Syftet med vår studie är att bidra med kunskap om hur förskollärare beskriver barn i behov av särskilt stöd och hur de resonerar kring att inkludera alla barn på förskolan. Vi undersöker även vilken roll specialpedagogen har till förskollärare och barn i behov av särskilt stöd på förskolan. I förskolan placeras alla barn, oavsett behov, eftersom det inte finns några andra skolformer och därför blir inkludering en intressant fråga. Som blivande specialpedagoger undrar vi över vilka möjligheter förskollärare har för att inkludera alla barn, med olika behov på förskolan, samt hur specialpedagogen med sin kompetens kan vara ett stöd för barn och förskollärare. Vår undersökning bygger på en kvalitativ ansats med åtta intervjuade förskollärare.  Våra frågeställningar är: Hur beskriver förskollärare barn i behov av särskilt stöd? Hur resonerar förskollärare kring förutsättningar för att inkludera alla barn på förskolan? Vilken roll har specialpedagogen till förskollärare och barn med behov av särskilt stöd på förskolan, enligt förskollärarna?  Teoretiska ansatser i studien är det sociokulturella perspektivet samt de specialpedagogiska perspektiven, kategoriska, relationella och dilemmaperspektivet.  Sammanfattningsvis pekar resultatet på att barn i behov av särskilt stöd beskrivs kunna vara ett barn med språksvårigheter, alltifrån att vara tillbakadragen till att kunna vara utåtagerande som behöver stöttning och vägledning för att klara vardagen och det sociala samspelet. Det sociokulturella perspektivet genomsyrar pedagogernas förhållningssätt då kommunikation och interaktion visar sig vara viktiga begrepp i arbetet med att inkludera alla barn. Vidare är det relationella synsättet bärande i studien då förskollärarna anser att arbetssätt samt miljö ska förändras och anpassas så att alla barn kan delta på lika villkor i förskolan verksamhet. Dilemmaperspektivet blir synligt då resultatet visar att förutsättningarna är olika ute på förskolorna kring bland annat samarbete med andra professioner, barngrupper och personalresurser.  Specialpedagogiska implikationer som lyfts i studien är pedagogernas samarbete med specialpedagogen som genom sitt förebyggande arbete hjälper och stödjer med olika samtalsmetoder, förhållningssätt och språkstödjande material att inkluderar alla barn i förskolan. / The purpose of our study is to contribute knowledge about how preschool teachers describes children in need of special support and how they discuss about including all children in the preschool. We also investigate how the role of the special educator is for preschool teachers and children with needs at preschool. In preschool, all the children are placed, regardless of need, because there are no other forms of schooling and therefore inclusion becomes an interesting issue. As future special educators, we wonder what opportunities preschool teachers have to include all children, with special needs in preschool, and how the special educator with his competence can be a support for children and educators. Our study is based on qualitive interviews with eight preschool teachers. Our questions are: How are children in special needs described by the preschool teachers? How preschool teachers discuss about the conditions for including all children in preschool? What role does the special educator have in relation to the preschool teachers and the children in need of special support at the preschool, according to preschool teachers? The theoretical approaches in the study are the socio-cultural perspectives, the special educational perspectives as well as the categorical, relational and quandary perspectives. In summary the result indicates that children with special needs are defined as children with speech difficulties, from being withdrawn to being outspoken with the need of extra support and guidance to cope with everyday life and social interactions. The socio-cultural perspective permeates the special educator´s approach as communication and interaction prove to be important concepts in the work of including all children. Furthermore, the relational approach is fundamental in the study as the preschool teachers believe that work procedures and the environment should be changed and adapted so that all children can participate on equal terms in the preschool´s activities. The quandary perspective becomes obvious as the results show that the conditions are different in the preschools when it comes to collaboration with other professions, groups of children and staff resources among other things. The special educational implication that has been highlighted in the study is the collaboration with special educators, who through their preventive work help and support the children by using different conversational methods, approaches and speech encouraging material.

Syftet med den här studien är att bidra med kunskap om lärares, special­pedagogers, rektorers och förvaltningsledningens erfarenheter och upplevelser om förbättrings­insatsen specialpedagogik för lärande (SFL) och dess inverkan på förbättringsarbetet i en kommun, på såväl skol­enheter som i kommunen i stort. SFL är en kollegial kompetens­utvecklingsinsats med syfte att höja lärares kompetens inom specialpedagogik. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och fokusgrupper har använts som metod. Resultatet har analyserats utifrån Illeris teori om de tre lärandedimensionerna. Resultatet pekar på att specialpedagogik för lärande är en form av kollegialt lärande som i många delar upplevs fungera bra för lärares lärande, men som behöver anpassas tidsmässigt för att inte upplevas alltför intensiv. Den specialpedagogiska kompetensen upplevs ha höjts på samtliga kommunens enheter sedan SFL genomfördes. Eleverna har  efter insatsen överlag fått tillgång till fler generella och individuella anpassningar och har blivit mer delaktiga i processer kring sin egen undervisning. Det finns samtidigt lärare som ännu inte fullt ut ger sina elever dessa möjligheter. Kommunens specialpedagoger har kompetens inom skolutveckling som inte alltid nyttjas. Om de får större mandat från rektor så kan de ta ett större ansvar för att tillsammans med denne leda skolförbättringsinsatser och skolutveckling, eventuellt genom att bli en del av skolornas ledningsgrupper. För att nå ännu längre i en kommande förbättringsinsats skulle det vara bra om förvaltningsledningen tog ett större övergripande ansvar för implementering och lik­värdighet i kommunen samt att rektorer tog ett större ansvar för att följa upp arbetet i grupperna genom direkt medverkan eller genom nära samverkan med handledare av grupperna, s.k. distribuerat ledarskap. Rektors första fokus bör vara undervisningens kvalitet. / The aim of the following paper is to contribute to the understanding of experiences had by teachers, special educators, principals and administrative management, with regards to the Special education for learning (SFL) scheme’s impact and stimulus on a municipality’s school improvement initiatives, in specific schools as well as the muni­cipality as a whole. SFL is a collegial competence development initiative with the aim of raising teachers' competence in special education.  The study has a qualitative approach and focus groups have been used as a method. The results have been analysed on the basis of Illeri's theory of the three dimensions of learning. Results indicate that special education for learning is a form of collegial learning that is largely perceived to work well for teachers' learning, but which needs to be ad­justed timewise to avoid being too rigorous. Competence around special education peda­gogy is considered increased at every school in the district since the implementation of SFL. After the intervention, the students have generally gained access to more general and individual adaptations and have become more involved in processes around their own teaching. At the same time, there are teachers who do not yet fully give their students these opportunities. Special educators in the municipality have expertise in the field of school development which is, to some extent, untapped. With increased mandate from the principal, special educators could shoulder more of the responsibility for school improvement and development initiatives, possibly through becoming part of the school’s management team.  In order to reach even further in a future improvement effort, it would be positive  for the administration management to take a greater overall responsibility for implementation and equality  in the district, as well as principals taking greater responsibility for following up on the work conducted in the groups, either through direct participation, or close collaboration with supervisors of the groups, so-called distributed leadership. The principal's first focus should be the quality of teaching.

Föreliggande studie syftar till att bidra med kunskapen om specialpedagogers yrkesidentitet i relation till särskilt stöd i matematik. Forskningsansatsen är kvalitativ och utgångspunkten för studien är sju intervjuer med yrkesverksamma specialpedagoger i den svenska grund- och gymnasieskolan. Specialpedagogernas beskrivningar har analyserats med hjälp av en diskursanalys och de teoretiska begreppen diskurs och positionering. Resultatet visar att tre diskurser, Specialpedagogik-diskurs, Matematik-diskurs och Frihets-diskurs, kan konstrueras utifrån specialpedagogernas utsagor. Studiens slutsats är att specialpedagogernas positionering är en komplex och föränderlig process och att de tre konstruerade diskurserna påverkar vilka positioner som tillgängliggörs och vilka positioner som specialpedagogerna tar och ges. Specialpedagogik-diskursen är den diskurs som utövar tydligast påverkan på specialpedagogernas positionering. Studien visar också att specialpedagogernas positionering kan påverka skolors arbete med särskilt stöd i matematik. Utifrån kunskaper om matematik, relationellt perspektiv och ett relationsskapande synsätt tar ofta specialpedagogerna en mer tillbakadragen position gentemot kollegorna i arbetet med särskilt stöd i matematik. Detta kan bidra till att skapa ett avstånd mellan ämnesinnehållet (matematiken) och det specialpedagogiska arbetet och dess innehåll. Avslutningsvis visar studien att specialpedagogerna kan spela en viktig roll i att överbrygga detta avstånd eftersom de på individ-, grupp- och organisationsnivå är en yrkesgrupp som kan påverka arbetet med särskilt stöd i matematik.

The thesis deals with the setting of functional communication using the Picture Exchange Communication System method at people with autism spectrum disorder through individual levels of education and is divided into the theoretical and the practical part. The key terms explaining the problematic of autism, significance of communication and education of people with autism spectrum disorder introduces the theoretical part which is split into a few areas. The main overarching is the Picture Exchange Communications System methods which compensates the disorder in communication of an individual with autism spectrum disorder either temporarily or permanently. Furthermore, based on the interviews with participants in the educational process, the thesis analyzes the application of the method and cooperation of the individual educational institutions but also parents. In the empirical part are the interviews complemented by the case study which completes the whole picture of research problem in question. The output of the thesis are recommendations compared with the results of the conducted research. The area of education of individuals with autism spectrum disorder is one of the most difficult pedagogical disciplines regarding to attention, individual approach, environment modification and at the same time...

The National Commission of Special Needs in Education and Training (NCSNET) Document (1997) which portrays the new Education Policy in South Africa. clearly states that one of the crucial outcomes is that all possible barriers to learning must be eliminated so that all learners are able to actualise their full potential. Inclusive education, as embedded within the Education Policy, is regarded as an approach which will allow learners to actualise their full potential. This study is a critical reflection on whether inclusive education is practised in primary schools in the Thohoyandou area. The research findings indicated that inclusive education is not practised in the Thohoyandou area. A major factor or barrier in this regard is that teachers and principals are not empowered in terms ofknowledge to practise inclusive education. Other factors acting as barriers to the implementation of inclusive education are that the school buildings do not cater for physically and visually impaired learners as well as the attitudes of teachers, parents and peers are inclined to be negative towards learners experiencing barriers to learning. The community should also be educated and empowered to assist and understand these learners, who will become the future members of the community, more effectively, As inclusive education is one of the means whereby all learners are given the opportunity to actualise their full potential, these barriers must be addressed so that inclusive education can be practised in all primary schools in the Thohoyandou area. A few strategies to implement inclusive education in the Thohoyandou area are suggested by the researcher. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Special Needs Education)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of School Intervention Teams (SITs) in assisting learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at community junior secondary schools (CJSS) in Botswana. This case study was guided by the cultural-historical theory on cognitive development by Lev Vygotsky and Bill Hettler’s theory on wellness dimensions. The study used mixed research approach which combined qualitative and quantitative method. The data collection instruments used included questionnaires which were completed by members of SITs, semi-structured oral interview which was specifically planned for SIT coordinators and lastly, document analysis. This research task was carried out under the permission of University of South Africa (UNISA) Ethics Clearance Committee and Ministry of Education and Skills Development (Botswana). Letters of consent were obtained from the school heads, SIT coordinators and members of SIT in the sampled community junior secondary schools (CJSS). The findings of this study showed that the effectiveness of SIT is dependent upon availability of positive attitude and support towards Inclusive Education by school management team, teachers, parents, external stakeholders (Botswana examinations Centre, Central Resource Centre, Principal Education Officers for Special education). Effectiveness of SIT is also enhanced by availability of resources such as teaching learning aids, office and classroom for remediation of the identified learners. Therefore, there is still a great gap between special education recommendation and their implementation in CJSS in Botswana and this hinders the effectiveness of SITs. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Satsningar på en-till-en, det vill säga en dator eller pekplatta per elev, blir allt vanligare i svensk skola, men det finns begränsad forskning om hur detta påverkar elever med funktionsnedsättning och/eller i behov av stöd. I en inkluderande skola behöver tekniken vara tillgänglig för alla och användas i ett meningsfullt sammanhang. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur en-till-en-satsningar kan påverka elevers möjligheter i skolan,alla elever oavsett funktionsförmåga inräknade. I detta ingick att identifiera såväl positiva som negativa aspekter av att ha ständig tillgång till en dator per elev i undervisningssituationen och hur detta förhåller sig till den inkluderande skolan. Metoder som användes i insamlingen var fallstudien som metod, deltagande semistrukturerade observationer på två skolor samt semistrukturerade elevintervjuer på en av dessa skolor. Som stöd för analysen av materialet användes en modell för undervisning och lärandeprocesser som bygger på ett didaktiskt designperspektiv. Resultatet visar att en-till-en, om tekniken används inom ramen för en medveten pedagogisk tanke hos läraren, ger många möjligheter i form av anpassningar utifrån varje elevs behov. Eleverna är ofta positiva till datorn och kan komma runt sina svårigheter utan att sticka ut i klassrummet. Dessutom ökar möjligheten för läraren att kommunicera enskilt och i grupp med eleverna, vilket ger rikliga tillfällen till formativ bedömning och ytterligare individanpassning. Samtidigt identifieras stora svårigheter med IKT i klassrummet, bland annat att vissa elever får väldigt lite skolarbete gjort på grund av att de inte kan motstå sociala medier, spel och annat som en Internetuppkopplad dator ständigt erbjuder. Med andra ord finns en risk för att lärmiljön blir otillgänglig och exkluderande, särskilt för elever med koncentrationssvårigheter. Allt detta behöver pedagoger vara medvetna om för att genom kollegialt lärande kunna utveckla fungerande strategier som gynnar alla elevers lärande. / Investing in one-to-one computing (1:1), i.e. a computer or tablet per student, is increasingly common in Swedish schools, but there is limited research on how this affects students with disabilities or with special educational needs. The purpose of the study was to investigate how 1:1 may affect students with disabilities or special educational needs. The purpose included identification of positive and negative aspects related to the constant access to personal devices in the classroom, as well as an analysis of how that relates to the concept of inclusive education. The methods used in the case study were semi-structured observations in two schools and semi-structured interviews with students at one of these schools. The analysis of the research material was made with the support of a model for teaching and learning processes based on a didactic design perspective. The results show that 1:1 can provide many possibilities in the form of adjustments based on each student’s needs, providing the technology is used in accordance with the teacher’s intentions with her or his teaching. Many students enjoy their computers and can overcome personal difficulties without showing it to their classmates. The use of personal devices also leaves more time for teachers to communicate individually or in small groups with their students, i.e. opportunities for formative assessment and further individualization. However, the study also identifies major difficulties with ICT in the classroom. Some students perform poorly as they cannot resist the social media, computer games and other issues that Internet connected devices can offer. In other words, there is a risk that the learning environment becomes inaccessible and excluding, especially for pupils with special needs. Teachers need to be aware of these possibilities as well as limitations with one-to-one computing in order to find strategies that benefit all pupils.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a constituição do atendimento educacional especializado em educação especial para crianças da Educação Infantil. Para tanto, procurei descrever como se configuram esses serviços na Rede Municipal de Ensino de Porto Alegre, especificamente o de Educação Precoce (EP) e Psicopedagogia Inicial (PI), assim como refletir sobre seus possíveis efeitos. As questões que orientaram o desenvolvimento da pesquisa foram às seguintes: como se organiza o atendimento às crianças com deficiência na perspectiva da educação inclusiva na educação infantil? Que singularidades constituem o atendimento na Rede Municipal de Ensino de Porto Alegre na proposição de serviços especializados de apoio às crianças de zero a cinco anos de idade? É possível considerar que estes serviços servem como um suporte para a permanência da criança na escola? Essas questões embasaram a análise do serviço de atendimento educacional especializado que integra a presente pesquisa. Busquei também a compreensão histórica de uma rede de ensino que tem dado prioridade às políticas de inclusão escolar, identificando aspectos que podem ser considerados cruciais, como os da transição entre os diferentes níveis de escolarização. Com base nas reflexões do pensamento sistêmico de Gregory Bateson e Humberto Maturana, foram priorizados os pressupostos da abordagem qualitativa, utilizando os seguintes instrumentos metodológicos: entrevista semiestruturada, observação participante e o diário de campo. As entrevistas foram realizadas com quatorze educadoras especiais e com a Coordenadora do serviço de EP e PI. Foram priorizadas as observações em espaços onde ocorre o serviço (atendimento e assessorias). Como possíveis resultados, destaco a importância da articulação entre os campos da educação especial e da educação infantil na construção de propostas pedagógicas que sirvam como suporte aos diferentes sujeitos envolvidos (professores, comunidade, família, criança) para a efetiva permanência do aluno com deficiência no ensino comum; a presença de uma variedade de modos de recepção e compreensão do movimento de inclusão escolar por parte dos educadores envolvidos e o reconhecimento de que o local de instituição de um serviço produz impacto para se pensar os processos de escolarização de seus alunos e a tomada de decisão relativa a esses processos. / The present study had as objective to analyze the constitution of the specialized educational attendance in special education to children of infantile education. For so, it was looked to describe how these services in the Municipal Teaching Network of Porto Alegre are configured, specifically the ones of Precocious Education (EP) and Initial Psycho pedagogy (PI), as well as to reflect about their possible effects. The questions that guided the development of this research were: How is the attendance to children with deficiency in the perspective of inclusive education in the infantile education constituted? Which singularities constitute the attendance in the Municipal Teaching Network of Porto Alegre in the proposition of specialized services of support to children between zero and five years old? Can we consider that these services are constituted as a brace to the permanence of the children in the school? These questions laid the foundation to the analysis of the service of the specialized educational attendance that takes part in this research. It was searched for the historical comprehension of a teaching network which has given priority to the policy of scholar inclusion; identifying aspects that can be considered crucial, as the transition between the different stages of education. Based on the reflections of the systemic thought of Gregory Bateson and Humberto Maturana, the presupposition of qualitative approach was prioritized, using the following methodological tools: semi-structured interview, the participant observation and the research diary. The interviews were done with fourteen special education teachers and the Coordinator of EP and PI services. The observations gave priority to the places where the services occur (attendance and assistance). As possible results, I highlight the importance of articulation between the fields of special education and infantile education in the construction of pedagogical proposals that are organized as a brace to the different people involved (teachers, community, family and children) to the effective permanence of a student with deficiency in the common education; the presence of a variety in the ways of reception and comprehension of the movement in the educational inclusion by the teachers involved, and the recognition that the place of institution of a service produces impact to think the processes of education and to make decisions related to these processes. / Este estudio tuvo como objeto la constitución del atendimiento educacional con especialidad en educación especial para niños de la educación infantil. Para lo cual, busqué describir como se configuran esos servicios en la Red Municipal de Enseñanza de Porto Alegre, específicamente el de Educación Temprana y Sicopedagogía Inicial, de igual manera reflexionar sobre sus posibles efectos. Las cuestiones que orientaron el desemvolvimiento de la pesquisa fueron las siguientes: ¿cómo se organiza el atendimiento a los niños con deficiencia en la perspectiva de la educación inclusiva en la educación infantil? ¿qué singularidades constituyen el atendimiento en la Red Municipal de Enseñanza de Porto Alegre en la propuesta de servicios con especialidad de apoyo a los niños de cero a cinco años de edad? ¿es posible considerar que estos servicios sirvan como un soporte a la permanencia del niño en la escuela? Esas cuestiones fundamentaron el análisis del servicio de atendimiento educacional con especialidad que integra esta investigación. Busqué también la comprensión histórica de una Red de Enseñanza que dio prioridad a las políticas de inclusión escolar, identificando aspectos que pueden ser considerados cruciales, como los de la transición entre los diferentes niveles de escolarización. Basado en la reflexiones del pensamiento sistémico de Gregory Bateson y Humberto Maturana, fueron privilegiados los presupuestos del abordaje cualitativo los siguientes instrumentos metodológicos: entrevista semiestructurada, observación participante y diario de pesquisa. Las entrevistas fueron realizadas con catorce docentes especialistas y con la Cordinadora del servicio de Educación Temprana y Sicopedagogía Inicial. Fueron privilegiadas las observaciones en espacios donde ocurre el servicio (atendimiento y asesoría). Como posibles resultados, destaco la importancia de la articulación entre los campos de la educación especial y de la educación infantil en la construcción de propuestas pedagógicas que sirvan como soporte a las diferentes personas envueltas (profesores, comunidad, familia, niños) para la efectiva permanencia del alumno con deficiencia en la enseñaza regular; la presencia de una gama de modos de recibimiento y comprensión del movimiento de inclusión escolar por los docentes envueltos y el reconocimiento de que el lugar en donde sucede el servicio produce un impacto, da lugar a reflexionar sobre los procesos de escolarización de los niños con deficiencia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the inclusion of visually-impaired learners in Ethiopian secondary schools. To conduct the study a mixed methods research multiple case study research design was used. The study was conducted in two secondary schools of the capital city of Tigray Regional State of Ethiopia. In the selection of the schools and research participants, a purposive sampling method was employed. The data were collected from 2 school principals, 35 teachers and 24 learners of grade 9 and 10. To collect the data, interviews (for principals and teachers), focus group discussions (for learners), observation, and questionnaires (for teachers), were used. The primary data for this research were the data gathered from interviews, focus group discussion and observation whereas the data gathered from the questionnaire were used to compare, triangulate and supplement. Data by the instruments were analysed under different themes using a constructivist/interpretive approach. The findings of the study revealed that the nature of school inclusivity regarding visually-impaired learners in Tigray Secondary Schools of Ethiopia is poor and visually-impaired learners are excluded. As a result, the exclusive nature of the schools is affecting the implementation and actualisation of inclusive education. Based on the findings, the study calls schools, communities, governmental and non-governmental organisations to take action for the implementation and realisation of inclusive education and the inclusion of all learners, such as visually-impaired learners. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Scholars emphasise the pivotal role that teacher perceptions play in the success of inclusive education (IE). Using Bourdieu’s (1985-1999) three conceptual tools of habitus, field and capital as a theoretical framework, this qualitative case study was designed to investigate secondary school teachers perceptions of IE – particularly with regard to the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools in the Maseru District of Lesotho. Data were collected using rural and urban focus-groups’ interviews. After analysing the data using categorical indexing, and discourse and comparative analysis methods, seven overriding themes emerged: teacher philosophical understanding of IE, teacher inclusion experiences and challenges, teacher classroom practices, teacher opinions about IE, key elements of IE, advantages of IE, and disadvantages of IE. Both focus groups demonstrated similar, but diverse conceptualisations of IE: as an integration movement requiring students to adapt to the school environment; as a segregation movement justifying special schools for students with severe disabilities; and as an education-for-all movement requiring that schools adapt to individual learner needs. The teachers understood that IE had social benefits for learners who could not reap its academic benefits. They used their traditional nurturing approaches to teach learners with different abilities – such as by memorisation of concepts and maximising peer interactions for the purpose of peer tutoring. However, the teachers’ insistence on corporal punishment and forcing learners to speak English in schools seemed to compromise their inclusion efforts. The study also found that despite the culturally influenced, positive and nurturing instincts of teachers in relation to supporting the education of children with disabilities, they were confronted with numerous challenges. These included: lack of knowledge and skills to effectively implement IE, lack of resources, lack of collaborative support from parents and government, and lack of incentives to boost their morale. It is recommended that teachers be equipped with theoretical knowledge of IE and with practical skills to implement it. Pre-service and in-service training was recommended in this regard. It is also recommended that all stakeholders in Lesotho secondary education bring together their resources, expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm – in an effort to make IE in Lesotho both successful and sustainable. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)