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.     

Co-teaching as a context for teachers' professional learning and joint knowledge construction

The study examined two primary teachers' professional learning and joint knowledge construction in the context of co-teaching. The teachers narrated their learning as a collaborative process with serendipitous origins. Shared knowledge construction was crucial in the learning process, as was implementing the resulting new ideas in practice. It is concluded that experiences of co-teaching may support teachers in meeting their professional responsibilities effectively. Professional development programmes need to be sensitive to teachers' individual and collaborative learning experiences to be able better to support them in the natural context of those experiences in particular local and national contexts.     

A meta-synthesis of co-teaching students with and without disabilities

A meta-synthesis of qualitative research was conducted on co-teaching by general and special educators working with students with and without disabilities in primary and secondary general education classrooms. We sought to update the Scruggs et al., 2007 meta-synthesis to discern new knowledge, including co-teaching's impact on students and teachers. Although challenges are identified, co-teachers perceive that co-teaching can enhance their and their students' learning. Findings suggest that school personnel, researchers and policymakers can consider co-teaching as a learning context for co-teachers as well as a dynamic framework that can potentially foster effective instruction for all students in the co-taught classroom.     

Using sociometric techniques to assess the social impacts of inclusion: Some methodological considerations

In recent years, sociometric techniques have been increasingly used to assess friendship development in children with special educational needs integrated in regular educational settings. In this paper, the findings produced by different techniques are contrasted with a view to examining whether the variable findings reported can be attributed to the technique employed. The analysis revealed that peer nominations have been used to determine pupils' social status and have overwhelmingly produced negative results. Peer ratings have been used to ascertain the level of acceptance pupils enjoy within their class network and have also produced negative results. Social Cognitive Mapping has been used to obtain information about the nature of social networks and the relations among peers and has produced mixed to positive results. As such, Social Cognitive Mapping could be viewed as a more robust approach that addresses more thoroughly the complexities of young children's social relations than the other two classic sociometric techniques. The paper concludes with highlighting methodological challenges surrounding the application of sociometric techniques and advocates their embedding within innovative multi-method research designs.     

Local special education administrators’ understanding of inclusive education in China

China's inclusive education initiative began in mid-1980s under the name of “Learning in Regular Classrooms”. The purpose of this research is to examine how Chinese Local Special Education Administrators understand the ideology of inclusive education and LRC model by using a qualitative investigation. The results indicate that the Chinese inclusion is driven by pragmatic needs to enroll more children with disabilities who were denied education into schools, and LRC has been practiced in a different social and cultural context from inclusive education initiative in the West. The authors conclude that China should make generalised changes in the whole education system and society to bring greater opportunities to those with disabilities.     

General, special and … inclusive: Refiguring professional identities in a collaboratively taught classroom

In implementing inclusive education, special educators frequently collaborate with general educators in various settings. How does such collaborative practice complicate the configuration of their professional identities? This paper uses the framework of figured world ( Holland, Lachiotte, Skinner, &; Cain, 1998) to scrutinize the practice of one special educator, Stephanie. Alternatively assuming both subordinate and lead positions within a collaborative teaching team, Stephanie refigured her professional identity and practice contingently, initiating a trajectory of change that extended to “out-of-classroom” spaces ( Clandinin &; Connolly, 1996). Stephanie’s improvisations in this process index the significance of teachers’ authorial spaces in the implementation of inclusive education.     

Using activity theory to understand prospective teachers' attitudes to and construction of special educational needs and/or disabilities

Appropriate professional development, including that initial teacher training, is regarded as a cornerstone of the development of inclusive education. This research is concerned with prospective teachers' conceptualisations of terms such as ‘disability’ and ‘special education’. Activity theory is proposed as a lens through which to consider the complexities involved. In the context of the English systems, this research, using data collected through word association and analysed using activity theory, explored the trainees' conceptualisations. The findings highlight both heterogeneity and homogeneity within a cohort of students, changes over time and implications for those involved in teacher education.     

University teacher educators’ research engagement: Perspectives from Saudi Arabia

This paper examines university teacher educators’ engagement with and in educational research. Survey results collected from eighty-two teacher educators at a leading university in Saudi Arabia pointed to modest levels of research activity and also suggested that these individuals held largely technical views of what research is. Their assessments of their institutional research culture also signalled a perceived gap between the research productivity expected of them and the support they received from their university. The implications of these findings for promoting research activity among university teacher educators, where this is considered desirable, are discussed.     

Implementing co-teaching with paraprofessionals to provide pre-Kindergarten students with special rights access to dual language

The purpose of this study was to examine how paraprofessionals and other service providers participate in co-teaching with a certified special education pre-Kindergarten teacher during dual language (DL) instruction. The study took place in two DL special education preschool classrooms located in an urban public school district in the southwestern US. The district enlisted paraprofessionals as lead Spanish instructors when the lead teacher was not bilingual in Spanish and English to implement the DL programme effectively. Participants were one special education teacher, two paraprofessionals and one teaching artist, who participated in a year-long professional development programme to employ drama strategies to develop children's Spanish and English literacy skills and promote inclusion. Findings indicated that the participants utilised multiple co-teaching models to collaborate and meet the needs of their students during English and Spanish instruction. Through co-teaching, all educators had opportunities to take lead and supporting roles in instruction.     

Teachers' perceptions of problem behavior in general and special education

The study investigated the behavioral ratings of regular classroom and special education teachers and sought to examine the degree to which these educators agreed or disagreed in their perceptions of the problem behavior and adaptive functioning of a group of 31 adolescents who had recently been identified as seriously emotionally disturbed. Results are discussed in relation to the literature on teacher tolerance of problem behavior and the effects of classroom setting upon teacher judgments.     

Using Q-methodology to determine students' perceptions of interprofessional anatomy education

Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares healthcare students for collaboration in their future careers. The purpose of this study was to determine which aspects of the IPE Program in Anatomy at McMaster University contributed to the development of healthcare student's interprofessional skills. Q-methodology was used to identify the students' common viewpoints of the IPE experience. A total of 26/28 (93%) of students in the course from the medical, nursing, midwifery, physician assistant, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy programs participated in this study. Students were asked to sort a Q-sample of 43 statements about the IPE dissection course derived from previous qualitative studies of the program. Using the centroid factor extraction and varimax rotation, three salient factors (groups) emerged, namely: (1) Anatomy IPE Enthusiasts, (2) Practical IPE Advocates, and (3) Skeptical IPE Anatomists. The Anatomy IPE Enthusiasts believed that students from different disciplines brought unique anatomical knowledge and each group member guided others through difficult material. The Practical IPE Advocates expressed that they would be stronger advocates for interprofessional teams in the future because of the course. The Skeptical IPE Anatomists strongly disagreed that learning with students from different disciplines helped them gain an understanding of their roles in the context of other healthcare professionals and felt that there was little benefit from the IPE program compared to other non-interprofessional programs. These findings about student attitudes are critical to drive an evidence-based evolution of the IPE dissection course, since students' perceptions can have a profound influence on interprofessional collaboration in the workplace.     

Comparative outcomes of two instructional models for students with learning disabilities: inclusion with co‐teaching and solo‐taught special education

We compared two instructional models (co‐teaching inclusion and solo‐taught special education) for students with learning disabilities (LD) with regard to their effect on academic achievement and class attendance. Twelve inclusive classes (experimental group) and 13 special education classes (control group) participated in the study. In grade 1, there were eight inclusive classes and nine special education classes with a total of 353 students (195 without disabilities, 58 with LD in inclusion and 100 with LD in special education classes). The data were collected from academic tests. Although our results revealed no significant difference between the two models in terms of target population, objectives and assigned resources, significant differences were observed in the effects on student outcomes in reading/writing and on attendance, as the inclusion model was shown to be globally more effective compared with the special education setting.     

The effect of the integration of students with special educational needs: Evidence from Chile

This paper studies the effect of the integration of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) on the academic achievement of their peers without SEN. This achievement is measured using performance in standardized reading and mathematics tests. The study also evaluates the effect of a policy that recognizes and increases resources for special educational needs that had not yet been considered and improves education provision protocols for students with SEN. Using administrative data and standardized test scores, we constructed a panel that follows a cohort of students before and after the reform, determining for each individual and year whether the class to which he/she belongs has any students with SEN. Our identification strategy employs panel data with fixed effects at the school, individual, and time levels. Estimates show that, on average, having a peer with SEN in the classroom has a negative effect on the academic performance of students without SEN. However, these effects are small and decrease, or even vanish, once better inclusion policies are in place. These results suggest that the effect on peers is almost totally canceled when more resources are provided and when adequate treatment and support protocols are implemented.     

Single subject research: applications to special education

Single subject research is a scientific research methodology that is increasingly used in the field of special education. Therefore, understanding the unique characteristics of single subject research methodology is critical both for educators and practitioners. Certain characteristics make single subject research one of the most preferred methodologies in special education. However, the design is not without limitations. The purpose of this article, by Orhan Cakiroglu, an assistant professor at Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey, is to provide an overview of the single subject research method's critical defining features and basic designs, and discuss what types of research questions single subject research is best suited to answer by providing examples from special education literature. Additionally, the key advantages and limitations of applying single subject research to the field of special education are discussed.     

The special education teacher between the priorities of inclusion and specialisation

In Austria, the profession of the special education teacher is facing major changes. Presently, special education teachers need to have general pedagogical competences to teach children of all grades, and are expected to have competences in managing highly heterogeneous groups in inclusive settings. Additionally, they need to apply special strategies to efficiently work with children with various special needs. Student teachers starting their education 2015/2016 will no longer have the option of obtaining a distinct degree as a special education teacher. Instead, future teachers will choose between teaching in primary or in secondary schools, and can then select their preferred focus from various options, including inclusive education. This qualitative study is based on written and oral research interviews with teachers in inclusive settings, and aims to identify competences in the areas of knowledge, action, and attitude which teachers consider necessary and effective for successfully teaching a heterogeneous group of pupils. The results indicate the need to further strengthen both the inclusive and the reflexive attitude in teachers. The outcomes will influence curricula development in the new teacher education programmes, and aid to tailor courses offered in in-service training for teachers working in inclusive settings.     

Democratic reform and the emergence of special needs education in Lithuania

Lithuanian educators began working towards the transformation of their educational system in the late 1980s. The movement away from centralized control and an education based on Soviet ideology was central to the Democracy movement in this country and other former Soviet republics. This paper demonstrates the ways in which the movement towards a democratic system built on contemporary Lithuanian values, beliefs and culture has included concerns for the education of children with special needs. By tracing Lithuanian cultural and historic traditions related to the education and care of individuals with disabilities, before, during and after the Soviet period of Soviet occupation, the authors demonstrate the relationship between social-historic contexts and the development of inclusive schools, i.e. general education settings that serve all children. The current status of education for children with special needs is discussed. This discussion includes current legislation and professional preparation, as well as identifying barriers to democratic reform and the creation of an inclusive educational system.     

Using cultural historical activity theory to uncover praxis for inclusive education

This paper explores ways in which cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) provides a useful framework for examination of reflection and action during inclusive education fieldwork. Deeper understanding of combined reflection and action – praxis – is needed for researchers and teacher educators to support teacher candidates’ implementation of inclusive practices. We present a framework that includes core components of CHAT and potential insights these elements can bring to describing, analysing, or facilitating praxis during fieldwork. In particular, we discuss affordances of identifying activity systems, examining tool appropriation, and discovering tensions in teacher fieldwork. Examples based on evidence from two studies applying a CHAT lens to inclusive education fieldwork are embedded throughout the paper to illustrate the utility of this approach.     

Primary and secondary students’ motivation in learning English: Grade and gender differences

Student motivation may have significant influences on essential academic outcomes. However, students’ motivation may decline as they grow older. This study examined six motivation constructs (self-efficacy, interest, mastery goal orientation, engagement, avoidance coping, and effort withdrawal) of students from 78 schools in Singapore (N = 4214) in learning English. Using a large and diverse sample of primary 5 (5th grade) and secondary 3 (9th grade) students, grade and gender differences in these constructs were examined. Applying a MIMIC approach to structural equation modeling, the paths from grade and gender as well as the grade × gender interaction variable were found to be significant. That is, (a) the scores for self-efficacy, interest, mastery goal orientation, and engagement tended to be lower whereas avoidance coping and effort withdrawal tended to be higher for the secondary students, (b) boys tended to have lower scores; and (c) the gap in motivation between primary and secondary tended to be greater for girls. Since motivation may have important influences on subsequent learning outcomes, we need to seriously consider the implications of these grade- and gender-related patterns and pay attention particularly to boys in primary schools and girls in secondary schools.     

Tackling social inequality and exclusion in education: from human capital to capabilities

Both in the international context and in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), research shows that many young people experience social exclusion in relation to education. However, research evidence concerning structural social inequality in education is predominantly underpinned by an outcome-based approach, since educational policies and practices are largely informed by a human capital model. Inspired by the theoretical insights of the Capability Approach, we aim to contribute to process-oriented knowledge about the ways in which educational and social welfare actors can support socially vulnerable young people in realising their capability for education rather than focusing on human capital. We draw upon a rich empirical basis of participatory biographical research with young people in the system of part-time vocational education and workplace learning, perceived as the residue of the educational cascade mechanism in Flanders and pertinently revealing problems of social exclusion and exit of young people.