Inclusive education in the Netherlands: how funding arrangements and demographic trends relate to dropout and participation rates

There is a global trend towards including children with special needs in mainstream schools instead of placing them in special schools. However, the numbers of students in special schools varies greatly among regions due to variations in educational systems, funding arrangements – and the incentives that are associated with these arrangements – and demographic trends. In the Netherlands, a new policy aimed at inclusive education was introduced in 2014, together with financial measures to equalise funding for students with special needs across the country. The present study explored the effects of this equalisation policy, as well as the demographic trend of population decline, on dropout rates and participation rates in special education (namely, special schools for mainstream education and schools for special education). The data were retrieved from nation-wide registration systems. The results showed that population decline did not affect participation rates in special education, whereas decreases in funding did result in greater declines in participation rates in special education. Moreover, decreases in funding also resulted in higher dropout rates in areas with growing student populations. Although the reform of funding arrangements resulted in lower participation in special education, higher dropout rates might be a cost of this shift towards inclusive education.     

融合教育背景下特殊需要幼儿发展评估的特点及趋势——基于美国加利福尼亚州预期发展结果档案的分析

随着特殊教育政策重点转移以及融合教育的发展,特殊需要幼儿评估逐渐由诊断性评估转向发展性评估。在这一背景下形成的美国加利福尼亚州幼儿发展评估工具以进程监控为目的,通过多元动态的方式评估特殊需要幼儿关键领域能力的发展。在评估目的、内容、方式和人员方面各具特点,体现出融合教育背景下特殊需要幼儿发展评估的趋势:监控特殊需要幼儿的进步与发展;多元动态评估方式;评估与教育(干预)实践相结合。     

融合教育背景下芬兰特殊需要学生的支持模式

21世纪以来,芬兰在PISA测试中表现卓越。究其重要原因,芬兰高质量且均衡化的教育背后离不开体系完备、运行良好的针对特殊需要学生的支持模式。在经历了完全隔离式支持模式、半隔离式支持模式和双层支持模式之后,芬兰建立起涵盖一般支持、密集支持和特殊支持的三层支持模式,以尽早发现学生的学习困难,确保所有学生均可以在最佳的环境和适当的支持下受益。此外,这一支持模式还配套了完善的政策法规体系、健全的经费保障机制以及高素质专业化的教师队伍,呈现出平等融合、尽早干预、动态灵活、多元参与以及高度自治等特点。     

Understanding inclusive education practices in schools under local government jurisdiction: a study of Khon Kaen Municipality in Thailand

This article investigates inclusive education practices in schools under the jurisdiction of Thai local government through a study of schools in Khon Kaen Municipality in Northeastern Thailand. Thailand’s 1997 Constitution and 1999 National Education Act both legislated that the educational system must become inclusive, and under these laws schools are required to admit all groups of children, including children with special educational needs (SEN). This study sheds light on the situation of inclusive education in schools with regard to administrators’ policy implementation, teachers’ practices, and parents’ perception of inclusive education management. The findings derive from a survey of 11 school administrators, 114 teachers, and 274 parents (of 137 regular and 137 students with SEN), together with six focus groups with administrators and teachers from six schools. The results demonstrate that most school leaders support inclusive classrooms, most teachers are willing to work with SEN students, and parents of regular students accept the concept of inclusion. Actual practices of inclusive education vary, however, depending upon the perception of administrators and the will of the teachers to implement inclusive education. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the policy of the municipality may have resulted in the development of inclusive practices in schools under its jurisdiction.     

Including Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability in National Assessment: Comparison of Three Country Case Studies through an Inclusive Assessment Framework

The assessment of educational progress and outcomes of pupils is important to all concerned with education. This includes testing which is undertaken for accountability and award bearing purposes. This article examines how students with special educational needs and disability (SEND) are included in assessment. An “inclusive assessment” framework is outlined based around three core features: (1) all students are included and benefit from assessment; (2) assessments are accessible and appropriate for the diverse range of children in the education system; and (3) the full breadth of the curriculum is assessed (including curriculum areas of particular relevance to students with SEND). Assessment policies and practice in three countries (England, Ireland and the US) are drawn upon to demonstrate how the framework usefully enables between-country comparisons and within-country analysis. This analysis shows that in comparison to Ireland, the US and England have highly developed system-based approaches to assessment which seek to “include all” (feature 1) and be “accessible and appropriate” (feature 2). However, the analysis highlights that a consequence of such assessment approaches is the narrowing of the curriculum around topics that are assessed (most notably literacy and mathematics). Such approaches therefore may be at the expense of wider curriculum areas that have value for all students, but often of particular value for those with SEND (feature 3). It is argued that within such systems there may be a danger of neglecting the third feature of the inclusive assessment framework, i.e. ensuring that the full breadth of the curriculum is assessed. A consequence of such an omission could be a failure to assess and celebrate progress in relation to educational outcomes that are relevant to a diverse range of students.     

Making meaning of inclusive education: classroom practices in Finnish and South African classrooms

This paper reports on the findings of an international comparative research project where the roles of teachers in the implementation of inclusive education in mainstream-classroom settings in South Africa and Finland were investigated. Inclusive education within this project is broadly defined as welcoming all students to general-education schools and classrooms and not segregating students on the basis of ability or other individual or sociocultural characteristics. In this paper a qualitative analysis of Finnish and South African teachers’ day-to-day teaching and learning support practices in their classroom is discussed. Individual and focus-group interviews encouraged teachers to articulate their views in this regard. Initial findings indicate that despite the dissimilar cultural and historical contexts of these two countries, both complex contextual issues and classroom practices based on a medical-deficit understanding of diverse educational needs play a role in Finnish and South African classrooms.     

我国特殊需要儿童教育诊断评估的研究现状与发展趋势

教育诊断评估是特殊需要儿童教育的起点,也是特殊需要儿童教育质量的保障。本文对近十年(1997-2006)国内关于特殊需要儿童教育诊断评估的研究成果进行分析、梳理、总结、概括,探讨国内特殊需要儿童教育诊断评估的研究现状及发展趋势,从而为我国特殊需要儿童的诊断评估的发展、完善提供借鉴。目前我国特殊需要儿童教育诊断评估研究反映出四个特征、六个问题与六个发展趋势。     

A survey of Greek general and special education teachers’ perceptions regarding the role of the special needs coordinator: Implications for educational policy on inclusion and teacher education

The present study explored the perceptions of Greek general and special primary teachers regarding the role and the professional characteristics of special needs coordinators (SENCOs). According to the responses of the 466 participants, each school should have a fulltime SENCO, who should have both teaching experience in general schools and specialization in teaching students with SEN, and also be able to deal with all types of SEN. SENCOs’ responsibilities include evaluating and directly teaching students, counselling teachers and parents, contributing to in-service training of staff, and undertaking initiatives for program enrichment and knowledge dissemination.     

In Transition: Experiences of Parents of Children with Special Needs at School Entry

Pre-school children with special needs face a complex transition to school, requiring additional administrative, social and educational support. In this study, parents of 40 children with special needs reported on the transition to school experience of their 4–6-year-old child. They completed a measure of impact of the child’s disability on their family and an assessment of the quality of services experienced. Individual, semi-structured interviews contextualized these evaluations. Twenty children (pre-transition) were in preschool; 20 had already started school (post). Post-transition parents reported less average disability impact on family, generally lower perception of quality of care than pre-transition ones, and long waiting periods for school-based support. Most parents, however, reported satisfactory linkages between prior-to-school services and school. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that, despite the current climate of support for early child development, barriers for satisfactory transition to school still exist, and are largely due to low effectiveness of existing policies.     

Inclusive special education: development of a new theory for the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities

Inclusive education and special education are based on different philosophies and provide alternative views of education for children with special educational needs and disabilities. They are increasingly regarded as diametrically opposed in their approaches. This article presents a theory of inclusive special education that comprises a synthesis of the philosophy, values and practices of inclusive education with the interventions, strategies and procedures of special education. Development of inclusive special education aims to provide a vision and guidelines for policies, procedures and teaching strategies that will facilitate the provision of effective education for all children with special educational needs and disabilities.     

加拿大融合学校标准建设:结构与内容——以阿尔伯塔省为例

围绕普通学校转型与融合学校建设,形成一系列标准来推进融合教育的深入实施,成为了加拿大新世纪之后教育改革的重要方向之一。其中,阿尔伯塔省的融合学校标准建设颇具特色。迄今,阿尔伯塔省已通过持续的政策推进,基本形成了由融合学校建设标准、融合学校专业人员标准、融合学校实践标准组成的三维融合学校标准体系结构。这个三维标准体系又是一系列标准或指标构成的集合体。加拿大阿尔伯塔省的融合学校标准建设经验对于推动我国融合教育改革与普通学校转型具有重要的启示意义。     

Breaking Free from the Needs Paradigm: A Collaborative Analysis of Inclusion

ABSTRACT

This self-study, based on research, conducted over five years, focuses on my leadership role employing an inclusion model of education in a school in Iceland serving students from ages 6 to 16. In this article, we examine how Edda’s practice helped support inclusion for the students, their families, and the teachers who engage with them. This multilayered self-study research project included feedback and insights from others in order to inform my understanding of my practice within the context of inclusion. Findings reveal Edda’s focus on the discourse of diagnosis as a dominant structural issue within her practice. The resulting themes on perceptions of inclusion, coordination of support, deployment of people, and collaboration across different entities have informed my understanding about my practice and my perspective on the meaning of a support system within inclusive education and improved student performance.     

Changing policy and legislation and its effects on inclusive and special education: a perspective from England

This article, by Brahm Norwich of the Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, sets the recent legislative changes in the special education system in England, the Children and Families Act (2014), in the context of wider changes in the school system, such as changes in curriculum–assessment, the governance of schools and inspection arrangements. It also sets out the recent legislative changes in terms of the recent history of the Labour period of government, with its adoption of market principles with social inclusion as key policy commitments. A case study of a secondary school is presented to illustrate some of these points. Despite the new legislative system being described as a radical approach involving aspiration and support for special educational needs, the article argues that proposed changes promise to be marginal and defined by policy commitments to markets and small government. Moreover, there are continuing and unresolved issues from the Labour Government period that are still to be fully addressed. Research is also presented on the distribution of pupils with Statements in secondary schools and the recent rising pattern of special school placement for the first time in 30 years.     

韦氏儿童智力量表与特殊儿童测查:挑战、改革与发展

韦氏儿童智力量表是迄今为止最权威和应用最广泛的儿童智力量表之一.自面世 以来,它在各特殊儿童的筛查、诊断、安置、干预与治疗过程中一直发挥着重要作用.目 前,该量表已发展到第四版,并仍在不断地修订中.总结该量表在特殊教育领域内的应用 现状并省思其在实践过程中遭遇的困境与挑战,进而把握其进一步改革的研究方向及发展 趋势,有助于促进国内特殊教育的发展.文章回顾了该量表在国内外的发展简史,就各类 特殊儿童智力测查对该量表提出的挑战进行了总结,对其实践中遇到的问题进行了分析, 指出了其在发展过程中已有的改进措施和尚未解决的问题及继续研究的方向,并在此基础 上总结了该智力测验发展的七大趋势.     

Academic achievement of students without special educational needs in inclusive classrooms: A meta-analysis

This article presents a meta-analysis that attempts to establish how the presence of students with special educational needs in the classroom impacts students without special educational needs. We meta-analyzed 47 studies that met the inclusion criteria, covering a total sample of almost 4 800 000 students. The overall effect was positive and statistically significant but weak, d = 0.12 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.23). A number of moderators, including the country of study, the manner of implementation (intervention studies versus regular school practice), the educational team composition, the level and type of disorders in students with special educational needs, and finally educational stage were examined. We discuss the findings in terms of assumptions and controversies surrounding the very concept of inclusive education.     

Special needs education in light of the inclusion principle: an exploratory study of special needs education practice in Belarusian and Norwegian preschools

The purpose of this study is to investigate possible practical consequences of the ideological principle of inclusion. In this article, we investigate, compare and discuss how employees of Norwegian and Belarusian preschools perceive their own, and their preschools’, special needs education practices related to children with language difficulties. This study has a qualitative case design. The investigation contains 10 semistructured interviews of five employees from five preschools in each country. The analysis of the empirical material shows that the interviews primarily revolve around two topics: competence and sense of mastery and self-understanding. Among the staff of the Norwegian preschools, perceptions of a relatively low average competence, unsatisfactory guidance from external professionals and a low sense of mastery are prevalent. The informants from Belarusian preschools perceive a high and more specialised competence, available special needs education competence and a high degree of sense of mastery. Despite different situations and contexts, this study suggests that the preschool sector in both countries face the same challenge; how preschools can implement a form of inclusive educational practice, without at the same time relinquishing valuable special needs education competence.     

教育管理:一种自由实践的审美创造活动

教育管理是一种自由实践的审美创造活动,因为教育管理蕴涵着美学精神,即自由与和谐。从状态上看,自由和谐的教育管理就是美的教育管理;从过程来看,美的教育管理实践是复归人自由本性的实践。自由实践的教育管理既具有深刻的哲学意蕴,指向人性的解放、对话与交往、批判与反思以及道德伦理的观照,同时又内含着博弈论的科学机理,追求一报还一报的合作双赢以及自我控制与道德自律。对自由实践的教育管理进行深刻的哲学阐释和机理分析,可使我们更加接近教育管理审美创造活动的本质。     

农业院校全纳教育理念的探索与实践

全纳教育是一种新的教育理念和教育过程,是世界教育的发展趋势。它倡导容纳所有学生,反对歧视排斥,体现了现代和未来教育的公平、公正以及广大民众时不同层次和有质量教育的需求现状。农业高职院校在自身发展的基础上,如何深入理解、融入扩展了的全纳教育理念,用全纳教育的原则指导教育培训工作,为社会可持续发展服务;如何顺应世界教育的发展趋势,目前应在哪些领域开拓工作等,值得人们很好的思考。积极探索和实践全纳教育理念,对于推动社会知识文化结构提升与进步、经济发展、实现人口素质和生活质量的整体提高等有着重要的现实意义。     

Teacher Leadership in Practice: Mapping the Negotiation of the Position of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator in Schools

Special needs care has taken on a substantial evolution within education. Special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) are no longer considered to provide individual guidance to students but to support and professionalize regular teachers in fulfilling special needs care in their classroom. In doing so, they act as teacher leaders. Many concerns are raised about how teacher leadership may interfere with the existing working relationships in schools. In this study, we use Positioning Theory as a theoretical approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of how the position of the SENCO and the responsibilities attached to this position are negotiated within the school. The findings illustrate that SENCOs received the legitimacy to act as teacher leaders when their expertise was recognized, when teachers perceived their task as first-line helpers, and when school principals were willing to release power.     

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.