ENHANCING TEACHER PREPARATION: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INTEGRATION IN ALBANIAN UNIVERSITIES
ENHANCING TEACHER PREPARATION: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION INTEGRATION IN ALBANIAN UNIVERSITIES

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the integration of inclusive education principles in university teacher training, with a focus on the preparation of future teachers according to the inclusive teacher profile. In Albania, the Ministry of Education and Sports has just concluded the process of unification of universities' curricula for the training of teachers of different teaching profiles, proposing a course of two formative credits on inclusive education and orienting university professors on the main contents of the course. This research aims to analyse the content of university courses on inclusive education proposed in the different master's level study programs. Also, it aims to identify gaps, strengths, and areas of improvement existing in these programs based on the recommendations and results presented in similar studies in the international literature. The methodology includes a review of the literature to identify which recommendations come from other studies on the structuring of the course program on inclusive education. Also, the study includes a review of the university curriculum for the preparation of new teachers to perform a comparative analysis of the data collected. The findings reveal that while some programs incorporate elements of inclusive education, there is significant variability in the depth and consistency of this integration. However, significant gaps exist in areas such as opportunities for hands-on training and the application of inclusive pedagogical strategies in real classroom settings. The study highlights the need for a more systematic and comprehensive approach to incorporating inclusive education principles into all aspects of teacher education programs.

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