Ismael García-Cedillo

Preparing teachers for inclusion in Mexico: how effective is this process?

Inclusive education is the most advanced form of recognition of the right to education. Mexico has made important legal and administrative changes to foster inclusion since the end of the twentieth century. This research assesses the impact of the Mexican pre-service teacher curriculum on 813 pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes and concerns towards inclusion and their perceived self-efficacy to educate students with disabilities. It employs two internationally validated questionnaires: The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale. Comparisons made across area of training, time in the programme, policy knowledge, interaction with people with disabilities and experience show that special education pre-service teachers in the last years of the programme have the most positive perspectives, while preschool teachers have the least positive ones.

Risk Communication as an Alternative Intervention to Improve the Environmental Health in Children in an Area with Various Environmental Problems

Children are the most vulnerable group to certain environmental risks, which is why this project focused on those children living in a marginalized area located north of the city of San Luis Potosi. It was found that in that area, children were exposed to multiple environmental health risks. The objective of this project was to design, implement and evaluate a Risk Communication Program (RCP) to improve children’s environmental health. Based on the health risk assessment and risk perception analysis, an RCP was designed. The topics of healthy eating and hygiene were addressed, as well as the risks of exposure to fluoride and lead. In the first stage, the target audience was made up of 62 parents and 10 teachers from two schools. The second stage, which had support and participation of parents and teachers, involved working with 338 students (3–15 years of age). Upon concluding the implementation of the program, knowledge integration and decrease in exposure to fluoride and lead were found in children in the area; as well as changes in habits in the participating families.

Special education today in Mexico

Abstract This chapter is a presentation of Mexico’s efforts in advancing inclusive education as a vehicle to provide children with special needs a quality and equitable education. It provides a detailed description of the development, realignment of educational practices, and polices necessary to allow inclusive education to succeed. The chapter begins with the origins of special education in Mexico via four stages. Next, the chapter provides a comprehensive classification of disability and the prevalence rates in Mexico. Then, the chapter delineates legislation and public policy that are essential components in providing a quality and equitable special education system. Next, a comprehensive description of special education intervention models follows along with how these models are incorporated in current teacher preparation endeavors. The chapter concludes with a summary of the progress that Mexico has attained in moving toward inclusive education as well as challenges to inclusive education.