Surveys and observations were undertaken in selected primary schools in Ghana to determine whether principals' and teachers' attitudes towards and knowledge of inclusive education, as well as principals' expectations of teachers in implementing inclusion, were predictors of effective teaching practices in their classrooms. The sample of 128…

How can families and early childhood professionals provide quality, inclusive early childhood education for young children with and without disabilities? That's the question posed in this "Impact "issue. In its pages, parents reflect on their experiences with early childhood education and inclusion for their children--what was helpful, what was…

As a result of the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, school systems are required to provide a free and appropriate education for all children with disabilities. This legislation was further supported by The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), which guarantees all students with…

Today, foreign language teachers are faced with more challenges than ever before. These challenges are due to technological advancements, new educational policies and reforms, a rapidly changing student population, and recent legislation and documents designed for educating "all" students. Most foreign language teachers who do not have…

Postmodernism has been welcomed in some quarters of educational research and practice and seen as offering scope for challenging accepted structures and practices, highlighting some of the ambivalence and uncertainty and challenging orthodoxy, but to what effect? Research on inclusion increasingly mirrors the "inward turn" (Page, 2000) of…

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research project carried out in a UK Pupil Referral Unit during the 2000/01 academic year. It describes and analyses the strategies adopted by a small group of Behaviour Support Service teachers in order to achieve their everyday occupational goals. It is argued that despite their commitment to the…

This paper provides an account of the methodological lessons and emerging findings of a collaborative action research network in England. The Network involves teams of researchers from three universities in working alongside school and local education authority practitioners as they explore ways of developing more inclusive practices. The analysis…

Many students are unsuccessful in the study of school mathematics, not because of some innate ability, but because of pedagogical practices. Bernstein (1996) has argued that pedagogy serves as a mechanism for cultural reproduction, so that for those students whose cultures are different from that represented in and through pedagogy, the task of…

This study investigates the effects of a thinking skills approach on the on task rates of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN). There were three situations: two experimental and one controlled. The experimental situations compared on task rates of 19 primary-aged pupils with SEN in thinking skills (TS) and non-thinking skills (XTS) lessons.…

This paper explores the experiences of early intervention for three families in England. The case study research considers parental perspectives and children's experiences of early intervention: what do parents want and what are children's experiences? In particular the ways in which parents and children participate in early intervention…

A literature review was carried out to establish what evidence exists about disabled children's participation in decision-making, both regarding their own lives and about the shape of service delivery. There is evidence that disabled children hold and can express views, given the right environment. However, participation of disabled children needs…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Autism Epidemic: New Expectations for Children with Autism Means a New Role for Public Schools (Kate McKenna); (2) Internet Research 101:…

Students those who are at-risk and with disabilities often benefit from strategically designed computer supported assignments and instruction. The proposed manuscript summarizes a research study which included a focus on training participants to effectively utilize hand-held computers and select software programs in planning, delivering, and…

In 1990 the Congress of the United States passed Public Law 101-476, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law mandated that students with disabilities be educated in, what this act calls, the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Educating students with disabilities in the LRE is also known as inclusion and the terms may be…

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) "Special Education at a Glance." which includes a copy of the "Guide to Planning and Assessing School-Based Special Education Programs." provides in a single document, information about the special education population at each Montgomery County (Maryland) public school, including…