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The aim of this study was to examine the experience of graduating preschool teacher candidates related to children with special needs, moreover to reveal their attitudes and perceptions of preparedness and competence regarding integration. A survey was used to collect data from 360 (mean age: 26.09 yrs.) graduating students attending 10 Hungarian preschool teacher training institutions. Besides revealing the experience and self-perceptions, our purpose was to investigate the factors influencing the development of attitudes and perceptions of preparedness and competence. The hypotheses were justified: the more and positive experience gained related to children with special needs and integration lead to more positive attitudes and self-perceptions. Differences between the answers of full-time and part-time students also appeared regarding their opinion about their competence in connection with integration. The participants also expressed the need for more practical training related to integration and inclusion. These results are a key of importance regarding the development of inclusion related elements of preschool teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roles and responsibilities of preschool teachers are principal factors in the success of inclusive practices. Teachers should be aware of their roles and act accordingly in order to be effective in inclusive settings. The aim of this study is to evaluate preschool teachers' perceptions of their roles within the context of inclusion education. The participants were 19 preschool teachers with students with disabilities in their inclusive classrooms. Based on semi-structured interviews with the teachers, their role perceptions are discussed under six themes. Teachers are aware of some, but not all of their roles and responsibilities required of them by the relevant special law. They have significant deficiencies in knowledge and strategies necessary to adequately fulfill their legallydefined roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research examines the perceptions of inclusive support teachers (IST) in Israel regarding their status and the role they play in implementing inclusion of children with disabilities. Four perceptions were found to lie on a continuum from not finding their proper “place” to playing a central role in implementing inclusion in collaboration with the entire faculty and a sense of shared responsibility for the education of all students in the school. The findings show that the latter perception may attest to authentic inclusion already existing on the ground and the possibility that proper leadership could lead to its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated whether school-level protective factors could moderate the effects cumulative risk has upon behavior difficulties in children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The sample comprised 4,288 children identified with SEND: 2,660 pupils within 248 primary schools, and 1,628 pupils within 57 secondary schools. Risk factors associated with increases in behavior difficulties over an 18-month period were summed to a cumulative risk score. Various school-level factors were added to multilevel models, with interaction terms computed between cumulative risk and these variables to assess their potential protective effects. The primary school model revealed a significant interaction between cumulative risk and school academic achievement in predicting behavior difficulties. Higher levels of achievement in primary schools help reduce behavior difficulties for children most at risk. The secondary school model evidenced a significant interaction between cumulative risk and school percentage of students eligible for free school meals (FSM). Lower proportions within a school of children eligible for FSM were associated with reductions in behavior difficulties for children at high levels of risk. Interventions aimed at improving school-level academic achievement and targeting high-risk students attending schools with large proportions of children eligible for FSM would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultimate goal for school psychologists, special education practitioners, and other professionals who work with adolescents with disabilities is to help students plan and prepare to transition from school to adult life with the skills and knowledge to live happy, productive, and fulfilling lives. This article describes how school psychologists can support special education practitioners in improving transitions for students with disabilities, introduces free resources, and recommends forms of additional training. School psychologists are well positioned to support special education practitioners in facilitating the transition assessment process by providing documentation of postschool accommodation needs as students exit the school system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability often have specific cognitive and behavioural profiles. It has been suggested that educational approaches need to reflect these profiles. Parents (n = 381) and teachers (n = 204) of children with one of four syndromes, fragile X syndrome, Prader- Willi syndrome, Williams syndrome and velo-cardio-facial syndrome were surveyed. Syndromes were compared with respect to what parents and teachers had researched or been told with respect to appropriate educational approaches. Parent and teacher reports were subsequently compared with actual published guidelines on the syndromes. Teachers were also surveyed on what they felt were successful approaches based on actual experiences of teaching the children. Parent and teacher reports of efficacious strategies for supporting their children based on what they had been researched or been told differed across syndromes as might be anticipated. However, differences between parents and teachers and between parent/teacher reports and the published guidelines suggest that parent and teacher knowledge of guidelines is deficient and/or that parents and teachers are accessing knowledge elsewhere. With respect to teaching practices, there were much less differences between the syndromes than in the published guidelines indicating that differences between syndromes in guidelines may not be as evident in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which reviews special education coursework required of preservice elementary general education teachers by colleges and universities in midwestern U.S. It notes on the review made on the course syllabi based on various areas, which include characteristics of disabilities as related to special education. It cites that the results offer insight into the content of special education courses required of general elementary education majors in one state.

This article describes how reflection can implemented in early intervention and to pre-service educators through coaching. Early intervention is provided to families when a young child has a disability. The model used for early intervention is coaching. Coaching is also applied to facilitate growth by pre-service educators studying to become teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a one and a half year educational intervention on the job dissatisfaction of teachers in 30 Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) centres in Kelantan, Malaysia, and to identify the factors influencing changes in job dissatisfaction following the intervention. Method: Ten educational modules were administered to the teachers. A validated Malay version of Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) was used pre intervention, mid intervention and post intervention. Result: Repeated Measure ANOVA revealed there was a statistically significant reduction in the mean of job dissatisfaction (p = 0.048). Multiple Linear Regression revealed that coworker support (β= 0.034 (95% CI = 0.009, 0.059)), having less decision authority (β: -0.023; 95% CI: -0.036, -0.01) and being single (β: -0.107; 95% CI: -0.176,-0.038) were significantly associated with decreases in job dissatisfaction. Conclusion: The intervention program elicited improvement in job satisfaction. Efforts should be made to sustain the effect of the intervention in reducing job dissatisfaction by continuous support visits to CBR centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine (a) the teacher-reported prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and associated impairment in a nationally representative sample of children and adolescents and (b) the degree to which prevalence varied as a function of student and teacher characteristics. Teacher-reported symptoms of ADHD based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria and teacher-rated impairment were used to estimate prevalence using symptoms and impairment either alone or in combination, and to assess predictors of ADHD using a diverse, nationally representative sample (n = 2,140; 1,070 males, 1,070 females; 54.8% White, non-Hispanic) between 5 to 17 years old (M = 11.53; SD = 3.54). The combination of symptom and impairment ratings yielded the prevalence rate most consistent with prior epidemiological findings. Students' age, gender, racial, and special education status were significant predictors of symptom count and level of symptom-related impairment. It is critically important to simultaneously consider symptoms and symptom-related impairment when identifying students with ADHD. Student and teacher characteristics may affect ratings and identification results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many schools have adopted schoolwide intervention blocks as a component of response-to-intervention (RTI) implementation to ensure that students who need intervention are receiving it. However, virtually no peer-reviewed guidance exists for helping teachers manage this time effectively. This article presents a blueprint for organizing intervention block time so that all students benefit. Teachers and principals should consider (a) identifying appropriate assessment and intervention resources, (b) determining professional development needs to improve capacity for intervention delivery, (c) using personnel resources in the most effective way, (d) structuring the time to deliver interventions and engage students who are not receiving intervention, and (e) optimizing the physical space available to deliver interventions. Specific planning considerations are outlined and suggestions for monitoring fidelity of implementation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An interview with author and former Council for Learning Disabilities president Virginia Fletcher Brown is presented. She discusses her career as a teacher, particularly for children with learning disabilities, the books she has written and her evaluation of the status of special education in the U.S. prior to the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act or Public Law 94-142. She also talks about the factors that influenced her interest in special education.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the how the author, a teacher of teenagers with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, formed the Rock Penguins rock band with his students at the Priory School in London, England.

The integration of children with disabilities in mainstream early childhood settings is a common practice in many developed and developing countries world-wide. A number of key points have been raised concerning such integration, including the increased attention to civil education about the rights of persons with disabilities, training for teachers, and close communication between the government and the mainstream schools. This paper presents a qualitative study of these critical issues in the context of integrated early childhood centres in Hong Kong. These centres operate under an integration policy inherited from the British colonial period. This policy lies within the larger philosophical context of Confucianism with its commitment to excellence, which makes for an intensely competitive schooling environment. Thus, the story presented in this paper is a collection of multiple perspectives of parents with and without children with disabilities, teachers, and school principals on the topic of integration. Looking at the bigger picture, we argue that rather than simply inheriting a policy that is prone to bureaucratic machinations, the policy must be adopted and owned within the local settings if it is to work properly. The implications of this study resonate with integrated education in settings that may be very different from the ones described herein. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article, by Karen Broomhead of Liverpool John Moores University, discusses an exploration of the clashing norms, values and expectations of parenting behaviours between parents of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties ( BESD) and practitioners. Semi-structured interviews with 15 education professionals, employed in both mainstream and BESD schools, highlighted how parents of children with BESD were deemed to experience chaotic, dysfunctional home circumstances, with no boundaries in place for their children. This contrasted with the structure, routine and stability that educational practitioners perceived themselves to provide for pupils with BESD. Practitioners employed in BESD schools elaborated on the perceived norms of chaos and dysfunction held by these parents, and suggested that these were evident due to an intergenerational continuity of ineffective parenting. Problematically, educational practitioners displayed a tacit acceptance of parental norms. This questioned whether advocating for pupils with BESD was at the top of the agenda for professionals, or whether a conflict-avoidance strategy was adopted instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A qualitative research project was carried out to explore the views of children with special educational needs, their parents and teachers about one aspect of educational psychology practice: the dynamic assessment of cognitive skills. The research was carried out in a highly diverse and inclusive borough in East London, by Nicola Lawrence from Hounslow Educational Psychology Service, and Sharon Cahill from the University of East London. The views of nine children were sought through semi-structured interviews regarding the process of dynamic assessment, supported with tools and techniques to facilitate discussion. The views of eight parents and seven teachers were also sought, through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, regarding the psychological reports produced from dynamic assessment. Of the original findings acquired through thematic analysis of the data, those pertaining to the perceived impact of dynamic assessment of cognitive skills are reported. Dynamic assessment was reported to impact positively upon the child's emotional well-being, self-perceptions, approach to learning and social relationships, both directly, and through the subsequent intervention of parents and educators. Dynamic assessment, as well as providing instructionally useful information for parents and teachers, encouraged them to move beyond locating the problem within the child, to reconceptualising their special educational needs in context. As a result, parents and teachers became more positive and optimistic about the child, the current situation and the child's future. Dynamic assessment impacted upon the child's holistic needs, parenting and the development of inclusive practice in the classroom. It is concluded that from the perspective of service users, dynamic assessment forms a worthwhile and valuable part of educational psychology practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in technological capabilities are enabling more students to complete schoolwork in online learning environments in addition to and sometimes instead of traditional classrooms. Teachers, parents, and learning coaches who are working with students using these online environments need to know about the complexity of the text with which students with disabilities can be presented so that they can employ scaffolding strategies to help the students experience success in comprehending the sometimes text-laden world of online learning environments. This article outlines those challenges and offers support materials for meeting them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for teaching aids and devices that are used in online education and virtual schools to be accessible to students with disabilities. Topics discussed include the need for websites used in online education to meet Section 508 requirements of the 1973 U.S. Rehabilitation Act, the creation of the voluntary product accessibility template (VPAT), and the accessibility considerations for when using learning management systems (LMSs).

The article discusses ways for teachers and parents to support students with disabilities who take online courses in mathematics. Topics discussed include the use of blended learning, in which students spend some time taking traditional classes and other time taking web-based courses, the importance of technology in student success, and the role of the learning coach in supporting students. INSET: Technology Considerations.

The article discusses the role of parents in their children's online learning. Topics discussed include the use of online education by children with disabilities, the challenges parents may have in keeping their children engaged with their online lessons, and the connection between parents and teachers in online education. INSETS: Introductory Parent Letter;Sample Teacher Questions for Online Parent/Family Introductions.

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers and their supporting team (e.g., parents) with an understanding of the implications of blended and virtual learning for students with disabilities. To support these students, it is important to have an understanding of the manner in which a significant majority of blended and virtual learning is delivered for today’s K–12 student. Many blended and online programs include resources and tools teachers can use to adapt and extend student learning. This article offers tips, strategies, and resources to the novice as well as a veteran teacher moving to instruct in the blended or virtual learning environment. INSET: Center on Online Learning and Students With Disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore how support staff make sense of their experiences of assisting children with additional support needs in mainstream classes. Focussed and productive communication with the class teacher was perceived as being crucial to effective practice. A conclusion of this study is that absence of communication relating to pedagogy and pupil need between class teachers and support staff prevents effective planning on the part of the teacher and effective support practices on the part of the additional supporting adult. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present investigation used reflective narratives to examine the perceptions of novice special educators toward their students and to examine the levels of reflection (VanManen, 1977). Six graduate students in an alternate route teacher certification program, who were teaching in a major metropolitan setting, contributed to this study. Results were examined to assess any change in the level of reflection from the initial narrative and a re-examination of the narrative and to discover major themes that emerged in the first and second narrative. Implications for teacher preparation and student learning are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the oral health-related quality of life between the parents and the teachers of disabled schoolchildren in Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: The three category response version of the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) (12 questions, always, sometimes, never) was used in the questionnaires in Kuwait. Three hundred and eight (308) parents and 112 teachers were enrolled in this study. Results: The mean age of the parents was 45 ± 9.9 years and of the teachers 38 ± 8.4 years. The mean GOHAI was 27.2 ± 3.5 among the parents and 27.8 ± 3.3 among the teachers (p = 0.091). GOHAI was higher in the older age groups (p = 0.002) and among the parents with a university education (p < 0.001). GOHAI was also higher with increasing toothbrushing frequency among the parents (p = 0.047) and the teachers (p = 0.003). Altogether, 203 (66%) of the parents and 85 (76%) of the teachers were always able to swallow comfortably; 123 (40%) of the parents and 41 (37%) of the teachers were able to eat without discomfort. Overall, 132 (43%) of the parents and 41 (37%) of the teachers were always pleased and happy with the looks of their teeth and gums, or dentures. The Cronbach's alpha (0.83) indicated a high degree of internal consistency between different GOHAI items. Conclusion: There seemed to be no difference in the impact of oral health on the quality of life between the parents and the teachers of disabled schoolchildren. Oral health had a relatively weak impact on the quality of life of these adults. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) position on the evaluation of special and gifted education teachers. According to the CEC, a teacher evaluation system should be developed using research-based standards, support the professional development of teachers, and be open to examination and input from the teachers being evaluated. The CEC stresses that teacher evaluations must take into account the complex roles of special education teachers and continually incorporate current research in education. Other topics include evidence-based standards, the professionalism of special education teachers, and the role of student improvement in evaluations.

The article provides suggestions for teachers on holding meetings for developing a student with disabilities' individualized education program (IEP). According to the article, a major component of this success is open communication and the inclusion of parents from the start of the program's development. Other suggestions provided by the author include the importance of pre-meeting planning, developing and distributing a meeting agenda, and ensuring members of the IEP team have all essential knowledge regarding the student and practices.

The article looks at ways co-teachers, or teaching teams, of students with disabilities can discuss and develop assessments to inform academic instruction. The article defines typical co-teaching and states the three components as co-planning, co-instructing, and co-assessing. The authors focus on co-assessment and describe ways in which assessments can be differentiated and their effects. These include ways co-teachers can share assessment responsibilities, discuss assessment philosophy, and use sources such as standardized test scores for data before instruction. According to the article, when both teachers are involved in assessment development students receive the maximum benefits.

The authors conducted this study to decrease disruptive vocalizations in a 3rd-grade student with high-functioning autism across 3 general education classrooms. They used direct and indirect approaches of functional behavior assessment to determine the function of the disruptive behavior. Results indicated that the behavior was maintained by attention from the teachers. To reduce the disruptive vocalizations, the teachers implemented noncontingent attention, which was tracked across 3 content areas with 3 different teachers in 3 settings using an AB design. Results showed decreased disruptive vocalizations across all 3 environments. Results and implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite federal mandates to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, teachers continue to have mixed feelings about their own preparedness to educate students with disabilities in the general education setting. However, research has demonstrated that teachers with more positive attitudes toward inclusion are more apt to adjust their instruction and curriculum to meet individual needs of students and have a more positive approach to inclusion. The purpose of this study was to examine the change in preservice teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about inclusive practices following an introductory special education course, paired with a 24-hr practicum. Results suggest that a special education course paired with a field experience working with students with disabilities can significantly influence preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article provides a description of service learning implemented in an introductory special education course focused on the culture of disability. Collaborating with liaisons from five community service organizations, students provided services to individuals with disabilities in a variety of projects across two semesters. Communication and collaboration at all phases of the project were essential to ensuring that service learning was salient to the organization and meaningful to the students. The students presented a final report about their service-learning project and individually submitted a paper reflecting on their experience. Pre- and post-ratings of students' perspectives of the culture of disability were gathered. Students reported increased knowledge related to course content, and all participants reported satisfaction with the projects. Strategies that proved successful in assisting students accomplish their project goals are discussed. Recommendations for the use of service learning in personnel preparation of future special educators are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current best practice suggests inclusion for teaching children with disabilities. This requires teachers to be well-trained in accommodating instruction to meet the needs of children with disabilities. As more schools move to embrace Response to Intervention as a framework for addressing the educational needs of all children, teachers will need to feel even more capable of meeting diverse learners' needs. How capable teachers feel they are to accommodate instruction so that students succeed is a question of much discussion. This study investigated how teachers feel about their abilities to educate students who are at-risk and those with special needs and the relationship between teacher efficacy, learned helplessness and the presence or absence of support through consultation. Results suggest that the presence of consultation was the sole factor among the variables addressed that affected reported self-efficacy and learned helplessness in relation to teaching students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study designed to examine teachers' craft knowledge of their practice of ‘inclusion’ in terms of what they do, why and how. The research approach offers an important alternative to studies of students with ‘additional needs’ and the search to articulate the specialist knowledge and skill required to teach them. Through classroom observations and interviews with 11 teachers of students across the full age range in two Scottish primary schools, we investigated how teachers make meaning of the concept of inclusion in their practice by exploring theoretical assumptions drawn from the literature about inclusive pedagogy. The analysis enabled us to identify practical examples of inclusive pedagogy that met the standard of extending what is generally available to everybody, as opposed to providing for all by differentiating for some. Examples of the inclusive pedagogical approach are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is common for many students with developmental disabilities to demonstrate characteristics of emergent readers beyond kindergarten and first grade, even if they are members of classes that offer many rich literacy opportunities. This article proposes a lesson frame for intensive reading instruction for students with developmental disabilities who may be long-term emergent readers. Structured shared reading offers a way for teachers to provide systematic instruction that allows students to experience success as readers while developing a strong foundation of critical behaviors and skills for independent reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]