Norway recently introduced a 5-year integrated master’s-level teacher education (ITE) in 2017. The country has a long history of schooling for all that emphasizes adapting education, however there has also been an increase in the number of students receiving traditional forms of special education. Conceptualising and implementing adapted education with regard inclusive education has had mixed results and often causes uncertainty amongst newly qualified teachers (NQTs). There is little research examining how NQTs experience competence when working with adapted and special education. This paper present findings from a qualitative, longitudinal interview study of NQTs after completing the new ITE and during their starting years working. Specifically this paper investigates NQTs attitudes to special education and working inclusively. To guide the research the following questions were employed: · What kinds of attitudes do research-literate Norwegian NQTs express when delivering inclusive education in the classroom? · How do research-literate Norwegian NQTs find support for working with inclusion after three years? Recent NQTs from UiT Norway’s Arctic University (UiT) were surveyed and interviewed at various time points to create a longitudinal study. The data draws on the transcripts from open-ended, semi-structured, 45-60 minute interviews with 30 graduating students from 2015, 2016, and 2017 a few days after submitting their Master theses and after one and two years in service. The interviews also focused on NQTs’ experiences of their research-based knowledge gained in education and how it is received at their new workplace as well as professional development. Data were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Findings suggest NQTs feel their training is inadequate regarding inclusive education competences, despite now being trained to a higher level; it is also still expected that ‘special education’ is done by specialists. The NQTs highlighted that they feel unprepared to meet diversity within the pupil population and generally feel that they should consult their peers for advice on working inclusively rather than drawing from their formal training. Specific themes included ethnic diversity, language minority, behavioural problems, trauma, and specific diagnosis groups. These findings directly contradict the ethos of adapted education and international intentions regarding inclusive education and highlight pervasive and ongoing challenges with its implementation. Based on the analysis, we will discuss consequences of the findings to promote inclusive education in Norway and internationally.

Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2). pp. 77-101.