Teacher Educators’ Self-Reported Preparedness to Teach Students With Special Educational Needs in Higher Education

This research explores teacher educators’ self-reported preparedness to teach students with special educational needs. Teacher educators are concerned with preparing the next generation of teachers who will, in turn, be addressing the needs of students with special educational needs within schools. Being able to address this important task also in their own teaching at the teacher education program is important for their own credibility. In total, 104 teacher educators at two university faculties completed an online questionnaire with questions about teaching students with special education needs. The results showed a significant difference between the educators’ self-reported professional development needs. At University B, educators rated their own competence as well as the organizational ability to meet students with special educational needs higher than educators at University A, regardless of disability. One explanation for the differences in self-rated competence might be due to the mandatory courses about how to teach students with special educational needs, shaping a community of practice with a shared knowledge among the teacher educators at University B. However, the experienced challenge lies in difficulties to transform the knowledge of what is required and expected into practical solutions for teaching students with special educational needs. Keywords: disability research, inclusive teaching, professional development, special educational needs, teacher education.