Blame,guilt and the need for ‘labels’; insights from parents of children with special educational needs and educational practitioners

Previous research on home–school relationships and blame has concentrated on the experiences of parents with children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). This has led to the voices of educational practitioners, as well as parents of children with other special educational needs, being neglected. This article, by Karen Broomhead of Lancaster University, details part of a larger study examining socio‐emotional aspects of home–school relationships between parents of children with special educational needs and educational practitioners. The study reported in this article explored perceptions of blame via semi‐structured interviews with 15 educational professionals and 22 parents of children with various special educational needs. The findings reveal that parental experiences of blame and guilt were influenced by the nature of their children's special educational needs, which consequently influenced parental focus on obtaining ‘labels’ of special educational needs for their children. The implications of these findings for educational practitioners are discussed.     

Guidance and research centers of Turkey: from the perspective of parents

Active participation of parents in every step of their children with special needs’ education is crucial, and it begins with the educational assessment of the children. The parents experience with the professionals who are responsible of assessing children’s abilities might be crucial for the services that will be provided for the children with disabilities. The Guidance and Research Centers (GRCs) of Turkey are the key organisations for the services for children with special needs. This study focused on identifying the experience of the parents at the GRCs and applied qualitative research principles. The findings showed that the parents have reflected both positive and negative experience, but the majority focused on negative experiences. It might be drawn out that GRCs must be improved from several perspectives.     

An Investigation into the Social Construction of Dyslexia

This small-scale qualitative study explores whether there are differences in the way parents, educational psychologists and special educational needs co-ordinators understand the concept of dyslexia. Q methodology was used to analyse the data. Results indicated that although there were differences between the three groups, there were also areas of agreement. The implications of the findings for educational psychology practice are discussed .     

Until somebody hears me: parent voice and advocacy in special educational decision making

When a family finds out their child has a disability, they enter the world of special education which has its own terminology, rules, settings and personnel. In addition to grappling with the meaning of their child's special needs, families are also thrown into the role of principle advocate for their child. The research study reported here presents the findings from focus groups conducted in the United States of America with 27 diverse families on their efforts to obtain the best educational outcomes for their children. In this article, Robyn Hess, Amy Molina and Elizabeth Kozleski bring their collective past experiences, as a school psychologist, bilingual counsellor and special education teacher respectively, to bear on this topic and frame the issue from a systemic perspective. They argue that engaging in conversation with families around their needs, as well as assisting them in their efforts to advocate for their child, is the first step in creating more equal partnerships between parents of children with special needs and educational professionals.     

Legal Regulation and Professional Discretion in Schools

ABSTRACT

The paper aims to analyse how pupils’ equal educational opportunities are warranted. We focus on how regulations of adapted education and the right to special needs education provide school leaders’ and teachers’ room for discretionary decision-making, how it is interpreted and how discretionary power is justified. The paper draws on findings from an interdisciplinary study (education and law) on the transformation of legal standards into professional actions in schools. This paper employs interview data from three compulsory schools (grades 1–10), legal documents, and public reports, and the analysis is guided by a conceptual distinction between structural and epistemic aspects of discretion. Based on our findings, we question whether the discretionary space regarding special needs education gives too many opportunities for action and, hence, weakens pupils’ legal rights. Under the guise of a common school, there is a risk that pupils’ special needs are made invisible.     

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.     

Science and pre-school children with special educational needs: aspects of home-based teaching sessions

This article focuses upon the role of the peripatetic pre-school teacher for children who have special educational needs. It explores the key issues involved in home-based teaching; the importance of developing meaningful partnerships with parents; early intervention; and the significance of play in promoting learning for young children. The research that informs this article is concerned with the possibility of teaching science to pre-school children with special educational needs. The author, Andrea Bennington, was herself an early years special educational needs inclusion teacher when she undertook the work described here. She is now an advisory teacher for children with physical disabilities. In this example of practitioner research, key scientific concepts are discussed in the context of intervention through play carried out in the home setting. The work focuses on the responses of six children to a sequence of six 'experiments' carried out through a period of teaching. Andrea Bennington asks whether science activities can be used to promote the learning experiences of pre-school children who have special educational needs and, therefore, their inclusion in teaching and learning situations.     

Parental Experiences and Beliefs Regarding Inclusive Placements of their Special Needs Children

Parents of children with special needs face many challenges. One of the challenges is the placement of their children in inclusive early childhood education settings. This article explores these challenges and offers practical suggestions regarding the involvement and support of parents of children with special needs in the placement of their children in appropriate educational settings.     

Communities of practice in inclusive education

The data in this paper represent the experiences and perspectives of parents and teachers who worked as communities of practice, designing support plans for the inclusion of three students with intellectual disabilities in general education classrooms. Their reflections, obtained through interviews and questionnaires, show how they constructed relevant knowledge to support these children with special educational needs in their class. The findings show the potential benefits of partnerships and local knowledge in addressing the educational challenge of inclusion.     

Childhood disability and parental appeals: the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for England and Wales

The Special Educational Needs Tribunal in England and Wales was established in 1993 to resolve disputes between local authorities and parents, relating to children's special educational needs. This paper provides a brief historical perspective to the Tribunal, and sets out its composition, legal powers and procedures. It considers the number and nature of appeals heard by the Tribunal and analyses their outcomes. Research centred on evaluating the Tribunal's performance is summarised and discussed. Finally, some current issues regarding the Tribunal system are discussed and its balance of judicial powers and professional expertise is considered in an international context.     

Gaining access to support for children with special educational needs in the early years in Ireland: parental perspectives

Ireland has a policy of inclusive education to enable children with special educational needs to access education alongside their peers. The introduction of early assessment procedures to ensure that children receive support and resources on entering formal education has been an important strategy for delivery of this policy. This paper uses data from interviews with parents and from focus groups with professionals involved in assessment to discuss the efficacy of this procedure. The findings suggest that whilst a policy has been adopted, much remains to be done to ensure that provision of assessment and adequate resources is achieved.     

The assessment of severely intellectually disabled students

In 1995 it became mandatory to establish individual educational plans (IEPs) for children with special educational needs in the Swedish compulsory school. On the basis of the pupils' needs, such a plan should contain information about the pupils' school situation and performance, the class, teaching etc. The aim of this article was to study how special educational needs are defined and described and what support measures the school is suggesting, using IEPs from a sample of Swedish compulsory schools. Our study is based on an analysis of IEPs for pupils with special educational needs in the nine‐year compulsory school in a municipality in northern Sweden. A strategic selection of three compulsory schools was made and we restricted the study to grades 3, 6 and 9. The method used to analyse the IEPs was content analysis. Using different theories within the field of special education and disability studies, we have tried to discern to what extent the problems described, and the proposed measures (intervention), are related to predetermined theoretical models of disability and special needs education. Our analysis indicates that difficulties are predominantly attributed to the pupils' shortcomings and individual characteristics, and the same holds for the recommended measures. Another interesting finding is that a number of the plans were established without involving the parents, and many of them did not even know that their child had an IEP. Finally, we discuss our findings in relation to different research traditions within the field of special education.     

The impact of dynamic assessment: an exploration of the views of children,parents and teachers

A qualitative research project was carried out to explore the views of children with special educational needs, their parents and teachers about one aspect of educational psychology practice: the dynamic assessment of cognitive skills. The research was carried out in a highly diverse and inclusive borough in East London, by Nicola Lawrence from Hounslow Educational Psychology Service, and Sharon Cahill from the University of East London. The views of nine children were sought through semi‐structured interviews regarding the process of dynamic assessment, supported with tools and techniques to facilitate discussion. The views of eight parents and seven teachers were also sought, through semi‐structured interviews and focus groups, regarding the psychological reports produced from dynamic assessment. Of the original findings acquired through thematic analysis of the data, those pertaining to the perceived impact of dynamic assessment of cognitive skills are reported. Dynamic assessment was reported to impact positively upon the child's emotional well‐being, self‐perceptions, approach to learning and social relationships, both directly, and through the subsequent intervention of parents and educators. Dynamic assessment, as well as providing instructionally useful information for parents and teachers, encouraged them to move beyond locating the problem within the child, to reconceptualising their special educational needs in context. As a result, parents and teachers became more positive and optimistic about the child, the current situation and the child's future. Dynamic assessment impacted upon the child's holistic needs, parenting and the development of inclusive practice in the classroom. It is concluded that from the perspective of service users, dynamic assessment forms a worthwhile and valuable part of educational psychology practice.     

A pilot study of factors affecting the process of integration in Greek nursery schools

In the past ten years, the issue of inclusion has proved one of the biggest challenges facing special needs education planners and policy‐makers in developed countries. Greek educational policy has given emphasis on two points: (a) the development of new organizational structures (i.e. resource rooms, support teachers), and (b) the implementation of administrative regulations that enable mainstreaming special and ordinary education into a unified educational system (inclusion). In doing so, the content of the curriculum and the pedagogical characteristics of the educational environment were ignored. This paper reports the results of a pilot study that aimed to explore the pedagogical aspects of inclusion and integration as implemented in Greek nursery schools. More specifically, the study investigated the way special needs children participate in the learning process and their relationship with the other members of the classroom. The following hypothesis guided the study: the process of school integration of a special needs child is regulated by (a) the degree and the quality of his/her participation in the learning process, and (b) the pupil’s ability to comply with the main rules of the classroom. Data were gathered from two special needs children, their teachers and their parents through observations and interviews. Research findings seemed to reinforce the two criteria of the research hypothesis. As observation revealed, children’s actions diverged from the desired joint activity. According to research in social groups, this diversion influences the meaning classroom members attribute to ‘differences’ and causes a negative effect on children’s membership of the group. At the same time, the study points out crucial dimensions of the above criteria, particularly as regards the attitude of nursery teachers and of the other pupils towards children with special needs, an issue that needs to be further explored.     

COMMENTARY ON NIND AND KELLETT 2002

This study had three objectives. One was to compare the needs, resources and supports perceived as available and needed by 32 parents of children with mild to moderate intellectual impairments, educated in self-contained special education classes (SCS), and 46 parents of children with general special needs educated in regular classes. A second objective was to compare these perceptions to the rated degree of pupil impairment. The third objective was to examine the applicability of two surveys. Results revealed that parents perceived strong informational needs regardless of educational setting, though the parents of children in the SCS group expressed stronger informational needs. Parents of children in the SCS group tended to be more satisfied with their relationship with schools than parents in the comparison group. Child impairments in the areas of social skills, behaviour, communication, and thinking and reasoning were highly correlated with parental needs and parental perception of school supports and resources. Factors influencing parental self-efficacy are discussed and recommendations are made for enhancing parental involvement in the child's education. Suggestions are also made for utilizing information derived from this study when planning the implementation of inclusive schools.     

‘We can't make him fit into the system’: parental reflections on the reasons why home education is the only option for their child who has special educational needs

This small-scale study investigates the perspectives of parents whose children have special educational needs/disabilities and who have elected to withdraw their children from the state-maintained education system in England and educate them at home. The study draws on data gathered from seven parents and their perspectives of home education following a government-commissioned review of home education in 2009, subsequently known as the ‘Badman Report’. The former New Labour government commissioned this review to assess the merits of the system of supporting and monitoring home education in England. Findings identified a number of issues, including the lack of understanding by staff within school settings around the issues of special needs and particularly in the area of autistic spectrum disorders, the failure to engage in partnership with parents and the impact that the school environment had upon the children.     

Assessment of special educational needs integration by the educational community in Spain

The study collected and contrasted the opinions of different sectors of the educational community about the functioning and integration of students with special educational needs. In order to do this, a broad questionnaire was sent to teachers of diverse educational stages, to counsellors, parents and to students, both with and without special educational needs. The objective was to examine the respondents’ approach to mainstream integration and their opinions about how their school operated. At the same time, the study examined their opinion concerning the work of the teachers, the learning and social development of the students, the relationships with families and the input of the education authorities. Barriers which create difficulties for educational integration were assessed.     

Attitudes of Greek parents of primary school children without special educational needs to inclusion

Successful inclusion of children with special educational needs (SEN) in school settings depends largely on the attitudes of parents of peers without SEN. The purpose of the present study was to explore the attitudes of Greek parents of primary school children without SEN towards inclusion. The participants were 338 parents (182 fathers, 156 mothers), aged 27 to 58 years (mean age = 39 years and 5 months). They were asked to complete the My thinking about inclusion scale and a further short questionnaire. The findings revealed that Greek parents of primary school children not identified as having SEN had an overall positive attitude towards inclusion. Gender differences were also established—fathers held more positive attitudes towards inclusion than mothers, even when controlling for age, educational level and the presence of a child with SEN in their child’s classroom. However, mothers were overall more willing than fathers to engage themselves and their child in interaction with a child with SEN.     

Inclusion – the heart of the matter: trainee teachers' perceptions of a parent's journey

The importance of parental choice, and parents' participation in educational processes, continue to be highlighted in strategies, acts and policies around the world. Partnership with parents is given an even higher profile in relation to educational opportunities for children with special needs. Yet many trainee teachers have only limited understandings of the impact on family life of a child with special needs; are uncertain how best to work with parents; and are not confident about the choices that parents may wish to make for their children.
In this article, Chris Forlin, Visiting Professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, and Treena Hopewell, MEd student at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, report the responses of a group of fourth year trainee teachers after listening to the story of a mother of a child with high support needs. Their discussion focuses on three themes emerging from the reflective comments written by the trainee teachers after the session: empathy, understanding and personal growth. Chris Forlin and Treena Hopewell review the value of this approach as a means of establishing in trainee teachers a greater desire to work more collaboratively with parents and family members. They also provide excerpts from the mother's story to enable readers to experience the passionate spirit of the storyteller; to further appreciate the needs of parents; and to understand their desire for greater participation in decisions regarding their children.     

Every voice matters: evaluating residential provision at a special school

This article, written by Fiona Hallett, pathway leader for the inclusion and special educational needs masters programmes at Edge Hill University, Graham Hallett, senior lecturer for special educational needs and inclusion at the University of Cumbria, and Mary McAteer, programme leader for an M level professional development programme at Edge Hill University, presents the findings of an evaluative report on the review of residential provision at an identified community special school. Within this review, a consultation was undertaken with parents and pupils to assist in shaping policy and practice, and the main focus of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of that process. By using an evaluative case study approach, it was hoped to document the chronological narrative of the consultation process and offer recommendations as to the effectiveness of participation in this instance. The authors conclude that the qualitative features seen by pupils and parents as having the greatest value suggest a need for high quality, accessible social care, rather than for curricular led, educational residential provision. Fiona Hallett, Graham Hallett and Mary McAteer's critique of the consultation process raises issues relating to the complexities of eliciting a valid pupil perspective. In addition, the authors express concerns about the general conduct of the review regarding bias, validity and the absence of staff voice.