“Kommunikationen betyder ju allt, det är ju A och O [...]. Det är en frihet för alla att kunna kommunicera?”

: En kvalitativ studie om hur speciallärare med specialisering mot utvecklingsstörning lyfter fram metoder för kommunikation

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to shed light on how special education teachers with a focus on developmental disabilities, to highlight methods that benefit communication development for students at the special school. Furthermore, the social contexts and tools that are used to promote communication for students in special schools are highlighted. The study interprets the results from the socio-cultural perspective where artifacts, culture and the immediate development zone are the central concepts used in the interpretation. A hermeneutic approach is used in the study and qualitative interviews of a semi-structured nature were conducted with eight special teachers, active in primary and secondary special schools around Sweden. One hope was that the study would provide aha-experiences regarding how teachers can work with communication and give us a larger toolbox in our profession as special teachers. The results are presented in categories that emerged from the analysis of the empirical data.The results show that communication within the special school includes many different artifacts, and the artifacts that are used most are images and signs. Cultures that exist to promote communication development for students at the special school are reading and playing games so that the students can become as independent as possible. For those at an early stage of development, imitation is emphasized as central to developing communication. The study shows that both special needs teachers and students need support in the immediate development zone when it comes to communication. The environments are communicatively accessible, but only at the individual and group level and not at the organizational level.