Impact of inclusive education training programmes on in-service and preservice physical education teachers: a systematic review

Given the growing need perceived by Physical Education (PE) teachers and future PE teachers for specific training to implement inclusive education, this systematic review aims to assess the influence of inclusive education training programmes for current and future PE teachers. Following the PRISMA guidelines and the PICO design, a search was conducted in four major databases in Social Sciences and Education (ERIC, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Scopus) to identify articles published up to 10 August 2024, selecting relevant studies that addressed the effects of different inclusive education training programmes on self-efficacy, attitudes, and/or perceptions towards inclusive teaching. The results indicated that participation in training programmes, workshops, and courses significantly improved, in most cases, the self-efficacy, attitudes, and perceptions towards inclusive education of active and future PE teachers. More specifically, training programmes with contact or direct experiences with individuals with disabilities appear most successful in enhancing competence in inclusive educational settings. This study emphasises the importance of incorporating specialised training along with practical and pedagogical experiences into teacher education programmes to enhance preparedness for inclusive PE.