With this paper, we tackle the preparedness of teachers for children with disabilities and (forced) migration background by using the Austrian context as the setting. The recent outcry in terms of limited preparedness of teachers for cultural diversity and challenging behaviours of students with migration background has been discussed divergently. Additionally, questions related to inclusion of students with disabilities are compelling to delve into the teacher preparation as repeated abrupt changes in political leadership slowed decision-making processes related to the implementation of the UNCRPD down or brought these to a halt altogether. The interlinkage between the two aspects of disability and (forced) migration remains largely unaddressed (Subasi Singh et al. 2021). With 27.2 percent among all school children, culturally and linguistically diverse students call for an approach to examine the success of culturally responsive teachers who can prepare educational interventions, teaching materials and instruction based on the individual needs as well as cultural and linguistic needs of students and especially for children with forced migration experiences, in a trauma-sensitive way (NCTSN, 2017). The intersection of special education needs, trauma experience and cultural and linguistic needs adds another dimension of complexity to the unpreparedness of teachers in the country. An analysis of the general teacher education curriculum in Austria reveals that intercultural learning, cultural responsiveness or multicultural teaching competences do not go beyond proclamations and fall behind cultivating the desired teaching force to implement culturally responsive inclusive education (Buchner & Proyer, 2020; Subasi Singh & Akar, 2021). On the other hand, in-service teacher training concentrates on training programs for teaching German as a second or foreign language rather than training to develop positive attitudes, skills and knowledge for diversity and social justice. Apart from teacher shortage, the lack of preparedness of teachers in Austria is also exacerbated with the cultural mismatches between the students and teachers (Kremsner, Proyer & Biewer 2020). Teachers, the majority of whom do not represent the cultural and linguistic diversity reproduce the predominant Eurocentric ways of teaching which are steeped in national values and traditions. With the introduction of a revised teacher-training structure and the subject of ‘inclusive education’ at secondary school teacher education, hopes for more culturally responsive inclusive education teachers are in place. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge for pre-service teachers to change perspective from individual to social model, similarly to disability-related aspects, and navigate entrenched practises they are confronted with when transferring into service.

Buchner, T., & Proyer, M. (2020). From special to inclusive education policies in Austria–developments and implications for schools and teacher education. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 83-94. Kremsner, G., Proyer, M., & Biewer, G. (Eds.). (2020). Inklusion von Lehrkräften nach der Flucht: Über universitäre Ausbildung zum beruflichen Wiedereinstieg. Verlag Julius Klinkhardt. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2017). Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework. Retrieved from https://www.nctsn.org/resources/creating-supporting-and-sustaining-trauma-informed-schools-system-framework Subasi Singh, S., & Akar, H. (2021). Culturally responsive teaching: Beliefs of pre-service teachers in the Viennese context. Intercultural Education, 32(1), 46-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2020.1844533 Subasi Singh, S., Pellech, C., Gutschik, A., Proyer, M., & O’Rourke, I. (2021). Intersectional Aspects of Education at the Nexus of Disability and Forced Migration: Perspectives of Parents, Educational Experts, and School Authorities in Greater Vienna. Education Sciences, 11(8), 423. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080423