ERIC Number: EJ1094801
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0827-3383
EISSN: N/A
Examining Collaboration and Constrains on Collaboration between Special and General Education Teachers in Mainstream Schools in Jordan
Al-Natour, Mayada; Amr, Muna; Al-Zboon, Eman; Alkhamra, Hatem
International Journal of Special Education, v30 n1 p64-77 2015
This paper examines collaboration between general and special education teachers in mainstream schools in Jordan from their own points of view. It explores the extent to which teachers work collaboratively throughout the different stages of the special educational programs of students with special needs (i.e. referral, assessment, planning, and implementing the educational program stages). It also looks at constrains that may hinder this collaboration. The study adopts a mixed method design, where teachers' views on collaboration and constrains on collaboration were first surveyed and then further examined through a series of semi-structured interviews. Both survey and interview results showed that teachers collaborate at a low level throughout the different stages of the student's special educational program. Results also showed that collaboration is constrained by different factors including: teachers' large workload; high numbers of students in the classroom; lack of awareness of the importance of collaboration; lack of pre- and in-service training in the area of inclusive education; general education teachers' negative attitudes toward working with students with special needs; and lack of support from schools administration and students' families. The results are discussed in relation to the study context: inclusive education was only recently introduced to the education system in Jordan and has therefore not yet been fully adopted or understood by the different educational parties. Also, general and special teachers education programs at both pre-service and in-service level have not updated their programs so to prepare teachers to work in inclusive educational settings and be able to collaborate with each other.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teacher Collaboration, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Special Education Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Mixed Methods Research, Barriers, Teacher Surveys, Semi Structured Interviews, Inclusion, Teacher Characteristics, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Family School Relationship, Class Size, Teaching Load, Likert Scales
International Journal of Special Education. 2889 Highbury Street, Vancouver, BC V6R 3T7, Canada. Web site: http://www.internationaljournalofspecialed.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Jordan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A