The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the status of PWDs in Vietnam as well as analyse the country’s legal framework and policies governing PWDs. To this end, the paper firstly presents facts and figures regarding PWDs in Vietnam. Secondly, the paper reviews Vietnam’s commitments to international policies and standards, and the legal framework and policies towards PWDs in general and students with disabilities (SWDs) in particular at the national level. Finally, it points out some issues and challenges for Vietnam in creating a more inclusive learning environment for PWDs and SWDs at higher education. | VNU Journal of Science: Policy and Management Studies, Vol. 34, No. 4 (2018) 50-63 Inclusive Learning Environment for Students with Disabilities in Vietnam’s Higher Education – An Analysis of the Existing Policies and Legal Framework Nguyen Thuy Anh* VNU University of Economics and Business, 144 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam Received 28 November 2018 Revised 18 December 2018; Accepted 22 December 2018 Abstract: Vietnam is one of the countries that have the highest numbers of persons with disabilities (PWDs). According to the 2009 Census there are approximately million PWDs accounting for of Vietnamese population. Research has shown that the number of PWDs who attend higher education in Vietnam is extremely low and only of PWDs has completed a bachelor program at higher education level. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the status of PWDs in Vietnam as well as analyse the country’s legal framework and policies governing PWDs. To this end, the paper firstly presents facts and figures regarding PWDs in Vietnam. Secondly, the paper reviews Vietnam’s commitments to international policies and standards, and the legal framework and policies towards PWDs in general and students with disabilities (SWDs) in particular at the national level. Finally, it points out some issues and challenges for Vietnam in creating a more inclusive learning environment for PWDs and SWDs at higher education. Keywords: People with disabilities; Students with disabilities; Higher education in Vietnam; Inclusive learning environment 1. Introduction difficulties in functioning” [1]. With the effort to create a more developed and equal world the global community has made considerable movements towards the issue of inclusion for PWDs. In 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was affirmed that the rights of each child need to be respected and ensured without any kind of discrimination According to the World Health Organization in the .
