The evaluation of a ten‐week programme in Cyprus to integrate children with multiple disabilities and visual impairments into a mainstream primary school

A basic need for a child is to belong to a group ( Maslow, 1970 ). Groups help children: to develop relationships and to foster individual mental health ( Johnson and Johnson, 1989 ); and disabled and non‐disabled children, when given assistance, can develop relationships with each other ( Sideris, 1998 ). But there are very few opportunities in Cyprus for children with multiple disabilities and visual impairment to learn alongside mainstream school children. A ten‐week pilot programme was developed and implemented in a Cypriot mainstream and specialist school to examine whether interaction between children with multiple disabilities and visual impairment and mainstream school children can be achieved through the co‐education of the two groups. Three primary school children with multiple disabilities and visual impairment from a specialist school and 15 children with no disabilities who attended a neighbouring mainstream primary school took part in this programme. Central to the programme was the principle that every child has the right to participate in common learning and playing ( Feuser, 1982 ). This paper reports those key findings from the evaluation of the programme from the perspective of the children that took part in it. We show that, even over a short period of time, co‐education can be achieved and be of benefit to both groups.     

Inclusion of pupils with intellectual disabilities: primary school teachers' attitudes and willingness in a rural area in Uganda

Teachers in regular schools have a responsibility to accommodate the needs and interests of all learners. The attitudes and willingness of teachers to include learners with intellectual disabilities in their classes in regular schools in a district with a semi-nomadic pastoral population in north-eastern Uganda was investigated. A survey of 125 school teachers was conducted, using an attitude scale and a willingness sub-scale. The results showed slightly more positive than negative attitudes, and more willingness than unwillingness to teach learners with intellectual disabilities. Attendance of workshops and seminars had a positive impact on teacher attitudes and willingness towards inclusive education. The findings are discussed with reference to historical–cultural characteristics of the district, as well as pupil and teacher characteristics.     

Preservice Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Toward Students with Special Educational Needs from Different Ethnic Backgrounds

Drawing on social cognition frameworks, we experimentally examined preservice teachers' implicit attitudes toward students with special educational needs (SEN) from different ethnic backgrounds and preservice teachers' explicit attitudes toward inclusive education. Preservice teachers (N = 46) completed an evaluative priming task and questionnaires. Results showed indifferent implicit attitudes toward students with SEN with immigrant backgrounds and positive implicit attitudes toward those without immigrant backgrounds. Furthermore, participants reported a high motivation to act without prejudice toward minorities but held less favorable explicit attitudes toward inclusion of students with SEN, especially students with behavioral problems. Differential patterns of implicit and explicit evaluations could bias teachers' interactions with students. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for educational practice and research.     

Attitudes of Slovene teachers towards the inclusion of pupils with different types of special needs in primary school

Numerous studies show that a successful implementation of inclusion of children with special needs (SN) largely depends on the teachers’ positive attitude towards it. The empirical research that is presented in the main part of the article analyses attitudes of a representative sample of Slovene teachers (n = 1360) regarding four domains of impact (impact of inclusion on pupils with SN, on peers, on teachers and on the classroom environment). In this, we controlled the role of the following two relevant characteristics of the sample: the category of SN (physical impairments, mild intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural/emotional disorders) and the category of professional expertise of teachers in working with pupils with SN. We applied the Impact of Inclusion Questionnaire. The results show that teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion are determined by the type of SN the integrated pupils have. In the case of pupils with physical impairments, teachers expressed the highest level of consent and the lowest in the case of pupils with behavioural and emotional disorders. Our study shows that besides the type of SN, teachers’ professional expertise in working with pupils with SN is another important factor that determines the level of agreement with inclusion. It turned out that the teachers who had taken part in different forms of education and training had a more positive attitude towards all domains of impact.     

Thai preschool teachers' views about inclusive education for young children with disabilities

It is generally assumed that preschool teachers play a crucial daily role in the inclusion of young children with a disability in education settings. In many countries, however, there are little available data to inform such a view. Part of a larger project with 528 preschool teachers from northern Thailand, the aim of the study reported here was to examine Thai preschool teachers' views of inclusive education for young Thai children with disabilities. Twenty preschool teachers with a range of attitudes to the inclusion of young children with a disability were interviewed about their views and five themes developed from the interview analysis. Those themes were the current situation, teachers' knowledge and expertise, teachers' attitude towards inclusion and disability, collaboration, and challenges for future inclusion.     

Classroom climate in regular primary school settings with children with special needs

This study investigates the classroom climate in two settings of the 6th‐grade class (a setting of children with special needs and a setting without children with special needs), focusing on aspects of satisfaction and cohesiveness on one side and friction, competitiveness and difficulties on the other. The study results indicate the existence of both positive and negative consequences of the integration of hearing‐impaired pupils. Heterogeneity achieved by the presence of children with special needs included positive benefits for all pupils in the mainstream classroom and helped to prevent friction and a competitive atmosphere, and provided opportunities for accepting exceptionalities, and developing social skills, ethical values and empathic abilities among school peers. On the other hand was concern related to difficulties of cognition, the only dimension on which comparative settings statistically and significantly differed concerning the classroom climate with integrated pupils.     

‘Unconscious’ inclusion of students with learning disabilities in a Malaysian mainstream primary school: teachers' perspectives

The inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream regular schools has been seen as the best practice in special education provision, most markedly since the 90s. International research has provided amassing evidence towards the advantages of inclusive model over a segregation model of special education provision. However, nearly two decades after the signing of the international pledge, namely the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO) towards accepting inclusive education, Malaysia has not yet fully gained the momentum to implement inclusive education for children with special needs, especially for children identified within the category of learning disabilities. Because of the delay in policy implementation, inclusive education remains sparingly practiced in some schools without formal support. This study aims to investigate a scenario of this practice in a mainstream primary school via interviewing the regular teachers. The ultimate aim of this investigation is to identify ways to move forward from the current practice of ‘unconscious inclusion’.     

Social engagement, attention and competence of preschoolers with hearing loss

The social engagement, social attention skills and social competence of 10 hearing preschoolers and 10 preschoolers with hearing loss were investigated during free play in inclusive oral kindergarten settings using a three-level hierarchical model. When comparing the types of opportunities, at the first level, the children with hearing loss created significantly fewer opportunities through visual regard and interaction. At the second level, for social attention skills, this group scored significantly higher on distractibility, and significantly lower on alert, sustained and focused attention. For the third level, social competence, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. Discriminant Function Analysis showed that the function that discriminated maximally between the two groups of participants was composed only of amount of interaction at Level 1. Children scoring highly on this function were also more likely to have the ability to focus their attention and manage divided attention, to be reciprocal, and to demonstrate mutuality and problem-solving skills with peers.     

Individuals with visual impairments teaching in Nepal's mainstream schools: a model for inclusion

This paper explores the challenges and strengths of teachers with a visual impairments teaching in Nepal's mainstream schools, using qualitative interviews of teachers and principals, as well as a student survey data set. Results showed that teachers with visual impairments tend not to teach subjects such as science and mathematics that require frequent use of a blackboard or illustrations of formulas. Additionally, positive attitudes and good communication skills, as well as giving more social and moral lessons were reported by students as strengths of these teachers. However, due to the lack of an adequate support system, educational materials, and resources, these teachers continue to experience challenges in lesson preparation, marking students' examination papers, or teaching picture-based contents.     

Adaptations for young children with visual impairments in regular settings

Adaptations must be made in order to maximize the learning potential of children with visual impairments to compensate for learning which occurs through visual observation. As the impetus for integration in national and state legislation accelerates, more young children with visual impairments are being educated in community settings with nondisabled peers. The purpose of this article is to provide the child-care and preschool teacher with information that may facilitate the development of children with visual impairments with integrated or inclusive settings.     

Review of the visiting teachers service for children with hearing and visual impairment in supporting inclusive educational practice in Ireland: examining stakeholder feedback through an ecological systems theory

In line with recent developments in inclusive practice in Ireland, children with sensory needs are increasingly educated in mainstream rather than specialist provision. Educational supports are provided by a range of practitioners and include input from the visiting teachers service for children with hearing and visual impairment. This paper reports on findings from the first national review of the service. The review process included desktop research, meetings with a range of key stakeholders as well as a national invitation for written submissions (n = 1372). The findings serve to illustrate the multi-faceted nature of the role of the specialist teachers who work in the service and the range of influences that impact on their work in facilitating inclusive educational practice. To support a holistic analysis of their role, an ecological systems theory is drawn upon as a lens through which to examine the inclusive educational ‘supports’ identified within the review. Mapping the array of educational supports onto an ecological systems theory enables an appreciation of the multiple sources of influence and interconnections in relation to the role. The paper has significance for service providers seeking a theoretical framework that affords potential for comparison of activities across professional roles, settings and contexts.     

The self-efficacy of primary teachers in supporting the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder

In the context of a trend towards inclusive practice in Irish primary schools, many teachers feel ill-equipped to cope with this new challenge. Scope exists within the Irish education system to transform mainstream schools into autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) friendly environments. Research into teacher perceptions of inclusion has found that teachers’ views impact on how inclusionary practices are implemented. This study utilised semi-structured interviews with six primary school teachers. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings from this study suggest that the majority of teachers were apprehensive and lacked confidence at the initial prospect of teaching a child with ASD. The majority of the teachers interviewed also described feelings of uncertainty in managing the behaviour of a child with ASD. These findings were analysed in the context of teachers’ perceptions of systemic issues such as lack of access to resources, support and training in ASD-specific approaches.     

Assessment of school functioning among Israeli Arab children with hearing loss in the primary grades

The study examined school functioning of Israeli Arab children with hearing impairment (HI) who were included in regular education classrooms, in comparison to their classmates with normal hearing (NH). Ninety-three children (60 NH and 33 HI), grades 1-6, participated. Teachers evaluated the children using the Arabic version of the Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risks (SIFTER; Anderson, 1989); they also reported children's achievement levels in Arabic and mathematics. Results demonstrated that the HI children's functioning was lower than that of the NH children. Children with unilateral and minimal hearing losses had lower functioning than those with more severe hearing loss. As grade level increased, functioning decreased among HI children. Use of the SIFTER was beneficial in detecting children with difficulties. Regular, ongoing SIFTER use and appropriate follow-up on the results may better enable each child to perform optimally in class.     

Inclusion: the role of special and mainstream schools

For children with special educational needs, seeds were sown for the move away from segregated settings to inclusion in mainstream settings following the 1978 Warnock Report. However, the ‘special versus mainstream school’ debate was re‐ignited in 2005 when Warnock recommended a more significant role for special schools than previously envisaged. Furthermore, an increase in special school placement has been reported, prompting this investigation of the role of special schools in the current climate of inclusion. Literature from Britain, Europe and New Zealand, including research that listens to ‘the voice of the child’, which compares experiences of children with special educational needs in special and mainstream schools, is reviewed. The findings give no clear indication that either setting leads to better outcomes. Tensions between the inclusion agenda and standards agenda are highlighted. It is concluded that special schools in reduced numbers are likely to remain a feature of the inclusive education system, with recommendations for the development of special–mainstream school partnership links. The quality of the setting, regardless of the type of setting, is emphasised, highlighting implications for staff training in special and mainstream schools. Further research comparing outcomes for children educated in different types of provision is recommended.     

Professional guidance: maternal negotiation of primary school placement for children diagnosed with autism

This article explores the different forms of professional guidance negotiated by mothers as they search for a primary school placement for their child diagnosed with autism. The intensely contested terrain of whether segregated or ‘regular’ classrooms would be ‘better’ for the child shapes the contours of both professional guidance and maternal decision-making. Interviews with 22 women whose children were about to start primary school in Sydney, Australia, allows an exploration of the ways women engage with or reject professional guidance, offered by paediatricians, psychologists, early intervention professionals, and education providers. Mothers frequently received conflicting professional guidance, and felt conflicted about their schooling decisions, especially when students are labelled ‘borderline’. Overall, recent suggestions of a democratisation of autism expertise are not supported by this research, which underlines the need to analyse both the agency of mothers and the power differentials that continue to exist between families and experts.     

Ability grouping in the secondary school: attitudes of teachers of practically based subjects

This research aimed to explore the attitudes of teachers of practically based subjects (arts and sports) towards ability grouping. Teachers from 45 secondary schools adopting different levels of ability grouping completed a questionnaire which elicited their responses to statements of beliefs about ability grouping and its effects. Overall, the physical education teachers exhibited the most positive attitudes towards ability grouping, drama teachers the least, with the music and art teachers in between. The best predictor of teachers’ attitudes was the subject that they taught. These findings support the notion that, overall, teachers of practical subjects have positive attitudes towards mixed‐ability teaching.     

Evidence for the effectiveness of visual supports in helping children with disabilities access the mainstream primary school curriculum

Removing barriers to learning for children with mild to moderate disabilities in mainstream primary classrooms calls for creative approaches that exploit the cognitive and sensory strengths of each child. Although their efficacy has not been fully explored, pictorial, symbolic and written supports are often used with the intention of helping children access the curriculum by reducing anxiety, confusion and memory limitations both at school and at home. This paper reports a qualitative study carried out in New Zealand, which designed, delivered and evaluated a coordinated home and school visual supports programme for 23 children with moderate special education needs aged between 5 years and 7 months and 11 years and 10 months. Interview and questionnaire feedback from parents, teachers and the children themselves suggests the visual supports reduced anxiety and frustration, provided structured reminders of tasks and equipment needed, and permitted greater involvement in home and classroom routines. They also suggested a positive impact on distractibility, task completion, classroom independence and perseverance. It is suggested that while the visual supports were helpful, the attention to the child's needs across contexts contributed importantly to the success of the programme. Directions for further research are outlined.     

Examining pre‐service teachers' attitudes towards children with autism in the USA

Autism is a developmental disorder which affects a growing number of children worldwide. Since the disorder was first discovered by Leo Kanner almost seven decades ago there has been a lot of research trying to unravel this otherwise esoteric disorder. That research has contributed to better understanding of the disorder, shifting of conceptualisations as well as changing of professionals' and families perceptions and attitudes towards the disorder. Together, these changes have helped to promote better outcomes among children with autism. This study was designed to examine pre‐service teachers' attitudes towards children with autism. Results indicated that pre‐service teachers had positive attitudes towards children with autism. The pre‐service teachers' attitudes were found to be influenced by their gender, academic major and different types of exposure to children with autism.     

Family and coordination issues in the preparation of service providers working with children with hearing impairment: the case of Cyprus

This paper explores the pre‐ and in‐service preparation of service providers on family and inter‐professional coordination issues. It particularly looks at the service providers affiliated with seven occupation groups and who work with 48 children with hearing impairment in a specific geographical region of Cyprus. The research study from which this paper draws data was conducted in 2001–3 and aimed at describing the model of coordination that exists in service provision for children with hearing impairment in Cyprus, and specifically, after the enactment of numerous pieces of legislation in accordance with European Union proposals. Data were collected through a questionnaire that was sent to service providers and included both closed‐ and open‐ended questions. First, the emphasis that is given to family and coordination issues over past years, and the subsequent slow response of the pre‐ and in‐service training programmes is discussed. The specific obstacles that are associated with the national context in which this study took place are highlighted. Finally, the study findings related to personnel preparation are presented, as well as the implications of these on the service provision system in Cyprus. Results indicate that there is a great lack of knowledge and skills regarding family issues, and a greater lack of knowledge and skills as regards coordination. The study further indicates that there is some variability among the seven occupational groups presented, and reveals that in‐service training has failed to address these issues.