Moving house for education in the pre‐school years

This paper uses data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) to examine house moves that take place in the pre‐school years, focusing on families who move for the education of their children. We present results showing that education‐ related house moves do indeed occur in the pre‐school years with particular types of parents making these education‐related moves to ensure their children attend a good primary school. We then examine whether this demand for high quality schooling is associated with a house price premia by linking the MCS data to Land Registry data and show that parents are prepared to pay significantly more to buy a house located near to better performing primary schools, even before their children reach school starting age. We interpret this as evidence of demand for school quality in the early years as parents (especially more educated and advantaged parents) ‘gear up’ their quest for what they perceive to be better schooling for their children before they start school.     

Will my child ever go to a university? The link between school segregation practices and Norwegian parents’ expectations for their physically disabled child

How parents perceive their children's educational prospects can reveal a great deal about how their children will progress in the educational system. The paper examines the consequences of variations in inclusive education practices by investigating determinants of parents’ educational expectations for their child. All parents included in the study had children with physical disabilities in primary school (mainly cerebral palsy and spina bifida). The empirical material includes results from a survey (Net sample = 491), in combination with information merged from a range of official registers. The results showed that the more the child is segregated from ordinary classroom education, the lower parental expectations are for their children's educational attainments. Other factors also significantly influencing parents’ educational expectations include how parents’ view their child's school performance, as well as various measures of the severity of the child's physical disability. However, these secondary factors could not account for the empirically strong association between segregation practices and parental expectations. Parental expectations were also significantly related to parental income and education. The findings indicate that the expectations of parents with higher income and education are less affected by school segregation practices.     

Parental Influence on Physical Activity of Children with Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to identify parental influences on physical activity behaviours of children with disabilities. One hundred and forty-eight parents of children with disabilities responded to a survey about factors related to parent and child physical activity, parental support and belief in their child’s abilities regarding physical activity. The results of multiple regression revealed that parents’ perceived competence of their child’s physical ability and parental support were the key factors of promoting physical activity behaviours of children with disabilities. Findings from this study should be utilised to inform parents on the ways that they can be most helpful for improving the physical activity experiences of their children.     

Parental perspectives and challenges in inclusive education in Singapore

Relatively little work has focused on inclusive education in Singapore. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of parents whose children with disabilities are attending mainstream secondary schools in Singapore. Data was drawn from interviews with 13 parents of children with mild disabilities. Our findings reveal that parental perspective on inclusive education in Singapore is not only about classroom support but also reflects a deeper concern about whether their children with disabilities will emerge from school as contributing individuals in society. While parents strive to effectively include their children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms, there were dichotomies in their (1) understanding of disabilities, (2) expectations of school support, and (3) expectations for their child with disabilities. Given that academic and social prowess is a critical prerequisite to have a shot at entering the meritocratic Singapore society, the tension parents experience is to gauge a reasonable amount of pressure to exert on their children, the school and themselves as they assert their children's educational entitlements within an imperfect but evolving state of inclusion.     

Parents of deaf children seeking hearing loss-related information on the internet: the Australian experience

Parents whose children are diagnosed in an infant screening program are required to make some difficult choices about the management of the hearing loss at a time when they are emotionally vulnerable. They are required to evaluate information and outcomes regarding issues such as technology for hearing impairment, communication options, education, and rehabilitation. The World Wide Web has become an important resource of health information for both health consumers and practitioners. The ability to obtain accurate health information online quickly, conveniently, and privately provides opportunity to make informed decisions. However, little is known about the level of the use of the Internet to acquire health information, particularly in the case of parents of deaf children seeking information. This study confirms that searches for health information on the Internet are conducted primarily by mothers. In the Australian context, there is minimal online information available to families beyond early intervention. Information on education issues, mental health, and deafness or the day-to-day management of a child or adolescent with a hearing loss are neglected topics on Web sites. This study also revealed that the majority of respondents had never visited HealthInsite or Medline Plus, two gateway sites for reliable consumer health information, although the information on these sites is more generic in nature and unlikely to assist parents to make informed choices on complex issues such as communication options or education. However, the study suggested that half the parents have talked to their doctor or hearing professional about information they found on the Internet, which is an encouraging tendency.     

Less Stress,More Rewarding: Parenting Children With Down Syndrome

Objective. We argue that, compared to other children with disabilities, parents of children with Down syndrome may experience less stress and more rewards. Design. After reviewing changes in studies examining parenting children with disabilities, we note how specific genetic disorders predispose children to different, etiology-related behaviors, which in turn predispose their parents to particular reactions. We then survey studies of both stress and rewardingness in parents of children with Down syndrome versus children with other disabilities. Results. Parents of children with Down syndrome report less stress and more child-related rewards than parents of children with other disabilities; indeed, parents of children with Down syndrome may feel equally rewarded compared to parents of same-aged typical children. Conclusions. By comparing feelings of parents of children with Down syndrome versus children with other disabilities, we begin to understand which child behaviors bring about which parental reactions. Such information provides both theoretical and practical benefits to professionals interested in parenting.     

Jordanian parents’ beliefs about the causes of disability and the progress of their children with disabilities: insights on mainstream schools and segregated centres

This study aims to identify the beliefs of Jordanian parents of children with disabilities (CWD), including intellectual disabilities, specific learning disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorder: both in terms of the causes of these disabilities, and the ability of their children to make progress. A qualitative interpretive methodology was employed. Interviews were used to collect data from 63 parents of CWD. Two major themes emerged concerning beliefs about the causes of disability and children’s progress. Results showed generally that disabilities were attributed to supernatural and biomedical causes; also, most parents had positive expectations about their children’s progress, especially in education skills, and had hopes for their children’s futures. Conclusions and implications are presented in the light of the study findings.     

Training,experience, and child care providers’ perceptions of inclusion

Teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs have been shown to affect their behavior. This study investigated center- and home-based child care providers’ perceptions of inclusion-related needs and barriers and (a) the providers’ participation in disability-related training, and (b) their current experience working with children with disabilities. A mailed survey was used to gather demographic data, information on training and experience, and to rate a list of needs and concerns. Younger and African American caregivers working in center-based programs were more likely to attend training and serve children with disabilities. Participating in training and serving children with disabilities was positively associated with caregivers’ perceptions of needs and barriers, but not with child care providers’ attitudes. Results indicate that program and provider characteristics are related to participation in disability-related training and serving children with disabilities that, in turn, are related to perceptions of needs and barriers. Further investigation of the mechanisms associated with training and its influence on attitudes, beliefs and practice of parents and special education teachers, as well as child care providers is indicated.     

Children’s access to pre‐school education in Bangladesh

Using the Education Watch household survey database, this paper explores children’s access to pre‐school education in Bangladesh. Participation in pre‐school education has been increasing in Bangladesh at the rate of 0.6% per year and the net enrolment rate was found to be 13.4% in 2005. Enrolment of over‐aged children in pre‐school education made the gross enrolment ratio as high as 30.5%. However, over half of the four to five year olds at school were actually enrolled in primary school and not in pre‐school. Moreover, 71% of the four‐ to five‐year group were out of school. Only a third of the four‐ to five‐year‐old children enrolled in schools had the opportunity to attend the English‐medium kindergartens or NGO‐run non‐formal schools, both of which provide better quality pre‐school education. Urban children, especially those with educated parents and from more privileged socio‐economic backgrounds, were more likely to have access to pre‐school education. The lack of a common pre‐school curriculum seems to have created further inequity among children at this very early age. An educational policy targeting poor and socially disadvantaged children with support from both the state and current pre‐school providers is urgently needed to provide four‐ to five‐year‐old children appropriate education for their needs.     

Interface between Culture and Disability in the Tanzanian Context: Part I

Schooling for children and young people with disabilities in Tanzania was introduced in 1950. Yet, despite the persistently high annual population growth rate of over 3% and not‐so‐developed health services, after 30 years the few recognised school places available to them are not being filled. Interviews with elderly people representing different educational zones and observation carried out in two schools showed that the communities where the special schools and units are located were not involved in the establishment and running of the educational centres. The interviews with elderly people and proverbs surveyed from local literature showed that the characteristics of major disabilities, except mild to moderate intellectual disability, were clearly known and the general attitudes towards their disabled children were positive. In this article it is argued that the success of special education and any other form of rehabilitation depends on a thorough assessment of the community's folk belief system, customs and values, capitalising on progressive elements within the culture and on instilling a sense of ownership through the involvement of parents, people with disabilities and the community at large in decision‐making and actual intervention activities.     

北京市0～6岁残疾儿童家长教育需求研究

为了解北京市0~6岁残疾儿童家长教育需求的状况及其影响因素,本文采用问卷调查法对313名北京籍智力残疾、听力残疾、肢体残疾、精神残疾、多重残疾共5类残疾儿童家长进行问卷调查。结果发现:北京市0~6岁残疾儿童家长教育需求广泛而迫切,在各维度都呈现出高需求。其中,残疾儿童家长对法律政策需求、专业指导与专业合作需求显著高于其他教育需求。填表人身份、家长文化程度、家庭收入、儿童残疾程度和接受康复训练情况对家长教育需求有显著影响。建议尽快建立残疾儿童家庭服务支持体系,多形式、多渠道满足0~6岁残疾儿童家庭的需求,开展有效家长教育服务。     

Chinese Parents’ Beliefs about the Importance and Feasibility of Quality Early Childhood Inclusion

This study aims to explore Chinese parents’ understanding about the importance and feasibility of quality pre-school inclusion and how these beliefs are affected by their levels of education and the types of disabilities in the Chinese socio-cultural and policy contexts. Findings support parents are highly supportive of the philosophy of inclusion. Both groups of parents of children with and without disabilities have different expectations for what quality inclusion looks like in the six dimensions of inclusion except for professional development and resources. The higher the levels of education, the more likely regular parents agree on all six dimensions of inclusion. Finally, disability categories did not affect parents’ beliefs. Parents of children with multiple disabilities expressed the greatest need for inclusion. Overall, parents’ agreement with the important features of inclusion reflects a greater expectation for quality inclusion and policy-making to make this happen to all young children.     

Families of Children with Disabilities in Jordan

Although the past two decades have witnessed an increasing interest in the education of children with disabilities in Jordan, special education services are extended to less than 3% of the target population. Accordingly, the overwhelming majority of children with disabilities stay home with very little professional support and help available to them or to their families. The primary purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the present situation of families of children with disabilities in Jordan. Basic information about developments in this area is provided and the results of a survey conducted by the authors are presented.     

Provision for Children with Speech and Language Difficulties in Tanzania

Knowledge about paediatric speech and language difficulties, training for and contact with children with such problems and views on service developments were explored using a written questionnaire, completed by 84 Tanzanian health and education professionals. Additionally, two sets of interviews were carried out, one with a subset of questionnaire respondents and another with a group of 14 health/education planners and administrators. Results showed that whilst only 41 % of respondents had received training about speech and language difficulties, 68% considered themselves to be responsible for assisting children with such problems. Levels of knowledge were significantly higher in the special education group, but were not significantly related to training, exposure to speech and language therapists, or professional responsibility. However, knowledge levels were significantly related to daily contact with children with speech and language difficulties. No evidence of research or planning for children with such difficulties was discovered. Views on service provision favoured educational over health‐based provision. Qualitative information on attitudes and beliefs about speech and language difficulties did not contradict previous data on disabilities. The implications for Tanzania and other similar countries are discussed. Improvements to the questionnaire are discussed. More data are needed in order to facilitate appropriate service development.     

Associations Between Child Disabilities and Caregiver Discipline and Violence in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries

Using nationally representative samples of 45,964 two‐ to nine‐year‐old children and their primary caregivers in 17 developing countries, this study examined the relations between children's cognitive, language, sensory, and motor disabilities and caregivers' use of discipline and violence. Primary caregivers reported on their child's disabilities and whether they or anyone in their household had used nonviolent discipline, psychological aggression, and physical violence toward the target child and believed that using corporal punishment is necessary. Logistic regression analyses supported the hypothesis that children with disabilities are treated more harshly than children without disabilities. The findings suggest that policies and interventions are needed to work toward the United Nations' goals of ensuring that children with disabilities are protected from abuse and violence.     

Visions for literacy: parents’ aspirations for reading in children with Down syndrome

Although children with Down syndrome (DS) can learn to read, few studies have explored parental perspectives on the reading development of this group of children. This article, written by Leila Ricci and Anna Osipova, from California State University, explores visions and expectations regarding reading held by parents of children with Down syndrome in the US. Parents of 50 children with DS (aged three to 13 years) completed a survey about their children's interest in reading and responded to open‐ended questions inquiring about their views on their children's reading development. A majority of parents in this study described their children's positive attitude toward reading, stated their reading‐related goals for their children, defined their children's relative strengths in reading, and shared strategies used in the home to promote literacy in this population. Parents pay close attention to and have high expectations for their children's reading achievement, and thereby would benefit from partnerships with informed educators willing and capable of teaching reading to children with DS.     

Parents choosing to combine special and inclusive early years settings: the best of both worlds?

This paper focuses on parents' perspectives of combining special and mainstream services for their children in the early years, offering insights into: how parents came to make this choice for their children's education; what parents expected from the combined provision and how their expectations were being met in practice. The data presented formed part of a small‐scale, UK‐based study that investigated local discourses and practices operating for young children within a global context of commitment to inclusion. Despite moves towards inclusive early years education in the UK, many parents of young children identified as having special educational needs opt for a combination of both inclusive and special early years settings. A survey sent to early years providers, voluntary groups and parents in three local education authorities (LEAs) in southern England, revealed that the practice of combining placements was widespread. Follow‐up interviews with parents of five children revealed rich detail about the processes of choice making and parents' expectations and experiences of combined provision. The research findings have clear implications for the development of inclusive education and its appeal to parents, who may need convincing that it can offer sufficient specialist expertise and resources.     

Educating Children with Learning Disabilities in Africa

The increase in the number of slow learners and children with learning disabilities in schools in Africa has become a major issue and concern. The situation is reflected in various school‐leaving examinations, where an average of 30 percent of the results are below average or failures each year. Although there are no statistical records available in most African countries on the number of children and youth with learning disabilities, it is believed that about 8 percent of the students in school are experiencing learning difficulties in the classroom. Diverse factors contribute to the large number of school difficulties, including overcrowded classrooms, poverty, health issues, shortages of experienced teachers, traditional beliefs, lack of teaching materials, school expectations, and motivational issues. I examine the state of education for students with learning difficulties in Africa, focusing especially on Botswana but also including information from other countries, and consider the concept, prevalence, causes, provision of services, and difficulties in providing effective services for children with learning disabilities.     

Early Childhood Teachers' Ideas about Including Children with Disabilities in Programmes Designed for Typically Developing Children

This study examined the influence of information about children's disabilities on preschool teachers' responses toward integrating children with disabilities in their classroom. Of particular interest was whether the severity of the child's educational needs and information about diagnosis were related to teachers' responses. Data were collected from 155 preschool teachers in two Midwest states in the United States to examine their responses in terms of levels of comfort, classroom adaptation, and need for support. Results showed that teachers responded differently to the types of disability regardless of the diagnostic labels; that is, teachers responded more positively to children with mild disabilities (e.g., children with Down syndrome) and those with physical disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy). In addition, compared with children with diagnostic labels, teachers responded more positively to those with no diagnostic labels. Teachers' education and experience working with children with disabilities were associated with their levels of comfort. Implications and recommendations for service delivery and teacher training are discussed.