Teacher Resilience and the Implementation of Inclusive Education: A Mixed-methods Study

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18414489

Anju and Dalbir Singh Saini (Department of Psychology, Om Sterling Global University, Hisar, Haryana)

This study investigates the psychological and institutional factors that shape the practice of inclusive education in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, with particular attention to the role of teacher resilience. Drawing on recent work in educational and positive psychology (2018-2025), the research uses a mixed-methods approach involving survey responses and semi-structured interviews from 100 teachers working in government and private schools. The study examines teachers’ experiences with inclusion, their understanding of inclusive teaching requirements, and the resilience-related capacities that influence their ability to manage diverse classrooms. Findings show that although awareness of inclusive policies has improved, several persistent challenges remain, including high student-teacher ratios, limited assistive resources, uneven administrative engagement, and insufficient professional training. Teacher resilience emerged as a meaningful predictor of inclusive classroom practices. Educators with stronger resilience demonstrated greater adaptability, emotional steadiness, and confidence when working with diverse learners, while those with lower resilience reported higher levels of burnout, reduced self-efficacy, and hesitancy toward inclusive strategies. The study concludes that sustainable progress in inclusive education requires deliberate efforts to strengthen teacher resilience, expand targeted training opportunities, and enhance alignment between policy expectations and school-level support systems.