‘We wear multiple hats’: Exploratory study of role of special education teachers of public schools in India

Abstract

The role of special education teachers (SETs) is multifaceted. A gap was recognised in the literature in the lack of studies on the roles and responsibilities of SETs in India and the field realities of carrying out the role. The aim was to explore to what extent the special education teachers fulfil their roles and responsibilities. The following is an exploratory study, using open-ended questions that interviewed 12 SETs from five public schools in Delhi, India. The policy documents shared that the SETs were responsible for direct instruction to special needs students, parent–teacher collaboration and documentation, including IEPs for students with special needs. But in practice, there were not any clear-cut boundaries, the SETs played multiple roles—Subject teacher, taking substitution periods, para teachers, these were keeping the SETs away from their core responsibilities. The results of the study demonstrated an undervaluation of the work of SETs and lack of support from the principal and regular teachers. The results concluded with recommendations for policy proposal with regards to defining the role of all stakeholders in an inclusive education school and improvements for the teacher education program.