Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs最新文献

This mixed-methods study explored preschool teachers' self-efficacy (TSE) in implementing differentiated instruction (DI) in Singapore by examining the associations between TSE, DI and sources of efficacy. A survey of 253 teachers, using the Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Differentiated Instruction (TSE-DI) and DI Practice scales, found that exposure to educating children with disabilities was a significant predictor of higher TSE, whereas years of teaching experience and prior DI training were not. Teachers with higher TSE reported more frequent DI use, with TSE fully mediating the relationship between disability exposure and DI implementation. In-depth interviews with nine teachers indicated that both high and low efficacy groups often cited mastery experiences from online and professional learning. Those with higher TSE described more engagement with children with disabilities and opportunities to mentor colleagues. Both groups reported limited opportunities for vicarious learning and social persuasion due to time and manpower constraints. Higher TSE teachers also reported greater resilience and problem-solving mindset. Participants emphasised the need for human and environmental support, including smaller class sizes and collaborative cultures. These findings highlight the value of professional development integrating field-based exposure with structured peer learning to strengthen TSE, alongside supportive environments and targeted training for inclusive early childhood education.

The complexity surrounding refugee education, grappling with learners' inadequate literacy skills due to interrupted schooling, the trauma of familial loss and discrimination, is indelible. Thus, teachers teaching refugee students employ diverse techniques and strategies to facilitate better learning. This study delves into the professional and teaching experiences of four novice instructors from Bangladesh, providing remote instruction to pre-university displaced students in various camps in Bangladesh, Kenya and Jordan. Through a narrative inquiry approach, it investigates various dynamics of remote teaching that the instructors experienced in the refugee context. The thematic analysis of the instructors' logs, stories, and anecdotes showcases how tailored course contents and strategies were used to teach these students and the challenges educators faced in implementing the teaching strategies they explored in their teacher training sessions while instructing displaced students remotely. The close examination of the findings addresses valuable perspectives and insights on the broader teaching landscape of these unique circumstances, which not only help to address pedagogic implications for refugee students in their remote learning context but also add new perspectives to the teacher training programs designed for refugee education and development.

Educational innovation is increasingly recognised as essential for improving teaching and learning. However, little is known about systemic pedagogical innovation in segregated schools for autistic students, particularly regarding teachers' experiences of organisational and instructional change. This qualitative case study examined the Tracks Program, a flexible tracking model that reorganised classroom structures within an autism-specific school. Instead of fixed homerooms, students moved between specialised learning tracks designed around teachers' areas of interest and expertise, creating fluid, ability and motivation-based groups. Semi-structured interviews with 11 track-leading teachers were thematically analysed. Four themes were developed through thematic analysis: (1) innovation as a catalyst for professional identity development: teachers gained renewed clarity, confidence, and purpose; (2) innovation as a buffer against burnout: the program revitalised daily routines and sustained motivation; (3) fostering teamwork and belonging: the program encouraged collaboration and mutual learning; and (4) implementation challenges: including adapting to diverse learners and unclear role definitions for support staff. Although primarily designed to enhance student learning, the program shapes teachers' professional experiences. By granting educators autonomy to develop and lead tracks aligned with their expertise, the innovation fostered ownership, engagement and professional growth, offering practical insights for empowering teachers in special education settings.

Drawing on a recent study, this paper questions the literature's dominant representation of integrated students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as holding negative perceptions of their school climate and, by extension, being at a greater risk of poor psycho-social adjustment. Key dimensions of school climate and their association with motivation for academic engagement were examined in a sample of 626 secondary students, of whom 100 were diagnosed as having SEND, through administering the revised ‘Inclusion Climate Scale’ (ICS) and the ‘Motivation and Engagement Scale for High School’ (MES-HS). Comparisons between students with SEND and their typically achieving (TA) classmates were conducted in all dimensions of school climate assessed. Contrary to expectations, both groups reported positive perceptions of school climate and high levels of motivation for academic engagement. Strikingly, students with SEND expressed higher perceived ‘teacher support and care’ and ‘emotional experience’ compared to their TA peers but, in line with previous studies, lower perceptions in the ‘peer relations’ dimension of school climate. The assessed dimensions of school climate were strongly correlated with the students' reported motivation for academic engagement, thus highlighting the importance of fostering responsive learning environments which support the students' academic development and psychological well-being.

Historically, autistic students have often been excluded from research conversations about their educational experiences because they have not been given the appropriate opportunities, supports or platforms to share their perspectives. In recent years, researchers have made deliberate attempts to include autistic voice through flexible and creative methods. Although these methods have been reviewed, the content of these conversations has been generally overlooked. This systematic review expands on other reviews by focusing on the key themes and messages shared by autistic students in the literature. Results indicate that when included in conversations about their education, autistic students commonly discuss their experiences of bullying, friendships and the provision of adjustments for transition and participation in learning.

In Higher Education (HE), students with additional needs are often provided with examination accommodations, typically the use of a computer and/or additional time. Such provisions are commonly made for students with Specific Learning Difficulties or other neurodevelopmental conditions that can negatively impact written expression. In the UK, these arrangements are detailed in an Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) or similar institutional document. The aim of this study was to examine typing in English speaking HE students with and without additional needs. The performance of 16 students with ISPs who were offered accommodations in handwritten examinations was compared with 56 students who had regular provision (RP) in examinations. Measures included the handwriting and typing product (speed and accuracy across a range of tasks including copying and composition), typing process (technique), and self-perceptions of and preferences for typing. Typing speeds were faster than handwriting in both groups, but the ISP group had slower typing and handwriting speeds than their peers. Most students reported using non-standard typing techniques, not having received ‘touch-typing’ instruction, and a preference for typing over handwriting, with speed, comfort and legibility cited as the main reasons. The findings challenge whether the accommodations that are usually offered are appropriate for students with additional needs. They also highlight the importance of collecting information about the typing product (across a range of tasks), the typing process, and student perceptions and preferences to help inform decisions about accommodations for handwritten examinations and whether the provision of additional support for typing would be beneficial.

This study used the Listen to Learn for Life Assessment Framework to understand what is known and not known about how characterised classroom activity perceptual settings impact listening, learning and wellbeing in primary school children with hearing or listening difficulties. The three steps of the review were as follows: (1) web search for systematic, scoping, or general reviews, (2) scoping search of Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies and (3) web search with broader search terms to identify literature not identified in steps 1 and 2. Fifty-two papers met the criteria to be included in the review. The most researched population was children with hearing loss greater than the mild level; however, there were several papers on children with otitis media, auditory processing disorder, unilateral hearing loss and minimal or mild hearing loss. The most common finding was that poorer signal-to-noise ratios during group work resulted in poorer listening. Noise negatively affects listening in children with hearing or listening difficulties; however, visual cues and hearing devices such as hearing aids and FMs can help reduce the effect. Future research on other components of the L³ is needed.

This study explores the methods and strategies SENCOs use to fulfil their remit. Three aspects of the SENCO's everyday worklife are highlighted: (i) embodying the SENCO role; (ii) the use of school environments; and (iii) professional ethos. These aspects are studied using a lifeworld phenomenological approach that focusses on lived experiences, which are understood as socially and temporally mediated and bound to a specific regional environment. We conducted a hermeneutical analysis of empirical material from semi-structured lifeworld interviews and open-ended diaries. To fulfil their remit, the participants employed many methods and strategies that involved their bodies and school environments; these were often guided by an implicit professional ethos. Moreover, the SENCOs, moving between theoretically dichotomic perspectives, took a pragmatic approach, responding to the immediate needs of their students. This practicality suggests that SENCOs are sensitive to students' needs irrespective of whether the provisions are viewed as categorical or relational. The results suggest that empathy and the wherewithal to stand up for and defend students' and teachers' rights are central existential aspects for SENCOs. Further research using theoretical approaches empathetic to existential aspects of professions, such as phenomenology, could provide a better understanding of the human condition among in-school professionals.

Legislative changes in education often expand from a reform towards a change in everyday practices. This study deals with the recent early childhood education and care (ECEC) reform in Finland with the aim of examining the changes identified by ECEC professionals in their work. The reform focused on supporting child development and learning in ECEC. Our research material (N = 135 reflective entries of ECEC professionals) was collected at a regional training event. As a result of applying dialogic thematization, the identified themes were (1) community and individual, (2) balance and imbalance and (3) change as a process. The study highlights that while educational change takes on meaning on a communal and social level, it also creates new subjective meanings for the individual.

Globally, education systems have undergone a significant shift—from the institutionalisation of people with disabilities to inclusion within mainstream schooling. This research explores the impacts of historical education practices for people with blindness or low vision (BLV), particularly those educated in specialised residential institutions during the 1930s–1940s in Melbourne, Australia. This study employs qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) to examine existing interview data collected by other researchers. The data includes perspectives from older Australians with BLV who were students, educators, nurses, or carers at a residential school for the blind during the early 20th century. The narratives reveal benefits and limitations of institutional education. While not advocating for a return to segregation, the study highlights how community and shared identity among students with BLV may have supported social and educational development within education. These findings offer a rare lens through which to understand the long-term effects of specialised education for people with BLV. They also provide a foundation for future comparative research with younger cohorts educated in inclusive mainstream environments. By contributing to this evolving dialogue, the study offers insights for policymakers and educators seeking to improve educational access, community belonging, and equitable outcomes for students with BLV, particularly braille users.