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This study involved interviewing Canadian principals (N = 37) to determine how they responded to students with special education needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yamamoto et al.'s (2014) concept of critical incidents and Heine et al.'s (2006) meaning maintenance model were used to evaluate the transformational power of principals' pandemic experiences in order to reimagine inclusive education. Findings revealed that these critical incidents broadly fell into four categories: 1) family support and the complications associated with partnering with parents virtually, 2) meeting students' needs in new and often innovative ways, 3) disparities in student experiences as a result of virtual schooling and 4) responses required in light of logistical and technical challenges.

The ethic of care is a moral philosophy that has been used to describe and guide the work of educators, especially those working with students with special education needs (SEN). In this study, 36 principals and vice principals from four provinces in Canada were interviewed about their work with students with SEN during the pandemic. Responses were analyzed using the ethic of care framework. Accordingly, responses indicated that principals were particularly aware of, and responsive towards, the wide range of need experienced by students, their families, and school staff. Principals appeared especially concerned about the social needs of their students with SEN, the emotional support needs of the students' families, and the teachers' distress at not being able to meet all the educational needs of their students. Although most principals described the emotional toll of their work during the pandemic, none identified efforts directed towards self-care. This paper considers these findings in regard to motivational displacement as it relates to an ethic of care and calls for a broader consideration of need within education, such that support is extended to students, school staff and school leaders as the most effective means to foster healthy, future-ready schools. Key words: pandemic, principal, inclusive education, ethic of care, mental health.

While the placement of students with complex learning needs in Canadian classrooms may be mandated in policy, the development of inclusive-positive practices requires direct, and at times delicate, support and encouragement from principals. Without genuine engagement and buy-in from school staff, students in inclusive classrooms may not find meaningful opportunities in those spaces. The framework of self-determination theory provides a path by which principals can catalyze attitudinal changes (autonomy), best practices (competences), and enriched community relationships (relatedness). This study includes interviews with 21 principals. The findings of this study suggest that affecting attitudinal changes requires specific and comprehensive practices.

We examine the process of developing web-based case studies, a novel form of professional learning for principals, specifically related to inclusive school leadership. Based on the input from 39 principals, 5 case studies were developed with branching scenarios that provided multiple options for decision-making. These "choose your own adventure" case studies were used in a special education for school administrators course with 109 participants in Ontario, Canada. We consider the authenticity of the cases, the importance of incorporating multiple perspectives, and issues related to function, form, and choice. We incorporate five lessons for developing web-based case studies.

This article provides a case study to examine a partnership involving Haitian and Canadian organisations to address Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education, and Sustainable Development Goal 17, Partnerships. Data collection included interviews with leaders of a professional development initiative for teachers in northern Haiti, participants in the initiative, and observations of participants. Findings from three key components of the case study are explored: understanding context and partner needs, monitoring progress by incorporating research and evaluation activities, and mobilising change at the local school level. The article raises important consideration for partnerships to support the Sustainable Development Goals including trust and relationship-building, meeting localised priorities, and the involvement of government actors in fragile states. The article contributes to the limited literature that examines how partnerships, the focus of Sustainable Development Goal 17, can support the advancement of education in fragile contexts such as Haiti.

As school systems strive to support students with special education needs in inclusive schools, there has been a persistent lack of scholarly literature that addresses the ways in which school principals are engaged in this process. This article is a response to this gap and aims to examine the question: What types of experiences do school principals identify as formational in their support of students with special education needs and fostering inclusive schools? Based on the analysis of data collected from 285 school principals from six provinces in Canada, four key themes are identified including: relationships, modelling behaviours, communication and principal isolation and lack of preparation. These themes are examined with consideration for how to support principals' professional leadership in fostering inclusive schools. As a result, this article's significance is in its examination of the experiences of principals and how these influence their leadership practice for supporting students with special education needs and fostering inclusive schools.

In this case, a high school vice-principal encounters tension and anger when she rewrites a staff member's report card comments without his knowledge. The case narrative examines the conflict that arises when, under time constraints and pressures to produce student reports, the vice-principal acts on a decision she believes is ethically correct only to find that she incurs a significant setback with staffing relationships largely due to wavering of trust. The analysis examines how transformational leadership builds self-efficacy in all staff founded on trusting relationships. Professional reflection provides a conduit through which educational leaders can assess their own practice and implement the changes needed to sustain school improvement planning.

Researchers and community organizations are increasingly operationalizing food sovereignty, and argue that participatory, community-engaged food sovereignty metrics can enhance insights about local contexts, and opportunities for food sovereignty. In Haiti, one of the most food-insecure countries in the world, peasant and civil society organizations have been calling for food sovereignty for over a decade, and the state recently published a food sovereignty policy document, marking an important paradigm shift. In this paper, we share a case study of a food sovereignty tool that was designed through a participatory, community-based process in Northern Haiti, offering a blueprint and lessons learned that we hope will be useful to others working to operationalize food sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examine inclusive education policies and practices in Mauritius and Ontario, Canada, through a comparative-case-study framework. We assess how policies are experienced by students with disabilities and consider the roles of various stakeholders in implementing these policies. Our research adopts a phenomenological case-study approach, focusing on the personal experiences of six students with different disabilities, supplemented by insights from four parents through interviews and focus-group discussions. The findings revealed a spectrum of experiences influenced by the presence of supportive environments, the availability of individual education plans, and the need for adapted materials and technology. Despite the commitment to inclusive education in both regions, gaps existed in policy awareness and application, suggesting a need for more informed and consistent practice. This study contributes to understanding the lived realities of students with disabilities and underscores the importance of multi-faceted support systems for effective inclusive education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined how Ghanaian picture books present disabilities. Using a content-analysis approach, the primary goal was to deduce how picture books serve to promote positive attitudes and inclusion of students with disabilities in schools in Ghana. Data included the text and visuals of seven picture books published in 2016 by Curriculum Research and Development Division of Ghana Education Services (now known as the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment), a branch of the Ghana Ministry of Education. The findings show that picture books provide an opportunity to address issues of stigma related to learning and physical disabilities, while explaining disability to non-disabled readers and disabled readers, who identify with stories about children who are like them. The process of reading stories to and with children can act as a cultural-awareness indicator. This study of children's literature, and others like it, serve as an educational support for the inclusion of students with disabilities in inclusive classroom settings. Picture books can help to increase disability awareness in young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive home-school relationships are essential for students with SEN, and this was especially true during the initial months of the pandemic lockdown, when parents took on more responsibility for schooling. Qualitative analyses suggested that principals and parents struggled to make connections during the first months of emergency schooling but ultimately recognized the value of family-focused planning and working together as co-educators. Participants identified "partner with parents" and "develop iterative practice" as steps moving forward. Recommendations for effective school/home relationships during crises are framed by sensemaking theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we consider three school leaders in Haiti who provide examples of innovative and exemplary leadership practices in the midst of challenging circumstances. Using a framework of innovative (Moolenaar, Daly, & Sleeger, 2010; Rogers, 2003) and exemplary leadership practices (Kouzes & Posner, 2006), we examine three themes that emerged from interviews with the three participants, observations of their work in the field, and interviews with other educational stakeholders in their communities. We raise considerations for leadership practices that include: The importance of social and professional networks, barriers and opportunities to innovative practice, and collaborations involving community, regional, national, and international partners. The paper provides suggestions for further exploration in examining educational leadership in fragile states such as Haiti.

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While the placement of students with complex learning needs in Canadian classrooms may be mandated in policy, the development of inclusive-positive practices requires direct, and at times delicate, support and encouragement from principals. Without genuine engagement and buy-in from school staff, students in inclusive classrooms may not find meaningful opportunities in those spaces. The framework of self-determination theory provides a path by which principals can catalyze attitudinal changes (autonomy), best practices (competences), and enriched community relationships (relatedness). This study includes interviews with 21 principals. The findings of this study suggest that affecting attitudinal changes requires specific and comprehensive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School principals are ultimately responsible for ensuring the delivery of programmes and services that students with special education needs (SEN) require. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditional delivery of these supports and principals are struggling with how to adequately support students with SEN. In this paper, I provide an overview of the ways in which principals in Ontario, Canada are attempting to direct services to students with SEN while working remotely. I consider some emerging insights into their experiences and what might be learned from a period of emergency remote learning. The conclusion provides an opportunity to consider lessons learned in other contexts and the particular need to ensure that students with SEN are central to longterm planning efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]