An Examination of the Expertise and Needs of Special Needs Education Assistants from the Perspective of Parents

Abstract

This study conducted a questionnaire survey with parents of individuals with disabilities to clarify the needs for support and required expertise for Special Needs Education Assistants (SNEAs). The types of support requested by parents included toileting assistance and academic support, aligning with the roles envisaged in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's (MEXT) guide for the use of SNEAs. Detailed responses indicated the necessity for SNEAs to observe daily activities, collaborate with teachers for support planning, and possess a certain level of knowledge about disability characteristics. Additionally, there was a need for support in commuting and participating in exchanges and collaborative learning. Since MEXT's envisioned roles mainly focus on elementary and middle schools, a future challenge is to research actual childcare and educational settings from kindergarten to high schools to identify the types of support needed and whether the support provided meets parents' needs.