FORMING TEACHERS’ READINESS TO WORK IN AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT: ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE

Abstract

The article examines the issue of forming teachers’ professional readiness to work in an inclusive educational environment. The relevance of the study is determined by the contradiction between the normative and social demand for the development of inclusive education and the insufficient practical readiness of some teachers to implement inclusive approaches in the educational process. The empirical basis of the study is formed by the materials of the online professional development course “Methodological Approaches to the Organization of Inclusive Education”, conducted for teachers of general education schools and correctional classes in the Kyrgyz Republic. The purpose of the article is to analyze the effectiveness of the online course in developing teachers’ basic professional readiness for inclusion through changes in three interrelated components: cognitive, practical-methodological and value-based. The study uses theoretical analysis, course program analysis, pre-test and post-test comparison, qualitative interpretation of results and generalization of pedagogical effects. The article shows that an online course can be an effective mechanism for developing teachers’ readiness for inclusive education if it combines interactive lectures, case studies, practical tasks, feedback and reflection on professional attitudes.