This paper focusses on the organisational responses of secondary schools to newly arrived migrant students. In Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), as in many other European regions, newly arrived students are placed in segregated classes that aim to prepare them for integration in mainstream education. Deriving from, on the one hand,…

Family support is essential for academic success and the creation of resilient learners. Support is a complex and contested terrain that is variously described based on disparate philosophical lenses through which it is viewed. It cannot be denied that learners are bound to encounter several challenges during their educational expedition that…

The purpose of the chapter is to give an overview of special education in Iceland, historically and with reference to modern use of terms, research, policy, legal trends and funding. Recent data is provided on demographic developments amongst children in Iceland and detailed account is given of practices in schools, including collaboration with…

This research article reports on the experience of a special needs unit within an Aotearoa/New Zealand high school during a period of inclusive change. The study of the special needs unit represented a case study within a larger year-long qualitative study of the school experience. Utilizing the Index for Inclusion: Developing learning and…

The terrain of inclusion studies in discussed in this paper from the perspective of policy discourses and teachers' constructions on student diversity. We start by discussing the concept of inclusion from normative and analystic perspectives. We then look at the kinds of discourses that can be found in the Finnish and Norwegian curricula, as well…

This paper addresses ways in which regular art teachers can effectively serve students with mental disabilities and ways in which administrators can guide their districts regarding integrated situations in art education. A rationale is offered for including art education in the education of students with mental disabilities. Factors to be…

This study sought to determine effective instructional practices for hearing-impaired students in mainstreamed and special classes. It involved a survey of 63 secondary mathematics teachers (with an 87% response rate), teacher logs of assignments and class work, and live observations. The study found no main effect for type of classroom…

Presented is a history of educational services for children with mild intellectual disabilities in Queensland, Australia. Covering the late 1800's to the present, the article focuses on the impact of legislation, individuals who advanced the field of special education, and the "rise and fall" of separate special schools and classes.…

Ten years of data reflect little change in use of separate facilities for handicapped students, and high state-to-state variation. A subsequent paper argues that least restrictive environment as a concept has focused on "location" rather than "service." A final paper addresses the need to eliminate geographic and funding restrictions to…

The study examined state-to-state variability in the use of alternative placements for disabled students ages 6-17 during school year 1986-87, including the extent to which students were placed in settings apart from the regular education environment. Data submitted annually to the Office of Special Education Programs (U.S. Department of…

The purpose of this chapter is to review the major curricular orientations which can be found in special education settings for students with mental disabilities. Program orientations differ along two primary dimensions: the amount of time students spend in special settings or with special education personnel, and the extent to which the…

This report describes the education of gifted and talented students in the Calgary (Alberta, Canada) Public Schools based on achievement information, classroom observation, and a survey of parents and teachers. Chapter 1 introduces the report, outlining recent changes in the gifted education program, controversy over the development of gifted…

The career development program for students with mental disabilities should be integrated into the total special education curriculum, should provide training of specific skills needed in particular jobs as well as a general orientation to the world of work, and should relate academics to activities of daily living. The program should begin at the…

This collection of papers examines the controversy about the full inclusion movement for students with deafness. The collection begins with an introduction by Oscar P. Cohen which traces the history of education of deaf students, examines legal provisions used to justify full inclusion, and urges continuation of the continuum of special services.…

The report examines the status and needs of behaviorally handicapped students in Maine. It describes the referral and identification process, program characteristics, current problems and issues. The first section presents statistics related to prevalence, types of programs received, costs of special education, and the certification and supply of…