The purpose of this study is to investigate how five educators define the concepts of inclusion and children in need of special support. The purpose is also to see in what way they in the discursive practice design an inclusive curriculum. The research questions posed were: 1) in what way do educators define the concept of children in need of special support, 2) in what way do educators speak when describing an inclusive preschool and 3) in what way do educators design an inclusive curriculum based on their understanding of the definition of children in need of special support. To answer these questions, we have used a qualitative method where we conducted observations and interviews. The study was based on post structural theory. We analyzed the results based on the educators' linguistic expressions and definitions. The conclusions in this study showed that educators have similar definitions of the concept of inclusion and children in need of special support. Some of these definitions concern children with diagnoses and children without, children with difficulty, special children, children who run away, children who do not follow instructions, children with various physical and cognitive barriers. Furthermore, the results showed that all participants believe that the environment is the most important factor in creating an inclusive curriculum thusly that it is the environment that should be adapted to the child and not the child to the environment.

Non-medical drug use in rural communities in the United States is a significant and growing public health threat. Understanding what motivates drug users in rural areas to seek substance abuse treatment may help in addressing the problem. Perceived need for treatment, a construct indicative of problem recognition and belief in problem solution, has been identified as an important predictor of help-seeking behavior. This cross-sectional study used data collected through face-to-face interviews to examine factors associated with perceived need for drug abuse treatment among not-in-treatment, adult, illicit stimulant drug users (n = 710) in rural areas of Ohio, Kentucky, and Arkansas. More than one-quarter of the sample perceived a need for treatment. Results from a stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that white users, users with better physical and mental health status, and occasional users of methamphetamine were significantly less likely to see a need for treatment. Users with higher Addiction Severity Index composite scores for family/social problems or legal problems, and users with prior drug abuse treatment experience were significantly more likely to perceive a need for treatment. These findings have practical implications for efforts addressing substance abuse in rural areas.

Large amounts of dredged sediment are removed from ports and river channels annually to maintain necessary depths in the maritime industry. The most common management approach for dredged soils throughout the southeast US is disposal in confined facilities. This may be the most feasible approach for ports with modest amounts of dredged soil and ample capacity for disposal. However, there is likely a more feasible option for some ports desiring to increase dredged soil containment capacity. This thesis evaluates the beneficial reuse of dredged soils after lightly cementing with 5.0% or less cement by slurry mass. A previously conducted survey was interpreted prior to performing a literature review, testing, and performing sustainability calculations for reuse of dredged soil when lightly cemented. There were 239 experiments performed as part of this thesis to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing dredged soils after lightly cementing for beneficial reuse projects near ports.

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Syftet med denna uppsats var att undersöka hur ett projekt startas upp, leds och drivs då det är kopplat till socialt arbete och efterbehandling för hemlösa kvinnor med missbruksproblematik. Bakgrunden är en tidigare b-uppsats som visade på brister i eftervården för dessa kvinnor. Examensarbetet har gjorts genom en litteraturstudie där vi undersökt projekt och projektledning, samt en halvstrukturerad personlig intervju och en telefonintervju med en nyckelperson med erfarenhet av projektarbete. Resultatet visade på att det är viktigt med samarbete och nätverk då det oftast finns många aktörer som kan hjälpa målgruppen, så som socialtjänsten, beroendecenter samt Röda Korset. Genom ett lösningsfokuserat arbete och en upplevelsebaserad metod kan målgruppen få hjälp att komma tillbaka in i samhället och få ett självständigt och värdigare liv. I projekt är det även viktigt med uppföljningar och utvärderingar för att man ska få en lärdom och en kunskapsbas genom projektet, då kan projektet bistå framtida liknande projekt. För att undvika problem i projektet är det viktigt med tydliga mål, roller och ansvarsfördelningar. Om dessa områden tidigt klargörs kan många framtida problem undanröjas. / The purpose of this paper was to examine how a project is being started, led and executed when it is connected to social work and post-rehabilitation of homeless women with a substance abuse. The background of this paper lies in a former paper on B-level that showed a lack in the post-rehabilitation of these women. This was done with the help of a literature study where projects and project management has been examined, a semi-structured personal interview and a telephone interview with a key person who had experience with project management. The result showed the importance of collaboration and networking though there are often many participants that can help the target group, such as social service, addiction-centers and organizations like the Red Cross. Through solution-focused work and experience based method the target group can achieve a way back into society and get an independent and worthy life. In projects it is of great importance to follow up and evaluate to gain learning and knowledge throughout the process, only then the project can contribute with wisdom and experience to other future projects. To avoid problems it is important to stake out clear goals, roles and responsibility-divisions. If these areas are straightened out early in the project a lot of future difficulties can be eliminated.

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The main purpose of this work is to analyse how teachers perceive and deal withdiversity, where they put the limit between «normality» and «otherness», how theyrelate to the documentation proceeding from public institutions.Using an ethnographic methodology based on participant observation and semistructuredinterviews, I shall apply Pierre Bourdieu's theories about social reproductionand distinction to a high school in Skåne, with the purpose of better understanding thedifference between change and reconversion in dealing with «otherness» in the form of«learning disabilities».This study aims at better understanding how «otherness», «diversity», and «plurality»are categorized, hierarchically organized, considered as «distortions», «defects»,«syndromes» to be cured, when instead they could actually constitute means toovercome the ancestral «fear of the other», the rejection of «complexity» and to fill theperceived gap between theory and practice, between the «school of diversity andplurality» and the school of «kunskapsmål», «performance», «driven-ness», bothpresent in the current Läroplan (LPF-94) and likely to be found in the new one.Finally, this analysis tries to point at the necessity to question the unquestionable. Thatis, to question the values that are considered to be established for good and foreverybody, understanding them as historical products, not as philosophical a priori. Farfrom being historical invariables, those values and principles are the result of actualpolitical fights, even of revolutions, and of debates occurred for centuries or evenmillennia. School has been focusing on having them internalised and naturalised,instead of developing adequate instruments to let them be critically understood,reflected upon, talked about, and of course experienced in their many contexts.The study's main result lies in individuating the structural and individual factors thatallow the teachers to deal with «otherness» and «diversity» as a problem instead as aresource, underlining the symbolic violence implicit in the process of naturalisation ofvalues and principles.

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the practices and behaviors of successful Latin@ principals in high-need Texas middle schools focusing on the following three areas: learning, leadership, and context. Varying qualities of leadership essential for leading high-need middle schools coupled with contextual factors such as policy and community were examined. More importantly, this research sought how successful Latin@ leaders promoted a culture of learning in high-need middle schools with a focus on English learners (ELs). High-need schools are defined as those presenting a context that challenges the success of students. The study on leadership in high-need schools focuses on an investigation of strategies principals in these schools may employ and determining ways in which high-need school leaders are prepared and supported. Factors affecting the condition in high-need schools may include: (a) student and community characteristics (e.g., ethnic minorities, mobility, poverty, non-native language speakers), (b) student performance (e.g., math and reading scores, graduation rates, attendance), and (c) other factors (e.g., teacher and leader turnover, staff morale, student engagement). The context of schools matters and effective leaders in high-need schools must be able to lead using contextually appropriate responses. Two Latina principals serving in high-need middle schools, in Texas, enhanced organizational and individual performance that fostered a culture of learning and equity for ELs as they supported teachers and created inclusive learning environments for students and families.

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