This study examined special education and general education teacher understandings of inclusive education for their students with complex support needs. Teachers were asked to discuss their experiences with inclusive education, focusing on their students with complex support needs in the areas of behavior, cognition, or medical/physical needs. The…

This study aims to state the opinions and recommendations of academics who train special education teachers for integration applications. The study is patterned as a descriptive case study, and the participants consist of 28 faculty members from 18 universities who work in the special education undergraduate program and whose professional…

Creating a fully inclusive educational environment continues to be a topic for educational reform. Children with disabilities have the right to access their education in the Least Restrictive Environment. In the United States, this right is protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). Approximately 13.3% of the total number…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are increasingly being educated in mainstream classroom environments. Commonly students commence their education in a segregated setting, transitioning to mainstream education after a process of skills development. For each student, transition is a unique and complex process. In NSW Australia, Autism…

A study was conducted to explore the impact of professional development related to the individual education plan (IEP) process on teachers' understanding and practices in the Republic of Ireland (RoI). This paper reports on part of that research, focusing on teachers' collaborative practices in the IEP process. In the RoI, teachers working as…

This Information Capsule reviews the research conducted on outcomes associated with placing students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in inclusive classrooms. Key findings include: (1) studies comparing the academic and social outcomes of students with ASD placed in inclusive versus segregated special education classrooms have produced mixed…

The notion of inclusion has gained momentum worldwide, with most countries around the world embracing inclusive policies in their educational systems. However, there is still an ongoing debate as to what is inclusion and hence, the consequent challenge of coming up with an agreed definition, which could then be used to plan for and subsequently,…

Initially developed from policies implemented under British rule, the integrated programme for children with disabilities has not been widely publicised in the context of early childhood education in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Local communities have responded differently to the integrated programme implemented in…

Teacher education institutions play a key role in preparing pre-service teachers to graduate as competent and confident inclusive educators. Seeking to understand pre-service teachers' current perceptions of diversity and inclusion, and how they perceived themselves as future inclusive educators, this qualitative study employed inductive analysis…

There is considerable demand for special education services for the over half a million students with autism in the United States. While assistive technology may augment educational services, its implementation is often prevented by a number of practical and attitudinal barriers. These barriers are especially pertinent for the newest and thus…

Inclusion classrooms were introduced in the United States in 1990 when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required that special education students be instructed in a general education setting. Ensuing changes in instructional formats have caused role confusion for special and general education teachers, resulted in mixed attitudes…

Inclusive education is a new educational philosophy and a worldwide reform strategy intended to include students with different abilities in mainstream regular schools with the aim of achieving education for all. However, there is serious concern for total inclusiveness of special needs children in Nigeria. This study therefore investigated some…

Italy is famous for having the highest percentage of students with disabilities attending "the school for all" (integration). However, in recent studies, the reality of integration seems to be more complex. Integration has reached some important goals (e.g. longer school careers), but while the Italian school system envisages the full…

The present study attempts to evaluate the effective teaching practice for children with special learning needs. The research question framed in the present study for investigation is which practice will be effective in different inclusive classroom settings and what are the factors that contribute for effective practices? Qualitative research was…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine regular education and special education teacher perceptions of inclusion services in an elementary school setting. In this phenomenological study, purposeful sampling techniques and data were used to conduct a study of inclusion in the elementary schools. In-depth one-to-one interviews with 8…