Original Research

“It Is Natural for Children With and Without Disabilities to Get Along Together”

Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences With Inclusion in South Korea

Kim, Sunyoung PhD; Kim, Namhee MS; Kim, Kyoung-Mi PhD; Kang, Veronica Y. PhD

Author Information

Author Affiliations: Department of Special Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (Dr S. Kim and Ms N. Kim); Department of Childcare and Education, Seoul Theological University, Bucheon, South Korea (Dr K.-M. Kim); and Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland (Dr Kang).

Correspondence: Sunyoung Kim, PhD, Department of Special Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1040 W. Harrison Street, ETMSW 3404 (M/C 147), Chicago, IL 60607 ([email protected]).

This work is original and has not been published/presented elsewhere, nor is it currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. This manuscript was not funded.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Infants & Young Children 37(4):p 351-367, October/December 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/IYC.0000000000000277

Abstract

Policies for early childhood inclusion in South Korea have been enacted and implemented over 3 decades. However, early childhood educators’ experiences and perceptions toward inclusion in early childhood education settings have been understudied. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 11 early childhood educators with inclusive teaching experiences using a semi-structured format. The teachers conceptualized the definition of and suggestions for inclusion in early childhood education settings and discussed the benefits of and challenges for inclusion in current South Korean education settings. We use their suggestions to provide implications for research and practice.

© 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Full Text Access for Subscribers:

Not a Subscriber?

Buy
Request Permissions

You can read the full text of this article if you:

Access through Ovid