A systematic review of general initial teacher education aiming to improve pre-service teachers’ inclusive education competency

This systematic review examined studies that implemented interventions to improve pre-service teachers’ inclusive education competency related to the inclusion of students with disabilities through general initial teacher education (ITE) curricula. A structured search identified 36 eligible quantitative intervention studies, from which we descriptively synthesised participant, intervention, curriculum, and outcome characteristics. Most studies were conducted in the United States, Australia, and Canada, focused on undergraduate students, and used single-arm designs, typically within semester-long courses combining lectures and field experiences. Curricula primarily addressed inclusion, differentiation, and disability knowledge, whereas theoretical grounding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and system-level topics such as policy and stigma were less common. Outcomes focused largely on attitudes, self-efficacy, and knowledge, while evidence regarding reliability, statistical effects, behavioural change, and long-term outcomes was limited. Overall, the evidence suggests that general ITE curricula may contribute to pre-service teachers’ inclusive education competency, but stronger evidence is needed to determine which approaches are effective and sustained in practice. More rigorous, theoretically informed, and systems-oriented approaches may help strengthen inclusive teacher preparation.