Analysis of the conditions that enable and constrain knowledge mobilisation in inclusive education: contributions to teacher education

Abstract

Despite the recommendations of international institutions on how to promote a more inclusive education, we are witnessing a significant gap between the research findings on Inclusive Education and what really happens in the classrooms. This article explores the conditions that enable or constrain knowledge mobilisation, from the perspective of university professors who teach and research in inclusive education in 10 Spanish Universities. Methodologically, this is a qualitative descriptive study. As a result of the content analysis of the data obtained from the focus groups, we were able to identify four key elements: the characteristics of the actors, the characteristics of knowledge mobilisation, the organisations’ culture, and the relationship between researchers and practitioners. The discussion on the conditions that strain these four elements leads us to propose some strategies to overcome the gap between theory and practice in the field of teacher education.