How Does Multidimensional Professional Learning Change in Inclusive Secondary Mathematics Teacher Education? Evidence from a Graduate Course

Inclusive secondary mathematics education is complex because teachers must respond to learner variability while preserving mathematical goals and participation. Using a mixed-methods design, we examined changes in multidimensional professional learning following participation in a graduate course on teaching students with special educational needs (SEN), focusing on inclusive practices, attitudes, self-efficacy, and achievement emotions. Participants were 29 master’s students in secondary mathematics education. Pre- and post-course measures were complemented by written reflections that illuminated practical and emotional dimensions of learning. Participants reported improvements in inclusive practices, attitudes, and self-efficacy, alongside more favorable achievement emotions: enjoyment, hope, and pride increased, whereas anger, anxiety, and hopelessness decreased. Qualitative findings revealed a shift from viewing adaptations as isolated techniques to diagnostically analyzing learner characteristics, task demands, and instructional design. Participants distinguished more clearly among content-related, cognitive, and executive-function difficulties and translated these distinctions into concrete supports. Findings underscore the value of sustained, differentiated, and reflective preparation for supporting multidimensional professional learning in inclusive mathematics classrooms.