Background: The curriculum for both adapted upper secondary school and adapted compulsory school states that everyone within the school must use the curriculum. Nevertheless, it is stated in the introductory chapter of the curriculum that the curriculum is aimed to all teachers and for all teachers. It shows an exclusion of other professions, including student assistants, which are so important for students in need of adaptations. Along with them, the school's goal is to provide the right conditions for the students and the conditions come from the staff but also from the collaboration meeting that the school staff has together with other professions and relatives of the students.Aim: The purpose of the study is to interpret and understand the picture of how student assistants at an adapted school, experience power structures and power relations that they may encounter in a collaborative process. The issues related to the purpose are: What perceptions do student assistants have about their participation and influence in a collaboration process and what perceptions do the student assistants have about their room for manoeuvre in a collaborative process.Methods: I have done a qualitative semi-structured interview study. Where I interviewed five student assistants.Results: The results show that the student assistants may participate before the collaboration meeting but not in the meeting. The results also show that they have room for manoeuvre that they can use when they encounter resistance in the operations.Conclusions: The result of the study showed that there is a balance of power based on mandate and status within the organisation because the educators and principals have the overall decisive decision-making.

The demand for student support personnel (teaching assistants) in schools is increasing. Yet there is still a lack of a clear description of what the profession really entails. This study investigates the professional role of teaching assistants working with younger pupils using profession theory. The study aims to clarify the perceptions of teaching assistants through interviews regarding: (1) the areas of work that characterize the profession, (2) the autonomy gained by teaching assistants, and 3) the conditions offered to develop their professional role.  The interviews are analyzed through thematic analysis and identify five commonly occurring areas of work. These are (1) to establishing safe relationships; (2) to implement educational adjustments; (3) to provide support; (4) to manage disruptive behaviors, and (5) to work in areas that extend beyond student-specific tasks. These are summarized in the discussion as three themes: Teaching assistants dealing with behaviors deviating from the norm, teaching, and again, areas of work that are not student specific. The results also show variation in how teaching assistants work with these different areas. The autonomy of teaching assistants extends to areas involving the specific student, and the conditions offered by the workplace were found to be inadequate for their development.  The conclusions of the study highlight that the working situation of teaching assistants is not sustainable, making the profession unpopular and causing a high turnover among employees. Therefore, a change is needed for the role of teaching assistants if they are to be used to create equal opportunities for all students to participate in regular education. / Efterfrågan på elevresurser ökar i skolor samtidigt som det än idag saknas en tydlig förklaring av vad yrket innebär. Denna studie utreder elevresursens yrkesroll i arbetet med yngre elever med hjälp av professionsteorin. Studien avser att genom intervjuer reda ut elevresursers uppfattningar gällande: 1) vilka arbetsområden som kännetecknar yrkesrollen, 2) vilken autonomi elevresurser besitter, samt 3) vilka förutsättningar elevresurser har att utveckla sin yrkesroll. Intervjuerna analyseras genom en tematisk analys och identifierar fem vanligt förekommande arbetsområden. Dessa är följande: 1) att skapa trygga relationer, 2) att genomföra anpassningar, 3) att förse elever med stöd, 4) att hantera utåtagerande handlingar, samt 5) arbetsområden som sträcker sig utanför elevspecifika uppgifter. Dessa sammanfattas som tre teman,elevresursen som hanterare av avvikande beteenden, undervisning samt återigen ej elevspecifika arbetsområden. Resultatet påvisar även en variation i hur de arbetar med de olika områdena. Elevresursers autonomi och gränsarbete sträcker sig till arbetsområden som omfattar den specifika eleven och de förutsättningar arbetsplatsen erbjuder yrkesrollen framkom som bristfälliga. Slutsatsen av studien framhålls vara att elevresursers arbetssituation inte är hållbar och att detta även gör yrket oattraktiv och skapar en stor ruljangs bland anställda. En förändring bör således ske för yrkesrollen om vi ska fortsätta använda elevresurser ute i skolor för att skapa samma förutsättningar för alla elever att delta i den reguljära undervisningen.

I den här studien läggs fokus på elevassistentens roll och förutsättningar för arbete inom grundsärskolans inriktning ämnesområden och i mötet med elever som har komplexa kommunikationsbehov. Syftet är att belysa hur elevassistenter själva ser på sin yrkesroll och sitt uppdrag. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med nio elevassistenter verksamma inom grundsärskolan. Situerat perspektiv användes för analys av det empiriska materialet. Studiens resultat visar att elevassistenter ser sig själva fylla en viktig funktion i grundsärskolans verksamhet, både genom att stötta elever under skoldagens olika moment och även för att stöttas pecialläraren i det pedagogiska arbetet. Elevassistentyrket ses som en bortprioriterady rkesgrupp vars arbetsbelastning är hög samtidigt som de inte erkänns för sin arbetsinsats. Studiens resultat bekräftar tidigare forskning som bedrivits inom området - elevassistenter efterfrågar större möjlighet till fortbildning och kompetensutveckling framför allt inom undervisning, alternativ och kompletterande kommunikation samt lågaffektivt bemötande. I studien diskuteras även de maktförhållanden som kan uppstå inom skolans verksamheter. Både mellan lärare och assistenter, men även mellan nya och mer erfarna assistenter på arbetsplatsen. / In this study, focus is placed on the role of paraeducators within special compulsory school in Sweden, in their work with students with severe intellectual disabilities and complex communication needs. The purpose of this study is to elicit how paraeducators view their professional role and assignment, and their work as a communicative resource. Interviews were conducted with nine paraeducators, and the theory of situated learning is used as the framework through which the empirical material is analysed. The results of the study show that paraeducators see themselves fulfilling an important function in the activities of special compulsory school, both by supporting students during the schoolday and by supporting the special needs teacher with regards to educational strategies. Paraeducators are seen as a deprioritized group who often work hard on their own with little recognition. The results of the study confirm previous research conducted in the field, that paraeducators demand greater opportunities for further education and development, especiallyin special education, augmentative and alternative communication, and low-arousal approach. The study also discusses the power relations that may appear between teachers and paraeducators, as well as those between newer paraeducators and those who are more experienced.

Utifrån Normaliseringsprincipen och demokratiska strömningar under andra hälften av 1900-talet påbörjades på skolområdet en integreringsprocess. Begreppet inkludering introducerades senare för att markera skolans ansvar i frågan. Trots inkluderingsuppdraget har avskiljande lösningar inom skolan åter blivit vanliga. Studier om rörelsehindrade barns skolvardag visar att det förekommer många exkluderande situationer i skolan, ofta omedvetna och i tron att dessa är bäst för eleven. Dessa situationer är en följd av att skolan inte arbetar på organisationsnivå med inkluderingsfrågor. Syftet med denna studie har varit att belysa inkluderingsaspekter i skolan för elever med rörelsehinder. Deltagarna i studien var tre unga personer med rörelsehinder som gått inkluderade i skolan. Studien har en livshistorisk ansats där deltagarna berättade om sina skolminnen, som sedan analyserades utifrån Tangens modell om fyra dimensioner: tid, mening, relationer, samt självbestämmande och kontroll. Deltagarna bedömer att de i den inkluderade skolverksamheten utvecklats, men att de många gånger fått kämpa för sin rätt och ibland fått lösa uppkomna situationer själva. De har alla haft elevassistent. De unga vuxna som deltagit i studien är positiva till inkludering och menar att detta har gett dem bättre möjligheter i deras vuxna liv. Vidare forskning kan vara longitudinella studier om elever med funktionsnedsättningar och fortsatta studier, hur den marknadsanpassade skolan påverkar elever med funktionsnedsättningars möjligheter att gå inkluderade, studier om elevassistentens funktion samt hur inkluderande idrottsundervisningen ska bedrivas för elever med rörelsehinder. / Based on the Normalization Principle and democratic movements in the second half of the 1900s an integration process considering school began. The concept of inclusion was introduced later to mark the school's responsibility in the matter. Despite the inclusion mission separation solutions for school has again become common. Studies on disabled children's school day shows that there are many exclusive situations in school, often unconscious, and in the belief that these are the best for the student. These situations are a result of schools not working at the organizational level with inclusion issues. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the inclusion aspects of the school for students with disabilities. Participants in the study were three young people with disabilities who have included the school. The study has a life-historical approach in which participants talked about their school memories, which were then analyzed based on Tangen´s model in four dimensions: time, meaning, relationships, and self-determination and control. The participants believe that they included in the school system evolved but they often had to fight for their rights and sometimes had to resolve arisen situations  themselves. They have all had a student assistant. The young adults who participated in the study are positive towards inclusion and believe that this has given them better opportunities in their adult lives. Further research may be longitudinal studies of students with disabilities and further studies, how the market-school affects students with disabilities and their ability to be included at  school, studies on student assistant's function and how inclusive physical education should be conducted for students with disabilities.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka stödinsatsen i form av elevassistent och hur insatsen kopplas till elevens behov av särskilt stöd. Studien bygger på tidigare forskning kring elevassistentens roll och funktion i arbetet med elever i behov av särskilt stöd och har en kvalitativ ansats där åtgärdsprogram har samlats in och bearbetats med hjälp av dokumentanalys som metod. Även djupintervjuer av semi-strukturerad karaktär genomfördes med en rektor, en speciallärare och tre elevassistenter. Resultatet från dokumentanalysen analyserades och sammanställdes i en tabell och de inspelade intervjuerna transkriberades och sammanställdes utifrån teman. Resultatet analyserades, sammanfattades och sattes sedan i relation till tidigare forskning samt studiens teoretiska ramverk. Sammanfattningsvis påvisar resultatet att stödbehov kopplat till elevassistent som insats ofta är av social karaktär. Elevassistentens roll handlar med andra ord främst om att fungera som en stödstruktur, speciellt i sociala sammanhang. I elevassistentens roll ingår också ofta någon form av undervisning, antingen enskilt eller i mindre grupper. Elevassisternas behov av stöd hamnar inom områden som planeringstid, handledning och kompetensutveckling. I vilket omfattning detta stöd ges beror utifrån detta resultat lite på vilken enhet samt inom vilka årskullar elevassistenten är verksam. För att säkerställa att insatsen resulterar i en akademisk progression hos eleven, påvisar resultatet att detta sker genom dialoger mellan lärare och elevassistent samt genom olika typer av test. / The purpose of this study was to investigate what kind of support being conducted by the profession student assistant, and how their role is linked to students with special educational needs. The study is based on previous research how the role student assistant is functioning in relation to students with special educational needs. The study has a qualitative approach and the theoretical framework is based on the ecological system theory. Individualized educational plans have been collected and processed using document analysis as a method. In-depth interviews of semi-structured nature was also conducted with a principal, a special teacher and three student assistants. The results of the document analysis were analyzed and complied in a table and the recorded interviews were transcribed and complied based on themes. The result of the document analysis was analyzed, summarized and then compared in relation to previous research as well as the theoretical framework of the study. The results in terms of what is required from the student assistant are pointing towards needs of social character. In other words, the role of the student assistant is primarily to function as a support structure, especially in social contexts. A part within the role also includes teaching, either individually or in smaller groups. The student’s assistants need for support can be categorized into planning time, supervision and adequate education. Whether, and in what extent various support is given, varies from the result. The result demonstrates that the pupil’s academic progression is being ensured via dialogues between teachers and student assistants as well as various types of tests.