Consultation and Collaboration in Special Education Programs: Adapting the American Model to the Saudi Arabian Context

Abstract

In Saudi Arabia, families of special needs children deal with several specialists who contribute to the development of parents’ skills and instruct them about the proper care for their children. However, some families experience pressure due to contradictory information and conflicting suggestions from specialists regarding the condition and diagnosis of their children. This research investigates the concept of consultation and collaboration as applied and researched in the USA and emphasizes its importance among workers and specialists in special education programs. The research analyzes several aspects of consultation and collaboration, differentiates between each one, shows their importance and illustrates the scientific techniques used in this process. The research concludes that officials should focus on activating the role of consultation and collaboration in special education programs. It also reveals the importance of training workers in special education in pre-service, with field work on employing the several techniques of consultation and collaboration. Moreover, in the specific context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialists must build on the American experience in the application of consultation and collaboration and aim for scientific planning and implication and continuous assessment of consultation and collaboration.

Keywords: Consultation, Collaboration, Special Education, workers in special education.