Preparing Future Teachers for Inclusive Education: An Analysis of Curricular Deficits and Competency Perceptions in Romania

This study investigates the readiness of future teachers in Romania to meet the requirements of inclusive education, with a specific focus on curricular deficits and student teachers’ perceptions of competence. Respecting the right to education for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is a central policy commitment. Yet, the capacity of initial teacher education (ITE) programs to operationalize this mandate remains uncertain. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research combines a systematic documentary analysis of national regulations and psycho-pedagogical curricula (Orders No. 4139/2022 and 4524/2020; Law No. 199/2023) with a survey of 327 student teachers across eight universities. Systematic Content Analysis, based on a three-level depth protocol, reveals a structural curricular deficit: Level 1 outcomes (theoretical awareness of SEN and inclusion) appear in approximately 40% of compulsory subjects, whereas Level 2 outcomes (operational competence, such as designing adapted lessons or differentiated assessments) are almost completely absent from the mandatory core and are confined to electives. Survey results mirror this gap: although 81% of respondents anticipate working with pupils with SEN, 29.9% feel poorly or very poorly prepared, 25.5% report a lack of basic knowledge of SEN, and only 14.6% report high confidence in designing adapted activities. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) shows that training level has a statistically significant but small effect on technical inclusive skills (p = 0.043; η2p = 0.013), while inclusive attitudes are mainly associated with age. The study concludes with a roadmap for reforming ITE through mandatory SEN-focused practicum placements and transversal integration of inclusive pedagogy.