Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs最新文献

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.

Whilst music education is recognised as a fundamental right for all children in England, pupils with learning disabilities in special schools face persistent barriers in accessing high-quality musical opportunities. This study provides a post-pandemic examination of music provision in special schools in England, updating earlier research while offering new insights into why implementation challenges persist despite policy commitments to inclusion. The lived experiences of music provision for pupils with learning disabilities were examined through interviews with 21 special school educators across three key groups (generalist teachers, music curriculum leads and visiting music specialists). Two key barrier types emerged: resource challenges (budget constraints, limited resources and staffing limitations) and staff-related factors (narrow ideas about music, low confidence and gaps in specialised knowledge). Using ecological systems theory, how these barriers operate across multiple levels—from individual teacher confidence to national funding decisions—was analysed, revealing interconnected patterns resistant to simple solutions. The findings demonstrate how seemingly individual barriers are in fact products of broader systemic issues that reflect fundamental mismatches between policy intentions and special school realities. Multi-level intervention strategies are proposed that focus on leveraging generalist teachers' existing pedagogical strengths, reframing how music is conceptualised, and reconsidering how policies are framed.

Inclusive education is often celebrated as a universal human right, yet for many learners with undiagnosed learning difficulties, systemic barriers render this promise hollow. This paper critically interrogates the assumptions underlying inclusive education policies in South Africa, revealing how reliance on formal diagnoses invisibilises diverse learning needs and perpetuates exclusion. Drawing on Ubuntu philosophy and resilience theory, this study engages a documentary analysis of key policy texts to explore how dominant discourses limit the transformative potential of inclusion. The analysis emphasises the urgent need to reframe inclusion through culturally grounded, community-driven paradigms that transcend deficit models of disability. While situated in South Africa's post-colonial context, the findings illuminate global challenges in reconceptualising inclusive education, offering new possibilities for pedagogical thought and practice across diverse educational landscapes.

Students with social, emotional, behavioural and with learning disabilities often experience low levels of social participation or social exclusion in inclusive education. To mitigate the consequences of social exclusion (e.g., depression), it is essential to promote their social participation. To this end, we designed and implemented FRIEND-SHIP, a six-week social–emotional learning (SEL) intervention aimed at fostering social participation among primary school students. A total of n = 259 students participated in SEL activities targeting specific social–emotional skills (e.g., social awareness, relationship skills), while n = 244 students formed the control group. Students' attitudes toward peers with learning disabilities and toward peers with social, emotional and behavioural disabilities were assessed with a questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. Latent change score models revealed a significant effect of group assignment (intervention vs. control group) on changes in students' attitudes toward peers with disabilities. Specifically, students' attitudes in the intervention group significantly improved from pre- to post-measurement, whereas attitudes in the control group remained stable or declined. The findings suggest that students' attitudes toward peers with disabilities can be significantly improved with our intervention and offer valuable insights into how social participation among students with disabilities can be effectively promoted in inclusive education.

Inclusive education is founded on the principles of human rights, social justice and equity, affirming that every learner has the right to quality education. Despite these legal and policy commitments, many children remain deprived of this right due to persistent barriers as indicated by the Global education monitoring report 2024/5: Leadership in education – Lead for learning. UNESCO, 2024. Among the most critical of these barriers are teachers' attitudes and classroom practices, which play a decisive role in the success of inclusion (Children and Youth Services Review, 2024, 158, 107457; International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 2024, 71, 299; European Journal of Special Needs Education, 2021, 36, 577). This study was designed to deepen understanding of the factors that shape positive teacher attitudes toward inclusive education. A quantitative design employing hierarchical regression modelling was used to examine the relationships between teachers' attitudes, demographic characteristics, perceived self-efficacy and classroom practices in Türkiye. While earlier studies have explored these variables, results have often been inconsistent. Data were collected from 405 teachers across diverse regions during the 2021–2022 academic year using snowball sampling. Findings highlight the predictive value of self-efficacy and classroom practices for shaping attitudes, while demographic influences were less consistent. This research contributes to the global discourse on inclusive education by underscoring the central role of teacher-related factors and offering insights to inform future policy, professional development and cross-cultural research.