Savannakhet: Throughout February and March, the Ministry of Educations and Sports (MoES), with the support of the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in the Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program, is collaborating with vision impairment experts to deliver orientation training and support to a team of teaching resource development specialists at Savannakhet Teacher Training College (TTC).
According to Lao News Agency, the initiative is part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) efforts aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of teachers. In early 2024, DTE, with Australia’s support, established Resource Development (RD) teams in three target TTCs located in Luang Namtha, Khang Khai, and Savannakhet. Their role is to create practical and user-friendly CPD resources for primary teachers and pedagogical staff. This year, six lecturers from the RD team in Savannakhet will develop a teacher support pack titled ‘Supporting Students with Disability in the Classroom,’ explained Ms. Vongdeuane Osay, Director General of the Department of Teacher Education (DTE). The Teacher Support Packs (TSP) are the first CPD resources the RD teams have been tasked with creating. The TSPs consist of standalone modules, each focusing on a specific teaching area, offering practical strategies to address common challenges and enhance teaching practices.
Ms. Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy, noted that children with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing quality education in Laos, including negative beliefs and attitudes about disability. Many teachers have expressed a desire to learn effective teaching strategies to overcome these barriers. The collaboration between MoES and Australia aims to ensure all children, especially those experiencing disadvantage, are included and able to thrive in school.
The new TSP module ‘Supporting Students with Disability in the Classroom’ will be divided into four parts, with the first part focusing on strategies for supporting students with vision impairment. Several experts will work with the RD team on the TSP content. Mr. Aikeo Koomanivong, Director of the Disabilities Services Center, will explain the types of visual difficulties, their causes, recommended actions, and actions to avoid. He will assist the RD team in understanding how teachers can help students with visual impairments achieve their learning goals.
Ms. Chitpaseuth Phaphoungeoun, Head of the Academic Service and Inclusive Education Unit at the National University of Laos (NuoL), will provide guidance on creating supportive environments for visually impaired students in schools. Mr. Khamkeo Xongbouakham, Director of the Visual Impairment and Blindness School in Vientiane, will train the RD team in methods to assist visually impaired individuals and use essential assistive devices.
Ms. Vongdeaune stated that the new TSP on ‘Supporting Students with Disability in the Classroom’ will be a comprehensive module to ensure it provides detailed strategies for supporting students with diverse learning needs. This initiative emphasizes the need for primary teachers to support students with disabilities in their classrooms, ensuring access to quality education for all students. The module is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Ms. Vanessa concludes that Australia’s new Disability Equity and Rights Strategy, launched in November 2024, emphasizes partnerships with persons with disabilities. The collaboration with the Department of Teacher Education and experts from organizations of persons with disabilities (OPD) aims to equip teachers with strategies to meet the needs of all learners.