Global Directions in Inclusive Education pushes the conceptual boundaries of ‘inclusive education’ and explores new ways to research and envision inclusion and diversity in education for all children. This pioneering book problematizes ‘inclusive education’ as a global currency, as another form of deficit-thinking, and as a universal application. The expert team of international contributors argue that much of the field of inclusive education needs a reinvigoration of new ideas, critical introspection, and ways of knowing that can overcome the well-worn deficit paths of inclusive education study, namely: ‘barriers’ to inclusion, teacher attitudes, policy-practice gaps, lack of resources, and lack of teacher training. Seeking diverse ways forward that represent new visions and innovations from around the world, this text features voices and ideas from both early career and established scholars, to enliven debate and promote a more positive and productive dialogue. Global Directions in Inclusive Education is ideal for students, researchers, and scholars of inclusive education; development practitioners seeking new ideas; and practitioners seeking to gain a deeper and more global understanding of inclusive education both in theory and in practice.

This volume brings together some thought provoking discussions on inclusive education within the current education climate. Is inclusive education worth pursuing or is the fervour for its implementation subsiding as the realities of its challenges are understood?

Are teachers ready for inclusion? What is appropriate teacher education? Traditional approaches to inclusive education focused on learners with disabilities. Modern approaches, however, conceptualise inclusion in terms of providing educational equity and equality of access for all students within the same regular school system. Future Directions for Inclusive Teacher Education provides a wealth of ideas about how to support teachers to become inclusive through the application of positive training approaches. Written by some of the most influential internationally acknowledged experts in teacher education for inclusion and highly experienced researchers, together the authors provide a plethora of ideas for teacher educators to ensure that their training is pertinent, accessible, and futures-orientated. This up to date and accessible book combines three key areas related to teacher education for inclusion, which provide: A review of what is happening across the globe by offering examples from different regions; Preparation for teachers to support learners with a range of diverse needs including disability, poverty, ethnicity, gender, cultural diversity, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory impairments and those who are considered gifted and talented; A consideration of systemic approaches, policy, and partnerships, and how these can be better employed in the future. This highly topical text will support all teaching professionals, educational systems, and schools in their transformation of inclusive teacher education.

The way in which special education is conceived varies around the world, and pratice varies accordingly. One of the current debates concerns the concepts of mainstreaming, integration and inclusion - and whether these are in fact different concepts, or simply differnt terminology. This book is based on the assumption that inclusive education is a necessary part of providing high quality education for all. Using international examples, it clarifies the rationale for inclusion and demonstrates how it can be put into practice.

Placing a student on the autism spectrum in a busy classroom with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and an aide to deal with the inevitable meltdowns is often done in the name of 'inclusion', but this is integration and not inclusive. How can teachers and schools create genuinely inclusive classrooms that meet the needs of every student? Research evidence indicates the strategies that make schools inclusive for students with disability benefit all students. Yet many schools are still operating under twentieth-century models that disadvantage students, especially those with disability. Inclusive Education for the 21st Century provides a rigorous overview of the foundational principles of inclusive education, and the barriers to access and participation. It explores evidence-based strategies to support diverse learners, including specific changes in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices, and the use of data. It addresses the needs of children with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities, as well as those with complex learning profiles, including mental health issues. With chapters from leading experts from Australia and the UK, Inclusive Education for the 21st Century addresses common issues in both primary and secondary schools. Underpinned throughout by research evidence, it is designed to assist educators to develop the deep knowledge required to make inclusive education a reality in all schools.

As a social justice endeavor, one of the goals of inclusive education is to bolster the education of all students by promoting equal opportunities for all, and investing sufficient support, curriculum and pedagogy that cultivates high self-concepts, emphasizes students’ strengths rather than weaknesses, and assists students to reach their optimal potential to make a contribution to society. Dedicated to the identification of international strategies to achieve this goal, Inclusive Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities presents examples of theory, research, policy, and practice that will advance our understanding of how best to educate and more generally structure educational environments to promote social justice and equity. Importantly, this discussion transcends research methodology, context, and geographical locations and may lead to far-reaching applications. As such, the focus is placed on research-derived educational and psycho-educative practices that seed success for students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive educational settings and the volume showcases new directions in theory, research, and practice that may inform the education and psychosocial development of students with intellectual disabilities globally. The chapter contributors in this volume consist of 31 scholars from ten different countries, and they come from a great variety of research areas (i.e., teacher education, educational psychology, special education and disability policy, special needs and inclusive education, health sciences). This volume, with a series of subsections, offers insights and useful strategies to promote meaningful advances for students with intellectual disabilities globally.

A rich view of inclusive education at the intersection of language, literacy, and technology—drawing on case study research in a diverse full-inclusion US school before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite advancing efforts at integration, the segregation of students with disabilities from their nondisabled peers persists. In the United States, 34 percent of all students with disabilities spend at least 20 percent of their instructional time in segregated classrooms. For students with intellectual or multiple disabilities, segregated placement soars to 80 percent. In Voices on the Margins, Yenda Prado and Mark Warschauer provide an ethnography of an extraordinary full-inclusion public charter school in the western United States—Future Visions Academy. And they ask: What does it mean to be inclusive in today’s schools with their increasingly pervasive use of digital technologies? Voices on the Margins examines the ways digital technologies support inclusion and language and literacy practices for culturally and linguistically diverse children with and without disabilities. A wide range of qualitative data collected in the case study illuminates three central themes: (1) the kinds of social organization that allow a fully inclusive environment for children with disabilities to thrive, (2) the ways that digital technologies can be used to help students express their voice and agency, while developing language and literacy skills, and (3) the ways that digital technologies can be used to foster stronger networks and connections between students, teachers, staff, and parents.

This book brings together policymaker and practitioner knowledge, experiences, and perspectives on the interaction between the assessment and inclusion agenda to the fore. The book’s analysis is built on comparative qualitative data from five different countries on four continents: Argentina, China, Denmark, England, and Israel. These countries have been chosen for their distinctive, and even contrasting, education policies, sociocultural and economic circumstances, and variations in performance across supranational and national standardised student assessments. In addressing these specific contexts, the book provides insights into the pitfalls and synergies which emerge as key stakeholders attempt to mediate these two educational concerns in both policy and practice.

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.

This text provides a wealth of ideas about how to support teachers through positive training approaches, by sharing the writings of some of the most influential educators in the field of teacher education for inclusion.