Future special education teachers lack shared vision of inclusion
A Swedish study of trainee special education teachers reveals fundamental disagreements about what inclusion actually means—a gap that could undermine classroom practice. Since teachers shape how schools implement inclusive policies, conflicting definitions among the next generation threatens to fragment how countries roll out expensive inclusion reforms.
Originaltitel: Understanding inclusion: Definitions from students studying to become special education teachers in Sweden
<p>Inclusion as a concept is still under debate. Since there is no established consensus among researchers about the definition of inclusion, the concept merits further exploration. As key stakeholders, special education teachers are often assumed to be committed to inclusive education. Their definitions, values and attitudes regarding inclusion are described as a prerequisite for successful inclusive education. While there are studies exploring different school professionals’ perspectives of inclusion, research specifically pertaining to special education teachers is still scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the definitions of inclusion from students studying to become special education teachers, with a particular focus on the dilemmas inherent in these definitions. The study is based on an abductive approach in which the dilemma perspective serves as the overarching theoretical framework. In this qualitative study, we collected 86 self‑reports on students’ definitions of inclusion. The reports were analysed with thematic analysis. Three themes were identified regarding how students studying to become special education teachers defined inclusion: pupils’ experiences of belonging, teachers’ understanding of pupils’ needs and differences as decisive, and participation and equity. The findings show that students studying to become special education teachers hold a varied and expansive view of inclusion.</p>