No description available.

The research which forms the basis of this thesis focuses on the developing practice of two local authority support services working in primary schools with the aim of changing the nature of provision for children with special educational needs. In the first case study, four support teachers work, half a week each, for one year in a junior school which appeared to have a high number of children with learning and behavioural difficulties. These support teachers were attempting to change the practice of the classroom teachers in this school. In the second case study, the work of four support teachers is observed, as they begin a change of role, moving from centre-based work with children to supporting the children in class, and trying to change the nature of provision for these children in school. Each case study was conducted over one year. The methodological approach was located within a constructivist paradigm. The methods were interview, observation, questionnaire and documentary analysis. The review of the literature, after examining the background to change within special educational needs provision, and within primary schools, goes on to consider issues particularly pertinent to this research, such as consultant and collaborative teaching skills, personal change and interpersonal skills needed for effective instigation of change. These issues support both the implementation and the analysis of the research. The final part of the thesis addresses the issues arising from the research, such as the training needs of the support teachers and class teachers regarding knowledge of the change process and an awareness of theoretical issues surrounding special educational needs, and dichotomies within the approach of the support teachers towards the process of change. The conclusion examines themes which have emerged from the research and which are applicable to current changes in special educational needs provision.

There is an increasing interest in developing existing Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching methods due to recent concerns regarding the number of SEN pupils in schools. Communication is difficult for students when they have little or no clear speech. Consequently, a range of communication systems are used as an alternative to speech, including symbols, pictures or gestures. Importantly, helping students to better communicate also improves their education, friendships and independence. However, it is acknowledged that creating these educational resources is time consuming and expensive, and the learning results are not recognised as being as effective as required. Semantic Web technology has had an impact in the educational field and offers the required linkages for more engagement with Web content. There is, however, a considerable gap in Semantic Web research between the contributions in the mainstream educational field and research undertaken into special educational needs (SEN) students. This thesis presents an augmented World Wide Web (WWW) vision utilising annotation to more effectively support diverse special educational needs students. Students are supported in part by a SEN Teaching Platform (SENTP), one artefact from this design science research. Poetry is used as a website teaching material because of its significant impact on special needs students as it is a difficult topic to understand. The first stage of the research is to select the appropriate tools for testing annotation techniques in a real SEN environment. Later, a design of the proposed SEN teaching platform is built based on a Semantic Web annotation tool (Amaya) coordinated with a web application. Design is evaluated by conducting a pilot study in schools caring for special needs students (SEN). Evaluations were carried out at two schools, interviewing nine participants (Teachers, Teaching Assistant) in the UK. SENTP is tested for using Semantic Web technology to benefit the education of SEN students by utilizing Semantic Web annotation tools. This research further improves the SENTP with additional support for cognitive load using specific annotation formats within the Amaya annotation tool. Field testing is carried out at six UK schools with twenty-two participants being interviewed. Cognitive load principles are shown to improve both learning and class behaviour, also supporting teachers in the production of educational content. The pilot study and field testing results reveal that the proposed approach is effective. Following this, designed artefacts are synthesised within a wider design blueprint that articulates how this new world of annotated digital media is designed, deployed and consumed. Finally, SENTP ontology is created using OWL language and Protégé 5. The main goal of this ontology is to produce a wider design SENTP ontology that can be adapted to wider teaching purposes.

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No description available.

Recently and despite definitional problems, a clearly identifiable group of children has emerged characterized as 'learning disabled' for which programming and hence specialized services are being made available in the Greek state school setting. A more complete description of these children seems necessary in order to find out if and how they differ from other children in personality and whether their academic difficulties have created unique problems for them. The purpose of the present study was, then, to empirically investigate the comparative differences in measures of self-concept (academic and general), locus of control and causal attributions in Special and Regular Class primary school children, in Greece. 424 children enrolled in the third through sixth primary school grades served as subjects. The sample was drawn from state schools located within the three educational districts in the county of Attiki. There were 72 Special Class, and 352 Regular Class children. The Regular Class children were classified as Low Achievers (LA) and Normal Achievers (NA) on the basis of their school grades. Three self report questionnaires were used; the Perceived Competence Scale for children (PCS), and the Self Description Questionnaire (SDQ) were used to measure academic self-concepts and global self-esteem. The two cognitive competence scales from the PCS and the two subject-specific scales from the SDQ were used to assess children's perceptions of their academic abilities. Global self-esteem was measured by a scale from the PCS. The Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire (IAR) was used as a measure of locus of control and causal attributions. Teacher ratings of academic performance in Reading and Maths and a Mathematics Test prepared by the researcher were used as achievement measures. The primary independent variable was group inclusion and school achievement. In addition sex and age differences were investigated. Results showed significant and consistent between group differences. Special Class children were found to differ significantly from Normal Achievers on academic self- concepts and global self-esteem. There were also significant differences between Low and Normal achievers on academic self-concepts but not on global self-esteem. Special Class children differed from the other two groups on their locus of control orientation and attributional patterns as well. They attributed both their successes and their failures to external factors, thus fitting the picture of 'learned helplessness'. Low achievers seem to hold the same attributional patterns as Normal Achievers, attributing their successes to their efforts and their failures externally. Suggestions are made that this is likely to be due to societal pressures. Developmental differences were evident in relation to locus of control, with older children showing greater internality. There were also age differences in relation to Perceived Competence Evaluation (PCE), in Special Class children, implying that this group of children develop more negative academic self-concepts as they grow older. Results seem to suggest that academic underachievement accompanied by Special Class placement had a substantial effect on children's academic self-concept, global selfesteem and pattern of attributions.

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This research, via case study investigation of the Islington Educational Psychology Service (EPS) examines the applicability of Performance Indicators (PIs) in the management of a professional service in the public sector. The research explores the theoretical and political basis for the introduction of PIs and tests their use by examining their strengths,w eaknessesa nd applicability within a local context. PIs are examined in relation to their usefulness in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery within an inner city service. Key issues investigated include: performance requirements linked to Special Educational Needs (SEN) resourcing, PIs generally in the SEN area, and clients/stakeholdersd emandso n the service. PIs are examined in relation to their impact on the short and long term delivery of the service. The investigation covers the period 1992-1999, though draws on data from 1990 and extension work undertaken in 2000. Utilising concepts from economic theory the research examines the psychological service input to schools, SEN input from the schools themselves and school output measures. LEA PIs are analysed to gain an overview of the strengths and weakness of the organisation and to determine priorities for the development of the EPS. The research includes the active participation on the part of the researcher/manager to generate and learn from the use of PIs. This exploration includes the attempt to construct a managerial model for PIs. The research is pursued by the generation of a series of case study questions. The experience of the researcher/manager is included as source data within the analysis. The research finds that PI systems are needed to measure `output' and `value added' as well as `input' factors. Also demonstrated is the need for the EPS to be more clearly linked to the meeting of national targets for raising achievement. PI systems are shown to be needed to facilitate team working, commitment and professional ownership, ensure appropriateness of tasks and to support professional re-alignment within the organisation. The research identifies the need for a local political as well as a professional framework for the consideration and selection of PIs. The research proposes a model for generating and selecting key PIs. At a wider professional level the researchd emonstratesw eaknessesin managerial as well as traditional professional control systems. Also shown is the limited potential of relying on client/stakeholder feedback to determine successful functioning of systems. The research demonstrates the need to address managerial, professional as well as client requirements. Key areas of concern are identified in relation to national and local policy. To address this, recommendations are made regarding policy at a national and local level in the use of PIs to assist planning, priority setting and control functions in order to deliver quality professional services in the short and longer term.

No description available.

This thesis examines the contribution of local authorities in England to the development of educational inclusion for children with special educational needs (SEN). The literature review traces the development of the concept of inclusion over the last three decades and assesses the status of national government policy. It examines the assertion that progress toward greater inclusion must typically be 'school-led', through an analysis of the literature on school effectiveness and improvement and the suggested linkages with the development of inclusive practice. It then considers the evidence of local authority influence. Following an overview of methodological issues, it describes a multi-method research study, comprising three elements. The first two involved a formal re-analysis of data obtained by the author as part of a national survey of SEN support services in English LEAs commissioned by the DfEE and NASEN (Gray 2001). Quantitative data from the national questionnaire were used as an indicator of the priority given by a range of stakeholders (officers, support services, parent and schools) to the role of support services in promoting greater inclusion. Ratings given by each Authority were compared to national statistics on the percentage of pupils in special schools for a similar period (1997-2001). This comparison was supplemented by a qualitative analysis of field notes taken during visits to three local authorities, as part of the earlier survey. The analysis of this secondary data was supplemented by an in-depth single case-study of an urban Authority where there had been a significant decrease in the percentage of pupils educated in special schools, which had been sustained over time. The findings from the different elements are used to help understand the degree and nature of local authority influence and a conceptual model is proposed, building on earlier work by Ainscow et al (2003) and Croll & Moses (2000). Broader policy factors are proposed, which are consistent with the model but which may limit the direct application of the case-study findings to other local authorities in the current and future context.