Preferences of students with general learning difficulties for different service delivery modes

This study was designed to elicit the views and preferences of primary education students’ with general learning difficulties concerning different service delivery modes. The main areas to be investigated were: (a) their current educational provision, (b) alternative modes of provision and (c) the most appropriate provider (mainstream or special needs teacher) of educational support. The sample consisted of 95 students in grades 2–6 who voluntarily participated in the study. Interviews, including seven questions concerning students’ views on and preferences for different educational settings (regular classroom without additional support, resource room, in‐class support), were employed for gathering data. The findings clearly confirmed our hypotheses that: (a) students do hold preferences about where and by whom they should be taught, and (b) they do not unanimously prefer one service delivery mode over another. While the majority of the students preferred the resource room over the regular class, it is significant, at the same time, that almost one‐third of the participants preferred the regular classroom. Students’ preference for educational setting (regular classroom or resource room) was significantly influenced by their view of which setting provides more academic benefits. Regarding their preference for the most appropriate provider of support, the great majority preferred receiving help from the special education teacher. Given that in‐class support is not practised in Greek schools and none of the participants had any experience of systematic in‐class support provided by a special teacher, it was surprising to establish that almost one‐half of the students preferred to receive the additional support within the regular class. Students’ preference for a service delivery mode (pull‐out or in‐class support) was significantly influenced by: (a) their preference of educational setting (regular classroom or resource room), and (b) their views of which setting provided greater academic benefit.     

Which students need accommodations the most,and to what extent are their needs met by regular upper secondary school? A cross-sectional study among students with special educational needs

The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to identify factors associated with a high level of accommodation needs in school activities among students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular upper secondary education; and (2) to investigate the extent to which schools have met students’ perceived accommodation needs. Accommodation needs and their provision in school activities were assessed with the School Setting Interview for 484 students with SEN. Students’ mean age was 17.3 years and 50% did not have a diagnosis. A logistic regression analysis revealed that a high level of school absence, studying a vocational programme, and a neuropsychiatric disorder were associated with a high level of accommodation needs. In the majority of school activities, about 50% of students had not received any accommodation despite an experienced need for support. About 30% of students perceived a need for support even though they had been provided with accommodations, and around 25% stated they were satisfied with received accommodations. Regular upper secondary school students with SEN are insufficiently provided with accommodations to satisfactorily participate in education. Specific student characteristics, e.g. high level of school absence, should receive special attention when investigating and accommodating students’ needs for support in school activities.     

Changes in Self-efficacy of Prospective Special and General Education Teachers: Implication for inclusive education

The impact of three variables on the self-efficacy of 992 general and special education preservice teachers was examined. These variables were years of preservice education, experience with children with special educational needs, and training in inclusion or exceptional education. All participants responded to a teacher self-efficacy scale that measured four factors. Findings revealed a main effect for years of preservice education and for major of the academic degree. The main effect for years of preservice education was found only for efficacy for social relations. The main effect for degree major revealed that special education majors had significantly higher scores than regular education majors, on all four factors. A significant main effect for experience and major was also found. Students with much and some experience had significantly higher scores than students with no experience on two factors. Intensity of training was associated with self-efficacy. Students with much and some training had significantly higher scores than students with no training on all four factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

Gf-Gc theory of human cognition: Differentiation of short-term auditory and visual memory factors

A principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed for 50 subjects on 18 cognitive and achievement variables. Four, five, six, and seven factors were specified for extraction. Variables were chosen to allow for investigation of factor loadings among measures of short-term auditory and short-term visual memory. Also included in the analysis were tests representative of other Gf-Gc factors. The results provide support for a model of Gf-Gc theory with distinct and separate short-term visual and short-term auditory memory factors.     

黑龙江省随班就读小学教师现状调查

采用自编随班就读教师问卷对黑龙江省30所小学的33名随班就读教师的基本情况、特教知识与技能掌握情况、教学工作和专业支持等现状进行了调查。结果表明：黑龙江省随班就读小学教师的学历结构合理,教龄结构不尽合理;黑龙江省随班就读小学教师特殊教育专业知识不足;黑龙江省随班就读小学教师对随读生的教学与普通生没有差异;黑龙江省随班就读小学教师获得的专业支持较少。     

Diverging paths in upper secondary education: competence attainment among students with special educational needs

The main objective of specially adapted teaching in upper secondary education in Norway is to help students attain vocational or academic competence. However, a contested issue is whether it is conducive to place students with special educational needs in regular or special classes. Another question is whether boys and girls benefit to the same degree from placement in a specific type of class. The analyses presented in this article are based on data from a longitudinal study of nearly 500 adolescents with special educational needs who have been followed prospectively over 6 years. The results demonstrate that students receiving special support in regular classes obtain vocational or academic qualifications to a greater degree than students in special classes. In particular, girls benefit from placement in regular classes. This pattern does not change when the analyses control for relevant variables that are known to affect competence attainment, e.g. the students’ functional level registered at the start of upper secondary school.     

Mainstreaming in an urban middle school: Effects of school organization and climate

Mainstreaming in an urban middle school was examined for three years by a participant observer. It was hypothesized that the school's organization and culture would affect mainstreaming. Findings confirmed this hypothesis. Homogeneity of academic classes and the requirement that students fit into academic groups limited access for special education students to classes where they could function academically as the students did in general education. Criteria for selecting students were not delineated; special and general education teachers communicated informally and irregularly about their students' functioning in mainstream classes; and students received little help with their academic mainstream responsibilities. Students from special education were added to regular classes that were already very large and teacher permission was necessary to include a mainstream student in a general education class. Some school factors facilitated mainstreaming. The principal advocated it and supported its implementation. Special education teachers initiated mainstreaming through their social networks in the school. Heterogeneous groups in minor subjects offered classes with a wider range of ability within which special education students could function, and low track homogeneous classes provided environments that were more like special education classes.     

The Self–Concept of Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta–Analysis of Comparisons Across Different Placements

Although placement in less restrictive settings is generally believed to be associated with more positive social outcomes for students with disabilities, the empirical research has yielded equivocal findings. The purpose of this study was to synthesize the empirical research comparing the self–concept of students with learning disabilities (LD) in different educational placements. Meta–analysis revealed no overall association between self–concept and educational placement for four out of five comparisons: regular class vs. resource room, regular class vs. self–contained class, resource room vs. self–contained class, and regular class vs. special school. Students with LD receiving instruction in self–contained classrooms in regular schools exhibited lower self–concept compared to students with LD attending special schools. Follow–up analyses were conducted to explore whether the variability of effect sizes in regular class–resource room comparisons was associated with any of several potential moderator variables; the only variable for which the association approached significance was whether students in the regular classroom were provided with appropriate special education supports and services. The findings are discussed in light of documented individual variation in students’ placement preferences.     

农村中职学校语文学困生情感特征及转化策略

中职学生语文学习困难是较普遍的现象,它阻碍了学生健康和全面发展,困扰中职教育,影响教学效果。该文作者总结了中职语文教学经验,在语文教学理论和教育心理学理论的指导下,选取80名中职语文学困生作为样本,把他们与20名语文学优生进行比较分析,归纳总结农村中职语文学困生的情感特征,提出了培养学生情感和教育转化的策略。     

Does being assigned to a low school track negatively affect psychological adjustment? A longitudinal study in the first year of secondary school

Previous research suggests that the 1st year in secondary school for some students goes hand in hand with an increase in adjustment difficulties. One factor that might influence this process on an individual, compositional, and institutional level is the academic track a student attends. It was hypothesized that being assigned to a low-qualifying track predicts a stronger increase in adjustment problems than being assigned to higher tracks. A sample of 734 seventh-grade students from Switzerland attending 1 of 3 regular academic tracks or special educational classes participated. Pupils reported anonymously on their antisocial behavior, anger control problems, self-worth, and emotional distress. Multilevel analyses were performed, predicting end of seventh-grade adjustment by track controlling for initial adjustment and background variables. Students enrolled in the low-qualifying regular track increased significantly more than students from other tracks regarding their problems with global adjustment, antisocial behavior, and emotional distress.     

Assessment of metacognitive knowledge in students with special educational needs

This study investigated whether and, if so, how metacognitive knowledge can be assessed validly in students with special educational needs in a large-scale assessment like the German National Educational Panel Study. In total, 804 sixth-grade students including both regular school students attending the lowest track of secondary education (Hauptschule) and students with special educational needs in learning participated in the study. A scenario-based test of metacognitive knowledge focusing primarily on different aspects of strategy knowledge was implemented. In order to investigate optimal testing conditions, two conditions that varied in terms of administration mode were compared: autonomous reading as in regular test settings and a read-aloud condition. Reading speed and reasoning abilities were assessed as control variables. As expected, regular school students outperformed students with special educational needs in the metacognitive knowledge test. In addition, higher correlations between metacognitive knowledge and reading speed emerged in the autonomous reading condition compared to the read-aloud condition. Contrary to our expectations, a differential boost due to the testing accommodation of reading aloud was, however, only observed in regular students but not in students with special educational needs. The results are discussed with regard to educational and assessment-relevant approaches.     

Students embracing change towards more powerful learning environments in vocational education

Students’ educational engagement is both an important predictor of study success and a key preventive factor for dropout. Vocational tracks in secondary education show high dropout rates. There is strong evidence that the solution to educational disengagement lies in student‐centred, powerful learning environments (PLEs). This study investigates characteristics of PLEs from the perspective of students in vocational secondary education. Students’ perspectives on a learning environment are crucial for their satisfaction and learning engagement. Therefore, we investigated whether the perceived learning environment meets the requirements of PLEs, and to what extent it meets students’ preferences. Additionally, it was investigated whether students who perceive their learning environment as more powerful, are also more engaged for school. Survey data of 532 students showed that student perceptions of their current learning environment were largely discrepant from the characteristics of PLEs. Students strongly asked for more challenging learning pathways, in combination with adaptive learning support. Students who perceived the characteristics of PLEs as being present, reported higher satisfaction and stronger engagement than students who perceived their education to be a less powerful environment. There is a need to redesign curricula in vocational education in such a way that these more intensely implement characteristics of PLEs.     

Improving teachers’ self-efficacy in applying teaching and learning strategies and classroom management to students with special education needs in Hong Kong

This study examines the impact of a revised one-week training course on teacher self-efficacy in terms of improving teaching and learning strategies and classroom management to support students with special educational needs (SEN) in ordinary schools in Hong Kong. Various teacher-related variables (i.e., level of prior training in special education, confidence in teaching students with SEN, knowledge of legislation and policies, years of teaching, teaching experience with students with SEN, gender, and school type) are analyzed among 347 regular primary and secondary teachers. Teacher confidence and school type are determined to be significant predictors for the self-efficacy of teachers in inclusive education.     

Early Acceleration of Mathematics Students and its Effect on Growth in Self-esteem: A Longitudinal Study

The Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) database was employed to examine the educational practice of early acceleration of students of mathematics on the development of their self-esteem across the entire secondary grade levels. Students were classified into three different academic categories (gifted, honors, and regular). Results indicated that, in terms of the development of their self-esteem, gifted students benefited from early acceleration, honors students neither benefited nor were harmed by early acceleration, and regular students were harmed by early acceleration. Early acceleration in mathematics promoted significant growth in self-esteem among gifted male students and among gifted, honors, and regular minority students. When students were accelerated, schools showed similar average growth in self-esteem among gifted students and regular students and a large effect of general support for mathematics on the average growth in self-esteem among honors students.     

Early Acceleration of Mathematics Students and its Effect on Growth in Self-esteem: A Longitudinal Study

The Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) database was employed to examine the educational practice of early acceleration of students of mathematics on the development of their self-esteem across the entire secondary grade levels. Students were classified into three different academic categories (gifted, honors, and regular). Results indicated that, in terms of the development of their self-esteem, gifted students benefited from early acceleration, honors students neither benefited nor were harmed by early acceleration, and regular students were harmed by early acceleration. Early acceleration in mathematics promoted significant growth in self-esteem among gifted male students and among gifted, honors, and regular minority students. When students were accelerated, schools showed similar average growth in self-esteem among gifted students and regular students and a large effect of general support for mathematics on the average growth in self-esteem among honors students.     

随班就读教师课堂支持研究

随班就读是全球融合教育在中国的具体实践,随班就读教师究竟需要怎样的“支持”才能满足残疾儿童在普通班级中的特殊教育需要？基于信效度较好的随班就读教师课堂支持问卷调查与分析结果表明,随班就读教师在社会性支持上的得分显著高于在技术性支持上的得分;在社会性支持中,教师在融合教育氛围上得分显著高于在学校领导支持上的得分,而在学校领导支持上的得分又显著高于在同事支持上的得分;在技术性支持中,教师在物理环境调整上的得分显著高于在教辅教具配置上的得分;而在教辅教具配置上的得分又显著高于在专业人员指导上的得分。基于研究结果,建议加强随班就读教师所需支持研究,规范开展随班就读工作的教室建设,提升特殊教育学校教师专业化水平。     

Learning with dyslexia in secondary school in New Zealand: What can we learn from students' past experiences?

This study uses an interpretive approach to present the prior secondary school experiences of four students with dyslexia now studying at university. Students with dyslexia in Aotearoa/New Zealand have had to contend with a compulsory education system that has not recognised their learning struggles nor supported their particular ways of learning. Students have had to develop their own support strategies to complete educational qualifications. Students' experienced teacher and system ignorance of their learning difficulties and needs. Inappropriate support offered in an ad hoc manner impacted on their success. Despite this all students developed their own strengths and support networks, which helped them to progress in their education. The success of these networks influenced their decision to continue onto university. Students perceived their learning with dyslexia as different from their peers and creating difficulties within the existing educational system, but not disabling.     

美国中小学阶段特殊教育安置的趋势分析

基于全纳教育政策,美国为障碍儿童提供了4大类全纳程度不同的安置方式。经过多年的实践,已形成了比较稳定并具有一定合理性的安置模式。以学生的最佳发展为目标,不同类别的残疾学生在安置上差别很大。非智力落后或轻度感官障碍类学生以普通班级为主,智力落后类和重度感官障碍类的学生则以分离班级和资源教室的安置为主,全国60多万智力落后的中小学生中只有约10%被安置在普通班级里。     

特殊学生家长融合教育满意度影响因素的模型建构与阐释——基于扎根理论的视角

特殊学生家长的满意度是国家和地区"办好特殊教育"乃至"办好人民满意的教育"的重要依据指标。本研究采用基于扎根理论的深度访谈方法来探究特殊学生家长融合教育满意度的影响因素,以学生因素、家长因素和环境因素三大类属与障碍限制、身份特征、个人心态、知识基础、投入程度、政府支持、学校保障和社会助力八大主范畴以及类属之间、范畴之间的关联建构起一个立体式的理论模型,并对其进行了具体阐释。据此提出了分别以改善学生能力、提升家长素质和增强环境支撑为落脚点、着力点和关键点的政策建议。     

Development and validation of an educational robot attitude scale (ERAS) for secondary school students

Humanoid robots equipped with social skills have come to be used increasingly in the field of education across various subfields such as science education, special education, and foreign language education. In order to enhance the use of humanoid robots in educational settings, and to comprehensively evaluate its impact on the transformation of the class, understanding students’ attitudes towards the use of robots for educational purposes plays a critical role. This paper outlines the implementation and validation procedures of an educational robot attitude scale (ERAS) developed to measure the attitudes of secondary school students towards the use of humanoid robots in educational settings. The sample of the study comprised of 232 secondary school students. The development and validation process consisted of exploratory factor analysis and convergent validity. The developed scale consists of 17 items and represents four factors of students’ attitude: engagement, enjoyment, anxiety and intention. These four factors accounted for 66% of the total variance of the scale. Internal consistency coefficient for the whole scale was found .90 according to the reliability analysis. The results of the study suggest that the scale is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for measuring the dimensions of students’ attitudes towards humanoid robots in educational settings.