Rethinking teacher education programmes for inclusive classrooms: Issues and challenges in India

Abstract

Inclusive education has been internationally recognized as a philosophy for attaining equity, justice and quality education for all children, especially those who have been traditionally excluded from mainstream education for reasons of disability, ethnicity, gender or other characteristics. Inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream education demands the preparation of teachers to suit their needs. The need for teachers who have both the knowledge and the ability to teach in an inclusive classroom is more critical today than ever before. There are lots of challenges in India combined with socially and economically complicated contexts. This paper identifies key concepts associated with inclusive education and discusses them in relation to issues and challenges in the reform of teacher education. It argues that the reform of teacher education for inclusive education is an important activity in improving educational equity and addressing diversity in education. It also highlights the important role teacher plays to bridge the gap between inclusive policies and practices in India.