Some of the major difficulties encountered in embracing an inclusive education system are, lack of commitment, lack of resources as well as a poor understanding of how to support successful inclusion. The Education White Paper 6 (here after referred to as EWP6) states that, all children can learn, should be supported to learn and assured of equal and equitable education. The implementation of inclusion has been initiated by the EWP 6 (Department of Education, 2001) and is still in the process of developing the necessary education support services. At the school level, an institution level support team (ILST) should serve as a means of supporting learners experiencing learning difficulties. This study examined the perceptions of foundation phase teachers regarding the support they are getting from the ILST as well as finding out whether collaboration between the above mentioned bodies can help in addressing the issue of learner diversity in an inclusive classroom. The investigation was conducted at a school in the Northern suburb of Johannesburg. The foundation phase teachers and some members of the ILST were purposively included as participants. A case study design was chosen since this would allow for in-depth examination of the perceptions of foundation phase teachers regarding the support they are getting from their (ILST). The data collection process included questionnaires, oral follow up interviews, document analysis and observation. The data collected from the above sources has been analyzed according to themes and subthemes that emerged. The findings of the study show that, there is little or no collaboration between the foundation phase teachers and the ILST. It was also evident that the foundation phase teachers collaborate immensely amongst themselves in sharing ideas on how to support learners in their classrooms. Lastly, it was apparent that the support given to the foundation phase teachers was done solely by the learning support educator and not as a team with the other members of the ILST. The ILST on their part did not take time to actually define their roles in terms of how they would be functioning in rendering support to the foundation phase teachers. Based on the findings in this study, recommendations are made as to how to effectively support teachers as well as improve collaboration among all stake holders involved in inclusive practices.

In Sweden, an increasing number of pupils are defined as having some form of difficulties in school. In order to receive special support measures in school, these difficulties must have been subject to a pedagogical examination that state that the pupil is in need of special support measures. This work of identifying and defining difficulties implies that questions about normality and deviance inevitably come into play in school. There has been an increasing demand in school politics to identify these difficulties as early as possible, and this demand has placed further pressure on school personnel in this issue. Furthermore, the personnel’s perspective on the difficulties is also important, i.e., in terms of their origin, because this has importance for the design and content of the special support measures. The overall aim of this thesis is to analyse the tension between normality and deviance that is manifested in the school’s work procedures for pupils with special educational needs. Related to the overall aim, four overarching research questions are addressed. How have pupils with special educational needs and special education been articulated in national policy documents during recent decades? What perspective on school difficulties are being portrayed in schools’ individual educational plans for pupils with special educational needs? How do school personnel identify and differentiate pupils with special educational needs from “normal” pupils? How do pupils with special educational needs and their parents experience the special support measures that they receive in school and what seems to be the main concern of such support measures? The thesis consists of four studies that are based on different empirical materials such as policy documents, individual educational plans (IEPs) and qualitative interviews with school personnel, pupils and parents. The methods that are used for analysing the material are policy analysis, content analysis and grounded theory. The results show that the target group for special support measures has been ascribed with different meanings (over time) in policy documents, something that has affected the recommendations of the support measures and the choice of actors who are assigned to provide such support. Furthermore, the IEPs, as well as the interviews, reveal that an individual perspective on school difficulties seems to be deeply rooted in school.  The identification process of special educational needs followed three models: a pedagogical model, a social model, and a medical/health model.  However, the process of sorting out and defining these pupils invoked ambivalent feelings in the school personnel and the school class usually became the frame of reference for normal or deviant behaviour. Finally, the pupils’ and parent’ main concern of special support measures in school were described as a struggle for recognition and inclusion. The results are discussed with theoretical perspectives on school difficulties and special education. In the concluding discussion, it is argued that pupils with special educational needs have to balance between normality and deviance in school, but also between a pedagogical and a medical discourse by means of having a medical diagnosis in school.

Darbe atlikta bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų mokinių specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių tenkinimo analizė. Iškeltos hipotezės:  tikėtina, jog SUP turintys mokiniai gyvena šeimose, turinčiose mažiau galimybių padėti vaikui ugdytis. Tėvai ir patys SUP turintys vaikai menkai dalyvauja sprendžiant ugdymosi procese kylančias problemas;  tikėtina, kad SUP turintys mokiniai mokykloje jaučia psichologinį diskomfortą ir dalinę atskirtį;  tikėtina, kad mokytojams trūksta teorinių žinių apie specialųjį ugdymą, mokėjimų, įgūdžių, gebėjimų individualizuoti SUP turintiems mokiniams ugdymo procesą ir turinį ir tai didele dalimi lemia nepakankamą mokinių specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių tenkinimą. Anketinės apklausos bei struktūruoto interviu metodais buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – ištirti kaip tenkinami mokinių, besimokančių bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje, specialieji ugdymosi poreikiai. Atlikta kokybinė ir kiekybinė gautų duomenų analizė. Tyrimo dalyvavo 164 Raseinių rajono bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų mokytojai, 50 SUP turinčių mokinių, besimokančių bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose ir 66 tėvai, auginantys SUP turinčius vaikus, besimokančius bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose. Empirinėje tyrimo dalyje atskleidžiama mokinių, turinčių SUP, psichosocialinė charakteristika. Nagrinėjama ugdymo(si) kokybė ir pagalbos teikimas. Analizuojamas ugdymo(si) turinio ir proceso individualizavimas. Vertinamas pedagogų profesinės kompetencijos tobulinimas darbe su SUP turinčiais mokiniais, pedagogų skatinimas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This study analysed the satisfaction of pupils’ special educational needs at school. Following hypotheses were raised: - Pupils with special educational needs live in families, which have fewer possibilities to help their children to study. Parents and pupils with special educational needs poorly take part in problem solving in educational process; - Pupils with special educational needs experience psychological discomfort and partial isolation at school; - Teachers lack theoretical knowledge about special education, abilities and skills to individualise educational process and content to pupils with special educational needs. The research was conducted using survey and structural interview. The goal of research was to analyse how there are satisfied special educational needs of pupils studying in schools. There was conducted qualitative and quantitative analysis of data. 111 teachers, 53 class teachers, 50 pupils with special educational need and 66 parents were involved in this study. Psychological characteristics of pupils with special educational needs were examined in empirical part of research. There was analysed quality of education and support. There was analysed the individualisation of educational process and content. The improving teachers’ competence in working with pupils with special educational needs and teachers’ stimulating were evaluated in this study. The main conclusions of empirical research: 1. Psychosocial characteristic of pupils with special... [to full text]

The aim of the research is, having evaluated attitude peculiarities of the participants of the research, revealed real collaboration practices and applied action research, to construct methodology and a model of collaboration, meeting special educational needs. The research has been carried out in accordance with the principle of triangulation, combining quality and quantity methods (questionnaire method, individual semi-structured interview, action research using the focus group method). The results of the research revealed that children, having special educational needs and their parents often appear in the situation of isolation in comprehensive schools. teachers’ communication among themselves is more often oriented to individual conversations, consultations, individual perfection, but not to team work and collegial solution of problems. Students often feel teachers’ negative attitudes towards them, ignorance, rejection. Structure and expressiveness of parents’ and teachers’ attitudes towards special education and collaboration has been identified. Considering the collaborative situation (on a country scale) and concrete institutional context (on a school scale), collaboration methodology has been suggested, the basis of which is action research with focus group method applied. The results of the research confirm effectiveness of the methodology. Analysis of individual cases when there is common problem solution and participation of all the members of educational process... [to full text]

The aim of the research is, having evaluated attitude peculiarities of the participants of the research, revealed real collaboration practices and applied action research, to construct methodology and a model of collaboration, meeting special educational needs. The research has been carried out in accordance with the principle of triangulation, combining quality and quantity methods (questionnaire method, individual semi-structured interview, action research using the focus group method). 1445 participants were involved. The results of the research revealed that children, having special educational needs and their parents often appear in the situation of isolation in comprehensive schools of Lithuania – SEN students lack communication, often there are no possibilities to involve and solve children’s educational problems together, their possibilities and needs are not evaluated enough. Parents’ and specialists’ interactions are especially limited. It was stated that teachers’ communication among themselves is more often oriented to individual conversations, consultations, individual perfection, but not to team work and collegial solution of problems. One way information provision dominates in communication with parents. Underefficient system of communication and information spread limits possible interactions, does not encourage complex interaction of all the participants of the process of education and common problem solution. Leaders underestimate the results of common work... [to full text]

Darbe aptariamos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų bendruomenių nuomonių įvairovė į specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių vaikų integruotą ugdymą ir jų kaita nuo integracijos proceso pradžios. Iškelta hipotezė, kad tarp teorinio integracijos modelio ir praktinio jo pritaikymo yra tam tikrų nesutapimų, kurie trukdo kokybiškam integracijos proceso vystymuisi. Gali išryškėti kontroversiškos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos bendruomenės nuostatos, nepalankiai veikiančios integruotai ugdomų mokinių socializaciją. Turinio analizės metodu apžvelgti panašūs atlikti tyrimai, siekiant įžvelgti integracijos proceso dalyvių nuostatų kaitą. Anketinės apklausos metodu buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas - ištirti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų mokytojų, mokinių bei jų tėvų požiūrius į specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių turinčius vaikus bei įvertinti integruotai ugdomų specialiųjų poreikių vaikų savijautą mokyklos aplinkoje. Tyrime dalyvavo 130 bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose besimokančių normalios raidos ir specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių mokinių, 75 šių mokinių tėvai ir 115 pedagogų, dirbančių tose pačiose mokyklose iš įvairių Lietuvos regionų. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjamos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų bendruomenių nuostatos į specialiųjų poreikių vaikų socializacijos sėkmę, į integruotą ugdymą bei jo efektyvumą. Svarbiausios empirinio tyrimo išvados: 1. Bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos bendruomenės nariai pakankamai geranoriškai ir tolerantiškai nusiteikę specialiųjų poreikių vaikų atžvilgiu. Tėvų nuostatos netgi teigiamesnės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The paper deals with the variety of opinions of mainstream school community members’ about the integrated education of children with special educational needs (SEN children) also how these opinions have been turnover from the beginning of the integration’s process. Hypothesis: there are some discrepancies between the theoretical pattern of integration and it’s practical adaptation with discourages the qualitative progress of the integration’s process. The controversial attitudes of the mainstream school community can be found which could adversely operate the integrated training pupils socialization. The review of similar navigated investigations was done using content analysis method on purpose to penetrate the alternation of the integration process members. Questionnaire survey method was used to accomplish the research which purpose is to investigate the attitude of mainstream school teachers, pupils and their patents about the SEN children and to appreciate how SEN children feel themselves in the school environment. The presence of 130 mainstream school pupils with SEN and non-disabled children, 75 their parents also 115 general teachers from various Lithuanian regions caused a successful research. The most important empirical conclusions that were drawn are: ● Community members of mainstream school are benevolently and tolerantly minded in point of SEN children enough. The attitudes of parents are even more positive than their children’s are. SEN children feel fairly... [to full text]

Darbe atlikta teorinė nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių skaičių ir skaičiavimo mokymo taikant aktyvaus mokymosi metodus analizė. Iškelta hipotezė, kad aktyvaus mokymosi metodų taikymas ugdant nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinius gali padėti jiems pasiekti aukštesnių matematikos mokymosi pasiekimų. Anketavimo ir testavimo metodais buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – nustatyti aktyvaus mokymosi metodų poveikį III klasės nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių skaičių ir skaičiavimo gebėjimams. Atlikta aprašomosios statistikos duomenų analizė. Tyrime dalyvavo 10 nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto III klasės mokinių. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjamas specialiųjų poreikių mokinių supratimas apie matematikos reikalingumą kasdieniame jų gyvenime; įtvirtinami numeracijos ir aritmetinių veiksmų atlikimo įgūdžiai. Svarbiausios empirinio tyrimo išvados: 1. Remiantis atliktų diagnostinių pjūvių (testavimo ir anketavimo metodais) prieš pradedant eksperimentinį darbą su eksperimentinės grupės mokiniais ir jį pabaigus rezultatais nustatyta, kad: visų eksperimentinės grupės mokinių matematikos testų rezultatai ženkliai pagerėjo. Sėkmingiausiai eksperimentinės grupės mokiniams sekėsi atlikti skaičių numeracijos tematiką atitinkančias užduotis. Tuo tarpu kontrolinės grupės mokinių testavimo rezultatai taip ženkliai nesikeitė ir aukštesnių rezultatų pasiekė ne visi grupės mokiniai. Vienas kontrolinės grupės mokinys baigiamojo testo metu surinko mažiau balų, nei pradinio testavimo metu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the Master’s thesis there was performed a theoretical analysis of teaching numbers and counting to the slightly mentally retarded students by applying the techniques of active learning. There was raised a hypothesis, that an application of the techniques of active learning in the education of the slightly mentally retarded students can help them achieve higher outcomes in learning mathematics. There was performed a research aimed at ascertaining the influence of the techniques of active learning on the ability of numbers and counting of the III(rd) grade’s slightly mentally retarded students by using the methods of questionnaire and testing. There was performed an analysis of the descriptive statistical data. 10 slightly mentally retarded students of the III(rd) grade participated in the research. In the empirical part there was analysed the students’ with special needs understanding about the necessity of mathematics in their daily life, there was consolidated the skills in performing numbering and arithmetical operations. The main findings of the research: 1. Following the results of the performed diagnostic sections (the methods of questionnaire and testing) before the beginning of experimental work with the experimental group’s students and at the end of it there was ascertained that: mathematics tests’ results had significantly improved of all students in the experimental group; the students had performed the tasks corresponding numbering’s theme the most successfully... [to full text]

Mokiniai, turintys kalbėjimo, kalbos ir komunikacijos sutrikimų, mokydamiesi bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose, susiduria su specifiniais sunkumais, kuriuos lemia sutrikę ar nepakankamai išlavinti kalbiniai gebėjimai. Jiems turi būti teikiama individualizuota, mokinių poreikius atitinkanti pagalba. O vienas iš svarbių pagalbos teikėjų – mokytojas. Iškelta hipotezė, kad pedagogai bendradarbiaudami su mokyklos logopedais, kitų institucijų specialistais aktyviai dalyvauja vaikų, turinčių kalbėjimo, kalbos ir komunikacijos sutrikimų, ugdymo procese bei teikiant jiems pagalbą įveikiant šiuos sutrikimus. Atliktas empirinis tyrimas, kurio tikslas – išsiaiškinti pedagogų požiūrį į mokinius, turinčius kalbėjimo, kalbos ir komunikacijos sutrikimų bei jų taikomus ugdymo metodus, bendradarbiavimo su kitais specialistais aspektus. Siekiant užsibrėžto tikslo tyrimui naudota anketa bei interviu. Tyrime dalyvavo 100 pradinių klasių pedagogų iš įvairių miesto pradinių bei vidurinių mokyklų. / Pupils with speech, language and communication disorders in secondary schools face specific difficulties caused by impaired or underdevelopped language skills. Students must be given individualized support. And one of the major donors is the teacher. The hypothesis shows that teachers in collaboration with the school speech therapists and other specialists from different institutions actively participate in children‘s with language and communication disorders educational process and assist them in dealing with these problems. An empirical study is made to find out teachers' approach to students with speech, language and communication disorders. In order to achieve the objective study a questionnaire and an interview are used. The study involved 100 primary school teachers from various primary and secondary schools in town.

Darbe atlikta teorinė specialiųjų poreikių mokinių integracijos į bendrojo lavinimo mokyklas situacijos bei mokinių matematinių gebėjimų analizė. Iškelta hipotezė, kad specialiosiose mokyklose besimokančių 10 klasės nežymiai protiškai atsilikusių mokinių matematiniai gebėjimai baigiant pagrindinę mokyklą yra panašūs kaip ir toje pačioje klasėje bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose besimokančių nežymiai protiškai atsilikusių mokinių, pasitvirtino. Anketinės apklausos metodu buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas - įvertinti ir palyginti 10 klasės nežymiai protiškai atsilikusių mokinių, besimokančių skirtingo tipo ugdymo įstaigose, matematikos gebėjimus baigiant pagrindinę mokyklą. Atlikta kiekybinė duomenų analizė. Tyrime dalyvavo šešiasdešimt 10 klasės mokinių, besimokančių įvairiose Lietuvos mokyklose (30 bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos mokinių ir 30 specialiosios mokyklos mokinių), be to buvo apklausti 20 bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos mokytojų, dirbančių su nežymiai protiškai atsilikusiais mokiniais. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjami nežymiai protiškai atsilikusių mokinių, besimokančių specialiosiose mokyklose ir integruotai, matematikos programos įsisavinimo lygis. Svarbiausios empirinio tyrimo išvados: 1. Palyginus nežymiai protiškai atsilikusių mokinių matematinius gebėjimus pagal specialiosios mokyklos programą galima teigti, kad abiejų grupių mokinių programinės medžiagos įsisavinimo lygis beveik nesiskiria, o esantis skirtumas yra toks nežymus ir parodo, kad abiejų tipų mokyklų mokinių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The work presents a theoretical analysis of the situation of SEN children’s integration into comprehensive schools and their mathematical abilities. The hypothesis raised in this work, i.e. that the mathematical abilities of slightly mentally deficient 10th formers at special and comprehensive schools are very much similar, has been approved. An investigation has been carried out in a survey method with a purpose to evaluate the mathematical abilities at the period of graduating from the basic school of slightly mentally deficient 10th formers’ at different educational institutions. A quantitative data analysis has been made. Sixty 10th formers from different schools in Lithuania (30 children from comprehensive schools, and 30 from special education schools) have been investigated, as well as 20 teachers from comprehensive schools, that work with slightly mentally deficient children, have been interviewed. The empiric part of the work deals with slightly mentally deficient children’s from special education schools and those who are integrated in the comprehensive schools level of mathematical knowledge. The following are the main conclusions drawn from the empiric investigation: 1. After comparing slightly mentally deficient children’s from both groups abilities to absorb the information at maths, it turned out that these abilities are rather equal, and the difference, if any, is so little, that it only supports the idea that children’s from the special education... [to full text]

Magistro baigiamajame darbe išanalizuoti ir įvertinti specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių mokinių ugdymo bendrojo ugdymo mokyklose pagrindiniai aspektai, jų teises ir pareigas reglamentuojantys dokumentai, atskleista teisinio ugdymo svarba specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių mokiniams, išsiaiškintos teisinio ugdymo galimybės specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių turintiems mokiniams bendrojo ugdymo mokykloje. Pirmoje darbo dalyje teoriniu aspektu nagrinėjama specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių samprata, minėtų mokinių ugdymas inkliuzijos sąlygomis bendrojo ugdymo mokykloje, jų teises ir pareigas reglamentuojantys dokumentai, bei teisinis ugdymas bendrojo ugdymo mokykloje. Antroje darbo dalyje praktiškai nagrinėjama esama specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių turinčių mokinių teisinio ugdymo situacija bendrojo ugdymo mokykloje, analizuojami tyrimo rezultatai, pateikiamos išvados. / This Master's Thesis is to analyse and evaluate the main aspects of education of students with special educational needs (SEN) in the schools of General Education, the regulations of their rights and duties, to reveal the importance of legal education for SEN students, to explain the possibilities of legal education for SEN students in the schools of General Education. The first part examines the theoretical aspects of the concept of special education needs, the education of SEN students under the conditions of inclusion, the regulations of their rights and duties as well as legal educating in the schools of General Education. The second part practically examines the current situation of legal education of SEN students in the schools of General Education, analyses the results and presents the conclusions.