Abstract:

Introduction:
In this paper we depict the practice of inclusive education in Serbia through analysis of the position and responsibilities of pedagogical assistants as external associates in schools. A pedagogical assistant as a job position in elementary schools was established in 2011 by the Ministry of Education, as an institutionalized upgrade from Roma assistants. Their purposes are providing assistance and additional support to children with special needs and children at risk. It is important to note that the area of work of these associates extends to working with children, teachers, school counselors, and parents. This area is not precisely defined in the educational laws, which can lead to arbitrariness in interpretation of their roles and responsibilities. However, it is possible to extract some general forms of support they provide: for the students it is psycho-social support, support in learning, providing materials and administrative support; for the colleagues it is helping with the administrative work, class preparation and classroom management, organizing and conducting curricular activities, participating in extracurricular activities; for the parent or legal guardians it is helping in development of parental competencies, mediating their collaboration with the school, advocating for the academic success of every student in the parental community and beyond. The complexity of work, as well as a broad and undefined area of responsibilities of pedagogical assistants implies to the need for examination of their position and status in school context.

Objectives:
This study aims at determining how teachers and school counselors evaluate the role and contribution of pedagogical assistants in advancement of inclusive education practices.

Methods:
Qualitative research design was used in this study with semi-structured interview as a research technique involving twenty teachers and school counselors.

Results:
The results show that respondents have a very superficial knowledge about the role of pedagogical assistant and that they confuse it with other job profiles, but they recognize positive effects of their work not only for the special needs children but for the all subjects of school life. Major problems that pedagogical assistants encounter in their practice are also discussed.

Conclusions:
The status of pedagogical assistants is quite low (small compensation for work, low presence in schools across country, and lack of recognition). On the other hand, respondents, state that the contribution of these associates is indisputable and that without them it would be very difficult to work. Therefore it is necessary to work on overall improvement of the position, expertise and status of pedagogical assistants.

Acknowledgement:
This paper was created on the project “Digital media technology and socio-educational changes” (47020) that is financed in the period from 2011 to 2019 by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological development of Republic of Serbia.

Keywords:

Educational inclusion, pedagogical assistant, additional support, special needs, children at risk.