Insights into inclusive education through a small Finnish case study of an inclusive school context

This study seeks to present data and discussion arising from a case study of a school in Finland renowned for its practice in the inclusion of learners with additional support requirements due to cognitive and physical disabilities. It aims to establish how the school staff understand their practice with inclusion through day-to-day professional experiences. The process of reflexive dialogue has enabled authors to reconceptualise our understanding of inclusive education through gaining deep contextual insight. The case study emerges as an inspiring effort to reduce exclusion and isolation through skilful manipulation of physical, institutional and communicative contexts, from which we may draw valuable lessons. The case study demonstrated high levels of personal motivation in teachers and assistants, used as a force for participation in inclusive education – bottom-up, via dialogue, consultation, voluntary involvement and transformation by exposure. This democratic approach was evident in and supported through leadership and management, teaching and learning, and the involvement of the wider community.     

Online multiplayer games for the social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorder: a resource for inclusive education

ABSTRACT

This article describes the support for social interactions received by three students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through their multimodal engagements with Minecraft®. The data were collected through at-screen observations and semi-structured interviews. Multimodal analysis of the data demonstrated that online multiplayer games supported social interactions through modes, such as speech, writing and gesture, and within physical and virtual spaces. The analysis revealed that online multiplayer games provided platforms for the students to use speech to engage in reciprocal conversations, to share information, to make requests, to give commands and to direct others. Additionally, screen-based written texts were used to attract the attention of others, send messages, communicate rules and maintain engagements with others within the students’ physical and virtual worlds. Furthermore, the findings showed that online multiplayer games supported the students’ uses, interpretations and mirroring of gestures for social interactions. The findings have implications for providing opportunities to support social interactions in multimodal ways that social spaces in face-to-face and offline contexts do not allow. The findings offer implications for targeting the students’ interests in online multiplayer games to support their capacity to initiate and sustain social interactions in inclusive educational settings.     

A case study of inclusive school development: a journey of learning

A global recognition of students' rights requires school organizations to recognize, value and provide for diversity. The move towards more inclusive schooling in Queensland, Australia, requires schools to address professional development on two levels: reculturing of the school to reflect inclusive beliefs and values; and enhancement of teacher skills and knowledge to better address the learning needs of all students. The recently developed Index for Inclusion 2000) is one resource that can facilitate the process of professional development and facilitate change in school culture, policy and teaching practice. The process used incorporates a critical friend and peer mentoring model within an action research framework, which together provide benefits for all involved in the professional development process. The journey of learning incorporating the phases of the Index for Inclusion are reported along with discussions for future directions.     

School-level facilitators of inclusive education: the case of Serbia

Relying on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, this paper attempts to identify school-level factors that contribute to effective implementation of inclusive education. We also explored how government policy, with emphasis on individual education plans, school teams, Roma assistants and inter-sectorial committees, is implemented at the school level. Qualitative data were collected from various informants (students, parents, teachers, school associates, Roma assistants and local community representatives) in five schools selected on the basis of regional distribution and success in supporting diverse student needs. Two core categories of school-level facilitators were generated: inclusive practices and inclusive culture. Within the first category, which refers to concrete actions and relationships in the school and local community, five themes emerged: individualisation and use of individual education plans; cooperation between teachers and school inclusive education expert team; cooperation with internal and external specialists; cooperation with parents, and cooperation with the local community. The second category, which reflects beliefs, values and implicit school norms, was further divided into five subcategories: willingness for life-long learning; proactive stance; sense of teamwork; sophisticated personal philosophies of development and learning; and acceptance of difference. We concluded that successful schools have developed into professional learning communities. Finally, recommendations for improving relevant practices were provided.     

Inclusion in action: an in-depth case study of an effective inclusive secondary school in the south-west of England

This paper represents the outcomes of an in-depth case study of a secondary school in the south-west of England, identified as inclusive by the local education authority (LEA). The study, which formed the second part of a ‘bricolage’ approach, utilized ethnographic research methods, with the aim of investigating inclusion in a holistic way, at the school level. Data were collected through interviewing of a variety of school constituencies and participant observation. The analysis suggested that: (a) the participants were enculturated into the integration model; (b) although there were strong perceived academic benefits for the included students, the evidence is contradictory regarding the social outcomes of inclusion; (c) successful implementation of inclusion requires restructuring of the physical environment, resources, organizational changes and instructional adaptations; and (d) there was a perceived need for ongoing professional development. The findings reported in this investigation may be used to illuminate current practice in the LEA and to provide directions for formulating policies to support ‘inclusive practice’ in ways which are acceptable to teachers, parents and students.     

Inclusive education and best practice for children with autism spectrum disorder: an integrated approach

Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported general discontent with the services offered by the education system and have advocated for increased ASD‐specific services to better meet their children’s educational needs. The elements of best practice offer an ideal model for educational support. There are, however, limitations to advocating ASD‐specific services. This paper describes how best practice for ASD as an educational model fits within what is described as authentic inclusion. Further, it is suggested that the ASD community align with the greater inclusive education reform movement. With the use of this unified model of education, all children will receive the educational support they require.     

Towards a more inclusive approach to intervention research: the case of research in learning disabilities

Intervention research in special education tends to rely on comparisons of mean differences to determine instructional strategies that ‘work’ for students with disabilities. This reliance on mean differences obscures individual variation that is always present in educational research. This paper examines the degree to which individual variation is acknowledged in reports of intervention research published in four leading learning disabilities journals over a five-year period. It was found that, although there was considerable variance present in intervention studies published in these journals, this variability was often unacknowledged. This paper concludes with suggestions for how researchers might acknowledge variance in their research.     

From research to reality: Australian evidence-based practice in autism education

Many teachers are sporadic in using evidence-based practice (EBP) concerning students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Numerous reasons have been posited for this. However, no single study has worked to understand the relative importance of identified criteria in the EBP decision-making processes of teachers. Through the development of a new survey tool, the Evidence-Based Practice Innovation Survey (EBPIAS), an exploration of the decision-making process of Australian teachers in their adoption and cessation of EBP was undertaken. Teachers rated the perception that an EBP would meet the needs of their students as the most important criteria in determining their use of EBP. Conversely, the judgement that an EBP did not meet the needs of their student was the most important criteria in their decision to cease use. In comparing the relevant importance of identified criteria, teachers rated the perception of training as the second-lowest consideration in their decision to adopt and cease using EBP. Consequently, there may need to be greater promotion of, or information concerning, the training required by teachers for effective implementation supporting a more balanced and holistic approach in assessing criteria impacting the adoption of EBP by teachers in the first instance, potentially lowering cessation rates.     

Students with autism in regular classes: a long-term follow-up study of a satellite class transition model

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are increasingly being educated within mainstream schools. While there is often an assumption that students with ASD who are academically capable will succeed in an inclusive educational placement, previous research has indicated that this is not always the case. Indeed, it seems that students with ASDs are often not equipped to cope with the social and communication demands of a mainstream classroom. Autism Spectrum Australia's (Aspect) satellite class programme aims to address this gap by blending specialised intervention with strategies to prepare students and receiving schools for transition to more inclusive educational placements. A long-term follow-up study comprising a parent survey of satellite class graduates and four detailed case studies was undertaken to determine whether these classes led to successful placement of students with ASD in more inclusive educational settings. Results indicated that a majority of graduates remained placed in more inclusive educational settings. Overall, parents were satisfied with the programme. Attendance at a satellite class was just one of a number of factors associated with positive outcomes in late adolescence. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for teachers and school staff planning for and supporting students with ASDs in their transition to inclusive educational settings.     

Collaborating with children in exploring marginalisation: an approach to inclusive education

This article focuses on the importance of engaging with children's voices in school settings in order to understand and deal with marginalisation. Engaging with the views of children and young people is an essential part of the process of developing inclusion. It can be viewed as an approach to inclusive education, which predominantly places emphasis on the views of the learners rather than on other organisational aspects within a school context. The study reported here is from a collaborative piece of research in one primary school classroom where practitioners, children and the researcher worked together in order to identify areas of concern within the particular context, in order to address marginalisation. The benefits, as well as the complexities of engaging in such processes are discussed. Furthermore, the study has led to the development of a framework for promoting inclusion that is presented here. The framework can be used to guide a systematic way of collecting evidence that will facilitate the process of understanding and dealing with marginalisation, and promoting inclusion, that can be incorporated into the daily work of practitioners.     

Creating a dialogic environment for transformative science teaching practices: towards an inclusive education for science

Abstract

This paper focuses on the design and application of a teacher training strategy to promote the inclusive education of students with disabilities in the science classroom, through the creation of adult learning environments grounded on the principles of dialogic learning. Participants of the workshop proposal consisted of a group of twelve teachers who were working at various educational levels. Teacher teams proposed and implemented in their classroom, innovative, inclusive science-learning activities about a topic of their choice. Data were collected from interviews with teachers five months after the courses, teachers’ portfolios about their practice during implementation of such sequences, and researchers’ observations. The data suggest that it is possible to stimulate a gradual transformation of teaching practices through a teacher training proposal that promotes self-awareness and critical reflection, situated in the creation of meaning and a willingness to change in the spirit of solidarity and social action. We found elements to recommend the incorporation of these innovations at the curricular and practical level for teacher training schools and for in-service teacher development programmes in Mexico and elsewhere.     

Seeking transparency: the production of an inclusive classroom community

The successful participation of students with disabilities in a general education classroom is generally presumed to be contingent on the creation of classroom communities that can nurture the qualities of equity and care and where different forms of diversity are valued. However, there has been less scholarship that documents the production of such communities. This paper reports on an ethnographic study that was conducted in an urban first-grade classroom which included several students with disabilities, including one student with significant multiple disabilities. Situated within the disability studies in education tradition, the study adopts a sociocultural perspective to understand the expressed commitment of the teachers within this classroom to transparency. The paper describes the sites of tensions and possibilities that emanated from the confluence of such commitment with other teacher priorities for students. Data from this study showed that overall transparency in the classroom was weakened by proceduralised notions of caring that left teacher practice highly susceptible to the influence of norms. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of this for the project of developing inclusive classrooms.     

Reforms and challenges in the era of inclusive education: the case of China

This article, written by Meng Deng of Beijing Normal University and Kim Fong Poon‐McBrayer of the Hong Kong Institute of Education, reviews and analyses the reform of special education in China, the challenges confronting Chinese special education provisions, and how the Chinese inclusive education model, namely ‘Learning in Regular Classrooms’, has been shaped by the pragmatic needs aligning with the nation's economic and social developments. In an effort to provide wider school access, the current inclusive education model has become the form of educational placement that serves the majority of students with disabilities in China. The authors conclude that reforms in the last two decades have resulted in dramatic changes and progress in many facets of special education service delivery, school structure, administrative monitoring mechanism, and instructional practices. However, the current Chinese special education service structure is still shaky, with inadequate resources, personnel preparation and support at the local level. Fundamental changes to the examination‐oriented mainstream education system are still needed, to enhance the quality of education for students with special needs.     

Exploring a new inclusive model in Finnish early childhood special education: a 3-year follow up study

From 1996 to 1999, an inclusive early special educational model was studied in 13 ordinary kindergartens in Finland. The kindergartens received an additional staff member (a special teacher) to handle special educational issues. The work of these special teachers and the views of the staff were studied. The special teachers' duties consisted of six main tasks, the most often mentioned being general and special educational work and consultation with adults. The staff were generally satisfied with the new system. They received assistance and learnt new ways of working. However, the special teacher did not have enough time to meet all the needs that existed in kindergartens. This experimental model is now a permanent system.     

The design of pre-service inclusive education courses and their effects on self-efficacy: a comparative study

This study compared two versions of a 13-week mandatory undergraduate inclusive education course to determine their effects on the self-efficacy of pre-service elementary education teachers. For the purposes of the research, the self-efficacy construct was applied specifically to working with students who have inclusive educational needs. The study sought to determine whether there were differential effects of the two approaches – one based on a field-based placement and the other employing a course design approach derived from complex adaptive systems. The results showed statistically significant gains in self-efficacy for both approaches, although there were no statistically significant differences between versions of the course. The implications of the findings are discussed for the design of mandatory inclusive education courses.     

Teaching inclusive religious education impartially: an English perspective

The article draws on experience of teaching, teacher education and qualitative research related to an impartial approach to inclusive religious education (including pupils from families who identify with or do not identify with religion or belief groups), in publicly funded schools in England. Such religious education is considered to be intrinsically worthwhile and instrumentally important in contributing to pupils’ personal and social development. The approach considered is hermeneutical, bringing reliable information into relationship with knowledge and experience of pupils and teacher through active learning, including dialogue. Qualitative research on student and early career teachers suggests that appropriate skills and attitudes supporting an impartial approach can be developed, facilitating a relationship of trust between teacher and students. A condition is the development of teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the stances of pupils in their classes. However, some student teachers or teachers with very firmly held views find it very difficult to adopt an impartial approach. On the basis of examples from qualitative research, it is argued that good quality teacher education can assist in developing appropriate skills and attitudes for those wishing to take an impartial approach. Further research, ideally involving partnership between researchers and practitioners, is recommended.     

Fostering communication and shared play between mainstream peers and children with autism: approaches, outcomes and experiences

More pupils with autism are now being educated in mainstream settings and inevitably there is increased interest in their interactions with their peers. In this article, Philip Whitaker, of the Educational Psychology Service in Northamptonshire, describes his study of shared play between children with autism and their mainstream peers. The study involved ten youngsters with severe autism, educated in a unit attached to a mainstream school, and a group of volunteer 'peer tutors'. The children met in weekly interaction sessions designed to promote shared play and communication. The peer tutors were provided with some coaching in interaction techniques and the impact of the intervention was evaluated through analysis of video recordings of play sessions made at the beginning and end of the project. The peer tutors and their parents were also interviewed at the end of the project to explore their experiences.
The results Philip Whitaker reports are encouraging. All parents were strongly supportive of their children's participation. All but one of the peer tutors found the experience challenging but rewarding and wanted to continue their involvement beyond the 20-week project. The video evidence revealed that the peer tutors, with relatively limited preparation, were able to engage the youngsters with autism in high and sustained levels of shared play. The frequency of requesting by children with autism increased substantially over the course of the project, although levels of initiation of shared attention remained consistently low. Philip Whitaker concludes his report with a series of suggestions for enhancing the impact of this interesting work.     

Cochlear implants in the inclusive classroom: a case study

This article presents a case study of a child aged 12 years with a cochlear implant who is attending a mainstream educational setting in Skopje, FYR Macedonia. The study, which uses both qualitative and quantitative data, took place over a period of 12 months. It illustrates the importance of professional development and training of teachers and a need to emphasise a range of intervention strategies. It also highlights the challenges facing children and young people with cochlear implants in schools and suggests a range of systemic approaches to addressing the issues raised.     

The place of imagination in inclusive pedagogy: thinking with Maxine Greene and Hannah Arendt

Conceptualising difference is a key task for inclusive pedagogy, and vital to the politics of inclusion. My purpose in this paper is to consider the place that imagination has in helping us to conceptualise difference, and to argue that imagination has a key part to play in inclusive pedagogy. To do this I draw closely on the work of Maxine Greene and Hannah Arendt. Arendt’s work provides a means to conceptualise difference whereby difference is itself at the very heart of what constitutes our humanity. Greene’s work on the arts has outlined the value of the imagination, and has argued for the place of the arts in education and pedagogy. What is needed, however, is a careful account of how the imagination is connected to politics. In this paper I take up Greene’s call to ‘release the imagination’ and, drawing on Arendt, develop an account of the relationship between the imagination, thinking, and politics and how this can be used to argue the place of imagination in inclusive pedagogy.