British Journal of Special Education最新文献

Dyslexia and dyscalculia are two examples of high-incidence specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) that have similar prevalence and can often co-occur. It is currently unclear how familiar educators in the UK are with dyscalculia and how this compares to dyslexia and what, if any, neuromyths educators might endorse. The current study examined the awareness and endorsement of neuromyths related to dyscalculia and dyspraxia with 229 educators in the UK. Educators were asked to complete a short online survey that included questions about their awareness of SpLDs and some neuromyths, as well as some background questions. Despite educators being more familiar with dyslexia, they endorsed more neuromyths related to dyslexia than dyscalculia. However, being more familiar with dyslexia and being a maths lead did result in the endorsement of fewer neuromyths. These findings suggest that greater awareness of SpLDs in general might not reduce the endorsements of neuromyths, but that to counter the limited awareness of dyscalculia, educators need information about the cognitive mechanisms of learning in these students.

An interpretative qualitative research project has been carried out in north-west Spain (Galicia) with the aim of identifying the priorities which, in the opinion of the different agents involved, constitute the major demands of inclusion for an inclusive social and educational transformation. The data collection technique used was the open interview, through which 44 participants, belonging to different groups (headteachers, teacher-tutors, specialists, counsellors, families, students, associations and politicians), expressed their experiences in relation to the subject of the study. Content analysis was carried out, through a double coding process combining the deductive and inductive approach, supported by the professional software MAXQDA22. The results reveal three main priorities as the main demands of inclusion in order to move towards inclusive social and educational change: (1) reaching collective agreements, (2) creating micro support networks and (3) strengthening teacher commitment.

In today's special educational needs and disability system, children spend an incomprehensible amount of time on waiting lists to see specialists, and teachers and parents spend an inordinate amount of time trying to target support when a child's needs are unidentified and unclear. This case study looks at the current pathway to support for children with neurodiversities in UK mainstream schools, considering in detail the role of the professionals around the child, in particular the SENCo. In this case study, three children are discussed; in these cases, an additional layer of assessment was included in the referral system, using Frith's causal modelling. This resulted in a more accurate and timely diagnosis of neurodiversities, whether singular or co-occurring, in each case. The additional assessment level was undertaken by a developmental psychologist (DP) who acted as a catalyst for the assessment process and an advisor to target intervention. Following a holistic assessment by the DP, one child was diagnosed with autism on the NHS within three months of the assessment, one child was diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder on the NHS within six months of the assessment, and one child had a dual diagnosis of dyslexia and dyspraxia. Moreover, importantly, only one child's outcomes matched the SENCo's initial diagnostic hypothesis. Two possible, and probably controversial, assessment models are proposed, that take the guesswork out of the referral process for the SENCo, saving time and money across all sectors, while considering a child's needs holistically and wholly.

Upon attaining freedom from the South African regime in 1990, Namibia adopted a constitution according to which access to education is a fundamental right. Before the Salamanca Statement in 1994 and Namibia's consequent ratification thereof, education in Namibia was mainly divided into two distinct streams: general education and special education. Post-Salamanca, there has been a slight shift in the provision of education for learners with special educational needs in that special education was, and mainly continues to be, offered in special schools, now called resource schools; in special classes and units attached to regular schools; and in mainstream classrooms with an inclusive education orientation. Learners with severe to profound special educational needs are mainly educated in resource schools, and this remains the preferred option for most parents and communities of children with severe to profound special needs. The resource schools are constructed for a specific set of disabilities, such as sensory, physical or intellectual disabilities. They are assumed to be well-equipped with material and personnel resources that enable staff to respond effectively to the needs of their learners. Most, if not all, the resource schools in Namibia were built a long time ago, to serve a specific population of learners. However, some learners present with a range of disabilities and barriers to learning that could be beyond the original scope of the specific school. Consequently, more and more teachers in resource schools report that they observe daily how learners struggle to function in schools in which the infrastructure and resources can barely accommodate their complex needs. This is mainly because of the diversity and comorbid conditions of these learners. This research focused on the challenges encountered by learners with multiple disabilities in a resource school for learners with sensory disabilities. The study followed a qualitative approach, with an intrinsic case study design. Purposive, criterion sampling procedures were employed to select the participants. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews, complemented by observation. The main findings of the study are that learners with multiple disabilities faced challenges associated with the physical infrastructure of the school (accessibility), the inability of staff to respond effectively to their needs, a lack of teaching and learning resources (leading to their exclusion from certain learning activities), as well as a poorly structured curriculum that undermines their multiple disabilities. The research reveals that there is limited agency and acknowledgement of the complex needs of children with multiple disabilities. The study concludes that learners with multiple disabilities need to access a curriculum that is cognisant of their needs and receive the quality education that they deserve, as set out in the Sector Policy on Inclusive Education. In

This study explored the social experiences of 12 deaf and hard-of-hearing female university students. Semi-structured interviews identified four key themes: university environment, peer interactions, communication and personal barriers. The majority of participants described their social experiences as positive and better than their experiences at school. The participants experienced collaboration, support, peer acceptance, friendship and high awareness of hearing disability among their hearing peers. Communication with peers was facilitated by using applications, sign language and lip reading. However, a lack of understanding from faculty members, isolation, and ignorance exhibited by some peers resulted in negative experiences for a few participants. Some participants reported personal barriers, such as personal characteristics, past negative experiences, and fear of disclosing their disability. Given the importance of social support and inclusion for students' success and well-being, universities must prioritise the social experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing students as much as their academic experiences.

There is limited research on deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) learners' learning English as a foreign language. It is even more scant in contexts such as Iran where D/HH learners are least visible and represented. This narrative inquiry aimed to explore Iranian D/HH English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' lived experience in learning English. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 undergraduate students of English. The data were thematically analysed, yielding five themes: (1) learning English and its relevance to personal goals and aspirations; (2) perceived language-related difficulties; (3) awareness of the differences in their language learning experience as D/HH learners; (4) significance of visual communication for D/HH learners of English; and (5) the role and support of technology. These themes provided a multidimensional understanding of these learners' perception of their foreign language learning trajectory. The results of this study have implications for various stakeholders in the context of special needs language education.

The attitudes of teaching staff are key in developing more inclusive schools. In the Netherlands, different types of schools for special education use integration as a step towards inclusive education. The Dutch government supports this development by a policy rule that enables schools to integrate both pupils and staff. This cross-sectional study focuses on the attitudes of teaching staff towards inclusion and integration, their sense of self-efficacy and what their concerns are, and how age, teaching experience, self-efficacy and concerns relate to their attitudes. Teachers and teaching assistants (N = 82) from seven different schools participated in the study by completing a survey. The results showed that teaching staff hold neutral to moderately positive attitudes towards inclusion and integration. The self-efficacy of the teaching staff was positive, and they had neutral to moderate concerns about the integration process. This was explicitly the case when working with mixed-ability groups; that is, pupils with diverse special educational needs. The regression model showed that concerns were significantly related to attitudes: the more concerns teaching staff have, the less positive their attitudes towards inclusion and integration. Recommendations for practice and future research are suggested in the discussion.