Leading Inclusive Reform for Students With Disabilities: A School- and Systemwide Approach

It is of great importance to maximize access to general education for all students with disabilities. This article focuses on how leaders create inclusive schools for all students—inclusive school reform. Inclusive school reform can result in all students with disabilities being placed into general education settings (including students with significant disabilities, students with mild disabilities, students with emotional disabilities, students with autism … all students) and providing inclusive services to meet their needs while eliminating pullout or self-contained special education programs. In this article, we outline a 7-part process, as well as a set of tools for schools to use to create authentically inclusive schools.     

Learning disabilities in New Zealand: where kiwis and kids with LD can't fly.

Learning disabilities (LD) has never been officially recognized as a category of special education in New Zealand. This article discusses the main reasons for the rejection of the LD category. The education system in New Zealand is described, and the nature of special education is outlined to provide a context for considering LD. Attempts by the parent group SPELD (New Zealand Federation of Specific Learning Disabilities Associations) to have "specific learning disabilities" (SLD) recognized in legislation are discussed, along with reasons for the rejection of these attempts by state education officials. It is concluded that LD/SLD will never be recognized as such in New Zealand. The needs of students with LD may potentially be met by new policies for "high incidence" special needs. But teachers' lack of skills and strategies for working with a range of learning difficulties is seen as an impediment to students with LD being adequately helped in the foreseeable future.     

Nurturing the spiritual well‐being of children with special needs

Spirituality is of acknowledged and profound importance to children from mainstream school populations, but has been overlooked in respect of children with special needs. This article explores the issues related to spirituality and disabilities, and the relationship between spirituality and education for students with special needs. The following aspects are considered: (a) holistic perspectives on education for students with disabilities; (b) spirituality as an integral element of special education and interventions; and (c) implications for educational programmes for students with disabilities. This article concludes that work in addressing issues related to spirituality and the implications for working with students with disabilities need to be given serious consideration.     

Preparing pre‐service secondary education majors for inclusive classrooms in the USA

This study serves as a pilot study for a longitudinal study that will be conducted a year later. The purpose of this research is to determine how a course in special education has impacted secondary general education pre‐service teachers’ attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, teaching students with mild disabilities and the degree of their preparedness (self‐reported) in working with students with disabilities. Forty‐two secondary pre‐service teachers’ reflection papers written at the beginning and end of a mandatory special education course (16 weeks) were analysed using qualitative methodology. The findings supported our research hypothesis that a course in special education with necessary components (i.e. introductory special education knowledge, activities designed to enhance students’ dispositions toward students with disabilities, and instructional strategies that will help general education teachers teach students with mild disabilities at the middle and secondary levels more effectively) can be effective in preparing secondary education pre‐service teachers to work in inclusive classrooms.     

Difficulties associated with the coding and categorization of students with emotional and behavioural disabilities in Alberta

In Canada, there is a recent trend toward non-categorization of services of students with emotional and behavioural disabilities (EBD). Yet in Alberta, the coding of students with EBD provides opportunities to diagnose students' learning difficulties but is hindered in this process, in large part, by being tied into special needs funding. Current coding and subsequent funding practices favour a medical model approach that provides opportunity to over- and misidentify students for higher funding levels. Though this is likely done with good intentions to get services otherwise denied, it may have led to a perverse situation of the practice of ‘coding for dollars’ for these students. In this article we discuss the Alberta EBD coding and funding model using administrative data as well as conclusion remarks from a seminar participated in by different stakeholders. Recommendations for policy changes will be addressed.     

Historical,Theoretical, and Foundational Principles of Universal Instructional Design in Higher Education

In this essay, the authors provide an overview of Universal Instructional Design (UID) as an approach for addressing the learning needs of all students enrolled in institutions of higher education. They argue that the concept of universality as it is applied to instruction is an approach that will benefit not only students with disabilities, but all students. To support their argument, the authors explain the core elements of UID as well as the conceptual connections of UID to multicultural education and social justice education. They conclude the essay by framing the articles included in this special issue.     

Inclusive education in the Netherlands: how funding arrangements and demographic trends relate to dropout and participation rates

There is a global trend towards including children with special needs in mainstream schools instead of placing them in special schools. However, the numbers of students in special schools varies greatly among regions due to variations in educational systems, funding arrangements – and the incentives that are associated with these arrangements – and demographic trends. In the Netherlands, a new policy aimed at inclusive education was introduced in 2014, together with financial measures to equalise funding for students with special needs across the country. The present study explored the effects of this equalisation policy, as well as the demographic trend of population decline, on dropout rates and participation rates in special education (namely, special schools for mainstream education and schools for special education). The data were retrieved from nation-wide registration systems. The results showed that population decline did not affect participation rates in special education, whereas decreases in funding did result in greater declines in participation rates in special education. Moreover, decreases in funding also resulted in higher dropout rates in areas with growing student populations. Although the reform of funding arrangements resulted in lower participation in special education, higher dropout rates might be a cost of this shift towards inclusive education.     

Toward A Pragmatic Discourse of Constructivism: Reflections on Lessons from Practice

Although New York's highest court granted children the constitutional right to a meaningful high school education in Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York, equitable funding has yet to be implemented. The state of New York continues to stall on revising the funding formula statewide, despite the many indications that this must be done if the state is to satisfy the Court of Appeal's 2003 ruling. Although some factors that affect children's performance in school, such as lead poisoning and poverty, lie beyond the control of the schools, schools are nevertheless required to remediate their effects by providing special education. Equitable funding based on obtaining good educational outcomes for all children would help create conditions under which children could improve their life chances through education. After equitable funding has been obtained, defining the markers of a meaningful high school education will be the next task for school reformers in New York.     

Land of misfit toys: Mothers’ perceptions of educational environments for their children with Down syndrome

Inclusive education is defined as educating students with disabilities in general education programmes with their non‐disabled peers. In order to create a successful learning environment for all children, general and special educators must be responsive to all students’ needs. Although inclusive education practices were developed over 15 years ago, some educators may be unwilling or unprepared to employ this model. A total of 546 teachers from 54 schools in southern New Jersey in the United States completed surveys to determine whether they displayed the dispositions, knowledge and skills necessary to implement inclusive education. Results of the surveys were analysed to determine whether significant differences in attitude and skill levels exist between special and general educators and the impact of their years of teaching on their readiness for inclusion. The analysis yielded an agreement that children with disabilities profit from interactions with non‐disabled peers. Although special educators appear more knowledgeable of inclusive practices, they are more likely to see the benefit of a segregated environment. Teachers with greater than seven years of experience voiced the continued need for administrative support, planning time and professional development opportunities.     

Instructional Settings in Science for Students with Disabilities: Implications for Teacher Education

Finding appropriate instructional settings in science for students with disabilities is challenging, and the range of services or placements used is currently unknown. This study identifies administrative structures, instructional settings, and special/general education teacher roles in teaching science to students with disabilities. A phone survey was conducted with special education coordinators of fifth graders in 137 districts in Texas. Survey data indicated that while nearly all districts reported special education settings for the instruction of science for students with disabilities, some districts provided only general education settings. Theoretical and practical implications for teacher preparation are discussed.     

Capability and Educational Equality: The Just Distribution of Resources to Students with Disabilities and Special Educational Needs

The ideal of educational equality is fundamentally grounded in the egalitarian principle that social and institutional arrangements should be designed to give equal consideration to all . However, beyond this broad stipulation, the precise content of the ideal of educational equality is more difficult to determine. In this article, I aim to contribute to the debate on equality in education by dealing with the current, contentious issue of provision for students with disabilities and special educational needs. Thus, the paper addresses the question of what constitutes a just provision for these students, and it provides an answer in terms of the capability approach, as developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum.     

教育券:核心政策建议

教育券计划是一种通过建立统一的教育市场打破国家对教育的行政垄断,促进学校之间的公平竞争,从而确保国民教育权,全面提高教育质量和效益的制度设计。但就目前的制度状况及人们对教育券的知识储备而言,贸然全面推行教育券必然难以成功。因此,我们必须认真考虑从现有的多元办学体制向全面的教育券计划转变的过渡措施。     

The Erosion of FAPE for Students with LD

How schoolsfulfill Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) requirements has evolved. Decades of general and special education reforms have led to dramatic increases in expectations for students in special education to be included in the general education classroom and curriculum and to achieve to the same high standards as their general education peers. Students with learning disabilities (LD) in particular are impacted by these reforms. The notion of their individually‐appropriate education has been slowly eroded as limitations in special education practices and the goals of education reform have been responded to. As special education intentions and practices advance, stakeholders have a responsibility to protect the FAPE of students with LD, to ensure meeting these students’ individualized learning needs.     

Disproportionate over-representation of Indigenous students in New South Wales government special schools

A significant gap exists in the Australian research literature on the disproportionate over-representation of minority groups in special education. The aim of this paper is to make a contribution to the research evidence-base by sketching an outline of the issue as it presents in Australia’s largest education system in the state of New South Wales. Findings from this research show that Indigenous students are equally represented in special schools enrolling students with autism, physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities, but significantly over-represented in special schools enrolling students under the categories of emotional disturbance, behaviour disorder and juvenile detention. Factors that might influence the disproportionate over-representation of Indigenous children and young people are discussed, and based on these observations, some practical implications for policy and practice are provided.     

台湾地区在家教育特殊教育服务概况及启示

特殊教育安置是实施有效特殊教育及服务的重要前提,重度身心障碍学生的安置也是其中不可或缺的部分。上世纪80年代开始,台湾地区对一些无法到学校中进行常规学习的重度身心障碍儿童实施了在家教育。经过20余年的发展,台湾在家教育体系已经日渐成熟、完善。本文通过对台湾地区在家教育中特殊教育服务的介绍,以期对大陆地区送教上门的发展提供借鉴。     

A Feasibility Study of a Full Integration Model Developed for a Group of Students Classified as Mildly Intellectually Disabled

The feasibility of a functional full‐time integration model was examined by comparing the academic and social achievement of two groups of 13 students with mild intellectual disabilities who had been randomly allocated to either age‐appropriate mainstream classes or to a segregated special class. Both groups of students had previously attended special classes in a support unit catering for students with mild intellectual disabilities and had been taught by two special education teachers. During the experimental phase, one teacher remained in the unit while the other acted as a resource teacher for both integrated students with disabilities and regular low progress students in mainstream classes to which the students with disabilities had been allocated. After a 16 week intervention, the results indicated that the integrated students improved significantly more than their segregated counterparts on measures of decoding and mathematics as well as in time spent playing with regular peers. Furthermore, in one regular classroom where the resource teacher had established a mastery learning/cooperative group procedure, both regular students and those with disabilities improved significantly more in academic skills than a parallel group in a traditionally organized classroom. While it is recognised that teacher effects cannot be partialled out in such an intervention, the implications of these results for extending special education services into the mainstream rather than isolating them within special classes are discussed.     

Implications of distance education on children with disabilities

Once the COVID-19 was announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization at the beginning of 2020, almost all countries around the world shifted from traditional face to face education to distance education to prevent the spread of the virus. Türkiye implemented distance education practices through a web-based platform named education information network (EBA) and EBA TV channels. However, the rapid shift from traditional face to face education to distance education was challenging especially for students with disabilities, their parents and teachers because these students needed individualised education and some services which were impossible to implement remotely. The purpose of this study was to explore (a) the challenges that teachers and students faced during distance education; (b) the implications of distance education on students with disabilities. Further, this study explored opinions of special education teachers regarding how to make distance education more effective for students with disabilities. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 12 special education teachers. Findings demonstrated that distance education through EBA was neither sufficient nor convenient for most students with disabilities. Limitations of this study and suggestions for future research were discussed.     

Special education reform in Brazil: an historical analysis of educational policies

ABSTRACT

This paper describes an histprical view of the legal and political aspects related to special education. It analyses the current and future perspectives that public and private educational institutions utilize to provide school services to individuals with disabilities in Brazil. Although Brazil has developed laws and provisions to guarantee the integration of students with disabilities into regular schools, this is not happening in most cases. In fact, Brazil does not yet have schools that consider the diversification of students’ capabilities as beneficial to the intellectual development of deficient and non‐deficient students. Poor teacher training and institutional conservatism constitute the obstacles to the implementation of innovation in this area. Most of the innovations seen today are the fruit of individual initiatives, such as the Project for Training Teachers to Integrate the Disabled into Schools (PROEDEM) and the Project for Using Computers in Special Education, that we describe. We believe that these new proposals will have a great impact on the education of students with deficiencies. This will raise the consciousness of educators and will help to transform the current conceptions and actions related to the education of people with disabilities, making possible the implementation of special education reforms.     

Paradigm Shifts in and around Special Education in New Zealand

There are few sectors in New Zealand education that have been as frequently reviewed and subjected to such wide-ranging policy changes as special education. The evolution of special education policy that has taken place in the past decade reflects the coalescence of several paradigm shifts. Some of these have been in the field of special education, where there has been an international shift away from categorising students in terms of their disabilities to making judgements on their needs for educational support, and away from segregated educational provisions to more inclusive approaches. Others reflect changes in the broader education system, in particular the shift towards more local control of decision making about resource allocation. This paper will examine the tensions inherent in these paradigm shifts and the interactions between them.