Creating a shared meaning of inclusive pedagogical principles during an inclusive education intervention program

Abstract

Teaching in the 21^st century requires teachers to not only have comprehensive subject knowledge and technological skills but also inclusive pedagogical understanding. An effective teacher strives to cater for the diverse learning needs in her classroom. This necessitates the provision of inclusive education intervention programs to help in-service teachers learn the pedagogical skills needed to support all learners. The study, which is part of a doctoral thesis, was conducted using a qualitative case study within an interpretive paradigm. Eleven teachers were purposively selected to participate in the intervention program which was held for five weeks. The Community of Practice was used as a theoretical framework and data were collected by using focus group discussions. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The purpose of this study was to explore eleven teachers' understanding and practice of inclusive pedagogy while attending a five-week intervention program. It was found that despite being short, the intervention program empowered teachers with comprehensive knowledge about inclusion, differentiating instruction and collaborative learning. The study concludes that intervention programs are indispensable as they capacitate in-service teachers and help them gain the necessary skills to cater for the diverse learning needs of special needs learners in a mainstream classroom.