Investigating the collaboration between specialist and mainstream teachers in enhancing inclusive education: a case of two selected primary schools in Mulanje

Abstract

Collaboration in education today is seen as a legal command, best practice in teachers‘ mode of operation, and necessary for the inclusion of children with special education needs (SEN). Since the declaration of Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education in 1994, many countries have been striving to improve the quality of their education systems by adopting inclusive practices to achieve equality among learners with diverse needs. Teachers‘ collaboration has been reported as one of the most important factors in promoting inclusive education. However, the way collaboration is implemented in most countries affects learners‘ inclusion and their learning. The aim of this study was to understand the nature of collaborative practices between specialist and mainstream teachers in enhancing inclusive education in primary schools in Malawi. This study chose to be guided by the Community of Practice Theory as propounded by Lave and Wenger, (1991). The research used a qualitative approach through face-to-face semi-structured interviews involving seven participants of which five were specialist teachers and two were head teachers from two selected primary schools. In addition, focus group discussions involving fourteen mainstream teachers were conducted. In total, three focus group discussions of four or five participants were conducted. Furthermore, observations were also conducted whereby both sets of teachers were observed as they went about doing their day-to-day work to appreciate how they collaborated in enhancing inclusive education. The theory focuses much on social interaction and that knowledge is the result of social interaction and a shared experience rather than individual‘s preserve. The findings of the study indicate that collaboration between mainstream and specialist teachers was limited in scope and that the nature of collaboration was conditional, erratic and unplanned. Essentially, the findings show that only mainstream teachers consulted specialist teachers and that the consultations are done only when mainstream teachers meet problems while

assisting learners with SEN in an inclusive class. Besides, there are no activities that are planned or carried out jointly between these two sets of teachers and there are no schedules to show that the two sets of teachers work together. The results further revealed that many activities are done on individual bases rather than teamwork where these sets of teachers share ideas in order to achieve the intended goals of inclusive education. The study attributes this to lack of policy clarity and several other factors and proposes a collaboration model deemed most appropriate for the Malawian context.