The purpose of this study is to examine how teachers at secondary special school, national programs describe their work to get students to understand and reach the curriculum requirements and grades in theoretical knowledge. The study shows teacher's description to help students to fulfill the theoretical goals, how teachers perceive “understanding of requirements and grades” within the theoretical knowledge as well as the teachers' conception of theoretical knowledge requirements. The study analysis is based on curriculum theory. The study is based on interviews with six teachers, at three schools in upper secondary schools national programs. Qualitative approach with interviews is used. Analysis of the study, based on a curriculum theory perspective, gives a picture of how the curriculum shape what and how theoretical knowledge are to be taught. A curriculum is always intelligible within its written contexts - a historical document. In the curriculum perspective the frame factor theory is prominent. The frame factor theory describes the outer limits which affect the conditions for the student to be able to reach the skills the curriculum requires. One finding is that upper secondary school is perceived to be as similar to ordinary secondary schools as possible. That curriculum and grading criteria are formed within equivalence perspective. Further results show that teachers find difficulty of teaching students in theoretical subjects. Partly because it is perceived difficult for students to understand the theoretical knowledge, and because the student groups are showing variation in levels of understanding. Further findings show how teacher´s creates opportunities for students to perform. The teachers show an image of being flexible and inventive. Teachers also expresses that students need more time to solve their tasks and do not always perform on the level of the subjects’ requirements. Teachers present the experience of the student not showing greater understanding of their grades or of their implications. Regarding the theoretical knowledge, the teachers' perception is that it is not the most primary skills for the student to reach or to get use from. Students described more use from substances or from parts directly useful in life. The teachers believe that it is important that the student feel self-confident in ones own identity, and not always have to be like everyone else. The teachers perceive difference as something positive. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur lärare på gymnasiesärskolans nationella program beskriver sitt arbete med att få eleven att förstå och nå upp till läroplanens teoretiska kunskapskrav och betyg. Studien visar lärares beskrivning av hur de skapar förutsättning för elevens väg mot måluppfyllnad, hur lärarna uppfattar elevens förståelse för de teoretiska kunskapskraven och betyg samt lärarnas föreställning om teoretiska kunskapskrav. Studien analyseras utifrån läroplansteorin. Studien är en intervjustudie med sex lärare på tre olika skolor där nationella program inom gymnasiesärskolan finns. Den metod jag använt mig av i studien är kvalitativ metod i form av intervjuer.  Analys av studien utifrån ett läroplansteoretiskt perspektiv ger en bild av lärarens föreställning kring läroplanens vad och hur inom undervisning och teoretiska kunskapskrav. En läroplan är alltid tolkningsbar utifrån sitt upphovssammanhang – ett tidsdokument. Ramfaktorteorin är framträdande inom läroplansperspektivet. Ramfaktorteorin beskriver de yttre ramar som påverkar förutsättningar för eleven att möjliggöra läroplanens kunskapskrav. Resultat ur studien är att gymnasiesärskolan uppfattas sträva efter att vara så lik vanliga gymnasieskolan så möjligt. Att läroplan och betygskriterier formats utifrån likvärdighets-perspektiv. Ytterligare resultat visar att läraren upplever det som en svårighet i att undervisa eleven i teoretiska ämnen. Dels för att det uppfattas svårt för eleven att förstå teoretiska kunskaper och dels för att det inom elevgrupperna är en sådan skillnad i förkunskapsnivå.  Fler slutsatser visar hur läraren skapar möjligheter för eleven att nå kunskapskraven. Lärarna visar en bild av att vara flexibla och uppfinningsrika. Samtidigt uttrycker läraren att eleven behöver mycket tid på sig för att lösa sina uppgifter och inte alltid hinner de moment kunskapskraven uttrycker. Lärarna menar att eleven inte visar större förståelse inför sina betyg eller vad de används till. Angående de teoretiska kunskaperna är lärarnas föreställning att det inte är de mest primära kunskaper för eleven att tillgodogöra sig eller ha användning för. Eleven beskrivs ha mer nytta av ämnen eller moment vilka är direkt användbara i livet. Lärarna anser att det är viktigt att eleven får vara den person den är och att man inte alltid måste vara så lik alla andra. Olikhet ser de som något positivt.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Persons living with intellectual disabilities (ID) at times display behaviours that are a challenge for healthcare professionals, parents and teachers. These challenging behaviours are often presented in health-care, educational, or social care services by individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, what could be explained as challenging may be understood differently through cultures, beliefs or surroundings. The aim of the study was to conceptualise and develop an explanatory model for challenging behaviour in persons with intellectual disabilities. The study comprised twenty (23) participants who were parents and teachers of persons with intellectual disability. The target population of the study live in Ga-Dikgale and Ga-Molepo villages that are located in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. These villages were chosen because they have special schools for children with ID. A semi-structured, in-depth, one-on-one interview was used to collect data. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis (TCA). Three superordinate themes emerged that covered the understanding of challenging behaviour from the participants. These themes were: (a) knowledge about challenging behaviour; (b) beliefs about causal explanations of challenging behaviour; and, (c) coping with challenging behaviour. The results revealed that participants held varied beliefs regarding causal explanations of challenging behaviour. Cultural background of the participant seemed to play a critical role in shaping these beliefs. Additionally, three modes of coping were used by the participants in the study to cope with challenging behaviour. These are: cultural/traditional coping; religious coping; and, family and professional support methods. A Bio-Psycho-Socio-Cultural Model (BPS-C) was subsequently developed to explain challenging behaviour of persons with intellectual disability. This model integrates components of the Bio-Psycho-Social model (biological characteristics, behavioural factors, and social condition such as social support and family relationships) and cultural aspects to conceptualise challenging behaviour as understood and explained by parents and teachers of persons with intellectual disability. / NIHSS and SAHUDA

Recent developments in neurobiology make it clear that glia play fundamental and active roles, in the adult and in development. Many hereditary cognitive disorders have been linked to developmental defects, and in at least two cases, Rett Syndrome and Fragile X Mental Retardation, glia are important in pathogenesis. However, most studies of developmental disorders, in particular intellectual disability, focus on neuronal defects. An example is intellectual disability caused by mutations in ACSL4, a metabolic enzyme that conjugates long-chain fatty acids to Coenzyme A (CoA). Depleting ACSL4 in neurons is associated with defects in dendritic spines, a finding replicated in patient tissue, but the etiology of this disorder remains unclear. In a genetic screen to discover genes necessary for visual function, I identified the Drosophila homolog of ACSL4, Acsl, as a gene important for the magnitude of neuronal transmission, and found that it is required in glia. I determined that Acsl is required in a specific subtype of glia in the Drosophila optic lobe, and that depletion of Acsl from this population causes morphological defects. I demonstrated that Acsl is required in development, and that the phenotype can be rescued by human ACSL4. Finally, I discovered that ACSL4 is expressed in astrocytes in the mouse hippocampus. This study is highly significant for understanding glial biology and neurodevelopment. It provides information on the role of glia in development, substantiates a novel role for Acsl in glia, and advances our understanding of the potential role that glia play in the pathogenesis of intellectual disability.

Sammanfattning Studien syftar till att utifrån ett lärarperspektiv belysa elevers inflytande vid undervisning i grundsärskolan. I studien undersöks hur några lärare i grundsärskolan definierar begreppet elev­inflytande, hur lärarna beskriver att de skapar förutsättningar för elevinflytande i sin under­visning samt vilka utmaningar lärarna beskriver att de möter i sitt arbete. Studien har gjorts med en kvalitativ forskningsansats där nio lärare som undervisar i grundsärskolan har intervjuats.  Studiens teoretiska ramverk är Shiers delaktighetsmodell (Shier, 2001). Med utgångspunkt i delaktighets­modellen har fem begrepp använts för att analysera intervjuerna utifrån öppningar, möjligheter, skyldigheter, resurser och utmaningar. Samtliga lärare i studien definierar elevinflytande som att eleven ska ges möjlighet att vara en del av beslutsprocessen för att kunna påverka undervisningen. Knappt hälften av lärarna beskriver denna definition i kombination med att elevinflytande även innebär att bli lyssnad på.   En god relation mellan lärare och elev visar sig vara en framgångsfaktor för elevinflytande i studiens resultat. Förmågor som lärarna behöver besitta är viljan till lyhördhet, öppenhet samt att visa tillit till elevens förmåga. En viktig del i lärarnas beskrivning av arbetet för elev­inflytande är att varje elev blir lyssnad till, även om hen inte alltid får sin vilja igenom. Elevernas bristande kommunikativa och kognitiva färdigheter ses som en tydlig utmaning för elev­inflytande. Den individuella elevens förutsättningar till inflytande beror helt på lärarens förmåga att tolka dess intentioner. Resultatet synliggör behovet av stödstrukturer exempelvis bildstöd som en förutsättning för elevens möjligheter att kunna göra aktiva val och delta i demokratiska processer. Organisatoriska faktorer såsom skolans lokaler och personaltillgång framträder i resultatet som viktiga förutsättningar för hur lärarna kan få elevinflytande att komma till stånd. Undermåliga förutsättningar gällande dessa faktorer leder istället till utmaningar för lärarna samt begränsar elevinflytande. / Abstract The study aims to highlight, from a teacher's perspective, the influence students may have on teaching practice in compulsory school for students with intellectual disability (ID). Moreover the study examines how teachers in  compulsory school for students with ID define the concept of student influence, the teachers’ descriptions of how they create conditions for students to influence their teaching practice, and what challenges the teachers define in this area of work. The study has been accomplished through a qualitative research approach where nine teachers teaching in compulsory school for students with ID have been interviewed.  The study's theoretical framework is based on Shier's participation model (Shier, 2001). Based on the participation model, the following five concepts have been used to analyse the interviews; openings, opportunities, obligations, resources, and challenges. All teachers in the study define student influence primarily based on a description where the student must be given the opportunity to actively be part of decision-making in order to influence teaching practice. Less than half of  teachers' definitions also describe a combination of being given the opportunity to be able to influence via participation in decision-making processes, as well as a student influence that incorporates being listened to and actively being asked for their opinion. The study shows that a good relationship between teacher and student is a vital factor for successful student influence. Abilities that teachers need to possess are perceptiveness, openness, and the capacity to show confidence in the student's own ability. An important part of the teachers' description of laying the ground for positive student influence is that each student is listened to, even if they do not always get their way. Student lack of communicative and cognitive skill is described as a clear challenge for student influencing ability. Subsequently, the individual student's potential for influence depends on the teacher's ability to interpret their intentions. It becomes visible in the results how important different support structures, such as image support and/or word support, constitute a prerequisite for the student's ability to make active choices and participate in democratic processes. Organisational factors such as the school's premises and staff availability are prominent in the results as important factors for how teachers can stimulate student influence. Poor conditions regarding these factors, on the other hand, lead to challenges for teachers and limit student influence.

Separation anxiety is highly prevalent among intellectually and visually impaired individuals, yet little research has been done into its treatment in this population. Due to delayed cognitive skills, these individuals struggle to develop the abstract concept of person permanence, which is necessary to diminish separation anxiety. The first aim of this study was to investigate whether using technology alone or including caregivers was the most beneficial approach to developing person permanence using technology-assisted therapy. The caregivers received training in advance in an attachment-based protocol about securing attachment relationships with the participant. It was hypothesised that the inclusion of attachment figures in technology-assisted therapy would enhance the acquisition of the person permanence concept. The second aim of this study was to determine whether technology-assisted therapy in tandem with the participation of caregivers consequently decreased separation anxiety and challenging behaviour in an adult with intellectual and visual impairment. It was hypothesised that the subject’s anxiety and challenging behaviour levels would significantly decrease due to the intervention. The final aim was to determine how the caregivers and the participant experienced this intervention. It was hypothesised that they would regard it as a positive experience. This single-subject design used a pre-experimental quantitative approach. It was based on the familiar ABAB design and comprised six phases. Phase A served as baseline, giving the participants time to become acquainted with the technology. Phase B consisted of automated responses to the participant’s messages. In phase C caregivers directed the active reply. The daily messages were discussed when the participant and caregiver reunited, incorporating the attachment-based protocol. Phase B and C were repeated. Phase D followed after the devices were handed in. The technology was a specially adapted touch iPhone with an application comprising coloured emoticons. When the participant was physically separated from the caregiver, he could send happy, sad, angry or scared emoticons, or request help. The caregiver, who had a similar device, responded by sending a pre-determined response such as acknowledging the participant’s “I am angry” message with a “You are angry” message. Due to the association between anxiety and challenging behaviour in this population, standardised instruments were used to measure changes in these behaviours. Repeated measure ANOVA and a non-parametric Friedman test were used to analyse the data, specifically comparing phase B and C. Overall, the results showed that behaviour did significantly change over the course of the intervention. The frequency of the various iPhone messages sent by the participant was recorded daily. ANOVA contracts results demonstrated significantly fewer anxious and angry messages sent during the C phases compared with the B phases. The professional caregivers recorded the frequency and intensity of anxiety and challenging behaviours. The ANOVA contrast results showed a significantly lower frequency and intensity of these behaviours in the C phases compared with the B phases. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the social validity of the intervention. The independent samples t-test demonstrated a significant difference between the mean scores rated by the caregivers at the beginning and the end of the invention. The participant and caregivers were positive about the intervention. Although the results cannot be generalised, it can be concluded that the inclusion of caregivers in technology-assisted therapy can serve as an invaluable aid to developing the person permanence concept. The findings also indicate that the anxiety and challenging behaviour levels shown by the adult with ID and visual impairment decreased due to technology-assisted therapy applied by caregivers, while responses to the social validity of the intervention were positive. / MSc (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Separation anxiety is highly prevalent among intellectually and visually impaired individuals, yet little research has been done into its treatment in this population. Due to delayed cognitive skills, these individuals struggle to develop the abstract concept of person permanence, which is necessary to diminish separation anxiety. The first aim of this study was to investigate whether using technology alone or including caregivers was the most beneficial approach to developing person permanence using technology-assisted therapy. The caregivers received training in advance in an attachment-based protocol about securing attachment relationships with the participant. It was hypothesised that the inclusion of attachment figures in technology-assisted therapy would enhance the acquisition of the person permanence concept. The second aim of this study was to determine whether technology-assisted therapy in tandem with the participation of caregivers consequently decreased separation anxiety and challenging behaviour in an adult with intellectual and visual impairment. It was hypothesised that the subject’s anxiety and challenging behaviour levels would significantly decrease due to the intervention. The final aim was to determine how the caregivers and the participant experienced this intervention. It was hypothesised that they would regard it as a positive experience. This single-subject design used a pre-experimental quantitative approach. It was based on the familiar ABAB design and comprised six phases. Phase A served as baseline, giving the participants time to become acquainted with the technology. Phase B consisted of automated responses to the participant’s messages. In phase C caregivers directed the active reply. The daily messages were discussed when the participant and caregiver reunited, incorporating the attachment-based protocol. Phase B and C were repeated. Phase D followed after the devices were handed in. The technology was a specially adapted touch iPhone with an application comprising coloured emoticons. When the participant was physically separated from the caregiver, he could send happy, sad, angry or scared emoticons, or request help. The caregiver, who had a similar device, responded by sending a pre-determined response such as acknowledging the participant’s “I am angry” message with a “You are angry” message. Due to the association between anxiety and challenging behaviour in this population, standardised instruments were used to measure changes in these behaviours. Repeated measure ANOVA and a non-parametric Friedman test were used to analyse the data, specifically comparing phase B and C. Overall, the results showed that behaviour did significantly change over the course of the intervention. The frequency of the various iPhone messages sent by the participant was recorded daily. ANOVA contracts results demonstrated significantly fewer anxious and angry messages sent during the C phases compared with the B phases. The professional caregivers recorded the frequency and intensity of anxiety and challenging behaviours. The ANOVA contrast results showed a significantly lower frequency and intensity of these behaviours in the C phases compared with the B phases. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the social validity of the intervention. The independent samples t-test demonstrated a significant difference between the mean scores rated by the caregivers at the beginning and the end of the invention. The participant and caregivers were positive about the intervention. Although the results cannot be generalised, it can be concluded that the inclusion of caregivers in technology-assisted therapy can serve as an invaluable aid to developing the person permanence concept. The findings also indicate that the anxiety and challenging behaviour levels shown by the adult with ID and visual impairment decreased due to technology-assisted therapy applied by caregivers, while responses to the social validity of the intervention were positive. / MSc (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Syftet med studien är att beskriva några lärares perspektiv på hur grundsärskoleelever påverkas av att vara inkluderade i grundskolan. För att samla in data till studien har den kvalitativa forskningsintervjun använts som metod. Studien bygger på sju intervjuer med grundsärskolelärare och grundskollärare som undervisar grundsärskoleelever som är helt eller delvis inkluderade i grundskolan. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien är Nilholms (2007) beskrivning av tre perspektiv på specialpedagogik, det kompensatoriska perspektivet, det kritiska perspektivet och dilemmaperspektivet. Resultatet av studien visar att det finns flera faktorer som påverkar grundsärskoleelevers inkludering i grundskolan. De faktorer som framträder i studien är organisatoriska faktorer, lärares påverkansfaktorer, såsom deras attityder och kunskaper om inkludering, elevers sociala utveckling och kunskapsutveckling, samt elevers uttryck för påverkan av inkluderingen. I resultatet synliggörs att det finns både möjligheter och svårigheter för eleverna att vara inkluderade, men svårigheterna är övervägande. Den slutsats som kan dras av studien är att det finns stora utvecklingsmöjligheter kring grundsärskoleelevers inkludering i grundskolan. Utvecklingen måste ske på alla nivåer i skolsystemet för att skapa förutsättningar för denna process. I utvecklingsprocessen kommer det att finnas ett behov av speciallärarprofessionen som ser till elevernas individuella behov. / The purpose of the study is to describe the perspectives of some teachers on how students in special schools are affected by being included into regular schools. The method used to collect the data has been that of the qualitative research interview. The study is based on seven interviews with teachers at special schools and teachers at regular schools who work with students with intellectual disabilities that are completely or partly included in the regular schools. The theoretical basis for the study is Nilholm´s (2007) description of three perspectives on special education, the compensatory perspective, the critical perspective and the dilemma perspective. The result of the study shows that there are multiple factors affecting the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in the regularly schools. The factors emerged in this study are: the school organization, the impact of teachers, such as their attitudes towards and knowledge of the practice of inclusion, the development of social and cognitive skills of the students, as well as the students’ expressions of affection. The results of the study show both possibilities and obstacles for including students with learning disabilities, but the obstacles are greater. The conclusion to be drawn from this study is that there exist great possibilities for the development of inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in the regular school. The development is necessary on all levels of the school system in order to create the conditions for successful inclusion. In this process there will be a demand for special education teachers who are able to assess the individual needs of these students.

Bakgrund: Personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning har en ökad risk för fysisk och psykisk ohälsa och lider av samsjuklighet i större grad än övriga befolkningen. Medellivslängden för personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning har ökat vilket leder till en växande grupp människor med särskilda behov som behöver tillgodoses av hälso- och sjukvården. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva vårdpersonals erfarenheter av att vårda personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. Metod: Litteraturstudie med kvalitativ ansats där åtta vetenskapliga studier som svarade mot syftet valdes ut, kvalitetsgranskades, analyserades och sammanställdes. Artikelsökningen genomfördes i databaserna Cinahl, PsycInfo, PubMed och Scopus. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i fyra huvudkategorier med sammanlagt nio underkategorier. Vårdpersonalen beskrev erfarenheter av otillräcklighet och organisatoriska hinder, svårigheter och möjligheter i kommunikationen, betydelsen av goda relationer samt känslor kring utmanande beteende och preventiva åtgärder mot utmanande beteende.Konklusion: Vårdpersonal upplever hinder för att ge god vård till personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. För att överkomma hinder krävs en öppen attityd, en vilja att lära känna personen, en god relation till familjen och personliga assistenter samt ett bra team-arbete. / Background: People with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk for physical and mental illness and suffer from comorbidity in greater degree than the rest of the population. Life expectancy for people with intellectual disabilities has increased, leading to a growing group of people with special needs that must be met by the health sector. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe healthcare personnel´s experiences of caring for people with intellectual disabilities. Method: Literature study with qualitative design. Eight scientific studies that corresponded with the aim was selected, quality assessed, analyzed and compiled. Databases used to search for articles was Cinahl, PsycInfo, PubMed and Scopus. Results: The analysis resulted in four main categories with a total of nine subcategories. Healthcare personnel described experiences of inadequacy and organizational constraints, difficulties and possibilities in communication, the importance of good relationships and their feelings about challenging behavior and preventive measures against challenging behavior.Conclusion: Healthcare personnel´s experience obstacles in providing good care to people with intellectual disabilities. In order to overcome the obstacles it requires an open attitude, a willingness to get to know the person, a good relationship with the family and the personal-assistants and a good teamwork.

The aim of this study is to describe school teachers` experience that in their mainstream class teach students received in compulsory school for students with intellectual disability. How do teachers work so the students with intellectual disability became included in the class? To get answers to my purpose, I have used the following research questions: How is the experience of working with didactic, social and spatial inclusion described? What appears as challenges for including processes with integrated students? I have performed qualitative interviews with five primary school teachers. The teachers in the study teach or have taught integrated pupils who are enrolled in compulsory school. They teach or have taught the pupils in grade five in their class. As a conceptual starting point, I have chosen to use Asp Onsjös`(2008) different aspects of inclusion. Didactic, social and spatial inclusion. The result of the study shows that in the theoretical subjects mathematics and Swedish integrated pupils more often get individual support outside the classroom by a remedial teacher. In the practical subjects such as physical education and art, on the contrary the integrated pupils are taught with their classmates.  The result of the study reveals that teachers' didactic knowledge and skills are important for how the inclusion looks like in the classroom. Teaching is a social activity - a large part of the students´ social life takes place in the classroom. How teachers plan their lessons is related to how students with learning disabilities can participate. The teachers in the study describe that it is a challenge to have integrated students. According to them it is not just that students develop knowledge. A major challenge, according to the teachers, is to enhance the opportunities for the students being socially included with their classmates. The teachers in the study ask for the need for cooperation with remedial teacher and asking for more guidance. Working together with remedial teacher and other colleagues to support the integrated student in their learning is a recurring theme during the interviews. / Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva grundskollärares erfarenheter av att i den egna grundskoleklassen undervisa elever mottagna i särskolan. Hur arbetar lärarna för att elever med utvecklingsstörning ska bli inkluderade i klassen? För att få svar på mitt syfte harföljande forskningsfrågoranvänts: Vilka erfarenheter av arbete med didaktisk, socialt och rumslig inkludering beskrivs? Vad framstår som utmaningar för inkluderande processer kring integrerade elever? Jag har genomfört kvalitativa intervjuer med fem grundskollärare. Grundskollärarnai studien undervisar eller har i sin klass undervisat integrerade elever som är mottagnai särskolan. De undervisar eller har undervisat eleverna i årskurs fem. Som begreppslig utgångspunkt har jag valt att använda mig av Asp-Onsjös (2008) olika aspekter på inkludering. Didaktisk, social och rumslig inkludering. Studiens resultat visar att i de teoretiska ämnena matematik och svenska får integrerade elever oftare individuellt stöd utanför klassrummet av en speciallärare. I de praktiska ämnena exempelvis idrott och bild däremot undervisas de integrerade elever tillsammans med sina klasskamrater. I studiens resultat framkommer att lärarnas didaktiska kunskaper och färdigheter har betydelse för hur inkluderingen ser ut i klassrummet. Undervisning är en social aktivitet -en stor del av elevens sociala liv sker i klassrummet. Hur lärarna planerar sin undervisning hör ihop med hur elever med utvecklingsstörning kan delta. Lärarna i studien beskriver att det är en utmaning att ha integrerade elever. Enligt dem handlar det inte bara om att eleverna utvecklas kunskapsmässigt. En stor utmaningen är enligt lärarna är att stärka möjligheterna till att eleven är socialt inkluderad med sina klasskamrater. Lärarna i studien lyfter fram ett behov av ett nära samarbete med speciallärare och efterfrågar mer handledning. Att arbeta tillsammans med en speciallärare och andra kollegor för att stötta den integrerade eleven i sitt lärande är ett återkommande tema under intervjuerna.

The purpose of this study is on the basis of frame factors such as time, policy documents and student diversity, to examine some teachers' perceptions of opportunities and difficulties to teach mainstreamed pupils. The underlying intensions is to show what is found in the teachers' statements concerning what conditions they feel they have to teach on the basis of two different curricula, how they express themselves on various frame factors such as time, policy documents and student diversity, and if other possible frame factors become visible in the teachers´ statements. Interviews have been used as a method and carried out with six different teachers who are teaching in grades 7-9. They come from different parts of the country and teaches different subjects. This study has a frame factor theoretical perspective and the theory has been the basis regarding study design, implementation and analysis. The results show that the teachers in this study have intentions of customize their teaching based on all students' different needs, but it can be difficult with great student variation and cognitive discrepancy. The teachers told that it is the primary school curriculum that mostly determines the education and that adjustments then are made to fit the students who take the special school curriculum. The risk is that students who follow special school curriculum does not get the opportunity to show their skills in a fair manner since the curricula differs greatly in certain subjects between school types. The teachers in this study were generally positive about teaching mainstreamed pupils, but expressed that it often is a lack of knowledge in primary school about intellectual disabilities and special school. Previous studies show that knowledge is a key factor for the success of creating teaching that is characterized by the participation of all students. / Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån ramfaktorerna tid, styrdokument och elevvariation undersöka några lärares upplevelser av möjligheter och hinder för att undervisa integrerade elever. Underliggande frågeställningar är att synliggöra vad som framkommer i lärarnas utsagor gällande vilka förutsättningar de upplever att de har att undervisa utifrån två olika kursplaner, hur de uttrycker sig om olika ramfaktorer som tid, styrdokument och elevvariation samt om andra möjliga ramfaktorer blir synliga i lärarnas utsagor. Intervju har använts som metod och genomförts med sex olika lärare som undervisar i årskurs 7-9. De kommer från olika delar av landet och undervisar i olika ämnen. Studien har ett ramfaktorteoretiskt perspektiv och teorin har legat till grund för studiens utformande, genomförande och analys. Resultatet visar att de deltagande lärarna i studien har intentioner om att anpassa undervisningen utifrån alla elevers olika behov, men att det kan vara svårt när elevvariationen och den kognitiva diskrepansen är stor. Lärarna har berättat om att det oftast är grundskolans kursplan som styr och att anpassningar sedan görs för att passa för elever som läser efter särskolans kursplan. Risken med detta är att eleverna som läser efter särskolans kursplan inte får möjlighet att visa sina kunskaper på ett rättvist sätt då kursplanerna mellan skolformerna skiljer sig mycket åt i vissa ämnen. Lärarna i studien var över lag positivt inställda till att undervisa integrerade elever, men uttryckte att det ofta saknas kunskap i grundskolan om intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar och om särskola som skolform. Tidigare studier visar på att kunskap är en nyckelfaktor för att lyckas med att skapa undervisning som präglas av delaktighet för alla elever.