In this article we report on Foundation Phase teachers' experiences when implementing curriculum adaptation in rural inclusive schools of South Africa. We argue that, in spite of inclusive education policies being in place and several pre- and in-service training have been undertaken, teachers still experience challenges to meet the learning needs…

In England, a vertical equity model of inclusive schooling has been increasingly visible in both educational policy and school practices since the 2019 education reforms. Within this mixed model of provision, alongside and in complementarity to mainstream schooling, alternative provision (AP) and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)…

Discussions about the contributions of teacher assistants (TAs) are mainly limited to Western contexts, such as Australia, the UK, and the United States, and studies have consistently explored the role of TAs in inclusive learning environments despite their continuous deployment in special schools. This study attempted to understand the…

Inclusive education has been promoted in recent years; however, its inadequacies and the difficulty of its practical application have been pointed out. Hence, this study presents a scheme of learning according to the conditions of a person's disability and proposes a hypothetical teaching method that accommodates various degrees of disability. The…

Many countries grapple with the tension between commitment to inclusive education reform and the closure of special schools. This tension is particularly problematic for countries, like Australia, that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is clear that closing special schools is pivotal to…

There have been significant increases in the number of children sent to non-maintained special schools in recent years. To assess the extent of this trend and its probable consequences, Freedom of Information requests about spending on private special schools were sent to a stratified sample of 24 local authorities in England. The responses…

While China embraces disability inclusion rhetorically, segregated special schools continue to proliferate in recent decades. What kind of space are special education schools? How do actors in such spaces negotiate stigma and marginality for a better future? This research pairs historical, policy and ethnographic research to examine special…

The United Nations has called upon Governments that are signatory to the "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" (CRPD) to adopt practical but progressive systems to transfer resources from segregated settings/special schools into mainstream schools. What will this mean for Australia's special schools, particularly given…

Although inclusion is the declared goal, the transition from a system based on special schools to an inclusive school system has only been progressing very slowly in individual countries. In an evolving school system, the existing special schools keep struggling to justify their existence. This study investigates the regional distribution effects…

Emotional well-being, social inclusion, and academic self-concept are crucial for students' academic and socio-emotional development, and are seen as key factors for successful inclusion. Considering this relevance, the Perception of Inclusion Questionnaire (PIQ) has been developed as a short screening instrument to assess these three aspects--not…

This study investigated the differences between the mathematical profiles of primary school pupils with intellectual disabilities (ID) enrolled in inclusive classrooms and those enrolled in special schools. It also considered whether the instructional setting has an impact on mathematical achievement gain. The mathematical achievement of 100…

The inclusive education debate is often framed as a choice between outmoded special schools and progressive inclusive general education schools. However, the rhetoric of 'choice' hides what is in reality a context of restricted resources, both in general education and in special congregated settings. We interview three deaf-parented families with…

In this article we examine how, despite the understanding that a special school is not an inclusive setting, the senior leadership team (SLT) at Forest Academy Trust perceive their special schools as inclusive. Document reviews, interviews and a culminating focus group appear to indicate that possibilities for inclusive education may be related to…

Background: Although there is research-based evidence on the educational potential of information and communication technologies as teaching and learning resources for schools, studies focused on the real benefits and risks associated with online activities of students with intellectual disabilities are still scarce. The purpose of this study was…

Schools for specific purposes (SSP) are and have been a significant feature of the education ecosystem since the roll out of mass schooling in Australia and elsewhere. SSPs serve some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. While their social and emotional worth to their communities (students, educators, families) is rarely…