Arab Educational Information Network

Inclusive education is a growing priority on an international and Dubai level. Central to inclusive education is the provision of necessary supports to students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) to ensure they access quality education and reach their fullest potential. In Dubai, shadow teachers’ provisions arise as a common response required by schools to match the obligation to include students with SEND in mainstream schools and provide them with the necessary supports. And within Dubai context, parents are the ones held responsible to employ a shadow teacher for their children. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore and understand the experiences of parents of children with SEND with regards to shadow teachers’ provision through conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 7 parents. Themes emerging from this study will unfold what the parents are experiencing throughout their journey, the success factors and challenges that emerge and their recommendations to improve the practice of shadow teachers’ provision. The findings from this study which reflect the voice of parents would have implications on a policy and practice level in the area of inclusive education in general and shadow teachers’ provision in particular. (Author's abstract)