Barriers to and facilitators of inclusion and equity for teachers with disabilities in early childhood education: Advancing the conversation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Authors
Purdue, K.
Griffiths, V.
Hall, E.
Hartley, D.
Hohaia-Rollinson, F.
Malcolm, J.
Solomon, J.
Tate, A.
Williamson-Garner, D.
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Issue Date
2024
Peer-reviewed status
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Article
Abstract
In April 2023, we initiated a kōrero/conversation about the rights of kaiako/teachers with disabilities in early childhood education (ECE) in Aotearoa New Zealand. We noted that national research regarding the training and workforce experiences of disabled kaiako/teachers in ECE was limited. Accordingly, we wanted to find out more about what constitutes quality learning, teaching, and workplace environments for disabled kaiako/teachers, what their inclusion and exclusion experiences are, and the implications of these experiences for their rights, sense of belonging, and wellbeing.
We invited disabled kaiako/teachers who were either training and/or working in ECE to share their experiences by completing an open-ended questionnaire delivered online via Survey Monkey. The 56 respondents shared their positive and negative experiences with us. In this article, we share insights gained into the barriers to and facilitators of inclusion and equity in initial teacher education (ITE) and ECE for disabled kaiako/teachers. We also offer some recommendations for the ITE and ECE sector about what needs to be done to ensure an equitable and inclusive teaching sector for this group of kaiako/teachers both now and in the future.
Citation
Purdue, K., Griffiths, V., Hall, E., Hartley, D., Hohaia-Rollinson, F., Malcolm, J., Solomon, J., Tate, A., & Williamson-Garner, D. (2024). Barriers to and facilitators of inclusion and equity for teachers with disabilities in early childhood education: Advancing the conversation in Aotearoa New Zealand. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 26, 30-44.