The value of facilitators for learners with special needs

Abstract

Within the South African context, significantly scarce amounts of research examine facilitation. This study aimed to extend this research by examining what potential value facilitators have in an inclusive school. The researcher aimed to achieve this by examining the perspectives of three essential individuals within LwSs lives, i.e., teachers, facilitators, and parents of LwSs. This study examined the opinions of each participant about the potential value facilitation has and how it has been utilized within our context. This study used a social constructionism epistemology within a qualitative methodological approach that utilized a multiple-case study research design and thematic content analysis. Two cases with three types of participants were interviewed for each case. The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of facilitation within the South African context, teachers and parents agreed that the true value of facilitation necessitates the balance of ‘finding the right fit’ for a LwS learning barriers. Although findings indicated that when the right facilitator was found, LwSs had a platform for their complex needs to be met, stakeholders need to be cautious and selective in implementing facilitation due to the recognised dangers within the facilitation process. These challenges were evident in the lack of training all participants had in the varying understanding facilitation took, the boundaries, expectations, and role definition of facilitation; the potential academic, social, and physical dependencies facilitators created; the lack of trained facilitators had and their need to preform, as well as educators’ perceptions and utilization of facilitation.