2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute

What does early childhood inclusion look like when there is no mandate, no strong system-level support, and limited resources? Based on experience in the Malaysian context, this session explores classroom realities, the enabling factors and entry points that make inclusion achievable in low-resourced settings. The session also considers who and what holds inclusion together in practice: families and informal community partnerships. Drawing on reflections from working with community partners and teachers, the session highlights how language, culture, and local adaptation shape practice, and reflects on the tensions between deficit-based language and rights-based approaches to inclusion.