Learners with special needs experience myriad problems in general and special education. These problems range from minor academic, social, emotional, and behavioral problems to major disenfranchisements, disadvantages, and disillusionments. In addition, these problems can be very intense. As a result, they call for innovative and creative…

Universal Design for Learning is a pedagogical approach that aims 'to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn' (CAST website, n.d.). Originating in the context of K12 education in the United States, the core principles involve the provision of multiple means of representation,…

The concept of meritocracy stands as a fundamental ethos within the governance and educational paradigms in Singapore. This principle, notwithstanding its intrinsic paradoxes -- most notably, the juxtaposition of egalitarian ideals against elitist practices -- remains steadfastly upheld, with no indications of waning in the foreseeable future. A…

Due to misconceptions about the challenges of language learning, foreign languages classrooms have not always been accessible spaces for all learners. This article seeks to address the needs of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the foreign languages classroom and challenge the notion that this group of students…

This column discusses the importance of family participatory research practices with particular regard for vulnerable populations and alternative learning opportunities and the need for an expanded approach to the use of multimodalities in the classroom. The author reflects upon her experience as she conducted her dissertation, a case study with…

Despite widespread commitment to inclusive education as government policy, global progress in the last two decades has been slow and uneven. This article explores the relationship between policy and its enactment to examine what conditions make inclusion available as a course of action within education systems. Focusing on learners with additional…

Inclusive education in Japan was developed on the foundation of special needs education (SNE), which began in the early 2000s. There are various arguments as to whether the current multi-track system of SNE extending from segregated special needs schools to general education classrooms will lead to inclusive education, which is the goal of the…

Teachers are professionals accredited by society to educate the younger generation for their future. Therefore, their "feelings of entitlement" are based both on their sense of their role and their awareness of their students' successes. However, it is necessary to define the term "teacher entitlement." Every teacher must feel…

Connecting people with resources is a common activity. However, special situations have unique data needs. Without the appropriate leadership and tools to manage the data, the connections may never take place. This case examines the data needs associated with providing resources and social connections for families having a member with a special…

In addition to the demographic disparities between educators and students, many preservice general and special education teachers report limited exposure to students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and perceive themselves as ill prepared to address the learning needs of diverse populations of students with and without…

The purpose of this article is to address the urgency of creating an innovative learning environment in marginalized K-12 special education classrooms in the United States. This article considers the following topics: (a) the definition of creativity and innovation; (b) the importance of innovative learning environments, (c) key conditions and…

Interprofessional educational partnerships can include a diverse group of helping professionals involved in consultation at both the school and community levels. Central to these partnerships should be school counsellors; this systematic review sought to understand the dynamics of these partnerships using the PRISMA framework. The review found…

Despite the clear global inclusion agenda, gaps remain in the translation of the philosophical acceptance of inclusive education into effective teaching practices. Regarding children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, support for segregated schools hinged on the positivist, medical model of disability still challenges inclusive…

Despite the repeated documentation of the positive outcomes for students with extensive support needs (ESN) when they are included in general education settings and receive access to state-adopted general education standards, there has been little systemic progress on the inclusion of students with ESN across most states. The purpose of this…

This paper begins by providing a history of Japanese law pertaining to special education and its change towards a more inclusive education with the ratification of United Nations Conventions of the Rights of People with Disabilities. With the changes in laws, more children with constant medical care needs in Japan have the opportunity to attend…