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The aim of this systematic review was to map the peer-reviewed literature (2009–2019) relating to school involvement with wraparound models in the support of students with complex needs. Specific research questions addressed explored the evidence base of the efficacy of wraparound with these students and barriers and enablers in the provision of wraparound services. Database searches were conducted and a total of 50 articles were identified. The analysis revealed eight different aspects of wraparound efficacy, with mixed results. Nine factors were identified as having a positive enabling, or disabling, effect on the provision of effective wraparound services. The wraparound programs were varied in their nature and in their successful implementation, with time to allow the program to mature and adherence to the 10 principles of the wraparound process emerging as enabling factors for wraparound success.

Students with autism and intellectual disabilities experience many transitions during their schooling, and a large body of literature is devoted to best practices in transition planning and support. The Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0 is a research-based model that provides best practice suggestions to guide the planning of various transitions and contexts. The researchers aimed to use the current qualitative study to discover the transition planning practices used to support students with autism and intellectual disabilities in inclusive school settings when transitioning from primary to secondary schools and from secondary school to postschool life in New South Wales (Australia). The practices that emerged were then examined for alignment with the Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0. The inductive content analysis of interviews with 8 parents and 13 teachers indicated that although most of the areas of the Taxonomy are represented in the planning processes, there is room for improvement, particularly in the areas of formal individual education program and transition planning, student involvement, information sharing, and program assessment. The results highlighted the importance of formal student- and family-centred planning processes to the success of both transitions. The results were used to make further recommendations for future research, policy, and practice.

Researchers note that the transitions of secondary students with disability in and out of the juvenile justice system are problematic for both the young person and leadership teams of their sending and receiving schools. Much of the literature focuses on barriers to successful transitions; however, there are some accounts of positive transition practices. In this article, we identify these positive practices and outline the steps school principals and executives involved in transitioning secondary school students with disability in and out of juvenile justice settings can take to smooth the way and improve student outcomes for this vulnerable population.

The aim of the study was to identify transition planning processes as reported by participants for school-aged youth serving custodial sentences in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and to establish the extent to which these reflect current evidence or research-based transition practices reported in the literature. The authors used inductive content analysis methodology to analyse interviews with 44 staff members from the education and juvenile justice systems in NSW. The findings of the study indicate that although a number of evidence/research-based practices are being used, there are some that still need to be implemented. Specifically, there is a need for more involvement of the families of incarcerated youth and support for the self-determination of the young people in custody.

The implementation of a transition model, the flexible integration model, was investigated in a school in Sydney, Australia, using an exploratory single case study design (Rowley, 2002). It is a person-centred model designed to assist students in transitioning from a special school for students with emotional and behavioural disabilities to mainstream settings. Students enrol in mainstream classes in areas that interest them academically and vocationally, while receiving support in developing the necessary social and behavioural skills to successfully fully transition to mainstream and post-school settings. The model, based on the person-centred planning framework, was implemented with 1 student during the last 2 terms of a school year. The outcomes and effectiveness of adopting the model were evaluated by analysing the student's behaviour and attendance, and interviews with principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals. Results indicated improvement in the student's behaviour, attendance, and interpersonal skills.

Participant-driven photo-elicitation, a visual research technique, is commonly used with marginalised and vulnerable groups of individuals. Reflections on the use of this technique are illustrated through a study examining the conceptualisation of student wellbeing from the perspectives of teachers, parents, and students with autism spectrum disorder. Interviews were used to collect data from teachers and parents, while photovoice, a community and participatory action research strategy, was used as a data collection method for students. Although participant-driven photo-elicitation (a component of photovoice) requires much planning, resources, collaboration with teachers, and the flexibility of the researcher, it empowers and engages students with autism spectrum disorder, helps develop social, communication, and self-awareness skills, enables the collection of rich data, and enables the voices of these students to be heard.

Schooling transitions are often challenging experiences for students with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ID/ASD), their families, and their teachers. Transition processes, particularly planning, can facilitate successful transitions from primary to secondary schools, and to postschool settings. Bronfenbrenner's ecological model served as a theoretical framework to examine parents’ and teachers’ experiences with transitions for students with ID/ASD attending special schools. The authors interviewed 14 carers and 13 teachers of students with ID/ASD attending special government schools in New South Wales. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. The findings of this small-scale Australian study indicate that although transition practices varied widely by school, both parents and teachers perceived that more can be done to support students with ID/ASD during these times. School–home collaboration and access to information about postschool settings were areas that were emphasised by both groups. Furthermore, the lack of student involvement in transition meetings was of great concern, given that student-focused planning is a well-established evidence-based transition practice. The processes that are implemented to support students with ID/ASD require closer scrutiny, as results revealed inconsistencies in transition planning across schools, and both parents and teachers suggested ways to strengthen transition processes.

There has been an increasing body of research on student wellbeing in recent years. Despite this, there is much debate on the notion of student wellbeing, along with a lack of studies focusing on the wellbeing of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 12 studies on the wellbeing of typically developing students were used to identify the domains that comprise student wellbeing. Four studies on the school experiences of students with ASD were also included to investigate how the school experiences of students with ASD relate to the domains of student wellbeing. These articles were located through electronic and hand searches. Eight domains of student wellbeing were identified, along with 8 themes derived from the school experiences of students with ASD. Results support several recommendations for schools to promote the development of the domains of student wellbeing for students with ASD.

There are no Commonwealth or state laws in Australia that require educational authorities to provide individualised transition plans (ITPs) to secondary students with disabilities. It is argued that, in lieu of legislation, Australia's signed commitment to international treaties and national policies obliges educational jurisdictions to provide ITPs to secondary students with disabilities to improve the postschool outcomes for this vulnerable population. Document analysis methods were used to analyse these international treaties and national policies for statements aligned with evidence-based transition skills and predictors. Almost 90 transition-aligned statements were found, accounting for all evidence-based transition skill categories and most of the transition predictor categories. Implications for policymakers and educational jurisdictions are discussed.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, its diagnosis and its treatment have been controversial since the 1970s (Kean, 2012), with opinions differing with respect to the diagnostic process, whether it in fact exists, or if it is an excuse for poor parenting and teaching (Maras, Redmayne, Hall, Braithwaite, & Prior, 1997). There are currently few studies that directly examine demographic characteristics as an indicator of teacher knowledge of ADHD and their attitudes towards ADHD-type behaviours. In this pilot study of teachers in Sydney public schools, we examined teacher knowledge about ADHD, their attitudes towards students who exhibit behaviours associated with ADHD, and the impact of demographic characteristics on their opinions and attitudes. We set out to discover the levels of overall knowledge teachers possess regarding ADHD, the attitudes teachers hold towards ADHD and its associated inattentive/hyperactive behaviours, and if any demographic characteristics can predict these attitudes.Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to establish the existence of groups of variables with respect to teacher knowledge of ADHD and teacher attitudes towards ADHD-type behaviours and any demographic predictors of teacher attitudes. Analysis showed that, overall, teachers exhibit an adequate (50–85% correct responses to knowledge test questions) knowledge of ADHD, but less sound knowledge in some areas than others, for example, aetiology. Analysis also demonstrated that there are some significant demographic predictors of teacher attitudes; however, further research is needed to verify these preliminary findings.