Dilemmas of difference,curriculum and disability: international perspectives

This paper reports a comparative analysis of international perspectives about curriculum design relevant to disability in education. It was part of a larger study of the perspectives of 132 education practitioners and administrators in the UK, USA and the Netherlands on several dilemmas of difference. It also compares current perspectives to previous ones for similar groups of educators from the 1990s. Participants were interviewed about their perspectives to a presented curriculum dilemma about the consequences of having either a common or a differentiated curriculum for children with disabilities/special educational needs. Findings show that a majority in each country recognised the dilemma about curriculum commonality–differentiation, that this has continued over a decade and that there were similarities across the countries in how the dilemma was recognised and resolved. The findings are discussed in terms of national differences, common cross‐country perspectives and a general framework of curriculum differentiation informed by an assumption of dilemmas of difference.     

Conceptualisations of disability and inclusion: perspectives of educators of young children

This grounded theory study explores beliefs about disability and inclusion from the perspectives of educators of young children in their respective roles as elementary school teachers and early childhood educators, in Ontario, Canada. The social relational model described by Reindal is used as a theoretical framework for interviews with four educators. The interview data provide a theory of educators' beliefs and show the relationship of the beliefs to their practice. Implications based on the theory are presented for both policy and professional development.     

Deconstructing difference and inclusion in educational research: reflections on the international journal of qualitative studies in education special edition on difference

Disabled and disability studies scholars and activists have challenged and are challenging the bio- and necro-politics of disability subjectivity through scholarship, art, activism, and online engagement. As this edition articulates, difference takes many forms, is intersectional, and is often characterized and codified by and through educational research. Acknowledging that difference is socially constructed poses challenges to the ablenationalism that undergirds not only complex systems of schooling, but the educational research on which these systems rest.     

The impact of inclusive education reforms on students with disability: an international comparison

ABSTRACT

When the Salamanca Statement called upon States to recognise the ‘necessity and urgency’ of providing students with a disability access to the regular education system (UNESCO 1994, viii), both Australia and the United States of America had existing legislative and policy documents articulating the rights of students with a disability to access regular education. Since that time both countries have clarified and amended their respective laws and policies, and signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN 2006) which urges States to reallocate resourcing to inclusive education, and to reduce segregation. In this article, I examine the policy reforms in each country and analyse aggregated and disaggregated student placement data within each context to consider the impact of these reforms for different groups of students. Results show that the different reform journeys in each context produced different outcomes for students in each country, with segregation increasing in Australia and decreasing in the USA. The results also suggest that the impact of these policies has not been proportionate across categories as students on the Autism Spectrum are more likely to experience educational segregation or exclusion in both countries.     

Dilemmas of difference and the identification of special educational needs/disability: International perspectives

This article reports findings from an international study about dilemmas of difference in relation to special educational needs and disability in education. It was part of a larger study of the perspectives of 132 education practitioners and policy makers in England, the USA and the Netherlands to a range of dilemmas of difference. It also compares these current perspectives with ones from similar groups in England and the USA from the early 1990s. Participants were interviewed about their perspectives on a presented dilemma about the consequences of identifying children as having a disability or a special educational need. The data are presented in quantitative terms (degrees of recognition and resolution of dilemma) and qualitative terms (reasons, justifications and suggested resolutions). The findings show variations in responses to the dilemma that relate to national differences, but also commonalities in the recognition of this dilemma, reasons for recognising and ways of resolving the dilemma.     

Len Barton,inclusion and critical disability studies: theorising disabled childhoods

Len Barton has pioneered the sociological study of education in the areas of disability studies and inclusive education. This paper addresses an argument developed by Len Barton that social exclusion, of which disablism is one element, (1) has many compounding forms of differing exclusions, (2) is not a natural but a socially constructed process, (3) has no single factor that can remove it and (4) is in constant need of conceptual analysis. Our paper aims to address each of these four challenging themes in relation to the contemporary societal position of disabled children, their families and key professionals that work around them, with a specific focus on schools. First, we explore the ways in which disabled childhoods are imbricated with other forms of exclusion. Second, we consider the ways in which ‘disability’, ‘impairment’ and ‘child’ are consistently being reproduced in particular and often contradictory ways by disability discourses. Third, we consider the need to work with numerous forms of educational intervention that address the exclusion of disabled children. Fourth, we conclude with an appeal to develop disability studies in ways that build on the shoulders of (social model) greats – such as Len Barton – whilst being receptive to other transformative perspectives from queer, feminist and postcolonial studies.     

Leadership for inclusion: a comparison of international practices

The issue of inclusion is high on the educational reform agenda in many countries. Set within the context of the United Nations organisation's push for ‘Education for All’, the aim is to find ways of increasing the participation and learning of pupils who are vulnerable to marginalisation within existing educational arrangements ( World Education Forum, 2000 ). In the United States, inclusive education is generally thought of as an approach to serving children with disabilities within general education settings. Internationally, however, it is sometimes seen more broadly as a reform that supports and welcomes diversity among all learners ( Ainscow, 1999 ). The research reported in this paper adopts this broadened formulation. It presumes that the aim of inclusive education is to eliminate social exclusion and that is a consequence of attitudes and responses to diversity in race, social class, ethnicity, religion, gender and ability ( Vitello & Mithaug, 1998 ). Children with disabilities and others seen as having special educational needs are part of this agenda. The paper focuses specifically on the implications of these developments for leadership roles in schools. In particular, it uses evidence from case studies of leadership practice in three countries to address the question, what types of leadership practice foster inclusion in schools? The paper provides a theoretical framework that throws light on what is involved in such practices and presents illustrative examples. The aim is to provide an analysis that will be of direct relevance to practitioners, whilst at the same time adding to theory. The examples of leadership that are examined were found in schools in England, Portugal, and the United States that serve culturally and linguistically diverse groups of children, including significant numbers from low‐income families. In each of the schools, children with disabilities and others categorised as having special educational needs are taught in general education classrooms alongside their peers.     

文学理论教学：困境与出路——教学手记之一

在当前高校的文学理论教学中存在着某些方面的危机和问题,如教材质量不高,教学方法陈旧,学生缺乏学习的积极性,理论的现实意义没有得到充分展现等等。针对教学中出现的这些问题,我们必须从提高文学理论教材编写水平、改进教师的教学方法和督促学生端正学习态度三个方面来寻求克服这些问题的出路。     

高校校务公开：意义·路径·创新与困境

校务公开是高校民主政治建设的重要组成部分。在信息时代的今天,校务公开在会议、公文、传媒等传统路径的基础上,通过网络平台的创新达到迅速、便捷、透明的良好效果,但实践中要时刻警惕因网络双刃性而引起的网络不良现象。高校必须探索和实施一系列保障措施,方能使网络公开走出困难,发挥其应有的作用。     

Ambiguous belonging and the challenge of inclusion: parent perspectives on school membership

Boundary ambiguity occurs when members of a family are confused or uncertain regarding roles, responsibilities and subsystem configurations within the family. Research suggests that perception of boundary ambiguity is associated with family stress despite internal and external resource availability. It has been suggested that research on family boundary ambiguity be broadened beyond the family unit to the interface between family and community. This study utilised boundary ambiguity, and paradoxical dilemma as sensitising concepts to guide a secondary analysis of narrative data from interviews conducted with 28 parents of children with a range of disabilities pertaining to the interface between home and school. Findings confirmed evidence of boundary ambiguity and boundary intrusion in parents’ perception of whether the child and family were considered valued members of the school community, and in ambiguous parental role assignments, such as information gatherer, child advocate and teacher. In addition, ambiguous situations often triggered paradoxical dilemmas that affected home–school relationships.     

教育学的重构:问题的发现与悖论的揭示

“教育学的重构”首先要展开对问题的研究和悖论的揭示,它不仅构成对教育理论工作者的思想深度与智慧、勇气的最大挑战,同时也为重构新的教育学勾勒出大致的蓝图并预测其未来可能的走向。教育学重构有宏观的动因与文化背景,第三次知识转型引发了教育学“地震”,而且教育学的重构会涉及到一些最为关键性的问题。     

Enhancing the work placement experience of international students: towards a support framework

This article reports the findings from an institutional case study into the work placement experience of undergraduate international students studying at a UK-based university. Given the centrality and importance of the employability and internationalisation agendas in higher education, little published literature considers both and how they impact upon the work placement experience of international students. With past increases in international student recruitment numbers and the drive for students, regardless of their nationality, to gain work experience, there is a need for institutions to better understand work placement from the international students’ perspective. Findings revealed that challenges exist in finding and securing work placement, with critical themes emerging to include placement information, visa rules, culture differences, prior work experience, academic preparation for placement and academic writing ability. A support framework is proposed to assist institutions to consider how they could align their practices to meet international students’ work placement and employability needs.     

家政职业化进程中的困境与对策

家政职业化进程历经近10年,但由于社会认可度低、薪酬待遇低、就业门槛低,导致家政职业化过程步履维艰。而家政是涉及千家万户、涉及社会的和谐与稳定的一个不可或缺的行业,因此除了要转变就业观念、提高薪酬,提高家政从业人员的地位外,还要加强培训,提高家政服务的品味与质量,才有可能有效解决家政职业化的难题。     

University student perspectives on institutional non-disclosure of disability and learning challenges: reasons for staying invisible

ABSTRACT

Students with disabilities (SWD) in Australian higher education need to disclose to their institution to access a range of ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support their learning. Nationally, 5.8% of the university population disclose their disability to their institution. It is suspected that there is a much larger population of students who choose non-disclosure, and therefore decide not to access support. Very little is known about the reasons for non-disclosure as this group represents a hidden population in higher education. The research reported here is based on a survey of undergraduate students in one regional Australian university where disability was reframed as ‘learning challenge’. This identified the institutionally non-disclosed group. This research identified that there were sound reasons for non-disclosure, students continually weigh up potential disclosure during their study, and students have difficulty with the disclosure process. We conclude that institutions need to understand that they have an invisible group of non-disclosing SWD in their student populations and that, to meet their learning challenges, universities need to support changes to policies, procedures and curriculum design.     

Beyond the difference: from the margins to inclusion

In recent years mounting evidence reveals that many children, for different reasons, do not receive equal opportunities for learning, and therefore are marginalised. However, despite the fact that many education systems have attempted to solve this problem and respond to the contemporary needs of all children by deploying a variety of policies for inclusive education, and despite the improvements already achieved, the phenomenon of marginalisation still persists as a difficult problem still awaiting a solution. The paper attempts to deconstruct the term ‘difference’ from a post‐modern point of view, and also considers it genealogically from a philosophical perspective. The purpose is to improve teaching practice in order for teachers to provide equal opportunities in learning for all students. Naturally, the acceptance of ‘difference’ stimulates thinking and expands the parameters of free will. It will therefore be considered that while broad margins (or the marginal) persist, the possibility of difference will also continue to prevail and thus require sustained liberalism in education.     

思想政治教育中的交往困境

交往作为马克思主义理论的重要哲学范畴,是审视思想政治教育得失的重要视角。结合马克思主义交往理论和思想政治教育实践,研究发现在当前思想政治教育中,存在着主体间性异化、生活性交往异化和精神性交往缺失的困境。     

Self‐determination of young children with intellectual disability: understanding parents' perspectives

Self‐determination is considered to be a basic human right which, to develop, demands contextual opportunities as well as individual competencies. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the family is the natural support environment in the task of increasing control over their own lives. There is little, however, that has been published in Spain on the needs and strengths of families in this regard. This article presents a study carried out in Spain on the knowledge, attitudes and strategies that a sample group of parents (N = 201) have regarding self‐determination. An analysis of the data gathered highlights the need for intervention proposals to prepare parents to further their children's self‐determination, through collaborative partnerships and through cognitive restructuring.     

Exploring British Pakistani mothers’ perception of their child with disability: insights from a UK context

This research lends insight into disabling discourses on South Asian families of children with disabilities. It explores immigrant Pakistani maternal understanding of their children's disability, uniquely through an educational perspective, highlighting maternal roles which schools must acknowledge to improve outcomes for children. The findings of this research, supported by a literature review, highlight various ideological threads shaping maternal understanding of disability and their children's schooling experiences. Data were collected through multiple case studies of immigrant Pakistani mothers of disabled children at Westchester School, incorporating semi‐structured interviews and reviewing pupils’ school files. After a process of open coding, the main themes emerging from interviews suggested maternal perceptions of disability evolved from a medicalised lens, onto identifying with structural barriers to children's progress, and a gendered lens. Both maternal perceptions and their professional interactions determined maternal accounts of their children's schooling experiences. This research highlights positive familial factors shaping maternal understanding of disability, supporting further studies into maternal advocacy and empowerment within UK special education.