The Inclusive Practice Project in Scotland: Teacher Education for Inclusive Education

Source: Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 25, Issue 4, pages 594-601 (May 2009).

Whereas differences in national contexts are associated with variations in how teachers are trained and school systems are organized, the conceptual and philosophical problems of equity and inclusion in schooling are shared concerns. This article describes how the structure and content of an initial teacher education program for primary and secondary teachers has been revised to ensure that social and educational inclusion is addressed within the core program. A rationale is presented for the development of ‘inclusive practice’, followed by a discussion of the reforms and an outline of the effects that are expected in the classroom practices of teachers in schools.