THE ROLE OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF I.E.P. IN A SELECTED SPECIAL SCHOOL IN THARAKA NTHI COUNTY, KENYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v11i7.6496Keywords:
multidisciplinary team, I.E.P., special school, Tharaka Nthi CountyAbstract
An individualised education plan is the blueprint of the specialised curriculum that a learner with an exceptional program should follow to succeed in school. It also provides transition planning to ensure that the learner with exceptional needs, and more so, Intellectual Disability, becomes an educated, productive, and participating member of the community. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which Members of a multidisciplinary team have been involved in the development and utilization of I.E.P. This is mixed-method research that adopted a descriptive research design. The sample size of the research comprised 1 headteacher, 8 teachers and 126 learners. Piaget’s Constructivist Theory of Learning guided the research. Respondents were identified through purposive sampling. Questionnaires and interview schedules were the tools used to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS software version 26. It was reported through descriptive statistics. Data obtained from the interviews were coded, read repeatedly to identify patterns, then themes, and were reported narratively. Findings indicate that MDT are inadequately involved in the development and implementation of Individualized Education Program in the selected institution of research. Among the major impediments to their full participation are a lack of common availability during scheduling, unfamiliarity with occupational jargon across occupations and a lack of administrative support.
Article visualizations:
References
Abdelhameed, H. (2010). The development and provision of educational services for children with intellectual disabilities in Egypt [Ebook]. Retrieved from http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-65382010000100002
Adnams, C. (2010). Perspectives of intellectual disability in South Africa: epidemiology, policy, services for children and adults. [ebook] Available at: http://www.ruralrehab.co.za/uploads/3/0/9/0/3090989/adnams_curropinpsych_sept2010.pdf
Bagadood, N. & Saigh, B. (2022). Multidisciplinary Team Approach In Special Education Settings. Saudi Arabia: Perceptions And Issues. 6., p. 1436-1447. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366714404_Multidisciplinary_Team_Approach_In_Special_Education_Settings_In_Saudi_Arabia_Perceptions_And_Issues
Bakker, A. (2018). What is design research in education? In Design Research in Education (pp. 3-22). Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203701010-2/design-research-education-1-arthur-bakker
Brenda, S.-R. (2024). Progress Monitoring Importance, Challenges, and Solutions (2024). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 980. Retrieved from https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/980
Chavan, B., & Rozatkar, A. (2015). Intellectual disability in India: Charity to rights-based. Indian J Psychiatry. 56(2):113–116. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.130477
Chisala, M. & Sememba, F. (2025). Challenges Hindering Effective Collaboration among Stakeholders in Special Education Units of Pemba District. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research. 5. 2179-2184. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049X.2025.5.2.4147
Fleming, D. C., & Fleming, E. R. (2015). Problems in Implementation of the Team Approach: A Practitioner's Perspective. Napoline, 12(12): 144-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.1983.12085024
IDEAL. (2013). Intellectual Disabilities - Project IDEAL. Retrieved from http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/intellectual-disabilities/
Kahongeh, C. (2017). Schools ill-equipped to support children with special needs: [online] Daily Nation. Retrieved from https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/schools-ill-equipped-to-support-children-with-special-need/2643604-4354184-128j8xz/index.html
Kashaka, N. & Special, K. (2025). Addressing Burnout in Educational Administrators. IAA Journal of Art and Humanities. 12 9-15. https://doi.org/10.59298/IAAJAH/2025/121915
Law N. L. W., Hong L. W., Tan S. S. N., Foo C. J., Lee D., Voon P.J. (2024). Barriers And Challenges Of Multidisciplinary Teams In Oncology Management: A Scoping Review Protocol. BMJ Open. 10;14(2). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079559
Swafta, B.; Qat, B.; Abu-Dahab, S.; Aldughmi, M.; Hadoush, H.; Almasri, N. Evaluating Multidisciplinary Team Effectiveness and Parental Satisfaction in Special Education Settings in Jordan: Insights and Areas for Improvement. Preprints 2025. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202501.0385.v1
Travers V. (2020). Multidisciplinary Collaboration in the Development of Individual Education Plans: Crossing Boundaries - the Challenges and Opportunities for the Teaching Profession. REACH Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland, Vol. 33.2 (2020), 61–81. Retrieved from https://reachjournal.ie/index.php/reach/article/view/1
Yoshida, R. K. (2013). Are Multidisciplinary Teams Worth the Investment? Nasponlineorg, 12(12): 137-143.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
