This study investigated children's perceptions of dance ability and disability and changes to perceptions following participation in an integrated dance program. Focus group interviews, field notes and observations were used with children with physical disabilities (n = 5) and without disabilities (n = 9) between the ages six and nine before and…

Background: In recent years, there has been a global effort to support the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in schools and classrooms. China in particular has recently enacted laws that provide for inclusive educational opportunities for students with ID. There are many barriers, however, to successfully including students…

Growing numbers of pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are attending mainstream schools, and increasing numbers of additional staff are being deployed to support them. Recent research has cast doubt on the effectiveness of this support, by highlighting issues relating to deployment and training, and to relationships with class teachers.…

This article explores the gendered ways in which issues of ability and exceptionality are presented in Governor-General award-winning Canadian children's literature. In much of contemporary feminist thought, there is a strong focus on intersecting oppressions with gender as a central analytic lens. However, ability is still largely absent. Our aim…

This paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers' perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engaging with people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and…

This article discusses the chain of actions in special education in Norwegian compulsory school. An analysis is made of how the municipality follows up national guidelines relevant to the chain of actions through its own guidelines to the schools. The analysis gives the general impression that the local authority is facilitating guidance to the…

Empirical literature acknowledges the importance and benefits of inclusive education. However, cautions have been noted in the literature with respect to providing children with disabilities with appropriate opportunities to learn new skills in inclusive settings. One approach that has been used in early childhood special education to provide…

The South African Constitution upholds and entrenches the human right of all citizens. Similarly, the Higher Education Act of 1997 promotes equality of access for all, especially for those previously marginalised or excluded. The study reported in this article explored challenges experienced by students with disabilities at his university. Using…

Educational perspectives that recommend inclusion of children with special needs into mainstream classrooms remain a controversial topic. The Melbourne Declaration declares that all young Australians should be supported to become successful learners; confident and creative individuals; and active and informed citizens. So the question remains how…

Increasingly, universities and school districts share responsibility for teacher and student learning. Sharing responsibility demands that both institutions work to develop closer relationships through ongoing engagement, dialogue and negotiation. Drawing from Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), we examined one school/university…

Facilitative leadership, in the context of whole school development for greater inclusive practices offers a positive contribution to the discourse of school leadership. This article presents an exploration of the development of greater inclusive practices across an early years service and an elementary school that are both adopting a whole school…

This paper draws on my doctoral research study based on consulting work with three primary school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) that took place in 2008. The study examined the interactions that arose in the consultations with the SENCos and their staff. The findings that emerged from the application of Grounded Theory research…

With the onset of universal newborn hearing screenings and early identification and amplification, children with hearing loss are able to receive education in mainstream classrooms as early as preschool. According to a 2011 report from the U. S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), 52.6 percent of preschool-age children with hearing loss in the…

This study compared the working memory functioning of deaf children, children with ADHD and typically developing children. Working memory is involved in the storage and mental manipulation of information during classroom learning activities that are crucial for the acquisition of complex skills and knowledge. Thus, it is important to determine how…

Convening a conference under the banner: Making Inclusion Happen, reminds us that the struggle for disabled people's rights to the minimum expectations of citizenship; access to education, work, housing, health care, civic connection remains urgent. Notwithstanding the hard fought for United Nations, human rights charters and national…