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Educating students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties requires a thorough systematic approach with the focus on academic instruction. This study addresses the development of a tool, consisting of two questionnaires, for measuring systematic academic instruction. The questionnaires cover the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and academic versus behavioural instruction. The questionnaires are both practically oriented as well as theoretically well founded. The reliability turned out to be acceptable (0.76) to high (0.89). Observation scales were developed to determine the validity of both questionnaires. Moderate correlations between questionnaires and observation scales were found (0.31, 0.32). Bland-Altman plots offered us valuable information about the differences between questionnaires and observation scales, supplying us with important issues for further research. It is concluded that the questionnaires might be a valuable tool for assessing teachers' systematic academic instruction.

India's educational policy on inclusive education for students with disabilities is in sync with general global developments. Especially in the last couple of years there have been significant legislative achievements towards this endeavour. However, the implementation of inclusive education remains elusive. Besides this, teachers' preparedness for inclusion has received little attention. This survey study had two aims. Firstly, we aimed at finding or constructing a reliable instrument to measure three aspects: the attitudes, knowledge about disability and inclusive teaching methods of regular schoolteachers. Secondly, we aimed to describe the outcomes of the three aspects. For attitudes and teaching methods we found a reliable instrument, which was selected for the usage in this study. We constructed and assessed the reliability of a scale in measuring knowledge about four disabilities: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorder in pilot and main studies. The results revealed that teachers hold neutral attitudes towards inclusive education. Their knowledge about disabilities, however, was low, but knowledge about inclusive teaching methods was acceptable, which was a significant finding. The practical implications for preparing teachers to work towards inclusion are also discussed.

Based on a survey of 123 Norwegian students aged 14-15 (grade 10) this article will discuss possible gender differences in peer relations, social position and friendship criteria. The students filled in a questionnaire that included sociometry and questions on friendship criteria, self-esteem and social support. We found significant gender differences. However, boys and girls frequently have the same preferences in peer relationships, but to a different degree. The variance within the gender groups may exceed the variance between them.

In the past few decades, the number of students attending segregated special schools in the Netherlands has risen considerably. In 1975, 2.2% of all students between 4 and 11 years old attended a special school, and this percentage almost doubled to 4.3% over the next 20 years. In order to stop further growth, two new education policies came into force in 1995 and 2003: "Together to School Again" and the so-called "Backpack." These policies differed in the way that special needs funding was allocated. "Together to School Again" was based on lump sum funding to schools, while "Backpack" was linked to the individual and based on individual needs. Neither of these policy initiatives has been particularly successful in reducing the number of students with special needs in segregated settings. In theory, lump sum funding seemed a promising option, but the combination of two different ways of funding special needs education proved to be problematic. The Dutch experience illustrates the difficulties of effecting fundamental structural changes in this field.

The authors focused on analyzing (a) peer acceptance and peer rejection of typically developing students, students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in general secondary education; (b) attitudes of general secondary-aged students toward peers with ADHD and ASD; and (c) the relationship between peer acceptance/rejection and students' attitudes. A cross-sectional study was performed (n = 437 typically developing students, n = 28 students with ADHD/ASD; range = 12-15 years old). Students were asked to indicate with whom they prefer to hang out or preferably not want to hang out (peer acceptance and peer rejection). Attitudes were assessed using the Attitude Survey Toward Inclusive Education. Multilevel analysis showed significant differences between students with ADHD and ASD and typically developing peers on peer acceptance and higher on peer rejection. Second, typically developing peers showed neutral attitudes toward peers with ADHD or ASD. Third, the results showed that students' rejection and attitudes of peers significantly relate to each other.

Teaching students with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) is a challenge for many teachers in inclusive education. Much research has been done to find out what differentiates expert teachers from their less skilled colleagues. Recent evidence points to personality as an underlying core factor influencing teacher performance. In this study, the predictive value of teacher personality for teacher quality in teaching students with EBD was examined among a sample of Dutch primary school teachers. Personality was measured using a self-report questionnaire based on the personality dimensions of the Five Factor Model of personality: Extraversion; Agreeableness; Conscientiousness; Neuroticism; and Openness to Experience. Different dimensions of teacher quality in teaching students with EBD were measured using an observation instrument, a self-efficacy questionnaire, and a nomination procedure. The dimensions of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience were found to predict teacher quality in teaching students with EBD measured by the self-efficacy questionnaire. Altogether, personality explained 35% of the variance in teacher quality in teaching students with EBD measured by the self-efficacy questionnaire. The results relate to issues about teacher education and employment. Directions for future research are discussed.

This study aims to assess the impact of systematic academic instruction on academic progress and behavioural problems of students with emotional and/or behavioural disorders (EBD) in special education. Earlier studies have noted the importance of a systematic approach as well as the significance of focusing on academic instruction instead of on behaviour. On the basis of these studies, it was hypothesised that the amount of teachers' systematic academic instruction positively influences the academic progress of students with EBD as well as their behaviour. The amount of systematic academic instruction by teachers in daily teaching (N = 88) and the behaviour and academic progress of a sample of their students (N = 234) were measured and analysed by means of multilevel analyses. The results show a significant relationship between systematic academic instruction and academic outcomes. However, academic outcomes taking into account previous academic performance and behavioural outcomes could not be related to systematic academic instruction. Implications for research on the daily practice of special education are discussed.

Teaching students with behavioural problems is a challenge for many teachers but other teachers are able to bring out the best in these students. Much research has been done to find out what differentiates expert teachers from their less skilled colleagues. Recent evidence points to personality as an underlying core factor influencing teacher performance. This study reviewed the literature on the personality traits of expert teachers of students with behavioural problems. The studies selected report their key thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, which according to trait theory stem from personality. Two independent raters classified the personality variables according to the dimensions of the Five Factor Model of personality: Extraversion; Agreeableness; Conscientiousness; Neuroticism; and Openness to Experience. The evidence indicates that a teacher's ability to teach students with behavioural problems increases with his/her levels in four of the five personality factors. No variables relating to Neuroticism were reported in the literature. Implications for follow-up research are discussed.

Yearly data are collected describing progress in inclusive education. Frequently used criteria are the percentages of students attending special schooling or percentages of students officially labelled as having special educational needs (SEN). However, both criteria have pitfalls. In this study, the social participation of students was used as a criterion. We compared the social participation of students with SEN to the social participation of typically developing students in three countries, i.e. Norway, the Netherlands and the Flemish region of Belgium. In Norway, 37 seventh-grade students with SEN and 461 classmates; in the Netherlands, 29 seventh-grade students with SEN and 187 classmates; and in Flanders, 43 seventh-grade students with SEN and 469 classmates participated in this study. Peer nominations were used to assess students' peer acceptance in class. Results indicated that, across education systems, students with SEN had more social difficulties compared to typically developing students. Contrary to our initial expectations, the social participation of students with SEN in the more inclusive Norwegian education system did not outperform the social participation of the Dutch and Belgian students with SEN. However, these outcomes are an artefact of the sampling methods used. This confirms the complexity of international comparisons.

Early school leaving in upper secondary education is a serious problem for both students and society. Several reviews have shown that there is no simple cause of early school leaving, but it seems to relate to demographic variables, social factors, academic achievement, and school factors. In this study, data from 2,045 students aged 16 from upper secondary schools in Norway were analyzed using a hierarchical regression model. Their intention to leave school was the dependent variable. Our analyses found that teacher support and loneliness in the school context were strong predictors of such intension. The effects of peer acceptance and friendship were minimal.

This study focuses on companionship, intimacy, and support of reciprocated friendships of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), students with motor and/or sensory disabilities, and typically developing students with their classmates at the start of mainstream secondary school. The study included 1379 typically developing students, 65 students with ASD, and 50 students with motor and/or sensory disabilities of 100 different classes in 56 schools. Sociometric techniques were used. No differences were found between companionship and support of the reciprocated friendships of the three groups. Students with ASD did report significantly less intimacy in their friendships than typically developing students did. The number of friends was not related to companionship or intimacy, but was positively associated with support of the students' reciprocated friendships. Furthermore, perceptions of shared friendship quality did not differ among students with ASD, students with motor and/or sensory disabilities, and their typically developing friends. Future research is needed to tap into the predictors and consequences of reciprocated friendships of students with special education needs in mainstream classes.

Teachers are seen as key players in implementing inclusive education. However, extremely little attention has been paid to teacher preparation, particularly in India. The aim of the current study was to implement a teacher training program and evaluate its effects and appropriateness. This focused on increasing teachers' (a) attitudes, (b) knowledge about four types of special educational needs (i.e., attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], dyslexia, intellectual disability, and autistic spectrum disorder [ASD]), and (c) teaching methods. In a pre-posttest study, the effects of the training program were evaluated (n[subscript experimental group] = 38, n[subscript control group] = 41). A questionnaire package was administered before and after the implementation of the training program. Outcomes of the ANCOVA revealed that the teachers in the experimental group had significantly more positive attitudes and had increased their knowledge about dyslexia, intellectual disability, ASD, and teaching methods. Moreover, teachers evaluated the training program as relevant and appropriate. The practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of teacher preparation and the implementation of inclusive education.

In this study we examine the effectiveness of an intervention program to influence attitudes of elementary school students towards peers with intellectual, physical and severe physical and intellectual disabilities. A quasi-experimental longitudinal study was designed with an experimental group and a control group, both comprising two rural schools. An intervention program was developed for kindergarten (n[subscript experimental] = 22, n[subscript control] = 31) and elementary school students without disabilities (n[subscript experimental] = 91, n[subscript control] = 127) (age range 4-12 years old). This intervention consisted of a 3 weeks education project comprising six lessons about disabilities. The Acceptance Scale for Kindergarten-revised and the Attitude Survey to Inclusive Education were used to measure attitudes at three moments: prior to the start of the intervention, after the intervention and 1 year later. The outcomes of the multilevel analysis showed positive, immediate effects on attitudes of kindergarten students, but limited effects on elementary school students' attitudes.

During their secondary school years, a considerable number of students seriously consider choosing between learning and leaving. Leaving school early means that students do not complete their education. Early school leaving is the last step in a process in which students gradually lose interest and develop the intention to leave school. This study focuses on students with special needs and the impact of their social relations with parents, teachers and peers on their intentions to leave school early. The sample for this study comprises 1873 typical students and 132 students with special needs aged 16 from secondary schools in a large region of Norway. The intention to leave early can be predicted by teacher support and by loneliness as an indicator for peer support. The findings suggest that especially peer support is, for all students, a key variable in staying motivated for school. For students with special needs, teacher support is also important to stay in school in the early years. Over time, however, the support from teachers becomes less important for students with special needs. They too become more dependent on support from peers.

Academic learning has always been a serious issue for students with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) and their teachers. However, teaching academic skills could be an important protective and curative factor for the problem behaviour of these students. The current review was conducted to study the effect of interventions developed to teach academic skills, on the behaviour of students with EBD. Thirty studies were included in this analysis, which was undertaken between 2000 and 2012. The studies which varied considerably in terms of design and implementation did not present a conclusive answer, indicating that systematic research on the effect of teaching academic skills on the behaviour of students with EBD is still in its infancy. However, the combination of findings in this review provides some support for the conceptual premise that teachers, confronted with problem behaviour, would do well to reconsider their curriculum instead of focusing only on the behaviour of these students. More systematic research is necessary to verify if teaching academic skills could be a key approach to reducing both behavioural problems as well as increasing the academic progress of students with EBD.

Social participation of students with special educational needs (SEN) is a key issue in the inclusion debate. However, the meaning of concepts like social integration, social inclusion and social participation used in current literature is often unclear. Recently, these concepts were clarified based on preschool and primary school literature. The current study assesses the meaning of these concepts for secondary school samples and possible differences with preschool and primary school. A literature review on secondary school literature, including 19 articles, revealed large parallels, i.e. the three concepts can be used as synonyms and include the same key themes: relationships, interactions, perception of the pupil with SEN and acceptance by classmates. Although the subthemes within the key themes largely concurred, one subtheme (i.e. self-perception of social interaction) was added and three subthemes, mentioned in the scheme based on preschool and primary school, were not found. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

In many countries, there has been a development towards the inclusion of students with special educational needs in regular education. Over the past decade, this has resulted in an increased interest in attitudes towards this educational change of those directly involved. This current study aims at the development, psychometric evaluation, and validation of a questionnaire to measure attitudes of teachers, parents, and students. The questionnaire is based on the three-component theory, reflecting a cognitive, an affective, and a behavioral component. Based on data of a pilot study and a main study, we evaluated the psychometric properties and separability of the three components per questionnaire using a Mokken scale analysis. Removing various dysfunctional items resulted in questionnaires with appropriate psychometric properties and high reliability. Results of the analysis for the separability of the attitude components revealed no distinction could be made between the components in the teachers' and parents' questionnaire. In the students' questionnaire, the items belonging to the cognitive and affective/behavioral components were distinguished as two scales. (Contains 6 tables.)

While there is an increased interest in describing attitudes of teachers, parents and peers towards students with special educational needs in regular education, there is a lack of knowledge about various variables relating to the attitudes of these three groups. The aims of this study are: (1) to examine which variables relate to the attitudes of teachers (N = 44), parents (N = 508) and peers (N = 1113) towards students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Syndrome or a cognitive disability in regular primary education and (2) to examine whether teachers and parents' attitudes affect the attitudes of peers. An attitude survey was used to assess attitudes and data were analysed by means of multilevel analyses. The variables found in this study relating to attitudes can be used as a foundation to develop interventions to change attitudes. (Contains 7 tables.)

The goals of this study were twofold. The first aim was to explore loneliness prevalence in typically developing students, students with ASD and students with motor and/or sensory disabilities in mainstream 7th grade in Belgium. The second aim was to explore the relations between number of friends, friendship quality, social self-concept on the one hand and loneliness on the other for each of these three groups, and to compare them across groups. In this study, 108 students with special educational needs (SEN; i.e., 58 students with ASD and 50 students with motor and/or sensory disabilities) were matched to 108 typically developing classmates. Students with ASD reported more loneliness than typically developing students and students with motor and/or sensory disabilities. Loneliness prevalence for typically developing students and students with motor and/or sensory disabilities did not differ significantly. Factors related with loneliness differed between typically developing students and students with SEN (i.e., students with ASD and students with motor and/or sensory disabilities). For students with SEN, same-sex social self-concept was related with loneliness, but not, as for typically developing students, number of friends and opposite-sex social self-concept. Also friendship quality had a marginally significant effect on loneliness feelings for students with SEN. Implications for further research and practice are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

One of the methods used most often to assess students' friendships and friendship networks is the reciprocal nomination method. However, an often heard complaint is that this technique produces rather negative outcomes. This study compares the reciprocal nomination method with another method to assess students' friendships and friendship networks: Social Cognitive Mapping (SCM). The outcomes show that descriptions of students' friendships and friendship networks by both methods tend largely to overlap, even though SCM divides the students into smaller groups. The nomination method indeed yields a slightly more negative picture, labeling more students as "isolates". According to students, in most cases the group structure of SCM best reflects reality, whereas more than half of the teachers consider the nomination structure to best fit with reality. It is concluded that the differences between both methods are small, which seems to be primarily based on rather arbitrary decisions in the programs calculating students' scores and group composition. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study addresses the convergent validity of a new teacher questionnaire to assess the social participation of students with special needs in regular primary schools. The Social Participation Questionnaire (SPQ) consists of four subscales representing four key themes of social participation: friendships/relationships, contacts/interactions, student's social self-perception, and acceptance by classmates. The study took place in Grades 1 to 3 of regular Dutch primary schools that had at least one student with an official special-needs statement. A confirmatory factor analysis using the LISREL program provided evidence for the SPQ's convergent validity. The outcomes support the model of social participation distinguishing four key themes. The fit indexes suggest that our model is theoretically viable for Grades 1 and 2 but only partly viable for Grade 3. (Contains 1 figure, 7 tables, and 1 note.)

The study focuses the stability of friendships of students with special educational needs in regular schools, compared to regular students. The sample consisted of 114 students (M age = 14,4); 22 students (19.3%) were identified by the school as SEN students. The results show that on average, SEN students had fewer stable friendships than their peers. Further, a significantly lower proportion of SEN students were members of stable groups compared to regular students. Friendship stability was positively predicted by gender (boys more stable than girls) and perceived friend support. Friendship stability was negatively predicted by special needs (special needs predicted lower friend stability) and peer acceptance. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)

Research on students' social relationships shows their preference to associate with similar peers. This study focused on the similarity in selection criteria used by students to form groups and similarity of characteristics of existing groups in schools. It compared these criteria to those of isolated students. The sample consisted of 124 students aged 14-15. The results revealed that the assessment of peers' social skills was a relevant selection criterion, and that global self-esteem, well-being, and, physical activity were important variables in describing groups. The selection criteria and group characteristics of isolated students did not match those of the groups. The isolated students have more outspoken views on criteria and characteristics compared to the groups' points of view. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

This study aimed to explore Belgian adolescents' attitudes towards peers with disabilities and to explore factors associated with these attitudes. Based on the theory of persuasive communication, this study focused on receiver variables (the "whom"), characteristics of students with disabilities ("concerning who") and channel ("how"). An online survey was created and published on several popular websites for youngsters. Attitudes were assessed by means of the CATCH questionnaire among 167 adolescents between 11 and 20 years old. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Belgian adolescents had fairly tolerant attitudes towards peers with disabilities. Factors associated with more positive attitudes were being female, and viewing a video introduction of a peer with a disability before assessing attitudes. Factors such as having a parent, sibling or good friend with a disability and frequent contact with persons with disabilities did not remain significant in the overall model. The way in which students with disabilities are presented to their peers is very important. Further research is needed among larger samples, including more diverse variables, concerning the former mentioned categories, and also concerning the source (the "who") and message (the "what"). (Contains 2 tables.)

Teachers in the Netherlands hesitate to accept responsibility for students with special needs in regular education. They generally do not have positive attitudes towards inclusive education, citing a lack of personal knowledge and skill for teaching students with special needs, an area that was not sufficiently covered in their basic teacher training. Changing teacher training is an option, but it takes many years for the effects to be noticeable. This essay argues that there are other ways to prepare teachers and argues that by discussing problems in education with colleagues and working together as a team, they can resolve many of the issues for themselves.

This study addresses the social participation of young students (Grades One to Three) with special needs in regular Dutch primary schools. More specifically, the focus lies on four key themes related to social participation: friendships/relationships, contacts/interactions, students' social self-perception, and acceptance by classmates. The outcomes of the study revealed that the majority of students with special needs have a satisfactory degree of social participation. However, compared with students without special needs, a relatively large portion of the students with special needs experience difficulties in their social participation. In general, students with special needs have a significantly lower number of friends and are members of a cohesive subgroup less often than their typical peers. In addition, students with special needs have fewer interactions with classmates, have more interactions with the teacher, and are less accepted than students without special needs. The social self-perception of both groups of students does not differ. A comparison between students with different categories of disability regarding the four themes of social participation revealed no significant differences. (Contains 5 tables and 1 note.)

One of the effects of implementing inclusive education is that the composition of the peer group of students with disabilities has changed from one consisting of only such students to one with no, or very few, students with disabilities. The question arises as to the implications of this situation for their social relations and self-concept. In order to answer this question, two reviews were conducted: one focusing on students' social relations and the other on students' self-concept. These reviews showed that students with learning disabilities in particular run the risk of being isolated from their peers in regular education and developing a negative self-concept. One of the potential options for intervention is to rearrange the composition of the peer group by combining a minority of students with disabilities with a majority of students without disabilities. This may provide the former with more varied opportunities to build relationships and more varied frames of reference for developing their self-concept. (Contains 4 tables.)

This study addresses the relationship between the acceptance of students with disabilities by their peers and their self-concept. Research shows that level of acceptance and self-concept are moderately related. Students with disabilities not accepted by their peers in regular classrooms thus run the risk of developing low self-concept. It is assumed that this does not apply to students with moderate to severe learning disabilities (LD), because they are less able to understand fully their level of acceptance by typical peers. Therefore, they do not experience negative feelings linked to an eventual isolated position and are less likely to develop a low self-concept. In total, 498 seventh-grade students participated in the study, of which 37 were described as having a disability. The data indeed showed a moderate relationship between acceptance and self-concept in the total group. But contrary to expectations, the students with moderate LD showed a marked relationship between peer acceptance and self-concept. For these students meaningful relations with peers are as important as for all students with and without special needs. The results of this study caution parents and teachers of students with moderate to severe LD not to underestimate the relevance for these students of being accepted and having friends in the peer group. (Contains 4 tables.)

Maximizing the interaction between pupils with and without special needs is generally considered an important aspect of inclusion. However, it is frequently questioned whether pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in regular classrooms have interactions and friendships with their peers. In order to be able to evaluate these relationships, it is necessary to clarify concepts such as social participation, social integration and social inclusion. At the moment there is much ambiguity regarding these concepts. This article aims to elucidate on these concepts and reveal its characteristic themes. An analysis of literature was carried out to identify these concepts. In the final analysis, 62 articles were included. This analysis showed that the concept social integration and the related concepts of social inclusion and social participation are often described inaccurately, with only a few researchers providing explicit definitions or descriptions. In the majority of articles, implicit descriptions can be derived from instruments used to measure social integration, social inclusion or social participation: it is apparent there is much overlap among the use of concepts by researchers. Based on the analysis of the 62 articles, it can be concluded that the concepts social integration, social inclusion and social participation are used as synonyms. In our opinion, social participation is the most suitable concept. The analysis of literature reveals four key themes central to all three concepts: friendships/relationships, interactions/contacts, perception of the pupil with SEN and acceptance by classmates. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

This study addresses the development of a teacher questionnaire to assess the social participation of pupils with special needs in regular primary schools and is divided into 2 parts. In the 1st part, the construction of the questionnaire is described. The questionnaire consists of 30 statements related to 4 key themes of social participation: "friendships/relationships", "contacts/interactions", "perception of the pupil", and "acceptance by classmates", yielding 4 subscales. The 2nd part of the study addresses an empirical study in which the questionnaire's quality was examined. The outcomes of a confirmatory factor analysis largely supported the division of social participation into 4 key themes. The analysis revealed that 22 out of 30 statements correlated strongest with the subscale they were assigned to. The questionnaire as a whole turned out to be reliable, whereas the reliability of the subscales varied. The construct validity was found to be mainly acceptable. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

Inclusive education places much value on implementing the conditions that foster good relationships between students. Research has shown that pupils with special needs can have difficulty in building relationships with peers without special needs. This study describes their social position in regular education. It applies different indexes for social position and compares these with each other and with other judgments of the social position of pupils with special needs. The analyses show that pupils with special needs are less popular, have fewer friendships and participate less often as members of a subgroup. Compared with their peers, pupils with special needs are over-represented in these at-risk categories by a factor of two to three. Teachers have a more positive view on the relationships in the group and the number of friendships pupils with special needs have. Also pupils' own subjective experiences are more positive. The results of the present study stress that physical inclusion only is a very basic condition, that becoming part of the group is not an automatism and that especially pupils with special needs may need extra support in participating in the group. (Contains 9 tables, 1 figure, and 1 note.)

Since August 2003, pupils with auditory, communicative, motor, mental or multiple disabilities, as well as severe behavioural/emotional problems, in The Netherlands have been entitled to receive a pupil-bound budget when attending a mainstream school. The first experiences with this budget in regular Dutch primary schools are described in this paper. The focus is on the social position and development of 20 special educational needs (SEN) pupils who were placed in mainstream primary schools. The class teacher, parent(s) and peripatetic teacher of each of the pupils were interviewed; interviews focused on the cognitive, social and social-emotional development of the SEN pupils. In addition, the class teacher, parent(s), peripatetic teacher and classmates assessed the social position of the SEN pupil via interviews and a sociometric questionnaire. The results showed that teachers and parents and, to a lesser extent, peripatetic teachers, had a more positive view of the social position of the SEN pupils than did classmates. The results of the sociometric questionnaire indicated that the social position of the SEN pupils and that of their non-SEN classmates did not differ significantly, however. In addition, a panel of five independent assessors assessed the cognitive, social and social-emotional development of the 20 SEN pupils by examining anonymous pupil dossiers, which comprised information derived from interviews with class teachers, parents and peripatetic teachers, together with results of the sociometric questionnaire and a copy of the individual education programme (IEP) of the SEN pupils. The assessments showed that the panel had concerns about the development of 35% of these pupils; it was (very) positive about a further 35% of the SEN pupils. An expected relation between the social position of the SEN pupils and satisfaction of the panel concerning the development of the SEN pupils, however, was not found. (Contains 7 tables.)

Pupils with special needs can have difficulties in building relationships with peers in inclusive education. An important condition for developing positive relationships with peers is having the age-group appropriate social skills. It seems likely that pupils with an insufficient set of social skills face a larger risk of being excluded. This study describes the social skills of pupils with special needs and relates these to their social position in inclusive classrooms. In total 989 pupils from the 4th and 7th grades participated in the data collection. The analyses are based on three different indexes for social inclusion: peer acceptance, friendships and membership of a cohesive subgroup. The results show that 20% to 25% of the pupils with special needs are not socially included in their peer group. In general social position and social skills show low correlations, but that does not hold for pupils with behaviour problems. Their social position strongly relates to their social skills. For this particular group, social skills training can support them in maintaining contacts, relationships and friendships with their peers. (Contains 1 figure and 11 tables.)

This study focuses on the social position and the degree of being bullied of pupils with behaviour problems fully included in regular education and on their teachers' assessments on social integration and bullying. The study sample consisted of 25 9- to 12-year-old pupils with behaviour problems and their peers without special needs participating in full-time regular education in the north of The Netherlands. Data gathering was performed using pupil and teacher questionnaires and a sociometric test. Results indicate that compared to their peers without special educational needs (SEN), the pupils with behaviour problems in this study were included less socially. The study further shows that about half the teachers participating in the study have a too positive view on the social position of these pupils. These teachers tend to seriously underestimate both the frequency with which pupils are being bullied and the frequency with which these pupils actively bully their peers.