A Mutually Enriching Inclusive Education Teacher Professional Development Program: Mentors' and Mentees' Reflections

The COVID-19 global pandemic accelerated inclusive education professional development programs to help teachers get up to speed with inclusive pedagogical practices. The purpose of this study is to explore mentors' and mentees' reflections about their experiences of participating in an inclusive education professional development program. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm and it was done as a case study of a professional development program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Twentyfive mentees and five mentors were purposively selected to participate in semi-structured interviews and complete a questionnaire. It was found that the professional development program provided a milestone of achievement in terms of empowering both mentors and mentees to be able to implement inclusive pedagogical practices. It is concluded that inclusive education can be achieved by any teacher or faculty member if they are committed to dedicating time to read and learn about it.