Study of the Problems and Obstacles in the Teaching of Special Education Teachers in Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar After the Coup

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) study the key problems and obstacles (curriculum, teaching methods, resources, and assessment) currently faced by special education teachers in Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar, following the 2021 military coup, including how these obstacles manifest across different professional backgrounds and educational settings, and 2) identify practical solutions and effective strategies proposed by educators to address these obstacles. The study utilized a mixed-methods sequential explanatory (QUAN  qual) design. A quantitative survey was administered to 60 special education teachers, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 key informants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations), while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings reveal that teachers face severe and systemic obstacles, primarily a "Resource Vacuum" (lack of appropriate materials) (M=4.58) and "Teaching Blind" (lack of standardized curriculum and evaluation guidelines) (M=4.31). The political crisis has frozen institutional support, leaving teachers professionally isolated. This study, guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000) and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R; Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) Model, found that teachers' basic psychological needs for competence and relatedness are critically unmet. Recommendations focus not on top-down policy, but on practical, peer-to-peer support networks and shared digital resource banks to address these immediate gaps.