Teachers’ Inclusive, Augmentative, Assistive and IT Competences in Working with Children with Special Educational Needs

Tamara Milic

doi:10.22158/fet.v4n2p132

Abstract

In this study we wanted to determine the presence of teachers’ information-communication-technological competencies in working with students with special educational needs. Desk research provides an overview of policy and support in inclusive education in Montenegro, with a focus on teachers’ inclusive training. From 2015 to 2018, 148 trainings were realized in the field of inclusive education and 3848 teachers were trained - most often, these were one-day trainings, duration - 8 hours, and the topics were: Working with specific disabilities, adaptation, individualization. Systematic observation based on a protocol was conducted with 15 children from the second to the sixth grade of primary school: autism; intellectual, visual, hearing, combined disabilities and difficulties: speech, language, reading and writing. The findings indicate that teachers are educated to an individualize approach. We observed the application of the approach and the use of learning and communication technology. The effects of teachers’ work and competencies are better after training, coaching and when they get support from the professional associates of the school and/or resource center. Teachers’ attitudes are positive, they show creativity, adaptability, use the technologies after they have been trained about the characteristics of students, and recommended approaches for working with them.

Highlights

Inclusion reflects the way society adapts to the individual
The general impression is that teachers are purposefully trained to work with a child with a specific disability or developmental difficulty they have in the classroom
Optimal and appropriate application of specific techniques, tools, accessories, approaches in working with a specific disability or difficulty in development. They show openness and flexibility to adapt to the child and organize the teaching process in the direction of achieving the goals set by the Individual Educational Developmental Plan (IDEP)

Summary

Introduction

Inclusion reflects the way society adapts to the individual. It starts with acknowledging the differences between the children. Children with hearing impairments have difficulties in forming speech, locating the source of sound, verbal communication. They use reading, sign language, they prefer written forms (Milićb et al, 2017). When it comes to children with physical disabilities, challenges in communication are possible in the form of difficult formulation, understanding, duration of communication, clarity, articulation. Some of the AT means used for communication are: communication board, picture book, objects, letters, words, applications that help communication with the help of symbols that are verbally supported They are characterized by flexibility, accessibility, ease of use (Mitchell & Sutherland, 2020). The required inclusive competencies and the framework that gives a broader direction of their development when talking about children with special educational needs are defined in the context of attitudes, values and skills of teachers to implement educational work (Council of Europe, 2016)

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion