Across the world countries are advocating the education of children and young people with disabilities in mainstream schools. There is also increasing interest in developing effective coordination of the specialist services pupils with disabilities receive from different agencies. This is accompanied by growing recognition that such care…

This study investigated the attitudes of primary school teachers from the selected rural and urban areas in China toward inclusive education. The results indicated that, (1) teachers' attitudes are composed of three dimensions: positive and negative effects of inclusion, and benefits of segregated special education; (2) most surveyed teachers…

The aim of the study was to record the attitudes and intentions of Greek and Cypriot primary education teachers towards teaching children with special educational needs (SENs) in mainstream schools. The instrument used was based on "Planned Behaviour Theory". The sample of the study included 179 educators, 87 from Greece (34 men, 52…

Education has three main roles: it is developmental because it develops the unique qualities of a child; it differentiates between learners because it treats every child as an individual, appreciating individual differences; and it is integrative because it accommodates people of varying backgrounds (culture, beliefs and values) thereby allowing…

General education and special education teacher candidates lack experience in collaborating with each other as colleagues; however, upon graduating and entering their own classrooms, most are expected to know how to provide services to students with disabilities in the general classroom. This study describes the efforts of two professors, one in…

The purpose of this study is to discover Florida International University student teachers' perceptions and experiences about inclusive education during their student teaching internship. A total of 271 student teachers (all those enrolled in Spring 06 and Fall 06 student teaching) participated. A mixed methods design was utilized to analyze the…

In a collaborative research project, two inclusion teachers and their principal demonstrate ways to enhance the inclusion experience for five exceptional students: four with mild intellectual disabilities and one with a learning disability. The findings revealed that one teacher engaged in positive interactions in the classroom by positioning the…

The main criterion for eligibility for special education services in schools has been proof of intrinsic deficit. There are two problems with this focus: First, defining and identifying high-incidence disabilities are ambiguous and subjective processes. Second, the focus on disability has become so intertwined with the historical devaluing of…

Giangreco helps teachers answer one of the hardest questions in including students with disabilities in mainstream classes: How can teachers include students who function substantially below grade level? Giangreco describes a teacher who must help a boy working at kindergarten level participate in the academic work of her 5th grade class. He…

In this article, the author discusses her investigations into the connection between the values of Swedish society and Swedish classroom practices by way of the early childhood special education system. She describes Swedish educational policies and the challenges surrounding moving from policy to practice, and also uncovers themes regarding…

General education teachers are the most frequent consumers of Teacher Assistance Team (TAT) services; therefore, their satisfaction with the purpose, process and outcome associated with this model of prereferral intervention may influence its acceptability, use, implementation, and effectiveness (social validity). Seven empirical studies assessing…

Relatively little research has focused on parental perceptions and experience of educational provision in mainstream settings for children and young people with autism. Much of that which has been undertaken (and certainly that which is most widely cited) has tended to rely on samples which may not be sufficiently representative. In the study…

In the last two decades, a myriad of political and social factors have converged and had a dramatic impact on Early Childhood Education (EC) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). There have been sweeping changes in policy and shifts in society that have resulted in greater numbers of programs serving young children of all abilities and…

In recent years there is an intense effort around the world for integrating children considered as having special needs in their neighborhood schools. The function of special education in Cyprus has been criticized as failing because it failed to include all children in teaching by providing them with equal opportunities to learning. In this…

The objectives of this study were twofold: (a) based on Bandura's theoretical framework, develop a four scale instrument to assess specifically general educators' teaching efficacy beliefs (TEB) concerning students with learning disabilities (Teacher Efficacy for the Inclusion of Students with Learning Disabilities Scale, TEISLDS), and (b) employ…