Inclusive Education in Practice in India: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Classroom Implementation and Teacher Preparation

Abstract

Teachers are central to implementing inclusive education in India, yet there is little India-specific synthesis on their training and classroom practices. This qualitative meta-synthesis was undertaken to synthesize the available literature on how teachers are prepared for and enact inclusive education. An electronic search of six databases—Education Source, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycINFO, ERIC, Education Database, and Web of Science, was conducted. Twenty-one peer-reviewed articles were included in the final review. The selected studies were appraised for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP). Inductive coding revealed that most of the evidence related to the practice of inclusive education focused on barriers, followed by classroom culture and action. The limited available evidence on teacher training for inclusive education indicates that teachers perceived such training as ineffective and insufficient when it was present. Implications include developing policies to address teacher shortages alongside systemic reforms that ensure adequate teacher support. Future research should examine if implementation strategies described by teachers are effective and explore ways to improve practice in this context.