Disabilities In General Education Research Articles

Differentiated Assessments for Learners with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary Schools in Tanzania

Differentiated Instructions and modifications in curriculum and assessments are considered a prerequisite for the successful inclusion of learners with disabilities in general education. This qualitative study assessed the current provisions and the aspired changes in the curriculum, assessments, and transition plans for learners with Neurodevelopmental Diversities such as Autism in Tanzania. A total of 21 participants partaken in this study. The participants were obtained through purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, documentary reviews and non-participant observation. Data were analyzed thematically, aided by the vivo 12. Participants were of the opinion that there is a limited provision with regard to only time (an additional twenty minutes in every hour for mathematics and ten minutes in each hour for other subjects) within the subsidiary legislation of the Examination regulations released by the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) in 2016. The provision, however, does not mention any neurodevelopmental disabilities in the categories of disabilities and the special provisions entitled to them. Lack of reasonable accommodations in the type and structure of questions, rigid modality of responses to the examination questions for learners with learning disabilities and limited flexibility in time and room arrangements have been mentioned as barriers to proper assessments for such learners. The study concludes that there is a need to embrace the evidence-based practices of responsive education, instead of the “one-size-fits-all” kind of education. This will help to improve the curriculum for all learners instead of the approach to “fix” the deficits of learners with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Kuwait Parents’ Attitudes toward Inclusive Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in General Education

This study investigated the attitudes (i.e., beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intentions) of Kuwaiti parents about providing students with intellectual disabilities (ID) an inclusive education in general education classrooms. One hundred seventy-seven parents from the six governorates in Kuwait participated in this study. The researchers utilized a survey method to examine the parents’ attitudes with a concentration on eight demographic attributes: gender, age, level of education, knowledge about people with ID, having a child with a disability, contact with a person with ID, having school-age children, and the governorate where they live. The results indicated that parents who had contact with or had children with ID held the most positive attitudes toward providing students with disabilities an inclusive education in general education. The findings of the study provide a comprehensive view of the importance of the inclusion of people with disabilities in attitude. In this study, we identified predictor factors that affect the attitudes of parents and implications.

High School General Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Students with Significant Disabilities in Inclusive Settings

Thanks to legislation that supports inclusion of students with significant disabilities in general education, general education teachers need to have appropriate knowledge, training, and self-efficacy in order to work successfully with these students in their classrooms. In this study, a survey of high school general education teachers investigated their perceived knowledge and capabilities specifically related to teaching students with significant disabilities. A range of subject areas, years of experience, and educational/training attained were surveyed. The findings support existing, recent research in highlighting the challenges of securing a high-quality inclusive learning experience for students with significant disabilities. Implications include the need for training and experience in special education topics for general education teachers to support their ability to teach students with significant disabilities in inclusive settings.

Applying the Contact Theory in Inclusive Education: A Systematic Review on the Impact of Contact and Information on the Social Participation of Students With Disabilities

The social participation of students with disabilities in general education is lagging behind and negative peer attitudes are often mentioned as the main barrier. Contact Theory can serve as a rationale for interventions that aim to promote positive attitudes and thereby also the social participation of students with disabilities. This review aims to elucidate to what extent the intervention components contact and information are related to both the attitudes of typically developing peers and the social participation of students with disabilities. The results indicate that interventions combining contact and information are associated with more positive attitudes and one theme of social participation (i.e., interactions). It was, surprisingly, not possible to study the mediating role of peer attitudes as no studies addressed this. In sum, Contact Theory can be validated in primary inclusive education regarding typically developing students' attitudes, but only partially regarding the social participation of students with disabilities.

Same Progress for All? Inclusive Education, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities and Students With Intellectual Disability in European Countries

AbstractOver the course of the last 30 years, inclusive education has emerged as a key aim of education policies around the world. Also in Europe, most countries took efforts to make their education systems more inclusive—which led to growing numbers of children and young persons with disabilities in general education in Europe. The implementation processes of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) fuelled these efforts. However, as some authors have argued, not all students with disabilities seem to have benefited in the same way from these developments—such as children and young persons with intellectual disability (ID). This paper aims to explore this phenomenon in more depth by comparing some measures in relation to the implementation processes of the UNCRPD of seven European countries. Doing so, we analyze trends in placements (mainstream and special schools) of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in general and of students with intellectual disability specifically. As we show, an increase of students identified as having SEN in mainstream schools can be observed in all countries during the implementation process of the UNCRPD. However, in comparison to this rather broad group of learners, the percentage of students with intellectual disability in mainstream settings did not increase as much. Furthermore, the calculation of the “exclusion rate” revealed that this group of learners remains a key population of special schools. These results need to be understood as effects of specific shortcomings in the implementation of the UNCRPD, as we discuss in a further section. We conclude our paper with recommendations on future research and policies on inclusive education regarding students with intellectual disability.

Inclusion of All Students in General Education? International Appeal for A More Temperate Approach to Inclusion

AbstractIncluding students with disabilities in general education when appropriate is an important goal of special education. However, inclusion is not as important as effective instruction, which must be the first concern of education, general or special. Full inclusion, the claim that all students with disabilities are best placed in general education with needed supports, is a world-wide issue. Full inclusion does not serve the best interests of all students with disabilities. Including all students in the common enterprise of learning is more important than where students are taught.

Supporting successful inclusive practices for learners with disabilities in high schools: a multisite, mixed method collective case study

Purpose: The increase in the number of individuals with disabilities in general education has led to an increased interest in how to best provide support. Despite an emphasis on inclusion and participation in policy and practice, defining and describing the support provided for these learners is still an important task.Method: This multisite, mixed method collective case study reports on 125 education and other staff from seven schools who took part in interviews and focus groups to reflect on a range of topics related to learners with disabilities in high schools. We focused on what the participants did, what they considered to be successful and what their “best” practices were.Results: Descriptions of practices were rich, nuanced and complex. The analysis identified over 200 “strategies” which were synthesized into two meta-themes and eight subthemes. We discuss the results in the context of an ecological perspective, and the importance of focusing on the full range of influences and outcomes for young people in designing supports.Conclusions: We have drawn on evidence from this study as a basis for professional development activities and identified that focusing on the environment and the role of practitioners has a potential to improve the inclusion outcomes for older learners with disabilities.Implications for RehabilitationInclusion is influenced by the physical environment, attitudes, expectations and opportunities, in addition to a learner’s skills and abilities.Schools should focus on the environment and teachers’ practices, rather than on what an individual learner can or cannot do.The practices discussed in this study reflect those that a range of educators and related services personnel agree are realistic, appropriate and effective.Change may be led by the school management team; however, there are many ways in which all staff can contribute; indeed, approaches will not work effectively unless they are understood and implemented by everyone.

Have You Spoken With Your Paraeducator Today?

The current educational climate emphasizes the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education. This results in an increased effort to enhance and maintain an inclusive environment. Co...

Review of Experimental Research on Academic Learning by Students with Moderate and Severe Intellectual Disability in General Education

A review of the literature on academic learning in general education settings for students with moderate and severe intellectual disability was conducted. A total of 17 experimental studies was identified and evaluated using quality indicators for single-case design research. Studies that met or met with reservation the criteria established for quality research were used to determine the evidence base of the instructional strategies described in the literature. The review found embedded instruction trials using constant time delay to be an evidence-based practice for teaching academic content to students with moderate and severe intellectual disability in general education. In addition, strategies that were not yet evidence-based but showed promise in the literature for teaching academic content to students with moderate and severe intellectual disability in general education were described. Last, implications for practice and directions for future research were discussed.

Peer Acceptance and Friendships of Students with Disabilities in General Education: The Role of Child, Peer, and Classroom Variables

AbstractTo understand the difficulties students with disabilities experience in their social participation in general education, this study examined which child, peer, and class variables relate to peer acceptance and friendships. In a cross‐sectional study, sociometric data were gathered for students without disabilities (N = 985) and students with disabilities (N = 65), together with personal related variables of students with disabilities, attitudes of peers towards students with disabilities, and classroom information. Using separate social networks for both boys and girls, the findings of the logistic multilevel regression analyses showed different outcomes for peer acceptance of boys and girls with disabilities. The implications of the findings are discussed in the light of possible interventions to improve peer acceptance and friendships of students with disabilities in general primary education.

Economic and Demographic Predictors of Inclusive Education

This study investigated economic and demographic predictors of levels of inclusion of students with disabilities in 129 school districts. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to address the following research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between economic factors and percentage of highly included students with disabilities in general education when controlling for demographic factors? and (b) Is there a relationship between demographic factors and percentage of highly included students with disabilities in general education classrooms when controlling for economic factors? Results suggest a significant relationship between the economic variables of general education expenditure and special education expenditure, and the amount of time students with disabilities are included in general education classrooms. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and inclusive education for students with the most severe disabilities

This paper examines the role of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in fostering the successful inclusion of students with the most severe disabilities in general education. Best practices in AAC are identified and multiple examples of their implementation are presented. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to integrate AAC into daily school life as a means of fostering all students’ access to and participation in the general education curriculum. A primary premise is that inclusion must be more than just a place; it must constitute a context in which meaningful learning occurs. It is demonstrated that when administered appropriately, interventions involving uses of AAC can foster students’ access to the general education curriculum and acquisition of skills tailored to their individual and diverse needs.

Promoting Systemic, Statewide Inclusion From the Bottom Up

Educators have been challenged to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Although this mandate has existed for 30 years, local educators report difficulties with program planning; graduation and grading of students with disabilities; recruitment and retention of qualified teachers; ensuring access of all students to the general education curriculum; training in collaborative planning and teaching; and placing students in the least restrictive setting. These challenges inhibit educators' ability to include students with disabilities in general education and are largely the by-product of district and state policy. This article describes a bottom-up, context-specific change model that focused on providing professional development at each level (local to state) of the system and fostering communication across the levels. This strategy produced lasting change in 2 states in policy and local implementation of policy and serves as a model for teachers and principals seeking to promote inclusion.

Including High School Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education Classes: Perspectives of General and Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Administrators

Increasing the participation of youth with severe disabilities in general education has remained a consistent and prominent focus of legislative, policy, and research initiatives. We examined the perceptions of high school staff regarding the goals, barriers, benefits, outcomes, and supports associated with including adolescents with severe disabilities in general education classes. We found that general and special educators, paraprofessionals, and administrators both converged and diverged in their evaluations of different aspects of general education participation. Despite broad agreement regarding the benefits of and instructional priorities in general education classrooms, stakeholders differed significantly in their perceptions of barriers associated with including students with disabilities in general education classes at their high schools.

Tools of Exclusion: Race, Disability, and (Re)segregated Education

In this article we explore the dynamic interplay between racism and ableism—or discrimination against someone based on perceived “ability”1—in the resistance to school desegregation and inclusion of students with disabilities in general education. In attending to the workings of power that connect these two histories, we show how racialized notions of ability functioned to uphold segregated schooling and justify the use of special education as a tool of racial resegregation. Moreover, we locate the current problem of overrepresentation of Black2students (and other students of color) in segregated special education classrooms to the connected discourses of segregation and exclusion. Recent efforts to challenge exclusionary practices in special education through the increased “inclusion” of students with disabilities in regular classrooms have resulted in resistance similar to that expressed in response to school desegregation shortly after Brown. In this article we first provide an overview of the complicated and intertwined histories of school desegregation and special education. Then, in the discursive context of a sample of very diverse newspapers, we examine how editors, readers and contributors responded to both court-ordered desegregation in the 1950s and then special education inclusion in the 1980s and 1990s by calling for delays and gradual compliance. We argue that gradualism has functioned to maintain, rather than disrupt, the status quo of racially segregated schooling both within and across schools. Finally, we argue that race and disability should be understood primarily as interactive social constructs and not distinct biological markers.

Tools of Exclusion: Race, Disability, and (Re)segregated Education

In this article we explore the dynamic interplay between racism and ableism—or discrimination against someone based on perceived “ability”1—in the resistance to school desegregation and inclusion of students with disabilities in general education. In attending to the workings of power that connect these two histories, we show how racialized notions of ability functioned to uphold segregated schooling and justify the use of special education as a tool of racial resegregation. Moreover, we locate the current problem of overrepresentation of Black2students (and other students of color) in segregated special education classrooms to the connected discourses of segregation and exclusion. Recent efforts to challenge exclusionary practices in special education through the increased “inclusion” of students with disabilities in regular classrooms have resulted in resistance similar to that expressed in response to school desegregation shortly after Brown. In this article we first provide an overview of the complicated and intertwined histories of school desegregation and special education. Then, in the discursive context of a sample of very diverse newspapers, we examine how editors, readers and contributors responded to both court-ordered desegregation in the 1950s and then special education inclusion in the 1980s and 1990s by calling for delays and gradual compliance. We argue that gradualism has functioned to maintain, rather than disrupt, the status quo of racially segregated schooling both within and across schools. Finally, we argue that race and disability should be understood primarily as interactive social constructs and not distinct biological markers.

Ecobehavioral Assessment of Instructional Contexts in Bilingual Special Education Programs for English Language Learners at Risk for Developmental Disabilities

This article presents empirical data using The Ecobehavioral System for the Contextual Recording of Interactional Bilingual Environments to examine the instructional context, teacher behavior, and academic engaged behavior for English language learners at risk for developmental disabilities in general education and bilingual special education programs. Thirty-six English language learners at risk for developmental disabilities were observed for 6 full school days each, for a total of 213 days and 1,491 hours, within 4 elementary-level school settings and 26 different classrooms. The results revealed that (a) the most frequently taught subjects were math (20%), reading (18%), and language arts (16%); (b) English was the most frequently used language of instruction (58%); and (c) students were actively engaged in academic behaviors for slightly less than half of a typical school day (44%).

Collaboration: An Element Associated With the Success of Four Inclusive High Schools

Collaboration between general education teachers and special education teachers is often mentioned in the literature as a means of accomplishing the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education. The purpose of this study was to describe, using both qualitative and quantitative data, the communication and collaboration practices in four high schools with demonstrated success at including students with disabilities in general education and achieving exemplary outcomes for all students. Schoolwide approaches and classroom-level factors associated with collaboration characterize the themes that emerged as important to the success of these high schools. A discussion of these results and implications for practice are presented.

An Ecobehavioral Examination of High School Classrooms That Include Students with Disabilities

This study examined teacher behaviors, student responses, and classroom ecology in inclusive classrooms in four high schools that have had success at including students with disabilities in general education, and examined the differences in teacher and student behavior for students with and without disabilities. Using a computerized ecobehavioral assessment tool (EBASS), 199 observations in 118 inclusive classrooms were conducted. Major results were that (a) students with and without disabilities showed high levels of academic engagement and low levels of inappropriate behavior; (b) there were no significant differences in the behavior of students with and without disabilities; (c) teachers were active in their classrooms, spending more than 75% of their time involved in instructing, managing, and interacting with their students; and (d) students with disabilities were more often the focus of the teachers' attention than students without disabilities. Possible explanations for these results and implications for practice are discussed.

Teaching students to self-regulate their behavior: the differential effects of student-vs. teacher-delivered reinforcement

The effects of selected student-directed learning strategies on the classroom behavior of six students with varying disabilities in general education were examined using a multiple baseline design across groups. Target behaviors included academic, study, and social skills. Results indicated increases in student target performance for all participants, however, differential effects were observed across groups and reinforcement conditions (student-vs. teacher-delivered). Additionally, anecdotal reports obtained from the cooperating teacher and students supported the study’s findings. The implications of these findings are discussed.