Description of the Participation and Actions Carried Out by Speech-Language Therapists in Collaborative Work and Co-Teaching in Chile

Abstract

Collaborative work is recognized as an interactive process where various professionals collectively define, discuss, and offer solutions to problems. Within collaborative work, the modality of co-teaching can be found, defined as the process in which two or more individuals share the responsibility for teaching a group or the entire student body of a class. This modality is considered one of the most effective forms of collaborative work, as it enables interdisciplinary teams to make decisions aimed at achieving student success in the classroom. Speech-Language Therapists are integral members of classroom teams. However, their specific functions, the nature of their participation, and the approach of their work within these teams are not documented in detail in Chile. Therefore, the objective of this study is to describe the current participation and actions of speech-language therapists in collaborative work and co-teaching within regular classrooms. To this end, a descriptive quantitative design was employed to study a sample of 135 participants who met the eligibility criteria. A Google questionnaire was used for data collection. The results show that speech-language therapists have a high level of participation in collaborative work, while only half of the sample reported engaging in co-teaching activities. Further research on the actions of speech-language therapists is recommended to systematize the practices that these professionals carry out in the field of education.