A Study of The Roles of Resource Teachers for Inclusive Education in China: A Textual Analysis of Chinese Inclusive Education Policies

Resource teachers play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of inclusive education by providing specialised support to students with diverse learning needs. Clearly defining their roles in China is essential for strengthening their professional development and ensuring consistency in their responsibilities. This article aims to examine the roles of resource teachers in China through a detailed textual analysis of Chinese inclusive education policies. To achieve this, word frequency analysis and thematic coding were applied to 12 policies related to inclusive education from both developed and less developed regions in central and western China. The findings indicate that resource teachers fulfil seven distinct roles, reflecting a broad scope of responsibilities that extend beyond direct teaching to include collaboration with general education teachers, parental engagement and policy implementation. However, notable regional differences exist in the way these roles are defined and enacted, largely influenced by varying levels of development in inclusive education across different regions. The disparities in the roles of resource teachers can be attributed to several key factors. The absence of a structured resource support system for special education, along with inconsistencies in teacher allocation and professional development opportunities, has contributed to significant variations in their roles. In regions where inclusive education is more established, resource teachers tend to have well-defined roles and greater access to training programmes. Conversely, in less developed areas, a lack of clear guidelines and professional support results in role ambiguity and uneven implementation of responsibilities. To strengthen the professional development of resource teachers and ensure greater uniformity in their roles, it is essential to establish professional standards that accurately reflect their professional roles.