The Lao Ministry of Education and Sports, with support from Australia through the BEQUAL program, is preparing to release a new Teacher Support Pack designed to help teachers support students with disabilities in Lao classrooms.
The project aims to address the long-standing challenges faced by students with disabilities, including misconceptions and discriminatory attitudes that often limit their participation in education.
The resource provides practical guidance for teachers on inclusive teaching approaches, focusing on students with hearing, vision, mobility, and learning difficulties.
In January, education officials and teacher training specialists conducted photo sessions in real classrooms to visually demonstrate inclusive teaching practices. The images will be used in the pack to show practical, low-cost strategies that teachers can apply using locally available materials, making the resource accessible to schools across the country, including rural areas.
The resource was developed by an education resource team based in Savannakhet with technical input from the local university, organisations representing persons with disabilities, international organisations, and civil society groups.
Many of the recommended strategies rely on locally available materials and require little or no additional funding, making them practical and accessible for schools across the country, including those in rural areas.
A key feature is the Child Functioning Module – Teacher Version, a simple tool that helps teachers identify students who may experience difficulties related to attention, communication, memory, mobility, sight, or hearing.
The tool supports teachers in selecting appropriate classroom strategies and can also be used to develop Individual Education Plans in collaboration with parents and students.
Once approved, the pack will be piloted in 30 districts before a nationwide rollout, alongside instructional videos to support teachers in applying inclusive practices in daily teaching.
