International exchange: Braunschweiger researches inclusion in the USA

International exchange: Braunschweiger researches inclusion in the USA

Lisa-Katharina Möhlen, a binational doctoral student at the Technical University of Braunschweig and the University of Vienna, has begun an extensive research trip in the USA that will last six months. Its goal is to examine teaching for students with special needs and compare this with the relevant guidelines as well as administrative and teaching practices in Germany and Austria. This significant research is made possible by a Fulbright grant and involves close collaboration with Adam Moore, an associate professor of school inclusion at the University of Rhode Island (URI). How magazin.tu-braunschweig.de reports, the contact between Möhlen and Moore came about during his stay as a guest lecturer at the TU Braunschweig in 2023.

Moore emphasizes the importance of international exchange about different inclusion models. Möhlen and Moore have already worked together on various projects that deal with global inclusion approaches. They presented their findings at a joint presentation at the Council for Exceptional Children in November 2024, which was funded by the DAAD program “Go out – come in”.

Visits and exchange programs

As part of her research program, Möhlen will visit schools in eight U.S. states, including Rhode Island, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, Vermont, New York and Wisconsin. The aim of these trips is to gain a comprehensive impression of the different inclusive support offers in the USA. Möhlen also plans to examine the role of teachers as “policymakers on the ground” and will hold discussions with teacher training students, scientists and representatives from school politics and administration. In Texas she will be welcomed by Professor Jessica Reuter from the University of Texas.

The cooperation between TU Braunschweig and URI has existed for more than 30 years, also includes URI's Feinstein College of Education and recently launched a new exchange program for teacher training students, which is funded by the DAAD. Katja Koch, Vice President of TU Braunschweig, visited the URI campus in fall 2024 to further consolidate this collaboration.

Research goals and inclusion in the education system

Möhlen plans to analyze the existing systems through discussions and the exchange of experiences. The problems of the implemented inclusion claims are also addressed, with students with disabilities or a migration and refugee background often being taught in special schools or separate classes. An important topic is the connection between the claim to inclusion and the reality in schools, as described in the handbook “Inclusion International”, which offers global, national and local perspectives on inclusive education and deals with central questions of educational equity, anti-discrimination and recognition, such as Budrich publishing house clarified.

The handbook not only offers theoretical perspectives, but also contains practical case studies and discussion questions that are intended to help teachers and future teachers make informed decisions in inclusive educational processes. The educational responsibility in the implementation of children's rights is also discussed, which is essential for the reality of schooling.

With her research stay in the USA and international collaborations, Möhlen hopes to gain valuable insights that can contribute to the further development of inclusive education in Germany and Austria. This initiative is a significant step towards a more equitable education landscape.