Teacher education for inclusive education in Bhutan: perspectives of pre-service and beginning teachers*

Bhutan is in the preliminary stages of training teachers to support inclusive education. This study investigated teachers’ views on preparation for inclusive teaching using a case study that was conducted with twelve pre-service and twenty beginning teachers in six schools. Data were drawn from focus-group interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The application of Vygotsky’s social cultural theory and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was appropriate and acknowledged the social systems surrounding learning. Socio-cultural theorisation was used to consider where people lived, and social and cultural factors; while self-efficacy theory enabled an exploration of teachers’ willingness to implement inclusiveness. Findings are presented in four key areas: education for all, barriers, policy and attitudes towards inclusion. This study contributes to inclusive education research in South-West Asia and policy goals and practice in Bhutan.