Preparing teachers for inclusion in Mexico: How effective is this process?

Inclusive education is the most advanced form of recognition of the right to education. Mexico has made important legal and administrative changes to foster inclusion since the end of the twentieth century. This research assesses the impact of the Mexican pre-service teacher curriculum on 813 pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes and concerns towards inclusion and their perceived self-efficacy to educate students with disabilities. It employs two internationally validated questionnaires: The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale. Comparisons made across area of training, time in the programme, policy knowledge, interaction with people with disabilities and experience show that special education pre-service teachers in the last years of the programme have the most positive perspectives, while preschool teachers have the least positive ones. Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis.