Modelling inclusive education. The Didactic Model for Inclusive Teaching and Learning as a heuristic for inclusion research and teacher education

Abstract

Research on inclusive education has gained major importance over the last decade. However, in the English-speaking discourse, empirical studies on inclusive teaching and learning often lack connections to existing educational theories that focus on the interrelation of teachers, learners and content as the three focal points of teaching and learning in a greater societal context. This corresponds with a lack of comprehensive models of inclusive education for teacher education. This theoretical paper therefore presents the ‘Didactic Model for Inclusive Teaching and Learning’ (DIMILL), developed in an interdisciplinary research team as a theoretical and practical framework for inclusion research and teacher education. Following an introduction on the necessity of modelling inclusive education in school settings, the German tradition of ‘didactics’ will be contextualized in the international field, pointing out its potential for educational theory and teacher education. Then, individual parts of DIMILL are introduced and related to one another. Finally, modes of practical implementation as well as possible implications for educational research and inclusive teacher education will be discussed.