British Journal of Special Education最新文献

In accordance with Greek law, students with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend mainstream schools, unless an Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counselling and Support Centre recommends otherwise based on the type or severity of the disability. This paper presents quantitative data from the Greek Statistical Authority regarding the number of students per category of special educational needs and disabilities enrolled in special schools between 2017 and 2023. The findings reveal that the most common categorisations were intellectual disability, autism and multiple disabilities. Furthermore, within this six-year period, the number of students with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities and visual impairments enrolled in special schools notably increased, while the number of students with intellectual disabilities barely increased. The number of enrolments of students in the rest of the categories decreased. This study is pertinent because it provides information about the role of categorisation in the exclusion of a significant number of students with diagnosed special educational needs and disabilities from mainstream schools in Greece. Despite disjointed statutes addressing inclusion, the Greek education system essentially categorises students with special educational needs and disabilities according to the individual medical model of disability and educates them based on their diagnoses rather than their individual needs and interests.

This article presents a critical examination of the ways in which deafness has been conceptualised in social, cultural and academic discourses, centring on the notion of Intercultural Deaf Gain. Drawing on an experience situated in the Global South and from the intersectional perspective of its deaf author, the identity tensions faced by those with hearing loss who navigate between the hearing world and Deaf culture are analysed. The proposal seeks to enrich the traditional concept of Deaf Gain, integrating hybrid experiences that have historically been marginalised. It is argued that this approach allows for a questioning of the deficit model, making deaf diversity visible, in order to promote more equitable forms of inclusion.

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly limited access to vital services and resources required to support the health, education and development of neurodivergent children, especially children with Down syndrome (DS). We undertook qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended questions exploring caregiver (n = 194) concerns about the impact of the pandemic restrictions on their children with DS. Results showed that parents were concerned about their child's mental and physical health during lockdowns, and reported that children found the social isolation and lack of routine particularly challenging. Restrictions also raised ongoing longer-term concerns. Parents reported that limited social contact affected the development of children's communication and social skills, and fewer group activities impacted weight and motor development. School closures affected academic progress and development of the skills required to navigate a classroom environment. Restricted access to healthcare services delayed diagnosis and treatment, and cancelled therapies disrupted speech and motor development; ongoing disruptions continued to limit opportunities to mitigate concerns. The interlinking impacts of multiple restrictions compounded the challenges, highlighting the importance of accessible social resources and system-wide support for the health and development of neurodivergent children. We urge practitioners, researchers and policymakers to collaborate with families to mitigate the long-term implications of the pandemic for children with DS.

Interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory (IPARTheory) claims that when people perceive themselves to be accepted (rather than rejected) by important others in their lives, they tend to have greater psychological adjustment. Previous research shows that higher levels of adjustment are related to better academic performance, for young adults both with and without disabilities or impairments. Participants (n = 202; 54.9% men, 45.1% women) who had visual impairments (n = 71; 49.2% men, 50.8% women), hearing impairments (n = 70; 58.6% men, 41.4% women) or other physical impairments (n = 61; 57.4% men, 42.6% women) completed questionnaires about their childhood experiences of parental acceptance–rejection and their current level of psychological adjustment. Additionally, the participants' grade point averages were collected from their instructors. Correlations, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and path analysis demonstrated that psychological maladjustment mediated the relationship between perceived parental rejection and academic achievement. Moreover, psychological maladjustment was shown to have a greater impact on academic achievement among respondents with ‘other’ physical impairments than those with visual or hearing impairments. These findings emphasise the importance for parents to be warm and accepting in their interactions with their offspring to maximise their offspring's psychological adjustment and academic performance.

Over the past few decades, virtual reality (VR) has attracted significant academic interest due to its potential to transform traditional educational experiences into highly engaging and interactive environments. VR technology, with its immersive learning capabilities, has been rigorously tested and developed in STEM education and other disciplines, showing promising results. Students with dyslexia, who often struggle with accurate or fluent word recognition and spelling skills, face challenges that traditional learning materials do not effectively address. This study focuses on students with dyslexia, exploring the current state of VR-based learning materials in primary and secondary education. It presents a systematic literature review of articles published between 2018 and 2023 to analyse the development of this field over the past five years, the types of VR technology used, and the benefits for dyslexic students at different educational stages. The results reveal that the use of VR for developing learning materials for students with dyslexia is still in its early stages and relatively limited. These findings may guide teachers and curriculum designers in leveraging VR to better support students with dyslexia, and they highlight the need for further empirical research in this area.

This scoping review provides an overview of the research related to educational placement decisions for students with special educational needs over a 20-year period in Canada. While educational placement has received considerable research attention in countries such as the United States, few studies have focused on the nature of the decision-making process in the Canadian context. Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews, the study characteristics, research methods and research foci were identified in the included articles as well as the stakeholders and students represented in the research. While diverse stakeholders were represented, including students with special educational needs themselves, few studies featured multiple stakeholders. Themes are discussed relative to the research context, such as special education systems and structures and teacher training to support inclusive practice. The limitations and implications for future research are also discussed relative to the findings from the review.

Navigating support and seeking resources to support children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN) can be a challenge, but for those receiving state-funded education, the barriers to ensuring effective provision can be further compounded. This paper explores the challenges faced in Welsh-medium education by the hegemonic discourses of the dominant language, English. There is an intricate link between literacy in minority languages and issues of power, identity and cultural preservation and promotion. The success of Welsh-medium education highlights some of these tensions, particularly in providing support for learners with ALN. We explore attempts to redress this hegemony, while valuing the role that competence in both Welsh and English has for everyone. We focus on the current challenges faced in supporting learners with ALN in schools to develop literacy in Welsh, as their home or preferred language, and how these challenges might be overcome.