INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION: HOPES OR DELUSION

The position of teacher training in relation to its contribution to the development of inclusive thinking and practice on the part of student teachers is of fundamental importance. Examine some crucial questions including: 1. To what extent does the curriculum of teacher education encourage the development of inclusion in schools? 2. What preparation and support do teachers need to implement inclusion? 3. How are barriers to learning and participation overcome in teacher education? The Institute of Education has a long and distinguished involvement in teacher education and has on several occasions been involved in critical and constructive analysis of various aspects of government policy. It is currently undertaking a further review of its provision and practice as part of a strategic review. It is crucial that the issue of inclusivity is given key prominence in our programmes. Supporting this possibility would be an involvement in what are advocating: that of the production of an 'Index for Inclusion of Teacher Education'. This would draw on existing knowledge and experience of producing the Index for Schools. It would recognize the importance of a human rights perspective to education, emphasize the political nature of education, would advocate that inclusion is concerned with challenging and reducing inequalities and exclusionary values and practices and that it is very serious about enhancing the learning and participation of all students. Involvement in the discussions, explorations and production of such an Index with its policy, theoretical and practical advantages, will provide an opportunity to seriously and collaboratively explore what that of questioning the validity and value of 'special needs' discourse. In initial teacher education the inclusive approach that is being presented in this lecture would support the necessity of providing good and not special teachers. Inclusivity in education is concerned with the pursuit of equity, social justice and non-discrimination and thus the identification and removal of ignorance, fear, prejudice and all the associated assumptions, relationships and practices. A valuable innovation in future courses which would be part of the intention to enhance inclusive thinking, values and practices, would be to include disability/equality awa