Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Inclusive Education : The Reality of Professional Experience Placements

• Published in: Australasian journal of special and inclusive education Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 88 - 101
• Main Authors: Aprile, Kerry Therese, Knight, Bruce Allen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Attitudes toward Disabilities; Curricula; Education policy; Educational Needs; Educational Objectives; Educational Policy; Educational Strategies; Elementary Education; Higher education; Inclusion; Inclusive education; Instructional Leadership; Interviews; Learning; Preservice teacher education; Preservice teachers; Primary secondary education; Professional development; Qualitative research; Readiness; Secondary Education; Special Education; Special Needs Students; Student Diversity; Student Teacher Attitudes; Student Teachers; Student Teaching; Students; Students with Disabilities; Teacher education; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Work placement; Australia
• ISSN: 2515-0731; 2515-074X
• DOI: 10.1017/jsi.2020.7

Developing the knowledge and practical skills for implementing inclusive education is a legislative and policy imperative for contemporary graduate teachers. In this qualitative study, the authors investigated the experiences of 18 preservice teachers during their practical school placements in primary and secondary school settings and the impact of these experiences on their attitudes towards students with special needs and their readiness to teach in mainstream inclusive settings. Sixteen of the participants had completed 2 or more placements. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analysed to categorise the observed and enacted practices and define themes that contribute to a deeper understanding of preservice teachers' learning about inclusion through their practice in schools. The 4 identified themes show that contact, responsibility for instruction, modelled practices, and expectations for student learning all have significant impacts on the quality and outcomes of preservice teachers' placements. Findings suggest that placement settings do not consistently represent contexts where aspiring teachers are exposed to the types of meaningful contact or successful experiences claimed to be fundamental preparation for inclusive practice. The implications for the preservice teachers themselves and for their future practice are discussed. [Author abstract]