Background: The educational policy is inclusive both in Finland and in Sweden. Still special educators are educated. They seem to work both in inclusive and in segregative ways. The more inclusive ways demand co-operation and planning with other teachers. Although the results of such co-operation have been good, there could be even more collaboration at schools. The main questions of our study are: 1) What is the core content of the work of special educators. 2) What is the role of a) inclusion and b) collaboration in their work?
Method: The data for the study are current main laws and documents in both countries and curriculums of special educators in 5 universities in Finland and in 10 Universities in Sweden. A content analysis as well as critical discourse analysis are used with these documents and curriculums.
Results: The results with regards to the curriculums will show the core areas in both countries as well as the differences in the content of studies. The legal documents will show the similarities and differences in regulations. In a previous study the core areas in curriculum for special education teachers students in Finland were reading, writing, mathematical and behavioral challenges (Hausstätter & Takala 2008). Sweden and special teachers and special pedagogs, Finland just special teachers. Sweden has education on more narrow areas, like mainly just on reading and writing challenges; in Finland special educators are general experts, studying more issues.
Conclusions: The results are not ready yet, but we will be able to say about the differences and similarities as well as focus on the demands of inclusion in both countries after we have done the study.