The main aim of this research is to offer a sociological analysis of Taiwanese headteachers’ views of the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. Taiwan is a country which combines Confucian and westernised traditions, and these are reflected in its education systems, including SEN provision. To date, there is little research on headteachers’ views of inclusion and most studies involve attitudinal surveys. By way of contrast, this qualitative research, which adopts a neo-marxist theoretical perspective, is based on twenty five in-depth interviews with school headteachers, who are regarded as having high social status in Taiwan. In addition, the research presents two case studies of schools implementing inclusive practices, based on interviews with headteachers, analysis of the school websites and media reports. Critical discourse analysis is used to analyse the twenty five interview texts and the case studies. Three major discourses of inclusion are identified: the managerialist discourse, the critical discourse and the school as social microcosm discourse. The extent to which headteachers employ these discourses appears to be influenced by various personal and social factors. Headteachers’ understanding of disabled students is the key personal factor influencing their views on inclusion. Further, their unfavourable attitudes towards the inclusion of disabled students may be influenced by the views of parents with non-disabled children, competitive credentialism and the government’s stance. With regard to the inclusion of gifted students, the discourses employed are he following: the school as social microcosm discourse, the privileged class discourse and the dilemmatic discourse. The first two discourses are articulated by headteachers holding favourable attitudes towards the inclusion of gifted students whilst the third discourse is articulated by those holding uncertain attitudes. Headteachers’ understanding of gifted students is the key personal factor influencing their views on inclusion. Competitive credentialism has a major influence on attitudes towards the inclusion of disabled students as well as gifted students. With regard to the two case studies of schools exemplifying inclusive practices, it is argued that the wider applicability of their approaches is questionable. Overall, the results highlight the Taiwanese government’s unclear stance on promoting inclusion. This research has also suggested that a clear operational definition of inclusion is necessary and urgent before the comprehensive implementation of inclusion in wider educational arenas.

This study about preschool education and care in four preschools, in Uganda, used a mixed-methods approach and a multiple-case study design. It investigated the preschools’ qualities, the resources available, the organisation, characteristics in regard to children with special educational needs and the preschools’ strengths, challenges and improvement needs. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory and the PPCT-model was used as theoretical framework in this study. The study was conducted at four preschools in Uganda, one in a high-income area, one in a low-income area, one in a special needs centre and one in a refugee camp. Data collection was conducted during 3-5 days at each preschool and included structured observations using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale®, Third Edition, open observations and interviews. The result depicted substantial differences among the preschools in all aspects investigated. The interviewed teacher in the high-income area considered they had the resources they needed, whilst the interviewed teachers in the refugee camp considered the limited resources being a challenge with 150 children in one class and no access to water during the time of observation. The education had an emphasis on teacher directed education in all preschools, where the teacher led the activities and chose the content. There was an uncertainty among the teachers about which child they should deem in need of special educational support. The support provided in the preschools varied, depending on the need the teachers perceived the children to have and the resources available. The overall quality in the preschool in the high-income area was found to be reasonably good in the ECERS-3 rating (score 4.40), but the rest of the preschools scored below minimum quality. Challenges to the preschools were limited resources, methods of caregiving and discipline, and educational practices based on teacher directed education.

Este trabalho consiste no estudo de propostas de atividades didáticas para alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, particularmente daquelas que são recomendadas para as salas de aula das escolas públicas estaduais de São Paulo. Teve por objetivos, construir ou adaptar, conforme o caso, aplicar e analisar uma sequência didática, para promover uma aprendizagem adequada a dois alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, inseridos em uma sala de aula comum, sendo ambos classificados como portadores de paralisia cerebral. Caracterizaremos algumas deficiências que aparecem em escolas comuns ou regulares. Baseando-nos na Proposta Curricular do Estado de São Paulo e também nas Diretrizes Curriculares da Prefeitura de Campinas, como produto deste trabalho, propusemos dois planos de ensino a serem aplicados no sexto e oitavo anos do ensino fundamental e estudamos quais deveriam ser as adaptações desses planos, para adequá-los a esses alunos, sendo um do oitavo e outro do sexto ano do ensino fundamental. Ambas as sequências didáticas foram aplicadas e analisadas, donde concluímos que foram adequadas à aprendizagem de todos os alunos presentes em classe. Porém, também constatamos que as deficiências que aparecem nas escolas, mesmo tendo a mesma classificação, não podem ser tratadas com igualdade, no sentido de que os planos de ensino devem ser adaptados para as necessidades específicas de cada aluno / This research studies proposals of didactic activities to students with special educational needs, particularly those recommended to public schools in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. We characterize some technical deficiencies which arise in regular schools, and specifically some of our case study. Our main aim was to propose, apply, and analyze a didactical sequence, in order to promote significant learning to students with special needs, inserted in regular classroom, both classified as cerebral palsy. Based on the Curricular Proposals of the State of São Paulo, and also in the curricular directions of the city of Campinas, as a production of this study, we have proposed two teaching plans to be applied to the sixth and eighth grades of basic school. We have studied which adaptations should be done in such plans to fit them to those students. We have applied both the didactical sequences, and concluded that they were appropriate to the learning of all students present in class. However, we also have seen that deficiencies that appear in regular schools, even when they have same classification, should not be treated as equals, in the sense that the educational plans need to be adapted to each student´s specific needs

Thesis (M.Ed. (Adult Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2011 / Refer to document

This research focuses on Special Needs Education (SNE) in Kenyan Public Primary Schools: Exploring Government Policy and Teachers’ understandings. At a time when Kenya is introducing reforms with a view to addressing broad national objectives and providing universal primary education (UPE) after the massive enrolment increases arising from the free primary education declaration (FPE), it was important to establish teachers’ understandings on SEN. The study was undertaken in 27 primary schools in urban, municipal and rural parts of Kenya. A phenomenological qualitative approach was mainly used and data were collected from teachers through a survey comprising: (i) 159 self-administered questionnaires ii) Nine in-depth interviews. From the results of a pilot study, necessary adaptations were made for the main study. The data provided insights to teachers’ teaching strategies, impacts of mainstreaming, factors that prevent the participation of children said to have SEN, challenges in meeting the diverse needs in the classroom and the support they may require in providing more engaging and effective learning instructions. The findings show that many teachers lack a repertoire of learning and teaching strategies appropriate for addressing barriers to learning and providing individualized approaches in the classrooms. Some teachers were positive about teaching children said to have SEN but lacked the infrastructure of support and guidance, were confused by different terminologies and found the concept of SEN not to be enabling. What teachers are calling for is more training to help them develop strategies which are responsive to the identified learning difficulties. Through Documentary Analysis of the Kenya National Special Needs Education (SNE) Policy Framework, Ministry of Education (MoE, 2009), it was identified that the policy is difficult and ambiguous for teachers to implement. The policy fails to include salient definitions to facilitate a common way of addressing children said to have SEN which results in them being labelled. The recommendations of the research indicate that children’s unique needs be made transparent and addressed using effective individualized education plans to influence and maintain high expectations, positive and enriched ways of teaching in order to improve the children’s learning opportunities as well as other extracurricular activities. The national policy should be revised to include feasible targets in order to facilitate on-going evaluation and embed definitions of key words which are pivotal to planning, assessment, identification, provision and placement of children said to have SEN. Suggestions for further research have also been included.

In the process of writing this research paper "The pecularities of educational needs of uneployed", we have raised the aim to investigate educational needs of unemployed and the accordance of their opportunitiess with theory and practice.

Darbo tikslas – įvertinti Gelgaudiškio specialiosios internatinės mokyklos Specialiojo ugdymo komisijos komandinio darbo efektyvumą bei darbuotojų požiūrį į komandinį darbą. Tyrime dalyvavo 63 Gelgaudiškio specialiosios internatinės mokyklos darbuotojai tiesiogiai dirbantys su protinę negalią turinčiais moksleiviais ir 9 Specialiojo ugdymo komisijos nariai, kurių pagrindinis uždavinys spręsti problemas susijusias su profesine pedagogine veikla. Jiems buvo pateiktos dvi anketos. Pirma buvo sudaryta remiantis M.Belbino specialaus savęs vertinimo testu ir antra anketa subalansuota specialiai komandinio darbo tema – anketą sudarė 20 specialiai ta tema suformuluotų klausimų. Tiriamieji buvo apklausti raštu. Tyrimo rezultatus apdorojome matematinės statistikos metodais. Apibendrinant tyrimo rezultatus galime teigti, kad taikant M. Belbino metodiką nustatėme, jog Gelgaudiškio specialiosios internatinės mokyklos Specialiojo ugdymo komisijos branduolį sudaro 13 narių, kurie pastoviai dalyvauja komandos pasitarimuose ir atlieka kitą komisijos funkcijose numatytą veiklą. Gelgaudiškio specialiosios internatinės mokyklos Specialiojo ugdymo komisijos komandą sudaro nariai, kurie turi asmenines savybes reikalingas visiems aštuoniems vaidmenims. Tačiau trijų vaidmenų – pirmininko, įkvepėjo ir stebėtojo-vertintojo dominuojančių savybių neturi nei vienas komandos narys. Gelgaudiškio specialiosios internatinės mokyklos Specialiojo ugdymo komisijos komandinis darbas gali būti efektyvus jei:... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study – to estimate the efficiency of special education board and attitude towards team work in Gelgaudiškis boarding school for special educational needs students. We have assessed 63 workers, who are working with the children with intellectual disorders, and 9 members of special education board, who are responsible for solving the pedagogical problems of Gelgaudiškis boarding school for special educational needs students. They got two questionnaires. The first one was made by M. Belbin's special self estimation test and the second one was made by 20 questions of team working. The investigators were examined in writing. The results of study have been worked by method of mathematical statistics. The results showed that by applying the method of M. Belbin, 13 members from special education board are attending in all team meetings and performing all the needed actions in Gelgaudiškis boarding school for special educational needs students. All the members of special education board of Gelgaudiškis boarding school for special educational needs students have personal characteristics, which are needed for 8 castings. But nobody of the members has personal characteristics of 3 castings – chairman, inspirator and observer-estimator. The team work of special education board of Gelgaudiškis boarding school for special educational needs students can be effective, if:  The member, who has enough personal characteristics, will take the job of chairman.  The member, who... [to full text]

Este trabalho consiste no estudo de propostas de atividades didáticas para alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, particularmente daquelas que são recomendadas para as salas de aula das escolas públicas estaduais de São Paulo. Teve por objetivos, construir ou adaptar, conforme o caso, aplicar e analisar uma sequência didática, para promover uma aprendizagem adequada a dois alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, inseridos em uma sala de aula comum, sendo ambos classificados como portadores de paralisia cerebral. Caracterizaremos algumas deficiências que aparecem em escolas comuns ou regulares. Baseando-nos na Proposta Curricular do Estado de São Paulo e também nas Diretrizes Curriculares da Prefeitura de Campinas, como produto deste trabalho, propusemos dois planos de ensino a serem aplicados no sexto e oitavo anos do ensino fundamental e estudamos quais deveriam ser as adaptações desses planos, para adequá-los a esses alunos, sendo um do oitavo e outro do sexto ano do ensino fundamental. Ambas as sequências didáticas foram aplicadas e analisadas, donde concluímos que foram adequadas à aprendizagem de todos os alunos presentes em classe. Porém, também constatamos que as deficiências que aparecem nas escolas, mesmo tendo a mesma classificação, não podem ser tratadas com igualdade, no sentido de que os planos de ensino devem ser adaptados para as necessidades específicas de cada aluno / This research studies proposals of didactic activities to students with special educational needs, particularly those recommended to public schools in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. We characterize some technical deficiencies which arise in regular schools, and specifically some of our case study. Our main aim was to propose, apply, and analyze a didactical sequence, in order to promote significant learning to students with special needs, inserted in regular classroom, both classified as cerebral palsy. Based on the Curricular Proposals of the State of São Paulo, and also in the curricular directions of the city of Campinas, as a production of this study, we have proposed two teaching plans to be applied to the sixth and eighth grades of basic school. We have studied which adaptations should be done in such plans to fit them to those students. We have applied both the didactical sequences, and concluded that they were appropriate to the learning of all students present in class. However, we also have seen that deficiencies that appear in regular schools, even when they have same classification, should not be treated as equals, in the sense that the educational plans need to be adapted to each student´s specific needs

This study is about the transition planning of young people with special educational needs (SEN) from secondary mainstream and special schools to post-secondary opportunities. Leaving secondary school is the first task related to the transition to adulthood and it has been identified as a particularly complex task for pupils with SEN. A systematic literature review was undertaken to start to develop a ‘map of transition’, a framework of positive transition practice. Interviews with key professionals, parents and teachers and pupil case studies were used to generate qualitative data. It was used to analyse transition practice in the real world of schools and the involvement of families, pupils and external services. This study was particularly concerned with understanding any barriers or gaps of transition work. Pupil annual reviews, including those adopting a person-centred format were thematically analysed in terms of their ability to address transition planning and future options. Results suggest similarities and differences in transition planning practices between mainstream and special schools. In both settings there was appreciable reliance on the Connexions Service. For pupils with SEN in mainstream schools transition planning could be conceptualised as ‘invisible transition’. It was a not an explicit process, with experiences and access to services likely to be related to schools’ perception of need, option pathways and whether or not pupils had a Statement of SEN. In special schools, transition planning was conceptualised as ‘visible but blurred’. It centred on gaining external service involvement, with limited focus on transition-related education. In both mainstream and special schools there were difficulties with the compilation of distinct transition plans and their implementation. Tensions related to unclear roles and responsibilities, difficulties with access to external services and limited post-secondary opportunities were highlighted. This allowed revision and extension of the ‘map of transition’. The study leads to suggested improvements to service delivery for young people by schools and other stakeholders.

This thesis is a comparative case-study of how teachers in England and Portugal conceptualise and respond to pupil diversity in the context of individual planning. The purpose is to compare the processes and underlying assumptions in the two countries, in order to understand the impact of cultural aspects and of system characteristics on the phenomenon of individual planning. The research was conducted through a nested case-study approach in 10 schools in England and six schools in Portugal. The methods used were interviews with practitioners and analysis of individual planning documents. This study was done by following the cases of 41 pupils, who were identified by their teachers as ‘needing individual planning’, over a two-year period. The most common form of individual planning mentioned in educational policy are Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for pupils with ‘Special Education Needs’ (e.g. UK SEN 2001 Code of Practice, Portuguese Law 3/2008). Despite the apparent similarities, what is meant by IEPs in educational policy varies significantly. In this study, a comparative analytical cultural-historical framework (Artiles & Dyson 2005) and a ‘societal approach’ (Hantrais & Mangen 2007) were useful theoretical resources to overcome these challenges. This thesis presents an original approach to individual planning by looking beyond ‘special needs’ and national boundaries. The research identifies responses associated with individual planning and problematizes this practice as a solution to the challenges posed by student diversity to schools. This process is done with reference to the unstated assumptions about normality and difference proposed by Minow (1990).The study concludes that teachers conceptualise and respond to pupil diversity through a formulaic problem-solving approach. This approach is based on limited repertoires that are underpinned by contextual factors such as educational policy. These repertoires are wider and more flexible in England than in Portugal.