In Singapore, training for pre-service special education (PSSE) teachers is supported by a ten-week special education teaching (SET) practicum process in special school setting. In the first four weeks of SET practicum PSSE teachers are familiarized with their pupils, class routines, school culture and administrative processes within the school. The PSSE teachers were guided in lesson preparation and delivery by way of written and face-to-face feedback. Following this handholding, the PSSE teachers are observed by supervisors and cooperating teachers in the school and the University supervisors and they are graded for their overall performance of the SET practicum. This study focuses on the learning experiences of the PSSE teachers during the ten-week SET practicum in their respective special schools. The PSSE teachers completed a survey the week following completion of their practicum experience in school. Thirty-three (Male = 3; Female = 30) PSSE teachers participated in the survey. The survey instrument used a 4-point Likert scale which included two sections: (a) Teachers’ Response to the Practicum Experience their Learning Experience and (b) The process of the SET Practicum. The overall findings indicate that the PSSE teachers had positive experiences. Although the majority of PSSE teachers indicated that they enjoyed the SET practicum, their reasons varied. They felt that their supervisors both within the school and the University understood and the SET practice process and also conveyed the correct SET practicum process to them. The findings of this study are discussed in the light of recommended improvements to the SET practicum process for the PSSE teachers in special schools. ... [more]

Many people believe that environmental factors promote giftedness and invest in many programs to adopt gifted students providing them with challenging activities. Intellectual giftedness is founded on fluid intelligence and extends to more specific abilities through the growth and inputs from the environment. Acknowledging the roles played by the environment in the development of giftedness leads to an effective nurturing of gifted individuals. Further, giftedness requires a context that enables it to develop. However, no study has investigated the direct and indirect effects of environment and fluid intelligence on intellectual giftedness. Thus, this study investigated the contribution of environment factors to giftedness development by conducting tests of fluid intelligence using CCFT and analytical abilities using culture reduced test items covering problem solving, pattern recognition, audio-logic, audio-matrices, and artificial language, and self report questionnaire for the environmental factors. A number of 180 high-scoring students were selected using CCFT from a leading university in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was employed using Amos V.16 to determine the direct and indirect effects of environment factors (family, peers, teachers, school, society, and resources) on the intellectual giftedness. The findings showed that the hypothesized model fitted the data, supporting the model postulates and showed significant and strong direct and indirect effects of the environment and fluid intelligence on the intellectual giftedness. ... [more]

social and emotional learning (SEL) intervention to develop self-awareness, self-respect and respect for diverse others, were investigated with 218 students in Grades four to seven and their teachers. Intervention and control groups were assessed pre and post intervention for level of self-awareness, self-respect, awareness of others, and respect for others. Measures of classroom climate were also included. Students completed several measures of SEL, and a selected sample were interviewed to obtain detailed information about their experiences with the RD program. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis procedures and repeated measures MANCOVAs. The intervention significantly increased students’ self-respect, awareness of others, and respect for others, while students in control classrooms decreased in these factors. Classroom climate also significantly improved for treatment classrooms according to both teachers and students, and, similarly, decreased in control classrooms.... [more]

The number of students with learning disabilities (LD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased steadily over the past two decades. Many of these students have language-based learning difficulties that create barriers to success in foreign language (FL) courses. Many institutions have responded by providing these students with exemptions or alternative courses. Although exemptions and alternatives are needed by some students with severe language difficulties, the literature is increasingly indicating that many of these students can successfully complete FL curricula. This is especially true when accommodations and specialized teaching methodologies are implemented in sections of FL courses designed specifically to meet the needs of students with LD. The purpose of this article is to describe FL course accommodations supported by existing literature and field-based experiences. The article also highlights the benefits of successful FL experiences for student with LD.... [more]

The aim of the present study was to examine whether gender and inclusion settings are associated with elementary school pupils’ aspects of social development such as aggression, social insecurity and attitudes toward disability. The sample consisted of 658 pupils (?age=11±1 years) of 15 primary schools (306 boys and 352 girls). Three hundred and fifty three of the participants attended schools with inclusive settings while the rest 305 attended typical schools. The participants of the study completed the Checklist of Aggressive Behaviour (CAB), the Checklist of Social Insecure Behaviour (CSIB), and the Children’s Attitudes Towards Integrated Physical Education - Revised (CAIPE-R). Results indicated that girls showed less aggressive behaviour compared to boys, and pupils in typical schools displayed higher attitudes toward disability compared to pupils in inclusion schools. These findings imply that gender is a significant factor just for students displaying aggression but not social insecurity and/or adopting positive attitudes towards disability. Furthermore, inclusive setting is not a sufficient condition for the promotion of typical pupils’ social behaviour.... [more]

This article concerns social skills interventions for children with emotional/behavioral disorders. Drawing on the author’s teaching experience and the findings of research on social skills training in schools, and exploring effective ways to facilitate children’s social skill development, the paper describes how social skills interventions can be accomplished through the use of a story-based method that employs telecommunications, cooperative learning and gaming, and various other activities. The article concludes that as teachers explore innovative ways to enhance students’ social competence; they also need to consider the complexity of learning social competence and how difficult it is for students to gain mastery. Finally, researchers in the field are encouraged to carry out both theoretical and empirical studies to explore the overall efficacy of social skills training in general, the effectiveness of particular approaches, and to identify more proven strategies that promote students’ social competence.... [more]

This study examined perspectives on inclusion and schooling of a sample of 68 parents of children with Angelman Syndrome (a severe and complex disability), and solicited their suggestions and recommendations for educators. Participants responded to a scale titled, Perceptions of Parents of Children with Angelman Syndrome toward School adapted from two instruments developed previously (Leyser & Kirk, 2004; Salend, 2001). Parents also responded to several open-ended questions. Findings revealed not only a strong support of the philosophical and legal principles of inclusion, but also major concerns such as a lack of knowledge and skills by teachers and possible rejection of the child. A sizable number of parents still supported the education of their child in segregated special education settings. Most parents were satisfied with the child’s schooling, but were concerned about the lack of services and difficulties of communication with the school and the district. Parents offered helpful insights about their children and families. A discussion of the study results and implications for pre-service and in-service training are provided... [more]

Conducted in one inclusive teacher education program in the United States, this study explored the trajectory of and the relationships between preservice teachers’ sense of efficacy and attitudes toward school diversity through the course of preparation. Findings revealed that, in general, changes of preservice teachers’ perceived efficacy, attitudes towards inclusion, and beliefs of socio-cultural diversity reflected the particular foci at different phases of the program. Overall, participants’ perceived sense of efficacy showed significant, positive associations with their attitudes towards inclusion and beliefs about socio-cultural diversity. However, regardless of their perceived levels of efficacy, participants were negative about teaching children with behavioral disabilities. On the one hand, the study suggests the effectiveness of the program to educate preservice teachers to positively respond to school diversity. On the other hand, it also indicates that preservice teachers across the board persistently hoarded negative feelings about children with behavioral disabilities. The study recommends that teacher educators may need to devote ample resources and employ effective strategies to improve preservice teachers’ attitudes towards children with behavioral challenges.... [more]

This paper discusses the future of professionalism of the traditional exclusive and curative pedagogy for speech and language impaired children in Germany. This specialized professional domain is currently being challenged to define as a specialized educational domain of education and educational science their resources with a justifiable educational theory for the inclusive restructuring of the school system. Therefore this domain brings a variety of terminology for concepts and methods that manage to combine education and curriculum-based speech and language therapy in the classroom. In its actual redefinition it moves between linguistic provincialism and professional self-dissolution. But educational and institutional resources with evidence-based educational methods show, however useful perspectives in an inclusive system, if the subsidiarity principle would be followed Not a complete sentence.. A network-based organization for these resources and methods is one way. The restructuring of the special schools for pupils without speech and language disabilities is another way. ... [more]

This qualitative study examined the influence of school culture on services for students with significant support needs. Students with significant support needs are defined as those who typically have cognitive impairments, often paired with sensory and physical challenges, and who require substantial supports to receive benefit from education. Using Schein’s (1988) definition of culture, ethnographic methods, including observations, interviews and artifacts, were used to collect data related to artifacts, values, and assumptions. Results of this study indicate a strong sense of family, community and belonging. However, belonging did not include critical components of instruction as described as best practice in special education literature.... [more]

This paper maps out the challenges and responses to inclusive education in Sweden from a cultural/historical point of view. Core concepts that have bearing on inclusive education practices are discussed. The analysis incorporates varied materials. As the current Swedish political and educational discourses reflect contradictions and dilemmas among varied dimensions of the educational arena, the analysis has been conceptualized in terms of the assumption that policy and practice decisions involve dilemmas. Swedish social welfare/educational policy has traditionally been underpinned by a strong philosophy of universalism, equal entitlements of citizenship, comprehensiveness, and solidarity as an instrument to promote social inclusion and equality of resources. Within the past decades, however, Sweden has undergone a dramatic transformation. The changes are framed within neo-liberal philosophies such as devolution, market solutions, competition, effectivity, and standardization, coupled with a proliferation of individual/parent choices for independent schools, all of which potentially work against the valuing of diversity, equity and inclusion. Marginalization and segregation of socially disadvantaged and ethnic minority groups has increased. Result and resource differences have widened among schools and municipalities and among pupils. Swedish efforts in the past to promote equity through a variety of educational policies have been fascinating. Those early educational policies, including the macro political agenda focused on the social welfare model, have helped to diminish the effects of differential social, cultural, and economic background on outcomes. This has come under threat. There is still some hope, however, of mitigating the situation through varied social and educational measures combined with an effective monitoring system and a stronger partnership and transparent working relationship between the central and local government systems. Research and follow-up are crucial in this process.... [more]

This paper provides a brief background of the education system in Saudi Arabia and current special education services and programs for students with disabilities. Additionally, this paper presents the findings of some studies that examined teachers' perspectives regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities. As Saudi Arabia continues its dramatic period of improvement, changes in special education services will occur rapidly. To improve special education services, educators, parents, policymakers, and other professionals should consider many suggestions regarding critical components of successful inclusive education. In addition, further research is needed on changing the attitudes of stakeholders toward inclusion so they can be supportive of these students in a general education setting.... [more]

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) require that students with disabilities have equal access to general education curricula and contexts. Florida’s Differentiated Accountability Program (DAP) is designed to support educators in meeting IDEA and NCLB requirements. The authors reviewed 35 School Improvement Plans (SIP) from the seven largest districts across the state to find evidence of schools participating in the DAP for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. The findings suggest that although a level of consistency was evidenced in certain districts, a great deal of variety remains across the seven districts sampled regarding potentially effective professional development and continuous improvement strategies promoting inclusive practices. The article describes and analyzes localized responses to accountability policy approaches that are reflected globally in trends towards state supported systems that utilize high-stakes measurement metrics and supports to spur more efficient and competitive reforms for all students, including students with disabilities... [more]