Since the advent of the ideology of inclusion, several concerns have been raised worldwide regarding the effectiveness of its implementation. In the UK, governmental evidence suggests that maintaining pupils with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) within mainstream school settings, is one of the greatest challenges (DfE, 2018).…

Background and aims: Children with special educational needs (SEN) are generally less accepted by peers in school and have fewer friendships than those without SEN. However, little research has examined peer relations across multiple dimensions, relative to severity of need and in relation to classroom experiences and individual behavioural…

This article explores the process by which children attending mainstream UK primary schools can achieve social inclusion. It presents the findings from a systematic literature review, followed by empirical research, exploring the concept of social inclusion with particular regard to the experiences of pupils identified with SEND. The article draws…

An achievement gap is defined as a significant difference in academic performance between two groups. Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) data indicate that, in Crestland Public School District (pseudonym), there is a clear achievement gap in mathematics between students with disabilities and those without disabilities,…

Nurture groups aim to meet the developmental needs of vulnerable children identified as having Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Past research has highlighted the need to explore and explain the practitionerchild relationship in nurture groups. In this research, five nurture group practitioners from Key Stage 1 (KS1) nurture groups…

Classroom engagement can be problematic for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), but is essential to ensure that they can reach their best educational and postschool outcomes. This study used semi-structured interviews to explore the self-perceived barriers and facilitators to classroom engagement for 16 DHH students educated in…

In this paper we discuss the connection between the lack of special education specific preparation for leaders and decades of evidence of racial inequities in special education. In doing so, we have a four-fold purpose. First, we outline the basic Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) legal requirements that educational leadership…

Evidence consistently reveals that taking part in an inclusion classroom does not guarantee that children with disabilities will be accepted, valued, or included (Lindsay & Edwards, 2012; Rillota & Nettelbeck, 2007; Ison et al., 2010). Children with disabilities have been reported to have significantly less friendships and overall social…

Australian mainstream school teachers report a severe shortage of accessible autism-focused resources, strategies, and professional development (PD). This 2-part mixed methods study investigated the effect of using a web-based model of practice (MoP) for PD. The MoP contains evidence-based, autism-specific educational practices and resources…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has undergone numerous revisions since 1965 when the first federal statute dealing with the education of students with disabilities was implemented. A revision completed in 1975 instituted the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE), which demands that all students with disabilities be…

Decision-making is fundamental to everyday modern life (Porter, Creed, Hood, & Ching, 2018; Ranyard & Crozier, 2002). Some decisions require little thought, while others are more complex as options considered do not always lead to clear outcomes (Baron, 2008). Caregivers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are frequently…

The study commences with the introduction of the major Hungarian and international tendencies and the legal background of the inclusive education of children with special educational needs in Hungary, then it presents the strategies and tasks of kindergarten teachers in terms of the inclusive kindergarten education of intellectually disabled…

The international trend to develop inclusive systems, has resulted in pressure on national governments to develop policies that promote quality education for all. In 2017-18 Portugal has adopted progressive educational policies with regards to inclusive education, that attempt to reconcile school values, curriculum and pedagogies. This article…

Aim: This research aimed to explore the impact of school-based Lego Therapy groups for adolescents with a diagnosis of ASD [autism spectrum disorder] in mainstream schools. Method/Rationale: School staff were trained in the delivery of the social skills intervention to groups comprising one adolescent with ASD and two typically developing peers. A…

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate to what extent individual teachers in a small, rural high school have the capacity and pedagogical skills to teach non-English speaking individuals within a sociocultural theoretical framework. Using a mixed methods approach, this case study measured teacher efficacy and their use of best practices…