Discussions about the contributions of teacher assistants (TAs) are mainly limited to Western contexts, such as Australia, the UK, and the United States, and studies have consistently explored the role of TAs in inclusive learning environments despite their continuous deployment in special schools. This study attempted to understand the…

Students with autism spectrum disorder have been shown to benefit both academically and socially from inclusion in general education classrooms, but concerns remain about the persistence of separate special education settings around the world. Using special education program placement data from the Canadian province of Ontario and census data…

A critical aspect of inclusive policies and practices is the role that Teacher Assistants (TAs) are supposed to assume within mainstream classrooms. Despite the evidence, TAs are still linked to the most vulnerable children, especially those with severe afflictions. This exploratory mixed method of investigation analyses the differences between…

The literature is sparse on understanding the experiences of stakeholders with inclusive education in the Caribbean. Using a qualitative single case study, this study explores the lived experiences with inclusive education of non-teaching stakeholders (principal, dean of discipline, guidance counsellor, parents, and educational assistants) in a…

This review provides an overview of the literature related to inclusive education for students with autism/takiwatanga in Aotearoa. A search of peer-reviewed literature identified 49 potentially relevant publications; of these, 13 met the inclusionary criteria. The reviewed publications addressed issues of how best to achieve inclusive education…

Inclusive education presents a significant challenge for contemporary society. All children should have the opportunity to develop according to their educational needs within an inclusive environment. The effectiveness of the school support team plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. This research aimed to explore the perspectives of…

One of the criticisms concerning teacher aides (TAs) is that they have limited education and pedagogical skills to support teaching of students with disabilities in the classroom. In Ghana, universities have responded and have introduced a 4-year degree programme in special education. The graduates are recruited as TAs by the government, to work…

International discussion on inclusive education has managed to identify various contextual, process and individual factors having an impact on implementation. In addition, learning and support assistants (LSAs) have been found to be a key element in enhancing participation and learning for all students in inclusive schools. The present…

This qualitative study looked at the experience of teachers, past and present, who have taught Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students at an inclusive school on an island nation. The researcher explored the perceived ability of the teachers to support these students in learning social and emotional skills. Additionally, the study included the…

This qualitative study examines obstacles hindering social inclusion into mainstream classes from the perspective of Czech high school students with congenital physical disabilities. Data obtained from in-depth interviews were subjected to a situational analysis, with results indicating that the participants (N=10) perceived as challenging their…

Internationally, teacher assistants (TAs) have emerged as a prominent feature of inclusive educational service delivery and existing research has focused extensively on their roles, training and supervision. In the context of this special issue on TAs, this article describes reasons why relying extensively on TAs as a central feature of inclusive…

The inclusion of all children in regular classrooms is an important aim in many European countries. For the implementation of inclusion some children rely on support via learning and support assistants. Despite the benefits assistants provide by enhancing student access and progress, assistants' support has also been criticised for contributing to…

With the number of teacher assistants (TAs) employed in schools steadily increasing, most teachers are likely to work with a TA at various times throughout their career. International research indicates there is scope for teachers to enhance their work with TAs. This systematic review examines teachers' perceptions of their work with TAs.…

The challenge of educating children with special educational needs in the same mainstream classroom settings as their peers has been recognised internationally. Research suggests mainstream teachers are inadequately prepared for inclusive education. Herein, we explored teachers' views on inclusive practice using a descriptive qualitative study…

Teacher-student relationships are critically important for student engagement and learning. Increasingly, children with additional behavioural, physical, communication, and learning needs are supported in the classroom by teacher aides working alongside teachers. Although the teacher aide role is often described as relational, few studies have…