While there was a wealth of research and documentation on meeting student learning needs in mainstream national schools, the world of international schooling appeared to have remained relatively untouched by the march towards inclusion. The motivation for this inquiry was to examine efforts to develop inclusive educational provision in the elementary department of an international school. This small-scale study gave the researcher access to an international elementary school that was considered successful in responding flexibly to the needs of all learners. As there had been little research in the area of inclusion and international schooling the theory for this study was generated from the data and from a comparison with the findings of research on inclusion in national education systems. The research aimed to identify the climate and conditions present in the primary school at the time of the research by considering how it had removed barriers to learning for three students in different levels of learning support. A qualitative approach sought to use the data to understand the context and an ‘emergent’ design combining grounded theory and a case study approach was used. A central principle of constructivist grounded theory is that of giving voice to research participants and this study incorporated the voices, views and experiences of the students alongside their parents, educators and the specialists who worked with them. Data was collected from interviews and multidisciplinary child study meetings. Interviews were carried out with the senior leadership team, the students, their parents and educators. Classroom observations were carried out to supplement interview data for the student in intensive levels of support and further data was collected from school documentation written for parents. The findings indicated that the school climate was characterised by a strong focus on learning, access and solution seeking and the conditions found to support this climate were space and resources. Space was considered in terms of the use of space and the time required to facilitate both collaboration within the wider school community and collaborative teaching practices. Resources considered at the level of school organisation included personnel, therapies, policies and procedures, and the school curriculum. The overall findings from this study indicate that inclusion in this context was a process bound up in a proactive, dynamic, continuous cycle where a focus on solution seeking, learning and access drove the cycle. Based on the findings from this small-scale study it is recommended that international schools locate inclusion in the arena of whole school development where learning, access and solution seeking drives the school development cycle. It is recognised that the emerging theory could not be divorced from the interpretations of the researcher and additional research by a diverse range of researchers, in diverse international school contexts is needed. To better inform international school leaders it is hoped that these results will become part of a larger body of research that better reflects the range of international school contexts.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the implementation of sensory integration interventions by occupational therapists in international schools. It gives insight into the conditions for the implementation of sensory integration, outlining some of the challenges and benefits faced by the occupational therapists working in international schools. Method: A descriptive qualitative design was used to collect data using a digital survey composed of both open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Seven occupational therapists working in international schools in different countries completed the survey. The data was analyzed using a content analysis.  Results: Results reveal that the conditions for implementing sensory integration in the different schools vary. The aim are, however, similar; to enable participation and engagement of the student in the school. The challenges were grouped under four subcategories: school context, collaboration, cultural backgrounds and legal framework and policies. Implementing sensory integration was regarded as being beneficial for the schools, teachers, and students. The international schools were also generally regarded as being supportive to the implementation of sensory integration.  Conclusion:  By implementing sensory integration interventions, the occupational therapists address the person and environment (social and cultural) to enable the student’s occupational engagement. This in turn leads to benefits, identified by the occupational therapists, for the student, teachers, and school. The physical, social, cultural, and institutional environment of the schools vary and can limit the types of sensory integration interventions provided, leading to challenges identified by the occupational therapists.

The diploma thesis deals with education of pupils with special educational needs in common elementary schools as well as in special elementary schools. It defines special educational needs of these pupils (syndrome ADHD/ADD, specific learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, mental retardation, hearing impairment, combined disorders) and searches attitudes of parents and teachers to inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in common elementary schools as well as in special elementary schools.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:32:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ricardo Schers de Goes.pdf: 948289 bytes, checksum: c3723b6545efe0951ed33ebd9fffe119 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis aims to analyze the results of Brazil's special education policies at the national level arguing that the right to education for students with intellectual disabilities guaranteed by the current legislation is expressed in expanding educational opportunities for this type of student. The source was the School Census (MEC. INEP. 2012) that provided data for the registration of students with intellectual disabilities in regular schools and special schools between 2007 and 2012. Particularly those recording these enrollments by step education, administrative level and type of education, both nationally and distributed by geographic regions within the country. These data were consolidated into tables, submitted to and discussed appropriate statistical treatment from the theoretical framework of Critical Theory of Society, especially the contributions of Neumann (1969) and with the aid of studies of major authors in the area of special education (Abenhaim, 2005; Bueno, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008; Glat, 2007; Jannuzzi, 2006, 2008; Mazzotta, 2003; Omote, 1995; Stiker, 1997, and Veiga Neto, 2005). The analysis confirmed that the current policy of Brazilian special education was effective in expanding enrollments of students with intellectual disabilities in regular schools because there was an increase in the percentage of included from 2008 in all regions of Brazil, with public institutions having a greater growth than private. There is also a significant proportional increase in enrollment of students with intellectual disabilities in relation to students with special educational needs suggesting that this category has a decisive influence on the results of national statistical surveys. Moreover, there are significant regional differences in the incidence of enrollments of students with intellectual disabilities in key aspects, such as those in stages of education, by administrative level and type of schooling. This suggests that the overall numbers of the country need to be more detailed and analyzed. It is insufficient to establish regional policies. This study also confirmed the higher incidence of enrollments of students with intellectual disabilities in elementary school level 1, the increase in enrollment in public institutions and fall enrollment in private and special teachings. There was no reduction of private and special schooling for percentage of participation in the global distribution of enrollments of these students / Esta tese teve como objetivo analisar os resultados das políticas de educação especial brasileira, no âmbito nacional, discutindo se o direito à educação de alunos com deficiência intelectual garantido pela atual legislação tem expressão na expansão das oportunidades educacionais para esse tipo de aluno. A fonte foi o Censo Escolar (MEC. INEP. 2012) que forneceu dados estatísticos de matrícula de alunos com deficiência intelectual em escolas de ensino regular e nas escolas de educação especial, entre 2007 e 2012, em particular aqueles que registram essas matrículas por etapa de ensino, instância administrativa e tipo de escolarização, em âmbito nacional e distribuídos pelas regiões geográficas do país. Esses dados foram consolidados em tabelas, submetidos a tratamento estatístico adequado e discutidos a partir do referencial teórico da Teoria Crítica da Sociedade, em especial as contribuições de Neumann (1969) e com o auxílio dos estudos de autores de referência da área da educação especial (Abenhaim, 2005; Bueno, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008; Glat, 2007; Jannuzzi, 2006, 2008; Mazzotta, 2003; Omote, 1995; Stiker, 1997; e Veiga Neto, 2005). A análise comprovou que a atual política de educação especial brasileira surtiu efeito na expansão de matrículas de alunos com deficiência intelectual no ensino regular, pois houve crescimento no número de matrículas a partir de 2008 em todas as regiões do Brasil, com as instituições públicas apresentando um crescimento maior que as privadas. Verificou-se, ainda, um aumento proporcional significativo nas matrículas de alunos com deficiência intelectual em relação aos alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais (NEE), evidenciando que esta categoria influi decisivamente nos resultados dos levantamentos estatísticos nacionais. Além disso, observam-se diferenças regionais significativas na incidência de matrículas de alunos com deficiência intelectual em aspectos fundamentais, como etapas de ensino, instância administrativa e tipo de escolarização. Isso sugere que os números globais do país precisam ser mais detalhados e analisados, pois são insuficientes para estabelecer políticas regionais. Este estudo comprovou ainda a maior incidência de matrículas de alunos com deficiência intelectual do Ensino Fundamental I, o incremento das matrículas nas instâncias públicas e a queda das matrículas nos ensinos privado e especial e que não houve redução da escolarização privada e especial quanto aos percentuais de participação na distribuição global das matrículas desse alunado