Implementing an Evidence-Informed Teaching Approach for Autistic Students in Bengaluru, India.

In many countries, parents can place autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in either mainstream or special education settings, which differ in their ability to provide structured early intervention programs. There are no clear guidelines for how to make initial placement decisions and ongoing debate about the benefits and drawbacks of each educational setting. Previous studies have mostly examined placement of school-age children and reported that those with poorer cognitive abilities and more severe ASD symptoms tend to be placed in special education. The placement of younger children has rarely been studied. Here, we utilized the database at the National Autism Research Center of Israel to examine whether ASD severity, cognitive abilities, and parent education influenced the placement of 242 children. We performed the analyses separately for 1-3-year-old children who were placed in daycare centers and 3-5-year-old children who were placed in pre-school kindergartens. Our analyses revealed surprisingly small differences across special and mainstream education settings, particularly in daycare centers. Cognitive scores and parent education were significantly higher in ASD children placed in mainstream education, but these differences were of moderate effect size and explained a relatively small percentage of the variability in placement choices (<15%). Indeed, we found considerable overlap in the characteristics of ASD children across educational settings, which suggests that initial placement decisions are performed with little regard to the children's abilities. Given the importance of optimal early intervention, further studies are warranted to determine whether children with specific abilities and needs benefit more from placement in either educational setting. LAY SUMMARY: Currently, there are no clear recommendations for placing young children with ASD in special versus mainstream education settings. We examined the influence of ASD severity, cognitive abilities, and parent education on the initial placement of 242 children. While we found significantly higher cognitive scores and parental education in children placed in mainstream education, there was a remarkable overlap in the characteristics of children across both settings, suggesting that initial placement is performed with limited regard to the children's abilities. Autism Res 2021, 14: 699-708. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

ABSTRACTThe inclusion agenda has influenced education systems around the world, resulting in better access to mainstream education for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). While numerous studies have compared outcomes of pupils with SEN in mainstream and special educational settings, research on the specific characteristics of these settings remains scarce. In this study a survey was conducted with teachers of pupils with an intellectual disability in mainstream (N = 254) and special educational settings (N = 392) in Sweden to investigate differences in instructional practices between these settings. The results showed that teachers’ in the two settings devoted approximately similar amount of time to learner- centred and teacher-centred activities respectively, which slightly more focus on teacher-centred activities in both settings. The results of a Mann-Whitney U-test revealed that teachers in mainstream educational settings, in comparison with teachers in special educational settings, reported significantly higher expectations of pupils’ performance but lower focus on supporting pupils’ social participation. Support of pupils’ social participation may be an important characteristic of special educational settings, and there is a need to further explore how knowledge of teacher practices in special educational settings may be used to support pupil’s social participation in mainstream settings.

This article aims to contribute to the debate on how different educational contexts can facilitate the inclusion or exclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). We carried out a qualitative study based on the principles of inclusive research with 36 Spanish adults with ID. The data were gathered through individual interviews, which were transcribed, summarized, and adapted for later analysis and coding with participants. Together with participants, we coded the interviews into two main categories: “mainstream schools” and “special schools.” The results revealed the experiences of people with ID in mainstream schools, resource rooms, and special education schools, analyzing their preferences for regular or special contexts. The main conclusions drawn suggest that people with ID had both negative and positive experiences of inclusion at mainstream schools. Nevertheless, they preferred regular contexts, valued the help provided by SEN support teachers, and highlighted the importance of adjusting the curriculum to students' educational needs. They also emphasized the need for greater empathy from classmates at mainstream schools.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relation between subjective quality of life and quality of vocational education services from the view of students with intellectual disability who participate in public special vocational education schools in Greece. The level of quality of life and quality of special vocational education services was explored. The article presents a functional description of service quality in special vocational education and operationalizes quality of life for students with disability. Instruments were developed and adapted in line with the participatory research paradigm. Convenience sampling was used. Data was gathered from 131 students with intellectual disability. All measures showed good evidence of internal consistency and construct validity. The findings suggest relationship between quality of life and quality of special vocational education services received by students with intellectual disability. Low levels of self-determination are highlighted. Practical implications concerning the application of the instruments in special education settings as measures for the quality assessment and the evaluation of educational interventions are discussed.

Changes in the Primary Diagnosis of Students With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities Ages 6 to 21 Receiving Special Education Services 1999 to 2008

Characteristics and Needs of People With Intellectual Disability Who Have Higher IQs

BackgroundUnderstanding the correlates of behaviours that challenge (CB) can help in both identifying children with intellectual disabilities (ID) at risk of developing CB and designing support programmes and interventions. AimsThis study explores the correlates of CB exhibited by children with ID in special educational settings in the UK. Methods and proceduresData on behaviours that challenge were provided by educators of 71 children with ID. Additional measures of adaptive and pro-social behaviours, maternal anxiety, depression, and stress, and demographic variables were included in the cross-sectional binary logistic regression analyses. Outcomes and resultsResults showed that pro-social behaviours of children with ID were associated negatively with overall CB (OR=0.72, 95% CI [0.62, 0.84], p < 0.001), stereotyped (OR=0.81, 95% CI [0.70, 0.94], p = 0.005), self-injurious (OR=0.80, 95% CI [0.70, 0.90], p < 0.001), and aggressive/destructive behaviours (OR=0.79, 95% CI [0.69, 0.90], p < 0.001). Stereotyped behaviours were associated with lower adaptive skills (OR=0.95, 95% CI [0.91, 0.99], p = 0.026) and male gender (OR=9.20, 95% CI [1.07, 79.44], p = 0.044). Aggressive/Destructive behaviours were associated with maternal stress (OR=0.82, 95% CI [0.70, 0.97], p = 0.022), and increased maternal anxiety (OR=1.21, 95% CI [1.00, 1.47], p = 0.050) was a marginally significant predictor of self-injurious behaviours. Conclusions and implicationsThe findings of this study emphasise the potential role of pro-social and adaptive behaviours, gender of children with ID, and maternal stress, as factors associated with CB in special education settings. Therefore, the present study contributes to extending the literature on correlates of CB for children with ID in special education settings while adopting an evidence-informed methodology for defining and measuring CB that facilitates replicability and allows for comparisons across findings of studies that explore CB thus increasing a more coherent evidence-base regarding assessment of CB.

The purpose of this study was to examine parental perceptions about Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of typical education and special education students in Greece. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was administered to the parents of 251 children from typical schools, 46 students attending integration classes (IC) within a typical school and 97 students attending special education (segregated) schools. A two-way analysis of covariance indicated that, compared to their typically developing peers, children attending special education schools and IC were reported by their parents to have lower PedsQL scores. Compared to children attending special education schools, children attending IC showed no differences in all PedsQL domains but the emotional domain score (p < .05). Based on parents’ responses, further improvements in special education settings and environments in the Greek educational system might be necessary to improve the HRQOL of students with disabilities.

There is strong disagreement about where to educate the majority of children with disabilities—in special or regular education settings. Although most agree that some special-needs students require separate instruction for at least part of the school day, Federal law requires educators to prepare these students for an eventual return to the mainstream. Our study’s purpose was to implement and validate a process for readying students to transition successfully from special education resource rooms to regular classrooms for math instruction. Preparation included use of curriculum-based measurement and transenvironmental programming. Forty-two students with mild disabilities were assigned to experimental and control groups. Math progress was measured by pre-versus posttreatment and ongoing curriculum-based achievement data, obtained in special and regular education settings, and by teacher reports. Findings indicated that experimental students substantially reduced time spent in special education math, whereas control students’ time in special education math was unchanged. Experimental students’ pre- to posttreatment achievement was greater than that of controls and was similar to the progress of lowest-achieving nondisabled students in mainstream classes. Time-series analysis revealed, however, that experimental students’ improved performance occurred only in special education; once in the mainstream, their progress ceased. Implications for educational policy are discussed.

Objective: To explore the types, prevalence and associated variables of cyberbullying among students with intellectual and developmental disability attending special education settings.Methods: Students (n = 114) with intellectual and developmental disability who were between 12–19 years of age completed a questionnaire containing questions related to bullying and victimization via the internet and cellphones. Other questions concerned sociodemographic characteristics (IQ, age, gender, diagnosis), self-esteem and depressive feelings.Results: Between 4–9% of students reported bullying or victimization of bullying at least once a week. Significant associations were found between cyberbullying and IQ, frequency of computer usage and self-esteem and depressive feelings. No associations were found between cyberbullying and age and gender.Conclusions: Cyberbullying is prevalent among students with intellectual and developmental disability in special education settings. Programmes should be developed to deal with this issue in which students, teachers and parents work together.

According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), motivation is inherently present in every individual, growing from amotivation via controlled to autonomous motivation, through fulfilment of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Peer relatedness has been found to influence motivation multimodally. Students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in special education risk additional challenges in motivation and peer relations. How peer relations influence school motivation according to SEBD students' experiences remains unclear. Investigating how peer relations influence SEBD students' motivation in special secondary education. Forty-nine SEBD students (age 12-18) from 11 special secondary schools in the north of the Netherlands. Transcripts of semi-structured interviews from an SDT perspective were thematically analysed for particular information on peer relations and motivation. Students positively graded their motivation. Peer relations and students' motivation seemed to influence each other: (1) friends and classmates were salient reasons for school attendance; (2) peer relations influenced schoolwork motivation through relatedness, distraction, cooperation, engaging each other and being alone/loneliness. Consistent with previous findings, peer relations influence students' motivation in special secondary education. This influence seems reciprocal, additionally shaped by SEBD and a special education context. Feelings of (not) belonging in special education influenced school attendance and schoolwork motivation through different mechanisms, with which variations in motivational orientation, diagnosis and gender might interfere. Future research should investigate the influence of type of diagnosis, additional roles of competence and autonomy for SEBD students and possible generalizations of findings in other special and mainstream education settings.

Teacher‐directed violence has been acknowledged as a major issue in research over the past decade. Teacher‐directed violence is the over‐arching term used to describe teachers' experiences with physical violence and aggression (i.e., harassment, intimidation, verbal threats). This study is the first to quantitatively compare general education and special education teachers' experiences with violence from a variety of aggressors, including students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. Understanding the unique experiences of special and general educators is needed to inform intervention and prevention efforts focused on teacher‐directed violence. Data from 2363 teachers who participated in a national study in the United States examining teachers' experiences with violence and aggression were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Comparisons of special and general educators revealed special educators were more likely to report experiencing aggression in the current or past year. Special educators were also more likely to report violence by student aggressors, while general educators were more likely to report violence by parent aggressors. Further, teacher demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of experience) and school setting (i.e., rural, urban, suburban) influenced experiences of teacher‐directed violence for both general and special educators. Findings suggest the need for future longitudinal and mixed‐methods studies, providing more educators, training, and supports in special education settings, and incorporating all school stakeholders in school‐wide interventions.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Clinical and Scientific Priorities.

Aim: This study investigated the use of digital resources for learning among students with intellectual disabilities in Southern Nigeria. Method: A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study involved 530 participants, including special education teachers, school administrators, and caregivers across six states in Southern Nigeria, selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire (DRUSEQ) with a reliability coefficient of 0.80. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation were used for analysis. Results: Findings revealed moderate availability of digital tools, particularly Smart Boards and text-to-speech software, but low and inconsistent usage among students with intellectual disabilities. Infrastructural and financial constraints were key barriers, with teacher training and student motivation also playing roles. While most stakeholders valued digital tools, a notable minority expressed skepticism. A statistically significant but weak positive relationship was found between digital resource usage and educators’ perceptions of student learning outcomes. Recommendation: Greater investment is needed to provide assistive digital tools and address systemic issues such as funding, internet access, and technical support in special education settings.

The 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) is the first human rights treaty to explicitly acknowledge the right to education for persons with disabilities. In order to realize this right, the convention’s Article 24 mandates state parties to ensure inclusive education systems that overcome outright exclusion as well as segregation in special education settings. Despite this major global policy change to tackle the discriminations persons with disabilities face in education, this has yet to take effect in most school systems worldwide. Focusing on the factors undermining the realization of disability rights in education, Julia Biermann probes current meanings of inclusive education in two contrasting yet equally challenged state parties to the UN CRPD: Nigeria, whose school system overtly excludes disabled children, and Germany, where this group primarily learns in special schools. In both countries, policy actors aim to realize the right to inclusive education by segregating students with disabilities into special education settings. In Nigeria, this demand arises from the glaring lack of such a system. In Germany, conversely, from its extraordinary long-term institutionalization. This act of diverting from the principles embodied in Article 24 is based on the steadfast and shared belief that school systems, which place students into special education, have an innate advantage in realizing the right to education for persons with disabilities. Accordingly, inclusion emerges to be an evolutionary and linear process of educational expansion that depends on institutionalized special education, not a right of persons with disabilities to be realized in local schools on an equal basis with others. This book proposes a refined human rights model of disability in education that shifts the analytical focus toward the global politics of formal mass schooling as a space where discrimination is sustained.