How Can the Itinerant School Consultation Services Support the Construction of the Student Support System in School?: Indirect Support through Special Needs Education Coordinators

The student support system is important for teachers to start supporting children based on advice given by the itinerant school consultants. The present study contends that if the itinerant school consultation service assists the special needs education coordinators, the key persons promoting special education systems in schools, it will be a great help for schools in the development of student support systems. We surveyed coordinators about the problems and solutions they had found. The results show that coordinators of both elementary and junior high schools have the same problems despite the differences in school cultures: a lack of time, skills, and information about how to serve as a coordinator and difficulties in gaining cooperation among teachers. We found that when coordinators and teachers work together to assess children and to write and evaluate the individualized education plans, coordinators find more cooperation among teachers. Further, when supporting coordinators, it is necessary for the itinerant consultants to care for them in the following ways: First, it is most important for the consultants to empower the coordinators. Second, the consultants must help the coordinators to work efficiently. Third, the consultants should offer step-by-step instructions to coordinators for overcoming difficulties in their work