COOPERATION BETWEEN THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANT AND THE FAMILY AS A PREREQUISITE FOR EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION
Keywords:
inclusive education, educational assistants, family, collaboration, support, special educational needsAbstract
Inclusive education represents a systemic approach that provides equal opportunities for learning and development of students with special educational needs, wherein the collaboration between the family and the educational assistant plays a key role in ensuring effective and high-quality inclusion. The aim of this study is to examine the nature, quality, and challenges of the collaboration between educational assistants and parents, as well as to identify the factors that enhance this cooperation in practice. The research was conducted using an electronic questionnaire (Google Forms) on a sample of 15 educational assistants from mainstream primary schools in North Macedonia. The analysis includes demographic characteristics, frequency and modes of communication with families, perceived challenges, examples of good practice, and recommendations for improvement. The results show that most assistants maintain regular communication with parents (10 on a daily basis, 4 several times a week), and the collaboration is most often evaluated as excellent or very good. The most common obstacles identified are lack of time, mismatched expectations, distrust, insufficient parental engagement, and linguistic/cultural barriers. Successful practices include daily open communication, joint planning, timely notification about achievements or difficulties, and coordinated support at home and at school. Participants recommend regular training for assistants, stronger professional support, more frequent meetings with parents, and clear guidelines for collaborative work. The study confirms that high-quality and continuous cooperation between educational assistants and families is an invaluable factor for the academic, social, and emotional progress of students with special educational needs. Improving communication skills, strengthening mutual trust, and establishing structures for regular information exchange are essential prerequisites for effective and sustainable inclusion.
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