Inclusive education in the aftermath of the pandemic: Lessons from mainstream and special teachers who ‘escaped the room’

Abstract

This paper reports on a study that sought to explore mainstream and special teachers’ inclusive practices during the Covid-19 pandemic and discusses issues that are relevant in the post-Covid-19 period. The study is contextualized with European and international studies and reports on teachers’ role in the inclusion of children with disabilities before and during the pandemic. The sample of the study comprised of 17 mainstream and special teachers based in public schools in the Republic of Cyprus. They were purposively selected due to their commitment to provide quality education. Following a thematic analysis of teachers’ interviews, some of the themes were mapped with Florian and Black-Hawkins’ Framework for Participation which was used as a tool to conceptualize how teachers promoted participation through ensuring access, collaboration and inclusive pedagogy in distance education. The discussion links the findings with key values of inclusive education, such as interdependence and belongingness and resistance of ableist policies. It is concluded that teachers’ inclusive responses during the pandemic may inform professionals who are committed to inclusive education to bring about change in competitive and individualistic education systems across Europe.