Inclusive Vocational Teacher Education in Austria and Germany – A Country Comparison of Personal Characteristics of Pre-Service Teachers

All around the world, educational institutions are developing into inclusive systems. Inclusion in vocational education and training includes young people with very heterogeneous individual needs and demands. Teachers are confronted with the challenges of designing inclusive instruction that enables successful vocational training. To fulfill these requirements, educational institutions are implementing inclusion-oriented courses in teacher education based on state-specific regulations. This article examines the experiences, attitudes, and self-efficacy expectations of prospective vocational teachers regarding inclusive education in a country comparison. Baumert and Kunter's propose a competency model of teacher professionalism, which considers the competency facets of knowledge and skills as well as personality characteristics. Significant differences in attitudes and self-efficacy between Austrian and German trainee teachers are found. The results of the study and their implications for future research and teacher education are discussed.