Integrating Disability-Related Courses into Teacher Education Programmes in Kosovo: Implications for Inclusive Education

The inclusion of disability-related courses in teacher education programmes affects teachers’ ability to create inclusive learning environments. This study examines the presence and placement of disability-related courses in teacher education programmes. The study uses a document-based review of publicly available syllabi and course descriptions from 53 teacher education programmes across seven public universities in Kosovo. Courses were examined in terms of their presence, disability focus, geographical distribution, course classification, ECTS allocation, and pedagogical orientation. Findings of the study show that 41.50% of analysed programmes included at least one disability course. However, this percentage represents a small proportion of the overall curriculum, and in most cases, the courses were offered as elective courses. The findings also suggest that many courses still remain focused on theory rather than practical skills needed for inclusive teaching. However, clear differences were found between regions and higher education institutions in Kosovo. The study also argues that giving little importance to disability-related courses in the curriculum can lead to unprepared teachers for inclusive classrooms. Overall, the findings add to ongoing discussions about inclusive teacher education in changing education systems and offer suggestions for improving curricula and developing better policies in Kosovo.