Inclusive education is crucial in higher education to ensure learners’ participation in learning, cultures, and communities. Despite the importance of valuing diversity in education, there is limited research on how students with disabilities experience teacher education programmes. This narrative case study explores the journey of a pre-service teacher with a physical disability enrolled in a two-year Master’s programme in Algeria. Data were collected through written narrative responses to six open-ended questions, alongside longitudinal observational notes documenting the participant’s engagement in programme activities across three semesters. The study examines how the participant navigated coursework, practicum, and research, and how structural, social, and institutional factors shaped her participation and professional identity formation. It also identifies areas where the programme could enhance inclusivity, including accessibility and institutional support mechanisms.

The findings reveal a trajectory shaped by resilience and motivation in the face of infrastructural constraints. While teachers’ support enabled academic continuity, peer interactions occasionally reinforced feelings of exclusion, and infrastructural inaccessibility limited full participation in programme activities. Conducting research was experienced as highly stressful due to insufficient methodological training and a lack of structured guidance. Despite these challenges, the programme strengthened the participant’s professional identity and confidence as a future teacher. The study underscores the need for inclusive policies, flexible assessment strategies, structured research support, and improved accessibility within teacher education programmes.