Educational Alternatives, Volume 23, 2025

Rezumat: Including children with special needs represents a cornerstone of contemporary educational policy, but its implementation often poses complex practical, emotional, and pedagogical challenges. While existing research has focused primarily on the perspectives of in-service teachers, this study examines pre-service teachers’ perspectives on inclusive education during their professional training . Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyzed the attitudes of 27 pre-service teachers toward the inclusion of children with special needs in regular classrooms, with a particular focus on how teacher training programs shape their evolving perspectives. Data were collected using two complementary tools: (1) a semi-structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms, incorporating closed and open-ended items, and (2) semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 15 participants who provided informed consent. The analysis revealed three main themes: positive attitudes among most teacher students toward inclusion, the critical importance of practical experience, and the significant contribution of theoretical coursework to shaping attitudes. Based on these results, we recommend that teacher education programs expand theoretical training and incorporate diverse and meaningful field experiences in inclusive educational settings from the earliest stages of professional development. Early exposure to inclusive practice may better prepare future teachers to navigate the complexities of serving children with special needs in mainstream settings.