Exploring Inclusion in Initial Teacher Preparation Programs in Chile: Processes, Objectives, and Practices

• In Event: Strengthening Inclusion in Pedagogy

Proposal

Inclusion in education encompasses a multifaceted concept deeply rooted in the struggles of disability, civil rights, and human rights movements (Frum, 2001; Slee, 2012; Slee & Allan, 2001). It is closely tied to the pursuit of educational justice, aiming to dismantle processes and practices that perpetuate inequalities based on differences (Bell, 2016). This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing debates on inclusion and social justice within the Chilean educational system, which has made significant progress in achieving high levels of student coverage. However, with the increased presence of students from traditionally marginalized groups in classrooms, new challenges have emerged. How the educational system and its workers navigate these challenges can significantly impact students' development opportunities and their active participation in society.

Global commitments, such as the Framework for Action of Jomtien (UNESCO, 1990), the Salamanca Declaration (UNESCO, 1994), and Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasize the pivotal role of teachers in addressing inclusion and exclusion dynamics in classrooms worldwide. In this context, initial teacher education plays a crucial role in empowering teachers to recognize and address exclusion and discrimination in the classroom. To fully embrace inclusion as an ongoing process, our study adopts a broader perspective on the mission of teacher training institutions. Beyond equipping students with cognitive, attitudinal, and skills tools to foster inclusive environments, our investigation delves into students' learning conditions and potential barriers hindering their development. We seek to view students not only as agents of inclusion, breaking down barriers for others, but also as subjects of inclusion, navigating obstacles that may hinder their active participation in their academic journey.

This paper presents the first stage of a sequential exploratory mixed-methodology study (Creswell, 2009) aimed at understanding future teachers, both as agents and subjects of inclusion. In the initial stage, we employed qualitative methods to conduct a web review of 285 websites of undergraduate teacher education programs accredited by the Chilean National Accreditation Agency (CNA). Using content analysis qualitative techniques, we analyzed the accessibility of these websites for students with functional diversity and visual or hearing impairments, as well as the representation of historically marginalized groups in images and texts.

Next, we collected data from official documents and sought input from administrative and teaching staff in a subset of these programs (n=13) from the country's north (2), center (3), and southern regions (7). To gain a comprehensive understanding, we conducted semi-structured interviews with program directors and teacher educators in each of these institutions, focusing on three main aspects:

a) Their beliefs and conceptualizations about inclusion.
b) Ideas and examples of inclusive pedagogical practices, encompassing both didactics and the curriculum.
c) Inclusive organizational practices.

From the first stage, our web review revealed that less than 30% of programs offered accessibility tools to accommodate students with functional diversity or disabilities. Moreover, the representation of historically marginalized groups in texts and images was limited, reaching a maximum of 15% across the programs' websites. These initial findings underscore the need for further efforts to promote inclusivity and accessibility in teacher education programs, ensuring that all students feel represented and welcomed.

The second set of results emerged from the semi-structured interviews with program directors and teacher educators. The findings revealed a positive shift among teacher education program directors towards a broad, socio-critical approach to inclusion in the curriculum. This inclusive perspective encompassed various forms of marginalization and social exclusion related to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, and capacity. Practical training instances were also emphasized as crucial for learning about inclusion, surpassing the significance of specific subjects. However, we identified essential challenges in ensuring that teacher educators, who teach courses/subjects in each program, adopt inclusive practices in their lectures, especially without institutionalized follow-up mechanisms or support to enforce universal teaching mechanisms.

Initial teacher education programs need to develop more internal tools to navigate the challenges presented by their student population diversity; instead, the centralized resources available at universities become the primary sources to address the needs of these students. This aspect still needs improvement, but it allows for at least initial phases of inclusion for students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to aspire to become teachers.

As teachers play a crucial role in fostering equitable, inclusive, and socially just education, understanding how initial teacher training programs approach and prepare future teachers for inclusion is vital. By exploring the dynamics of inclusion in the Chilean educational system, we seek to contribute valuable insights and generate new data to enrich the international discourse on initial teacher training for inclusive education. Through our study's three stages, we hope to provide comprehensive recommendations for creating a more inclusive and supportive educational system that empowers all students to thrive and contribute actively to society.

Author

• Javier Campos Martínez, Universidad Austral de Chile