Support for the professional development of special education teacher through school consultation: A case study of the support for deafblind education teacher

Abstract

Educational restructuring in special education is currently under way. The number of children who have severely/profoundly, multiply and diverse disabilities has increased in these days. It must be one of the main tasks to make solid treatment for these children and needs therefore support for progress of teacher’s expertise. This article presents a case report of school consultation that is aimed at improving teacher’s knowledge and skills in the field of special education. This investigation led us to consider that the main functional points of this consultation were as follows; (1) through the school consultation, consultant mainly offered psychological support to consultee, (2) consultant and consultee analyzed the educational process and shared mutual professional expertise for resolution of actual problem, (3) consultant offered technical information and skills to consultee on as-needed basis, (4) consultant built bridge between school and community and supported maintenance of its relation.

This school consultation functioned as an “on-site training” for improving teacher’s professional knowledge and skills. School consultation as community psychological intervention respects autonomy and empowerment of school, so a consultant is expected to be a effective intervenient who make a point of two way communicative process. Through this case study, a meaning and function of school consultation based on the communicative approach towards new special educational provision discussed.