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Intended UK government changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance will have a significant impact on the support that UK universities provide for students with disabilities. In this paper we examine the types of transformation that may be required to university support for students with disabilities from a socio-technical perspective. The research reported in this paper involved a year-long case study in a UK university. The potential changes required to support for students with disabilities within the university studied to cater for the proposed UK government changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance included providing non-medical helper support through external agencies, the development of a dyslexia screening process, providing enhanced library services including access to printers and scanners and assistance with assistive software, provision of laptops with assistive software, making assistive software available in a limited form in computing laboratories and more co-ordinated special examination provision.

This paper describes daily report cards and the evidence relating to their use in schools for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This intervention typically involves teachers evaluating a student's behaviour at school against pre-determined targets and parents subsequently providing reinforcement at home for positive reports. Research suggests that the daily report card has been effective in treating a range of ADHD symptoms and improving school outcomes, including academic achievement in some cases. The daily report card also encourages collaboration between teachers and parents, and evidence suggests that the intervention benefits from the inclusion of reinforcement at home. Daily report cards are easy to implement and research finds that teachers consider them an acceptable intervention for ADHD. This paper also considers challenges in using daily report cards, including barriers to their use over the long-term and the risk of stigma for children with a report card. Ideas to address these issues are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is on a group of pupils with reading and writing difficulties who have been participating in an intervention study using assistive technology. That intervention study contai ...

The paper provides a first person account of participant evaluation research of curriculum innovation in a school serving students with profound learning difficulties. It describes how the aspirations of the school leadership team to introduce science, combined with advisory support, overcame the initial anxiety of teaching staff about teaching an unfamiliar subject. The staff position was transformed and they gave a very positive evaluation of their experiences of teaching science, due to the impact of the subject on their students. The introduction of a distinct and inclusive model of science into the curriculum was ultimately found to have significant benefits for both students and staff.

Information and support for families of children on the autism spectrum is limited in south-east Europe. A three-year project – Equity and Social Inclusion Through Positive Parenting (ESIPP) – was established to develop and provide parent education (PE) in autism for families in Croatia, Cyprus and North Macedonia. This paper presents findings from Croatia regarding family life and the impact of PE. Data were collected via pre- and post-PE questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Participants discussed the impact of autism on family life, the difficulty of obtaining a diagnosis, the importance of family support (and varying experience of formal support), common experience of stigma and social exclusion, and concerns for the future. The value and benefit of PE is identified. Recognition of its impact within Croatia has ensured its ongoing provision; and the argument is made that PE in autism is a valuable intervention in such contexts.

Giving parents a choice with regard to their children’s education has been central to the political discourse of school reform at least since the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA) (DfE, 1988). With regard to children with a statement of special educational needs (SSEN), a plethora of policies and laws (e.g. ERA, 1988; Education Act, 1996, SENDA, 2001)have given parents not only the right to choose a school, but also to appeal to decisions in the best interest of their children. Yet, despite the discourse the implementation and practice of such reforms are neither assured nor simple. Participants in the study indicated that they have little choice of suitable provision and are having to compromise either the academic or the social aspects of their child’s schooling. This paper argues that for many parents whose children have a statement of SEN the choice of a school is often a dilemma as nowhere seems to fit.

This paper reports on teaching assistants' perceptions of the Phase 1 Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) training programme and the match to their changing role in classroom support, and suggests resulting issues for the design and delivery of HLTA training programmes. It explores what impact undertaking the training and gaining HLTA professional status has had upon the school activities undertaken by the teaching assistants and their relationships with other members of staff within the school. Finally, it suggests emerging issues for the involvement of staff with HLTA professional status in classrooms in the context of the Schools' Workforce Reform in England.

This paper reviews literature examining the perspectives of children with special educational needs related to their experiences of Physical Education (PE). The extent to which literature addresses inclusion in PE was determined and emerging themes arising from consultation with children with special educational needs regarding PE were examined. Qualitative studies, concentrating on consultation with special educational needs children, were reviewed and six key themes were identified: children's experiences of PE; their experiences of PE teachers; discrimination by others; feelings of self-doubt; barriers to inclusion; and empowerment and consultation. Findings indicate children with special educational needs enjoy PE when fully included; however, participation is restricted by discrimination, limited teacher training and material barriers to inclusion. Consequently, teacher training in special educational needs and the education of non-disabled children about special educational needs requires extensive consideration.