Inclusion and Policy Enactment in Teacher Education: A Focus on Pre-service Teacher Preparation for the Inclusive Classroom

Preparing pre-service teachers to enact inclusive teaching practices in the inclusive classroom has become a concern for national and international educational organizations. Adding to these concerns, research on inclusive educati­on policy enactment in teacher education programs, particularly in a continuously growing and recognized diverse society such as Ontario, Canada, is scarce. In order to provide insight to address these issues, this study aimed to examine the enactment of the policy document titled Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation (OME, 2014) in one Ontario teacher education program. In particular, the study focused on exploring the interpretations and the practices of those involved in preparing pre-service teachers for the inclusive classroom including teacher educators, associate teachers, and program coordinators. The meaning making of pre-service teachers towards inclusion and their future practices in the classroom are also examined. The theoretical framework adopted in this single qualitative case study was informed by the theory of New-Institutionalism and the notion of policy enactment. The methods used included semi-structured interviews and review of teacher education and inclusive education policy documents. The analysis revealed the existence of different institutional logics among the study participants towards inclusion and pre-service teacher preparation. These logics were related to the institutional settings within which these participants were situated including norms, rules, beliefs, and regulations, as well as their own experiences in their wider social and cultural contexts