Representations of Inclusion: How Pre-service Teachers Understand and Apply Inclusion Across Situations

Abstract

As education marches toward inclusive practices, it is clear not everyone perceives inclusion in the same ways. This article unpacks pre-service teachers’ perspectives toward inclusion. Using a design-based approach, enrolled in a Canadian bachelor of education program created drawings about inclusion. Through the lens of figured worlds and visual analysis, these drawings were compared to pre-service teachers’ other course work and practicum placements to better understand their perspectives on inclusion in different contexts. The findings show differences between the ideals pre-service teachers conveyed through drawings and their approaches to pragmatic tasks, such as creating an individualized education or inclusive lesson plan. Furthermore, there was a considerable range of sophistication in pre-service teachers’ ideas of inclusion, with some pre-service teachers focusing on accessible materials while other pre-service teachers addressed more holistic notions of inclusive environments and systems. Making connections between pre-service teachers’ perspectives and their teacher training is critical for pre-service teachers to develop robust understandings of inclusion and a greater awareness of how their perspectives shape teaching practices.