Planning and implementing actions for students with disabilities: Recommendations from faculty members who engage in inclusive pedagogy

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to explore the advice given to colleagues by 119 Spanish faculty members who engage in inclusive pedagogy, to help them plan and implement actions aimed at including students with disabilities. We carried out an exploratory qualitative study with individual interviews. We analysed them using a system of categories and inductive codes. The results revealed five recommendations: listen to students and get to know them and the needs deriving from their disability; be empathetic and emotionally engaged and strive to facilitate students' learning; establish a universal, accessible, flexible and open syllabus; view having students with disabilities in class as an opportunity and part of the job; and actively seek information and training. The analysis includes a series of recommendations that may help other faculty members eager to make their planning and practice more democratic, fair and inclusive.