Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Education, 1999. / This study examines parental attitudes towards mainstreaming/inclusion in South Africa, which was recently adopted as part of the new educational dispensation. The sample included parents of children in four different school types in Johannesburg, and the survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire with multiple-choice and open-ended sections. The respondents totaled 255 out of a possible 400 (64%). Statistical analyses used included factor analysis, analysis of variance and independent group t-tests. The results indicated an overall neutral or negative attitude towards mainstreaming by parents, with parents of children in special and remedial schools being more negative. Parents felt that gifted children or those with mild to moderate learning disabilities were the most suitable candidates for mainstreaming, whilst children with severe mental retardation, sensory impairments, or behavioural disorders were the least suited. Parents were concerned that teachers would not be able to cope with the demands of the mainstream classroom because of inadequate training or time. They were also concerned that classes would be too large, that children of differing abilities would not be able to cope with the academic and social demands placed on them, and that general educational standards would drop. Only 20% of parents felt that mainstreaming would be successful, and most parents were not clear about what measures could help to implement this educational approach in South Africa. The implications of these results were discussed, with a view to future research and interventions to allay parental fears about mainstreaming/inclusion

Darbe analizuojami ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų, turinčių specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių, bendravimo su bendraamžiais pokyčiai. Tėvai, auginantys vaikus, turinčius SUP, vaikų bendravimo sunkumus vertina kaip nereikšmingus ir laikinus, kylančius dėl individualių vaiko būdo bruožų arba dėl kalbos sutrikimo, kurį įveikus bendravimo sunkumai turėtų savaime išnykti. Auklėtojos vaikų, turinčių SUP, bendravimo sunkumus vertina kaip pačių vaikų individualias problemas, kurias sukelia vaiko būdo bruožai, kalbos sutrikimas, bendravimo su bendraamžiais patirties stoka.Skatinant vaikus, turinčius SUP, žaisti kartu su bendraamžiais, mokant atlikti pasirinktusvaidmenis, sudaroma galimybė paspartinti žaidimo raidą ir aktyvinti SUP turinčių vaikų bendravimą. Skatinant vaiko, turinčio SUP, bendravimą svarbu ne tik žaisti kartu inicijuotuose žaidimuose, bet ir sudaryti žaidybines situacijas, kuriose SUP turintis vaikas mokytųsi suprasti savo vaidmenį, numatomus atlikti veiksmus ir žaidimo partnerius. Aktyvinant SUP turinčių vaikų bendravimą, svarbu skatinti ne tik vaikus, turinčius SUP, bet ir jų bendraamžius. / The paper analyzes the changes of communication between the pre-school age children with special educational needs (SEN) and their peers.The study was conducted through observation, structured interviews with the free responses and the action research methods. The subjects of the study were 20 students with SEN (aged 4- 5), 121 of their peers, 19 parents raising children with SEN, 17 teachers who teach pupils with SEN. It was revealed that communication of children with SEN and their peers is inadequatebecause they do not keep terms with their peers and fail in communication. Children with SEN in theirdaily independent routine prefer games that do not require interaction with their peers.Parents of children with SEN understand these communication difficulties asmeaningless and temporary and think that these difficulties should automatically disappear afterovercoming speech disorder or child’s character disorder. Educators of children with SEN consider thesecommunication difficulties as the children’s own individual problems, caused by the child’s traits, problems with speech or the lack of communication experience with peers.

The problem/focus of the research - the process of integration and adaptation into general education of children with special educational needs, who are brought up in the families.

Existe una necesidad creciente de Asesoramiento y Orientación Profesional debido a los importantes y repetidos cambios en la economía y la sociedad. La Consejería constituye una rama de la Ciencia Pedagógica. La necesidad de la Orientación a niños con necesidades educativas especiales y su Orientación Profesional constituye una motivación significativa para el apoyo de los estudiantes y sus familias. El propósito de esta investigación fue examinar las opiniones de los estudiantes con necesidades educativas especiales y de sus padres sobre las oportunidades escolares. Además, presentar la significación del rol educativo en el campo de la Orientación y definir el perfil y las prácticas del docente-orientador en educación especial en el campo de la orientación profesional. La investigación se realizó con el uso de cuestionarios. En particular, los cuestionarios se entregaron a un grupo de estudiantes y a sus padres. La investigación cuantitativa fue analizada después de la recolección de datos y el registro de los hallazgos. De los resultados se puede concluir que un porcentaje importante de estudiantes con discapacidad sensorial y motora desconocen el concepto de institución de la S.E.P. y el mayor porcentaje ignora los servicios que se prestan en el contexto de su aplicación. El hecho de que un número significativamente mayor de estudiantes haya visitado un GRA.S.E.P. en comparación con aquellos que han visitado un KE.SY.P., obviamente está relacionado con la existencia de GRA.S.E.P. en la escuela a la que asisten. Se encuentra, sin embargo, que si bien la mayoría de los estudiantes que visitaron estos servicios declararon altos niveles de satisfacción, al mismo tiempo reportaron dificultades durante su visita, teniendo un papel protagónico la falta de soporte tecnológico correspondiente a sus necesidades. Los estudiantes con discapacidades parecen ser en general positivos acerca de los beneficios psicológicos que obtienen de la S.E.P. y también parecen tener altas expectativas de la S.E.P. Sin embargo, no parecen estar satisfechos con la Información que les ofrece la S.E.P. Los estudiantes con discapacidades no parecen estar influenciados por sus seres queridos en la toma de decisiones. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los dos géneros para ninguno de los seis factores, por lo que los dos géneros no parecen calificar la S.E.P. de una manera diferente. Sin embargo, se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los tres grupos. Para el factor "Influencia de otras personas significativas", donde los estudiantes con discapacidad auditiva parecen haber sido influenciados por otras personas significativas en sus elecciones educativas y profesionales más que los otros dos grupos de niños. Para el factor “Eventos S.E.P.”, donde los estudiantes con problemas de movilidad parecen tener menos ayuda práctica por parte de la S.E.P. en el contexto de su escuela que los otros dos grupos de estudiantes. La investigación de las correlaciones de los seis factores con mediciones demográficas individuales y otras mediciones mostró que de los seis factores, sólo el factor Información estaba correlacionado con el nivel educativo del padre, mientras que ningún factor estaba correlacionado con el nivel educativo de la madre. El grado en que los estudiantes de la muestra total se ven influenciados por los consejos de familiares y, en general, de "personas importantes" parece estar positivamente relacionado con el nivel socioeconómico de la familia, lo que probablemente indique que los padres con ingresos más altos tienen mayores posibilidades para la rehabilitación educativa y profesional de sus hijos y por tanto influyen más en las decisiones de los niños. Finalmente, parece que cuanto mayor es la sensación de falta de libertad y aislamiento que experimentan los estudiantes, menores son las expectativas de los estudiantes de la S.E.P. y de su futura ocupación y mayor será el grado en que otras personas significativas influyan en las decisiones de los estudiantes con discapacidad. En relación al apoyo de los padres, los estudiantes parecen creer que sus padres apoyan las decisiones de sus hijos y no restringen su libertad, sino que hacen por sus hijos cosas que los niños podrían hacer por sí mismos.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education White Paper 6, implemented in 2001, completed a significant period of policy development and change after the end of Apartheid in South Africa. The change in South African educational policy and the schooling system has given rise to many changes in the governance of special schools; this has further influenced this study. Education White Paper 6 (2001) introduced a comprehensive range of educational support services; schools now include mainstream schools, full-service schools and special schools. These schools offer varying levels of support with the view to minimise barriers to learning. While this research was conducted in a private special school, the parents who participated had all transitioned their child from a mainstream school. This research study attempted to understand parents’ perspectives of transitioning their child from a mainstream school to a special school, focusing in particular on parents whose children were in the Senior Phase of their school career. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model was used as the theoretical framework for this study because of the overlapping systems that are interconnected and influence the participants’ lives and the lives of their children. For the research study, the parents were placed in the centre of the model; the other microsystems include the school, family and the child. This study made use of a qualitative case study design and a qualitative methodology which is rooted within an interpretive paradigm. Purposeful sampling was used to select the parents from the selected special school in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, as participants for the study. The study made use of three measures to collect data; a semi-structured interview, a life-line activity, as well as an open-ended questionnaire the parents were asked to complete at home. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data generated by means of the three data collection methods. The findings of this research paper suggest that the transient process at a later stage in the child’s academic career was a difficult experience for the parents who participated in the study. However, as the children gradually adjusted to the change, the parents felt the move had been worth it and had experienced a positive change in their children’s academic achievements. It should also be noted that the parents’ perspectives on special education were not based on the policy documents governing the South African school system and more parental education is needed regarding this area. While the findings of the study cannot be generalised to all schools in South Africa, from this research study recommendations could be made to the special school to assist in ensuring a smoother transition for both the parents and the learner. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwyswitskrif 6 wat in 2001 geïmplementeer is het die periode van die beleidsverandering ná die beëindiging van apartheid in Suid-Afrika voltooi. Die verandering in die Suid-Afrikaanse opvoedkundige beleid en die skoolstelsel het aanleiding gegee tot baie veranderinge in die bestuur van spesiale skole, en dit het hierdie studie beïnvloed. Onderwyswitskrif 6 (2001) het 'n omvattende reeks van opvoedkundige ondersteuningsdienste voorgestel wat die volgende strukture insluit; hoofstroom-, voldiens- en spesiale skole. Hierdie skole bied verskillende vlakke van ondersteuning aan met die oog om die hindernisse tot leer te oorbrug. Die navorsing is vanuit 'n privaat spesiale skool gedoen. Die ouers wat deelnemers aan die navorsing was, het hulle kinders uit 'n hoofstroomskool gehaal en oorgeplaas na ‘n spesiale skool. Hierdie navorsingstudie het gepoog om ouers se perspektiewe te verstaan rakende die oorplasing van hulle kind vanuit ‘n hoofstroomskool na 'n spesiale skool, met spesifieke fokus op die ouers wie se kinders in die Senior Fase van hul skoolloopbaan was. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese model is as die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie studie gebruik in die lig van die klem op die oorvleuelende sisteme wat met mekaar verbind is en die invloed daarvan op die deelnemers se lewens en die lewens van hul kinders. Vir hierdie navorsingstudie is die ouers in die middel van die model geplaas, met die skool, gesin en die kind as verdere mikrosisteme. Hierdie studie het van 'n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie en 'n kwalitatiewe metodologie gebruik gemaak wat in 'n interpretatiewe paradigma gegrond is. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om die ouers te kies uit die aangewese spesiale skool in die suidelike voorstede van Kaapstad, as deelnemers vir die studie. Die studie het gebruik gemaak van drie maatreëls om data in te samel: 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud, 'n lewens-lyn aktiwiteit, en 'n oop vraelys wat die ouers tuis voltooi het. Kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise is gebruik om die data wat gegenereer is deur middel van die drie data–insamelingsmetodes, te ontleed. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing suggereer dat die oorgangsperiode op 'n later stadium in die kind se akademiese loopbaan 'n moeilike ervaring vir die ouers, wat aan die studie deelgeneem het, was. Namate die kinders egter by hulle veranderde omstandighede aangepas het, het die ouers gevoel dat die skuif die moeite werd was en hulle het 'n positiewe verandering in hul kinders se akademiese prestasies opgemerk. Kennis moet ook daarvan geneem word dat die perspektief van die ouers op spesiale onderwys nie gebaseer was op die beleidsdokumente van die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolstelsel nie. Dit beklemtoon dat ouerontwikkeling ten opsigte van hierdie aspek noodsaaklik is. Die bevindinge van die studie kan wel nie na alle skole in Suid-Afrika veralgemeen word nie, maar daar kan vanuit hierdie navorsing aanbevelings gemaak word om spesiale skole by te staan ten einde die oorgang vir beide ouers en leerders makliker te maak.

The movement towards developing existing education systems to be more inclusive can be seen worldwide. However, even in a country such as Finland where inclusive ideology has been promoted in national policies for a considerable time, there are existing needs for development that need to be examined. The aim of this systematic review was to examine these existing needs for development in primary schools in Finland. Inclusive education means the inclusion of all children. In this systematic review, the focus was on those children in risk of exclusion with special educational needs due to a disability. The results are analyzed by utilizing a framework inspired by the framework developed by Ainscow and Miles (2009). The results show that there are several needs for development especially related to systems and structures, and practice. Furthermore, more systematic actions are needed moving from policies to effective implementation of inclusive practices. Overall, inclusion is a complex concept and future research conducted with diverse groups of children of all ages is greatly needed.

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 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]

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:46:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2442.pdf: 20529504 bytes, checksum: e55db59b1e827fe77d3d6967cc742e4e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-03-27 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / More importance is being attributed to the inclusion of children with special needs in the general school education system in Brazil. In this context, there has been increased discussion regarding the use of several different knowledge fields in the elaboration and execution of child-inclusive working practices. This study s objective is to identify and characterize, in the occupational therapists point of view, the working practices used by Occupational Therapy professionals in the process of including special needs children in general school, in the State of São Paulo. The study also tried to identify strategies and actions that could be used and reinforced in this context. A survey was designed and applied, collecting data from 127 occupational therapists that work or have worked with child inclusion and who are members of the Regional Counsel of Phisioterapy and Occupational Therapy of the State of São Paulo, Crefito-3. The survey was designed by the researcher using previous studies as a reference, was submitted to the analysis of external senior professionals and professors, and was pilot-tested with a sample of occupational therapists. Three strategies were adopted in the data-collection process: sending the survey through mail, electronic mail or collecting the responses via an internet site. The data collected was subjected to descriptive-exploratory analysis and correlation analysis. The main results obtained indicate that occupational therapists that become involved in the child-inclusion process: a) get involved with child-inclusion through the medical environment, in clinics; b) work in the general education system; c) involve the family of the children and other healthcare professionals in the process; d) identify the lack of knowledge of teachers and of the school in general as the greatest single obstacle in their work, and e) recognize as high the impact occupational therapists can have in the child-inclusion process in general schools. / Tem sido cada vez mais forte o movimento para a inclusão da criança com necessidade educacional especial no sistema de educação regular no Brasil e dentre os tópicos mais discutidos para a efetivação deste processo está a importância do envolvimento de diferentes campos de conhecimento na elaboração e concretização das práticas inclusivas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar e caracterizar, sob a ótica de terapeutas ocupacionais, as ações e realidade das práticas desenvolvidas pela Terapia Ocupacional no processo de inclusão escolar de crianças com necessidades educacionais especiais no Estado de São Paulo. Como objetivo específico pretendeu identificar outras estratégias e ações que poderiam ser implantadas e ampliadas considerando a inclusão escolar e a atuação da Terapia Ocupacional nesse contexto. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de levantamento survey, que contou com a participação de 127 terapeutas ocupacionais associados ao Conselho Regional de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional do Estado de São Paulo Crefito-3, que em sua prática profissional desenvolvem ou já desenvolveram ações voltadas para a inclusão escolar. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de dados foi um questionário elaborado pelo pesquisador a partir de referências da área, submetido à análise de juízes externos e previamente testado junto a uma amostra de profissionais. Três estratégias foram adotadas para a coleta dos dados: contato com os profissionais por correio tradicional; contato com os profissionais e coleta de dados por correio eletrônico; coleta de dados através de site na internet. Os dados coletados foram submetidos a análises exploratórias descritivas, Análise de Conteúdo e testes de correlação e os principais resultados obtidos indicaram que os terapeutas ocupacionais envolvidos com o processo de inclusão escolar: a) se envolvem com a inclusão escolar principalmente a partir do atendimento em ambiente clínico; b) atuam na escola regular; c) têm a participação da família e de outros profissionais em sua atuação; d) identificam a falta de preparação dos professores e da escola para o processo de inclusão escolar como os maiores obstáculos para o seu trabalho; e) identificam a importância e a necessidade de ampliação da inserção da Terapia Ocupacional nas escolas regulares.

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore the role of different assessment tools and training regimens in assessment and remediation for children with special educational needs in school. A central purpose of assessment explored was that it should inform remediation, teaching and instruction. The concepts of working memory, complex executive function and metacognitive strategy training for children with special educational needs were specifically explored in relation to this purpose of assessment. Complex executive function refers to planning and metacognitive ability, that many children with special educational needs struggle with, and which they are expected to handle in learning during school day. Of particular interest in the thesis was the contrast between working memory and complex executive function and how these concepts inform assessment and remediation practices. In this context, special attention was given to mathematical learning difficulties. The thesis was based on four studies (I‑IV). Study I explored the prevalence of different assessment tools, and dilemmas and challenges as perceived by assessment professionals, teachers and parents, in the work with children with special educational needs in Europe. In Study II, a metacognitive strategy training framework was developed as a training regimen, guided by research on complex executive function, and applied on working memory training. Effects of working memory training were compared between the two training regimens, with and without metacognitive strategy training, and also the overall effect of working memory training on cognitive functioning and the school related skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. In Study III, different types of measures of working memory and their predictive capacities in relation to mathematics achievement in national curriculum assessments were explored, as well as the effects of working memory training on mathematics achievement. In Study IV the role of working memory and complex executive function in identifying risk for mathematical learning difficulties in children with special educational needs was explored. The results from Study I suggested that assessment and remediation practices can contribute to a deficiency‑oriented outlook on children with special educational needs. In contrast parents and teachers in Sweden also reported that assessment could help them to better understand the needs of the child. Results from studies II-IV showed that only the use of a metacognitive strategy training regimen targeting complex executive function resulted in improvements following working memory training. The results also indicated that working memory training strongly predicted mathematical performance in national curriculum assessments of mathematics in school, and that a more complex change measure of working memory was a better predictor than simple working memory measures in this regard. Finally, the results also showed that complex executive function, defined as planning ability, was a better predictor than simple working memory in the assessment of risk for mathematical learning difficulties. The results from the studies were discussed in relation to the purpose of assessment to inform remediation, teaching and instruction for children with special educational needs. It was concluded that, in addition to working memory, as complex executive function – planning and metacognitive ability - seems to be an important cognitive function related to learning, this should be addressed both in the assessment of children with special educational needs as well as in the remediation when designing training regimens and interventions for children with special educational needs in general, and children at risk for mathematic learning difficulties in particular. It was also highlighted that in remediation, the role of the teacher as a mediator of metacognition and complex executive function seems vital. / Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen var att undersöka den roll som olika utredningsverktyg och begrepp spelar i utformandet av utrednings‑ och stödinsatser för barn i behov av stöd i skolan. Ett centralt syfte med utredningar som utforskades är att de ska bidra med kunskaper vid utformande av stödinsatser och undervisning. I relation till detta syfte utforskades specifikt begreppen arbetsminne, komplex exekutiv funktion och metakognitiv strategiträning för barn i behov av stöd. Komplex exekutiv funktion syftar till planerings- och metakognitiv förmåga, något som många barn i behov av stöd upplevs ha svårigheter med, och som de förväntas kunna hantera i lärandet i skolans vardag. Av särskilt intresse i avhandlingen var kontrasten mellan arbetsminne och komplex exekutiv funktion och hur dessa begrepp bidrar till en förståelse i utformandet av utrednings- och stödinsatser. I detta sammanhang uppmärksammades särskilt matematiksvårigheter hos barn i behov av stöd. Avhandlingen bygger på fyra studier (I-IV). I Studie I undersöktes förekomsten av olika utredningsverktyg, samt utredares, lärares och föräldrars uppfattningar av dilemman och utmaningar i arbetet kring barn i behov av stöd, i Europa. I Studie II utformades ett koncept för metakognitiv strategiträning med utgångspunkt från forskning kring komplex exekutiv funktion och tillämpades i arbetsminnesträning. Effekten av arbetsminnesträning med och utan metakognitiv strategiträning jämfördes, liksom effekten av arbetsminnesträning på kognitiva funktioner och skolrelaterade färdigheter inom läsning, skrivning och aritmetik. I Studie III undersöktes olika mått på arbetsminne, och deras prediktiva kapacitet i relation till matematisk förmåga mätt genom nationella prov i matematik, samt effekten av arbetsminnesträning på matematisk förmåga. I Studie IV undersöktes vilken roll arbetsminne och komplex exekutiv funktion har i identifiering av barn i behov av stöd i riskzon för matematiksvårigheter. Resultaten från Studie I visade att utrednings- och stödinsatser kunde bidra till att förstärka ett brist-orienterat synsätt på barn i behov av stöd. I kontrast till detta, delgav lärare och föräldrar i Sverige att utredningar kunde hjälpa dem att förstå barnets behov på ett bättre sätt. Resultaten från studie II-IV visade att enbart den metakognitiva träningen, fokuserad på komplex exekutiv funktion, bidrog till förbättringar efter arbetsminnesträning. Resultatet indikerade också att arbetsminnesträning predicerar matematisk prestation i nationella prov i matematik, och att ett mer komplext arbetsminnesmått var en bättre prediktor än enklare arbetsminnesmått. Slutligen visade resultaten också att komplex exekutiv funktion i form av planeringsförmåga var en bättre prediktor än enkelt arbetsminnesmått vid utredning av risk för matematiksvårigheter. Resultaten från studierna diskuterades i relation till syftet med utredning: att bidra med kunskaper vid utformande av extra anpassningar, särskilt stöd och undervisning för barn i behov av stöd. Eftersom komplex exekutiv funktion –planerings- och metakognitiv förmåga - verkar vara en viktig kognitiv funktion i lärandet, bör man ta hänsyn till detta både i utrednings- och stödinsatser kring barn i behov av stöd generellt, och särskilt kring barn i riskzon för matematiksvårigheter. Det belystes också att i stödinsatser är lärarens roll som mediator av metakognition och komplex exekutiv funktion viktig. / <p>Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbeten opublicerade: delarbete 3 (inskickat), delarbete 4 (inskickat)</p><p>At the time of the doctoral defence the following papers were unpublished: paper 3 (submitted), paper 4 (submitted)</p>