Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs最新文献

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.

A persistent 16% gap exists in U.S. graduation rates between all students and those with disabilities, partly due to inadequate teacher preparation for inclusive practices. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study investigated how general education teachers' beliefs—implicit theories of intelligence (i.e., fixed and growth mindset), self-efficacy and attitudes toward inclusion—influenced their classroom behaviours. Phase one utilized surveys with 368 Pre-K–12 general education teachers in south Louisiana (87% female; 49.2% elementary); phase two involved interviews with eight high school general education teachers (75% female). Results indicate that most teachers demonstrated a growth mindset, positive attitudes toward inclusion and high self-efficacy for inclusive practices. However, high school teachers scored lower across these factors and a considerable number lacked pre-service special education training. Both qualitative and quantitative data revealed a significant tension: teachers viewed inclusion as beneficial but struggled with its practical feasibility due to perceived limited success and insufficient support. A structural equation model (SEM), grounded in social cognitive theory (SCT), validated a strong predictive relationship between mindset and attitudes toward inclusion. These findings underscore the critical need for enhanced teacher preparation and ongoing professional development to bridge the gap between positive beliefs and effective inclusive practices.

The adoption of programs based on gamification mediated by digital technology presents an intriguing option for enhancing education in the context of special education. The objective of this study was to comprehend the perspectives of teachers who designed, implemented and assessed a gamified intervention program for adults with disabilities and to examine how their teaching practices evolved following training in educational gamification. This research employed a qualitative approach to gather insights from 13 teachers. They received specialised training and implemented the educational program over an 8-month period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results indicate that gamification can have a positive impact on the learning of individuals with intellectual disabilities. The primary change in teaching pedagogy was the increased and more diversified attention provided by teachers, along with heightened teacher feedback. Despite these advances, 4 of the 13 informants explicitly pointed out an aesthetic mismatch due to a certain infantilization as a major impediment to the students' self-concept and autonomy. However, these outcomes arise from a convenience sample recruited from a single vocational centre; consequently, their generalisability remains tentative. The training program succeeded in increasing student participation and motivation, potentially leading to greater initiative and autonomy. Nevertheless, the present findings should be interpreted in light of the study's exclusive reliance on teacher-reported data, a constraint that future mixed-methods work will redress by integrating objective ClassDojo metrics and learner feedback.

Inclusive education is an educational philosophy that specifies that students with disabilities have to be educated alongside their same-age peers to the maximum extent possible has garnered traction across the globe. Despite global calls to make inclusive education a means to advance educational equity for students with disabilities, many countries such as South Africa have struggled to make it a reality. Teachers report being unprepared and not confident to address the learning needs of students with disabilities in inclusive settings. This study examined the competency levels of South African teachers in inclusive education. Data were collected through questionnaires from 126 primary and secondary school teachers employed in full-service schools, in the Capricorn Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa. The results show that teachers who had prior training in inclusive education, on average, had higher inclusive education competencies than those who had no training. The results also indicate significant gaps in training and the lack of explicit articulation of inclusive education in the teacher training programs. Recommendations and implications for future practitioners are provided.

This article presents the findings of a longitudinal study on the influence of contextual factors on students' social–emotional development. A total of 1535 students in Grades 5 and 6 were examined at three points of measurement (1 year). The aim was to assess the connection between social–emotional development (i.e., prosocial behaviour, externalizing/internalizing behaviour problems) and school context factors using MLM-modelling. While behavioural development remained relatively stable over time, there was a slight decrease in externalizing and internalizing behavioural problems over the analysed period. Additionally, the findings revealed that students from middle school or from integrative classes exhibited more behavioural problems. These findings are discussed considering the impact of school-specific attributes on young people's social–emotional development from pre- to mid-adolescence.

Exam access arrangements aim to support students to demonstrate their knowledge in high-stakes examinations. This study aimed to capture the experiences of practitioners providing this support. The sample comprised 134 SEN practitioners (SENCos and Exam Access Arrangements Assessors) based in secondary schools across England. Participants completed a survey asking about identification and monitoring the need for an access arrangement, they rated their confidence in these processes, and identified any challenges experienced. The findings highlighted inconsistencies in when students are being identified for access arrangements and a lack of processes in place to monitor the support being offered. Confidence to support provision was generally high, but SENCos rated themselves as less confident than those that had the assessor qualification. Thematic analysis of open-text responses elicited three key themes: (1) Lack of time to fulfill duties; (2) Poor understanding of access arrangements raises further challenges; and (3) Meeting the increase in demands puts a strain on resources. The findings suggest that senior leaders ought to reflect on the roles of their SEN team, as well as equipping them with the training, resources and staffing to support the provision of access arrangements.

Principals' perceptions of the education of gifted students play an important role, as teachers are those who mainly influence gifted students. Since there are no studies concerning principals' views on primary and secondary education in Greece, it is crucial to investigate the factors influencing these students' education. The aim of the present study was to explore principals' opinions on primary and secondary education regarding the support of gifted students, the forms and methods of their education in Greece. The study sample consisted of 210 principals (78 men and 132 women) with primary (n = 122) and secondary (n = 88) education, who completed the questionnaire of Gagné and Nadeau's attitude scale opinions about the gifted and their education (1991) to identify differences according to age range and years of experience in education. The results showed that principals generally had a negative attitude toward gifted education in Greece, and their only positive opinion was for the ‘social progress’ factor. The negative principals' views may be because the Greek education system does not support the education of gifted students. The creation of a legislative framework is suggested, which will allow gifted students to attend educational programs of higher classes and university courses according to their needs and capabilities and not according to their chronological age.