TECHNO-PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: COMPARING APPROACHES FOR SLOW LEARNERS ACROSS TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Abstract

Inclusive education seeks to provide meaningful and equitable learning opportunities for all students, including those identified as slow learners, who require additional time, scaffolding and differentiated strategies to attain academic success. This paper examines techno-pedagogical practices within teacher education institutions, comparing how such institutions integrate information and communication technologies (ICT), assistive technologies and gamified personalised environments to support slow learners. The investigation is undertaken across diverse institutional contexts, in urban versus rural, government versus private, and considers how faculty preparedness, digital infrastructure and institutional policy frameworks align with the mandates of the Indian National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (2009) (NCFTE­-2009). The study identifies key techno-pedagogical tools (audiovisual aids, interactive apps, LMS platforms, screen readers, speech-to-text, adaptive software, gamification etc.) and analyses how these tools intersect with inclusive pedagogy, particularly through differentiated instruction, continuous professional development of teacher-educators and institutional support systems. Comparative case-study analysis reveals strengths (e.g., proactive use of adaptive learning in private urban institutions) and limitations (e.g., connectivity and digital literacy gaps in rural government colleges). The paper further explores how institutional leadership, monitoring and feedback mechanisms shape inclusive techno-pedagogical implementation. Challenges such as faculty resistance, infrastructural deficits and pedagogical inertia are discussed, alongside strategies for enhancing inclusive techno-pedagogical practices in teacher education. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how teacher education institutions can better equip future educators to support slow learners, thereby advancing inclusive learning environments aligned with national policy frameworks.