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Introduction
Organizational learning is imperative for survival and competitiveness in dynamic, complex, and uncertain environments ([29] Garvin, 1993; [57] Nonaka, 1991; [71] Senge, 1990). In light of the growing complexity of schoolwork (e.g. rising parental and political influences, alarming increases in student violence, larger diversity of students' needs), researchers and practitioners have highlighted the critical importance of transforming schools into learning organizations ([5] Chapman, 1996; [27] Fullan, 1995; [51], [52] Louis, 1994, 2006; [53] Marks and Louis, 1999; [73] Silins and Mulford, 2002; [76] Stevenson, 2001). In such organizations, teachers continuously deliberate with one another on how to solve problems that relate to teaching and learning ([26], [28] Fullan, 1993, 2000; [77] Stoll et al. , 2006). In order for the isolated working teacher to take steps toward such interactive professionalism, schools need to incorporate structures and processes for dialogue and deliberation ([67] Schechter, 2002), thus developing and sustaining learning networks for communal negotiation of meaning ([32] Giles and Hargreaves, 2003; [50] Lipton and Melamede, 1997; [67] Schechter, 2002; [74] Silins et al. , 2002; [78] Strain, 2000).
The special education field contains two main setting types: segregated special education schools and inclusive schools that co-enroll regular and special education students. This paper focuses on the self-contained special education schools (educating children with disabilities whose needs cannot be met in ordinary/inclusive classrooms). In each special education school, a diverse staff of teachers, paramedical teachers, assistants, and administrators (principal, deputy principal, and departmental heads) must work collaboratively and dialogue continuously to assure optimal functioning for the child with disabilities over the course of the entire school day. This requires an organizational structure that establishes learning networks for joint thinking and learning to enhance students' welfare ([33] Glatthorn, 1990; [62] Reiter, 1994). Interestingly, no explicit indication, either theoretical or empirical, has yet emerged to support the notion of organizational learning (OL) in special education schools.
With this said, the present paper attempted to address the gap in the literature by empirically investigating the structure of OL, through its learning mechanisms and processes, as embedded into the culture (learning values) of special education. Particularly, a case study of three student's functioning levels (low, intermediate, and high) in a special education school provided the context for exploring these learning...