Collaborative team approaches to supporting inclusion of children with disability in mainstream schools: A co-design study.
Strong inclusion teams run on short daily huddles, shared training, and one clear definition of inclusion.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Garcia-Melgar et al. (2022) asked teachers, aides, parents, and therapists to co-design better teamwork for inclusive classrooms.
They ran focus groups and interviews in Australian primary schools.
The goal was to find the nuts-and-bolts that make inclusion work for kids with mixed disabilities.
What they found
Four themes popped out: clear talk channels, shared routines, joint training, and a common picture of what inclusion means.
Teams that built these pieces said inclusion felt smoother and less stressful.
How this fits with other research
Graham et al. (2024) give you a ready-made tool: the Good Inclusion Game boosts friendly acts between kids and the gains last.
Smith et al. (2023) warn that Somali mothers still meet low expectations and poor talks, so your team must check its own bias.
Mutabbakani et al. (2020) seems to clash: Kuwaiti mums of preschoolers with autism prefer special-ed rooms.
The gap is age and culture: the target looked at older kids in teams that already chose inclusion, while Kuwaiti families doubt early-grade supports exist.
Why it matters
You can copy the four themes tomorrow. Start with a five-minute daily huddle: who does what, when, and why. Add one shared mini-training each month so everyone defines inclusion the same way. These small moves turn the big idea of teamwork into real kid success.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Collaborative consultation involving educational staff, allied health professionals and parents working towards goals for children with disability is considered best practice in inclusive education. However, challenges can hinder effective collaboration, thereby potentially limiting child outcomes. AIMS: The study aims were to (a) explore the experiences of teachers, teacher assistants, allied health professionals, and parents engaging in collaborative teamwork to support inclusion of children with disability in mainstream primary schools, and (b) identify key factors influencing effective teamwork and the design of support strategies. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A co-design research method emulated collaborative consultation and authentic stakeholder teamwork. Data were from a series of six co-design workshops (15 h); discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. An interpretive descriptive method of thematic analysis resulted in four key themes. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Critical factors that influenced collaborative teamwork were access to diagnosis and funding, mechanisms for team communications, practical ways of working together, and shared understandings of inclusion. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Stakeholder teams require effective communication mechanisms and practical ways of working together within and outside of classrooms. Shared understandings of inclusion provide a foundation for collaboration, requiring access to professional development to ensure teamwork is informed by best inclusive education practice.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104233