Vientiane: The Ministry of Educations and Sports (MoES), in collaboration with the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program, has unveiled a new resource aimed at supporting inclusive classrooms. The Teacher Support Pack (TSP) 14, titled 'Supporting Students with Disability in the Classroom', is designed to equip educators with practical strategies for accommodating students with disabilities.
According to Lao News Agency, the development of TSP 14 was a collaborative effort involving the Department of Teacher Education (DTE), the Inclusive Education Promotion Centre (IEPC), and Vientiane Province Provincial and District Education Services (PESS). The resource is part of a modular series devised in response to feedback from teachers and pedagogical support teams, addressing significant challenges faced in classrooms. Mr. Vongdeuane Osay, Director General of DTE, emphasized the resource's alignment with MoES' priorities outlined in the draft ESSDP 2026-2030, which aims to support educators in meeting diverse learning needs.
The Resource Development team at Savannakhet Teacher Training College, under DTE's supervision, spearheaded the creation of TSP 14 with technical input from various stakeholders, including Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), International Non-Government Organisations (INGOs), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). A key component of this resource is the Child Functioning Module-Teacher Version, a tool designed to help teachers identify students with difficulties in areas such as attention, communication, memory, mobility, sight, or hearing. This tool aids in understanding students' learning needs and selecting suitable classroom strategies, as well as developing Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
Ms. Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy, highlighted the significant barriers faced by children with disabilities in accessing quality education in Laos. She expressed Australia's commitment to overcoming these barriers through effective teaching strategies. The collaboration with MoES and other partners is aimed at equipping teachers with practical methods that cater to all learners.
The TSP provides step-by-step approaches for integrating children with various disabilities into everyday classroom activities, emphasizing the importance of Continuing Professional Development for teachers. It offers strategies that can be implemented with local materials and minimal funding, ensuring accessibility for all educators.
Following approval by DTE, TSP 14 will be piloted in 30 target districts to evaluate its effectiveness and make necessary refinements before a national rollout. Concurrently, RIES video-production teams, supported by Australia, will create a Teacher Development Video to demonstrate the application of the Child Functioning Module and related classroom strategies.
