ERIC Number: EJ1121658
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2332-3205
EISSN: N/A
The Inclusion Assistant: Who Is She Supposed to Be? An Exploratory Study
Moshe, Anat; Licht, Perach
Universal Journal of Educational Research, v4 n12 p2795-2805 2016
Following the almost worldwide implementation of policies giving all students--including those with special education needs--the right to learn within the general education system, there has been a sharp increase in the number of inclusion assistants (IA). IAs provide special-needs students one-to-one accompaniment, allowing them to function in the general education classroom and reducing the onus on the classroom teacher in such cases. Unfortunately, many, if not most, of IAs enter the system without suitable training or special qualifications and often neither they nor the teachers have a clear idea of how they should fulfill their role. This exploratory study used a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to identify and compare how 30 classroom teachers and IAs define the IA's role. It also studied how eight IAs changed their perception of their roles after attending an IA training course and what the implications of such courses may be. The findings indicated that there is a discrepancy in how teachers and IAs define the IA's role, indicating a need for clearer delineations. The results also indicated the necessity for creating a suitable framework for teaching IAs the theoretical and practical aspects of the job.
Descriptors: Regular and Special Education Relationship, Inclusion, Disabilities, Paraprofessional School Personnel, Training, Employment Qualifications, Role, Questionnaires, Semi Structured Interviews, Staff Development, Foreign Countries, Student Needs
Horizon Research Publishing. 506 North Garfield Avenue #210, Alhambra, CA 91801. e-mail: editor@hrpub.org; Web site: http://www.hrpub.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Israel
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A