Advancing Teacher Education for Inclusion: Using a Multidimensional Framework to Analyze the Discourse of Dual Certification

Overview & Synopsis

Dual certification programs hold significant transformational potential for achieving comprehensive teacher education reform that cultivates equitable, inclusive education. Yet little examination of their curricular or structural elements has occurred. In this study, we used a multidimensional framework, based on four drivers of transformation for inclusion, to analyze the website discourse of all 272 self-identified elementary and secondary dual certification programs in the United States drawn from a national database of teacher education programs. Regarding depth and breadth of transformation, most program websites displayed combinations of extensive and limited inclusive discourse across drivers; few addressed inclusive teacher education philosophy and practices across all drivers in rich, extensive ways. Least represented with any rich discourse was the equity driver. These data offer insight into important aspects of the current state of mediated discourse related to teacher education for inclusion and provide guidance for more comprehensive approaches to advancing robust teacher education reform toward this goal.