Teacher trainees' experiences of inclusive practices during teaching practice

Teaching practice has been found to significantly improve teacher trainees' understanding of special educational needs (SEN) and knowledge of inclusive teaching practices. Using a descriptive survey design and a purposive sample of final-year teacher trainees (n = 171), college supervisors (n = 57) and school-based mentors (n = 77) from three public colleges of education in Ghana, this study explored teacher trainees' experiences regarding the inclusive practices they learnt, their collaboration with stakeholders and the challenges they encountered during teaching practice. The study reveals that teaching practice does not adequately promote inclusive practical training of teacher trainees and that mentors do not model effective inclusive practices for trainees. The study found an immeasurably small number of co-teaching practices among trainees. The implications of the findings for the improvement of teaching practice in effectively training teachers in areas of SEN and inclusive education in colleges of education are also discussed.