Teachers' Experiences of Participating in an Inclusive Education Professional Development Program

Author First name, Last name, Institution

Lawrence Meda, Sharjah Education Academy
Laila Mohebi, Zayed University
Areej ElSayary, Zayed University

Document Type

Book Chapter

Source of Publication

Mental Health Disability and Combating Marginalization in Education

Publication Date

9-25-2025

Abstract

Education worldwide has seen significant shifts, requiring teachers to adapt to diverse student needs. In the UAE, numerous professional development sessions were organized to promote inclusive teaching practices. However, many teachers struggled to fully grasp the concept of inclusive education and lacked the skills to implement it effectively. This study explored teachers' experiences after completing a six-month professional development program on inclusive education. Using a qualitative approach, fourteen teachers from eight UAE schools were interviewed. The findings revealed that, despite initial challenges, participants experienced transformative growth, gaining the skills necessary to implement inclusive teaching. The study concluded that professional development is essential in enabling teachers to teach inclusively.

DOI Link

10.4018/979-8-3373-7163-4.ch008

ISBN

[9798337371634, 9798337371658]

Publisher

IGI Global Scientific Publishing

First Page

193

Last Page

212

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

Inclusive education, Professional development, Teachers' experiences, Diverse student needs, Teaching practices

Scopus ID

105021919009

Recommended Citation

Meda, Lawrence; Mohebi, Laila; and ElSayary, Areej, "Teachers' Experiences of Participating in an Inclusive Education Professional Development Program" (2025). All Works. 7701.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7701

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no