Inclusion has been adopted as an overall aim for compulsory education in most countries.This book explores the way teachers are prepared for inclusion in their initial and in-service teacher education.

Inclusion concerns the overcoming of barriers to learning and participation for all, regardless of ability or disability, and is now a central tenet of basic education policy globally. Increasingly, teachers need to be able to implement inclusion into their daily practice. This book stems from its contributors' shared attitude towards education based on the values of equity, entitlement, community, participation and diversity, and examines the ways in which teachers are prepared for inclusion in teacher education institutions as much as schools. Using examples of practice from schools and teaching institutions across the UK, Norway, New Zealand and the USA, the contributors use a valuable comparative approach to explore crucial questions, such as: * How are ideas and practices of inclusive schools reflected in the curriculum of teacher education? * What tools do teachers need to implement inclusion? * What are the policy and cultural contexts for the development of inclusion? * How are the barriers to learning and participation overcome in teacher education itself? This book provides an insightful analysis of whether inclusion is an achievable aim for the 21st century. Its international array of experienced contributors have put together a text that offers a distinct pedagogical focus, which makes it a key reference tool for academics, students and researchers everywhere.

Inclusive teacher preparation varies greatly in format and practice, yet programs grapple with the same underlying challenges: which practices work and where do they work. As children with disabilities are increasingly being included in schools, it is essential that guidance is put into place on how best to adapt inclusive practices into the classroom and create new practices based on the cultural context. Global Perspectives on Inclusive Teacher Education summarizes existing research on inclusive practices globally while presenting emerging research and opportunities for cementing change in inclusive teacher education locally, including examples of how inclusive practices are integrated in and adapted to diverse cultural contexts. Covering topics that include critical pedagogy, religious schooling, and teacher education, this publication is designed for curriculum developers, instructional designers, administrators, higher education faculty, educators, policymakers, and students.

The focus of this international text is on innovative practices for preparing teachers to work in inclusive classrooms and schools around the world. The book considers themes including social and political challenges regarding teacher education, and innovative approaches to teacher training.

Inclusion has been adopted as an overall aim for compulsory education in most countries. This book explores the way teachers are prepared for inclusion in their initial and in-service teacher education.

This book answers two questions: What does the implementation of inclusive education require of a system of education and all parts of the system? How do various parts of the education system act on their commitment to inclusive educational practice? Decades after major legislation (i.e., the Civil Rights Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) made high-quality education a fundamental right for all children in the United States, the dream of diverse, inclusive, democratic schooling has yet to be realized. Nevertheless, some classrooms, schools, districts, states, and universities have made progress. Inclusive Education: A Systematic Perspective explores the theoretical implications of inclusive practice as well as illustrative case studies and evaluation findings from states, educator preparation programs, districts, and schools that have reframed their work around the principles of inclusive practice. Whether these organizations position the work as “social justice education,” “culturally responsive teaching,” or “inclusion,” their efforts lead in the same direction—toward higher quality and more equitable education for all. The chapters will be relevant to graduate students, faculty members, and education leaders, at all levels, who seek a comprehensive overview of the commitment and practice of “inclusive education”. Chapters vary in their approaches to the topic, some presenting theoretical underpinnings, others describing practices or programs at particular sites, others reporting findings from empirical studies, and edited interviews with state and district leaders of inclusive-education initiatives. The book explores why inclusion is important and how it can be accomplished.