Music Teacher Preparation for the Inclusive Classroom: The Case of Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong-Akuapem

In this qualitative case study, Inclusive Music Education refers to the practice of including students with disabilities in the general music education classroom, where they are educated together with their typically developing peers. Despite the initiation of inclusion policies in the 1950s, teacher preparation for inclusive music education in Ghana has been inadequate, necessitating rigorous research interventions. Underpinned by the social identity, and the zone of proximal development theories, this study investigated instructional strategies being employed in the inclusive music teacher preparation programme at Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong-Akuapem. It further examined perceived state of preparedness among pre-service teachers to teach music in inclusive basic schools. Data were collected from 26 purposively sampled participants through interview, focus group discussion, as well as non-participant observation, and analysed thematically. Findings indicated that strategies such as professional collaboration, accommodation, adaptation, tactile techniques, and differentiated instruction were employed in preparing teachers for inclusive school settings. It was also revealed that there was cordial relationship among all members of the college community, with no stigmatization of students with special learning needs. A broader range of inclusive teaching strategies was recommended for the programme. It was also recommended that professional collaboration be expanded to include other teacher preparation institutions in the country. Future research will investigate inclusive practices in other pre-service teacher preparation institutions across the country.