Syftet med studien är att undersöka betydelsen av att använda virtuell simulerad undervisning (virtual reality, VR) i speciallärarutbildningen med specialisering mot språk-, skriv- och läsutveckling som alternativ och komplement till autentiska test med elever för att belysa lärande, etiska aspekter och bedömningsformen i en VR-miljö. Bakgrunden till studien är att speciallärarstudenterna behöver öva upp sina färdigheter i att genomföra språk-, skriv- och läsutredningar. Problemet som kan uppstå är att studenternas behov av färdighetsträning kan hamna i motsatsförhållande till autentiska elevers integritet och medföra etiska och bedömningsmässiga konsekvenser. I studien användes kvalitativa metoder. Speciallärarstudenterna deltog i ett lärtillfälle om en VR-simulerad dynamisk bedömning, vilket observerades. Alla deltagarna intervjuades sedan i fokusgrupper om VR-simulering, bedömningspraktik och etik. De lämnade även en skriftlig reflekterande anteckning om lärtillfället. Analysen av resultatet gjordes utifrån ett situerat, sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande med utgångspunkt i fyra dimensioner: mening, praktik, gemenskap och identitet (Wenger, 1998). I analysen av själva lärandesituationen togs även inspiration av Wengers (1998) teori om att designa för lärande. Studiens resultat identifierar att den största betydelsen av VR-simuleringen för speciallärar-utbildningen ligger i att speciallärarstudenterna gemensamt kan se och diskutera samma dynamiska bedömning i VR. VR-filmen blir ett reifierat minne och ett visualiseringsverktyg där den gemensamma upplevelsen främjar meningsskapande och reifikation om bedömningspraktik. Vi ser också i resultatet att VR-tekniken kan vara ett hinder för vissa men att enkla anpassningar bör öka möjligheten att ta till sig budskapet utan att påverkas negativt av tekniken. Tillgängligheten till en dynamisk bedömning och studenternas meningsskapande om olika bedömningspraktiker möter kraven i examensordningen (SFS 2017:1111) att kritiskt kunna granska och välja olika metoder för bedömning av språk-, skriv- och läsutveckling. Även etiska dilemman i att använda elever i utbildningssyfte motiverar VR-simulering i speciallärarutbildningen. Resultatet i vår undersökning visar att VR-simuleringen kan vara ett komplement till språk-, skriv- och läsutredningar. Resultatet av vår avgränsade studie är inte generaliserbart, men kan bidra till diskussioner om bedömningspraktiken och etiska implikationer genom användning av VR i speciallärarutbildningen. I slutet av examensarbetet ger vi förslag på framtida forskningsområden om VR-simulering i högre utbildning och vi redovisar även specialpedagogiska implikationer. / The aim of the present study is to examine the possibility to use virtually simulated (virtual reality, VR) teaching in the education of special needs teachers with specialization in language, writing and reading development as a complement and as an alternative to authentical tests with pupils, to illustrate learning, ethical aspects and the form of assessment in a VR-based environment. The background of the study derives from the students’ need to practice their ability to make language, writing and reading assessments throughout the education to become special needs teachers. A problem that might arise is when the students’ need for practice affects pupils’ integrity or other ethical implications. The study was based on qualitative methods. The students took part of a VR-simulated dynamic assessment, during which the learning situation was observed. All students who participated were then included in focus groups and interviewed about VR-simulation, assessment practice and ethics. An analysis of the result was done from a situated, sociocultural perspective on learning based on four dimensions: meaning, practice, community and identity (Wenger, 1998). The analysis of the learning situation was also inspired by Wenger’s (1998) theory of designing for learning.The results of the study identify that the greatest importance of VR-simulation for the education of special needs teachers lies in the possibility for the students to mutually see and discuss the same dynamic assessment in VR. The VR-simulation becomes a reified memory and a visualization tool where the shared experience promotes negotiation of meaning and reification around assessment practice. We also see in the result that VR-technology can be a barrier for some students, but that simple adjustments should increase the possibility to participate without being adversely affected by the technology. The availability of a dynamic assessment and the students' reflections about different assessment practices meet the requirements of the system of qualifications “examensordningen” (SFS 2017:1111) to be able to critically review and choose different methods for assessing language, writing and reading development. Ethical dilemmas in assessment of pupils for educational purposes also motivate VR simulation in special education. The results show that VR simulation can be a complement to language, writing and reading assessments. The present study is limited to a specific situation and can not be considered generalizable but can contribute to discussions about assessment practices and ethical implications through the use of VR when educating special needs teachers. We also provide suggestions for future research areas for VR-simulation in higher education.

The overall aim of the Educational Process Reflection (EPR) studies has been to develop a better understanding concerning interaction between adults and children and the conditions for children’s peer play and interaction within the pre-school arena. The ultimate goal of the present study is to explore how practitioners through the use of EPR may develop the dimension of social interaction between practitioners and children and between children, in order to consciously create a more healthy and inclusive experience for all children and especially for children at risk. The study is based on a hermeneutic and a socio cultural perspective and a combination of activity theory and object relation theory. The methodology draws on activity theory and Yrjö Engeström’s (1987) development work research and specifically a more elaborated version of learning activity termed Educational Process Reflection, which is a model for professional development created in the previous EPR-studies presented in Bygdeson-Larsson (2005a; b; 2006). It builds on practitioners´ observations of peer play interactions and practitioners retold experiences of interaction with the children. The model consists of an oscillation between EPR-sessions and pre-school practice. The results of the study are presented in a narrative way and show how changes in pre-school grow out of collaborative reflection combined with new theoretical perspectives. The practitioners´ competence or professionalism concerning the interactive dimension was improved and individual children at risk got new and better conditions for being included in positive peer play and interaction experiences. The pre-school turned out to become a resilient environment for children in peer play and interactive difficulties. The main results illuminate and give an understanding of how practitioners´ ways of working with children in peer play problems or special needs turned out to become more resilient and how children got better possibilities to be included in positive ways. It also enhances the understanding of how the processes in peer play situations changed for the better for other children and how the whole climate in the pre-school also seemed to change and become more inclusive. Overall the results of this study bring about an enhanced understanding of the complexity of the pre-school seen as an activity system and the need for new tools concerning interactive processes. This study implicates that pre-school practitioners own investigation and reflection of interactive processes in pre-school is essential, and may well be used before applying a categorising or diagnostic approach concerning children in special needs. This study has implications for professional development, researcher-practitioner co-operation and consultative activities concerning pre-schools and children. The present study implies that all these activities have an advantage of taking the dynamics of the pre-school as an activity system into account before focusing on practitioners or children as individuals.

Carström, M. & Johansson C. (2015). Att utmana elevers skriv- och läsförmåga i träningsskolan. En kvalitativ fallstudie med utgångspunkt i metoden “Att skriva sig till läsning”. To challenge pupils’ ability to write and read in compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities – a qualitative case study originating in the method of “Write to Read”. Högskolan, Kristianstad. Speciallärarprogrammet. Syftet med följande studie är att undersöka hur skriv- och läsförmågan hos fyra elever i träningsskolan utvecklas genom att arbeta med utgångspunkt i metoden “Att skriva sig till läsning” (ASL). Studiens teoretiska ramverk är det sociokulturella perspektivet och det har valts utifrån en syn på att lärande sker i interaktion med andra människor. Arbetet ger en översikt av tidigare forskning om elever med utvecklingsstörning, läs- och skrivutveckling, läs- och skrivsvårigheter, framgångsfaktorer hos lärare vid arbete med läs- och skrivinlärning, elevers motivation och delaktighet samt om metoden ASL. Genom att göra aktionsforskning i de klasser där vi själva arbetar ville vi undersöka om metoden ASL kunde vara lämplig att använda i arbetet med elevers skriv- och läsutveckling i grundsärskolan, inriktning träningsskola. Vi har gjort deltagande observationer, fört dagboksanteckningar, filmat eleverna och fotograferat elevernas arbete. Sammanfattningsvis pekar resultaten i vår undersökning på att ASL kombinerat med att träna andra förmågor så som bokstavskännedom och klappa stavelser, kan vara en lämplig metod att arbeta efter i grundsärskolan, inriktning träningsskola. Resultatet visar att eleverna utvecklades inom en rad olika områden och studiens bidragande effekter var att elevernas motivation och delaktighet ökade markant. / Carström, M. & Johansson, C. (2015) To challenge pupils’ ability to write and read in compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities – a qualitative case study originating in the method of “Write to Read”. The purpose of this study is to investigate how four pupils in special schooling’s ability to write and read is possibly affected and developed by working according to the method of “Write to Read” during a period of 8 weeks. The theoretical framework of the study is the sociocultural perspective and it has been chosen according to the approach that learning takes place in interaction with others. The study presents a general view of earlier research of pupils with intellectual disabilities, reading and writing development, reading and writing difficulties, elements of success from teachers working with reading and writing training, pupils’ motivation and participation and with the method of “Write to Read”. By action research in our own classes, we wanted to investigate whether the method of “Write to Read” would be a suitable method to use when trying to develop pupils’ abilities to write and read in Swedish (compulsory) special schools, focusing on pupils with severe intellectual disabilities. We have conducted observations, kept a journal with daily notes, the pupils have been filmed and we have taken photos of our pupils’ work. To sum everything up, our study shows that “Write to Read” combined with training abilities such as knowledge of the letters and of clapping to syllables could be a suitable method within special schools. The result shows that pupils were developing within a number of areas and contributory effects of the study were that our pupils’ motivation and participation increased prominently.

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)

The study sought to investigate educators’ perceptions of the implementation of Inclusive Education in mainstream secondary schools around Polokwane, Limpopo Province of South Africa. The approach to the study was qualitative, guided by an interpretivist paradigm. A purposefully selected sample of 20 teachers from 10 purposively selected mainstream secondary schools in Polokwane participated in this study. Instruments for data collection comprised in-depth interviews, corroborated by non-participant field observations to verify the implementation of Inclusive Education in mainstream secondary schools. Content analysis was employed to analyse the data with the aim of coming up with themes and subthemes. The study revealed that the educators had the passion and willingness to implement Inclusive Education. The educators further perceived Inclusive Education as needful. The implementation of Inclusive Education was perceived as being effective to a lesser extent. The educators perceived the implementation of Inclusive Education as being negatively affected by their inadequate training, school environments which were unfit to accommodate learners with disabilities, the lack of facilities and equipment and higher learner enrolments in mainstream classrooms. Gender was seen to affect the educators’ confidence in handling learners with disabilities and their ability to identify such learners. The study recommends the continued professional development and training of educators in the area of Inclusive Education, regular support and monitoring of Inclusive Education activities in mainstream schools by the DBE, provision of relevant resources and facilities in mainstream schools for the implementation of Inclusive Education, and additional support to educators to enhance their confidence in handling learners with barriers to learning and development. Finally, a model for the improvement of the implementation of Inclusive Education in mainstream schools is proposed. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The study examined the opportunities to learn Mathematics that are accorded to secondary school students with visual impairment in Zimbabwe. The study focused on form one and form two students who are completely without sight, but are learning in inclusive settings, together with their Mathematics teachers. The study examined how teachers interacted with the subject matter, how the teachers interacted with the visually impaired students and how these students interacted with partially sighted students in the teaching and learning process. The study adopted the case study approach under the qualitative inquiry. Data was collected using document analysis, lesson observations, personal interviews with teachers and focus group interviews with students who were purposive sampled. The study established that visually impaired students were not accorded adequate opportunities to learn mathematics at secondary level. The reasons for this deficit are (1) visually impaired students learnt the same curriculum as sighted students when they could not access some topics on the syllabus, (2) the teachers were professionally qualified but they lacked the necessary specialist training for teaching students without sight, (3) teachers used the same teaching methods as those used with sighted students, (4) a lot of time was spent on task though not much ground was covered, (5) the schools were not adequately resourced with appropriate teaching and learning materials for use by visually impaired students, culminating in lost opportunities to learn mathematics. The study recommends that appropriately qualified teachers be deployed to teach at schools for the visually impaired, that all secondary teachers learn the basic modules in Special Needs Education during training. The study also recommends for the government to assist the schools for the visually impaired students to import the much needed teaching and learning equipment. The study has provided some knowledge about the learning of mathematics by visually impaired students in Zimbabwe in the areas of lesson delivery, materials provision, and programme adjustments at secondary teacher training colleges and universities. It has also provided curriculum planners with an insight on the prevailing situation with regard to the teaching and learning of mathematics by visually impaired students. This knowledge could be used when formulating future mathematics curriculum and training policies to do with non-sighted students in Zimbabwe and other countries in Africa. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Resting against a background of local and international movements in respect of human rights, South African educators have had to implement a new curriculum, accept diversity and address inclusive education with little or no training, insight and knowledge. Challenges at all levels in education, impact on the successful education of children and the future of young adults who must as equal members of society enter a fast changing global economy. Challenges for educators in South Africa are unique. The lack of knowledge and training for educators and an inadequate infrastructure of the country present as some of the challenges for educators. This qualitative study deals with the subjective experiences of educators in primary schools. The research indicates that when these challenges are addressed educators will be both, better supported and disposed, towards the implementation of inclusive education idealised as the panacea for social transformation in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.

The present study assessed the factors that affect the implementation of inclusive education for children with learning disabilities in Zimbabwean primary schools. The assessment serves as a context for finding ways of dealing with challenges and proposing a model of implementing inclusive education for children with learning disabilities. The survey method was used in the empirical study and a self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect data. Two hundred and fifty primary school teachers, twenty education officers and thirty college/university lecturers participated in the study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16.0 was used to analyse data. Frequency tables and ratios were calculated to establish the relative rating of each item. Chi-square tests were also calculated. This study revealed that primary school teachers lacked training to assist children with learning disabilities in their classes. The study also revealed that the primary schools did not have material resources to implement inclusive education for children with learning disabilities. The current study also established that the stakeholders had negative attitudes towards the implementation of inclusive education for children with learning disabilities. Findings of the study also revealed that there was no inclusive education policy for the implementation of inclusive education for children with learning disabilities in primary schools. The present study recommended that the implementation of inclusive education for children with learning disabilities in primary schools would be improved through the professional preparation and training of Zimbabwean school teachers, the availability of trained teachers, the provision of resources and the need to formulate mandatory policies and legislation for the implementation of inclusive education. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

No description available.

The main aim of this study was to assess teachers’ awareness levels of dyslexia, their perceptions of their ability to identify and manage dyslexia, and their perceptions of the adequacy of their pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The sample comprised teachers at 16 mainstream high schools in the Western Cape. A Likert type scale questionnaire was used to collect data that were analysed by means of a sign test of difference and a Kruskal-Wallis test of variance. The results indicated that teachers had adequate knowledge of dyslexia, believed they are able to identify and manage dyslexia, and believed that they received little or no pre-service and in-service training in dyslexia. The main conclusion that can be drawn is that teachers need on-going adequate pre-service and in-service training in the field of dyslexia. / Department of Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)