INVOLVEMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY IN THE EDUCATION OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS

The article presents the results of a research conducted with the persons with disability included in the teaching process at the Department of Social Work in Zagreb. The participants of the research were persons with disability who, for a number of years, have been participating as exterior collaborators in the education process of social work students as lecturers from the practice or field instructors in associations in which the students complete their placements. The aim of the research was to gain insight into the perception and the experience of participation of the persons with disability in the teaching process in the field of social work. The data were gathered during conversations in the focus group. The analysis of participants’ statements reveal four categories related to different themes of user involvement in the education process: (1) Experience of user participation in the teaching process; (2) Importance of personal user experience which the users wish to convey to the students; (3) User review of the quality of teaching; (4) Recommendations for a better involvement of users in the teaching process