Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Roles And Responsibilities Of Paraprofessionals: In Their Own Words, Karen Patterson

Karen B. Patterson

This study focused on the perceptions of paraprofessionals regarding the roles they fulfill while working with children with disabilities in special education and inclusive settings. Students were in Grades K through 12 and represented a range of disability categories (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, serious emotional disturbance, developmental, and learning disabilities). Twenty-two paraprofessionals were interviewed using a semistructured interview guide to establish their understanding of their roles, responsibilities, teacher expectations, training needs, and challenges they experienced while working with others. Findings from this study indicate that paraprofessionals tend to assume high levels of responsibility for managing the academic and behavioral needs …