ABSTRACT
The deployment of additional adults working in collaboration with teachers to support the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream and special schools has become increasingly common internationally over the past two decades. Trends relating to increase in numbers as well as issues relating to the most effective use of these adults have been well recorded in the literature. In a summary of literature relating to the work of ‘teacher assistants’ from the USA Giangreco and Doyle (2007) report that, although additional adults have been identified as a support to the inclusion of students with SEN, they have also been identified as creating barriers to inclusion. Lack of clarity relating to their role, especially in relation to the teaching and learning process, and lack of appropriate training are identified across jurisdictions as contributing to practices that may have negative consequences for the students who are being supported.
