Global policy towards special and inclusive education has seen a shift in the overall approaches used. The Dakar and Salamanca frameworks have necessitated renewed energy and commitment in the fulfilment of equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The Salamanca Framework for Action is a commitment made by governments, international…

This paper describes the development of an online training model for teachers and teaching assistants working with students with special educational needs. Originally developed as part of a government funded initiative in the UK, the model has been successfully applied in other contexts, most notably in New South Wales, Australia where it has had…

This article traces the evolution of special education in Malaysia across four chronological stages: before and during the early colonial period (before 1900), pre-independence (1900-1957), post-independence (1957-1990) and modern Malaysia (1990 to the present), through document analysis. By placing current issues and trends within a historical…

Turkey's recent development plans suggest that, according to state planners, development is no longer identified with, achieved through or measured by economic growth. These documents evince that Turkey has embraced what is referred to as the capability approach. What remains unclear is whether this embrace is substantive or rhetorical. This paper…

Debates about the meanings of inclusive education are long-lasting, and the imperative to include disabled students in mainstream schools is currently under threat by the UK government's educational policies. This paper draws on critiques from inclusive education and critical pedagogy literature, as well as on findings from field research in a…

This paper presents outcomes of a qualitative interview study conducted in four Turkish primary schools that had been identified by the Ministry of Education as engaging in the inclusion of disabled students. The main purpose of the study was to examine school staff views on inclusion in their schools. Data were collected through semi-structured…

This article addresses a question that is of key importance in preparing early childhood personnel, especially those in inclusive environments: "How do we teach in ways that we want our students to teach?" There is an emphasis on developing a "community of practice" where professionals can share their work-related concerns and…

Appreciative inquiry (AI) offers a constructive, strengths-based framework for engaging students and staff in the enhancement of academic programmes of study. This paper explores the basis of AI, its potential for educational development and the many agendas it might help address. Students and academic staff involved in an AI project, focused on…

Rural schools face challenges that are often different than nonrural schools. Resource constraints are particularly acute in rural schools, and they struggle to offer advanced courses and extracurricular programs. The purpose of this paper is to present a descriptive, instrumental case study of an inclusive rural science, technology, engineering,…

This article, by Karen Broomhead of Liverpool John Moores University, discusses an exploration of the clashing norms, values and expectations of parenting behaviours between parents of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and practitioners. Semi-structured interviews with 15 education professionals, employed in both…

Catherine Nehring is a passionate advocate for inclusion and presents a rationale for creating an inclusive Montessori school and details the considerations and guidelines for creating such a school. Beginning with the United Nations Resolution (Article 24) and carefully explaining Montessori's history with "abnormal children," Catherine…

Little comparative research examines which community-based preschool intervention placements produce the best outcomes for which children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism-specific placements can provide intensive evidence-based care; however, inclusion settings provide interaction with typically developing peers, the importance of which is…

This study measured the attitudes of teachers of students with significant disabilities using the Attitudes of Teachers of Students with Significant Disabilities about Aspects of Their Jobs survey. Teachers who worked with at least one student with significant disabilities were contacted via e-mail and other on-line means across four geographical…

This case study provides an overview of current policy, practices and problems concerning inclusion in one international secondary school in Hong Kong. A total of 13 interviews were conducted with the school management team, teachers, students and parents, supplemented by 12 classroom observations and two "student-shadowing" exercises.…

The increasing enrollment of children with disabilities and developmental delays in inclusive settings requires reconsiderations of the scope and depth of early childhood professional development. In this study, a phenomenological research design was used to gain the perspectives of 13 parents and child care providers about their participation in…