In Lesotho, there is a heartfelt dedication to making education accessible for everyone. This initiative is highlighted in the national and international policies. However, the journey of integrating visually impaired learners into regular classrooms often falls short of these noble aspirations. This study critically examines teachers' perspectives to informing the development of a framework for collaborative support that addresses teachers’ needs and pedagogical gaps for effective inclusion of learners with visual impairment in mainstream schools. Drawing on asset-based theory, the researcher purposively selected 21 participants (n=21) which are 7 teachers of visually impaired learners, 7 learners with visual impairments, and 7 parents of the visually impaired learners. The study employed visual participatory approach that incorporates collage creation, lesokoana activity and focus group discussion. These methods afforded the platform for construction of knowledge about existing school-support structures, delving deeper into their strengths and limitations. The participants identified three primary issues, which are insufficient training on assistive technologies prior to and during employment, an excessive student-to-teacher ratio hindering individualised attention, and the absence of formal support systems, necessitating reliance on informal peer and community goodwill or any other existing alternatives.

Teachers reported feeling professionally isolated, underprepared to differentiate instruction, and uncertain about how to leverage existing assets or resources, both within and beyond the school environment. This study was grounded in a critical paradigm and constituted qualitative research. The thematic analysis results indicated four essential areas for the effective functioning of a collaborative support framework.
(1) continous professional development programmes, (2) context-specific training in both low-tech and high-tech accommodations;
(2) formalised support networks comprising special educators, itinerant instructors, parents, local and international non-govermental organisatons;
(3) resource mapping—asset-based inventories to identify and mobilise available resources, assistive devices, and expert volunteers; and
(4) reflective practice, including peer mentoring and reflective forums to enhance teacher capacity to support visually impaired learners.

By foregrounding teachers' lived experiences and critical reflections, this study advances beyond descriptive accounts to propose a participatory framework for developing, implementing, and sustaining collaborative support in Lesotho's inclusive classrooms. The study concludes with practical recommendations for policymakers and school leaders to institutionalise these components, thereby transforming isolated efforts into a coherent, scalable framework that empowers teachers and enriches learning outcomes for visually impaired students in Lesotho.

Keywords: Collaborative support model, asset-based theory, educators, asset-based map, learners with visual impairment, inclusive education.