum, 35(1), 1–7.

66.

Zhang

K. C.

(2011). Early childhood education and special education: How well do they mix? An examination of inclusive practices in early childhood educational settings in Hong Kong. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(6), 1464–5173. doi: 10.1080/13603110903317676