As a result of exclusionary tactics, social, cultural or economic disadvantage or disability, vast numbers of pupils have poor educational experiences and are either marginalised or demonised due to "difficult differences". In the context of Martha Nussbaum's capabilities approach, where she suggests that we ought to be who we want to…

The ecological approach, based on the RTLB Toolkit that guides RTLBs in New Zealand, is one of the seven principles used for interventions for students with learning and behaviour concerns. As a result of a paradigm shift moving from a functional limitations perspective to a more inclusive/ecological perspective in 1999, RTLBs have been trained…

Youth with disabilities are at a higher risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system. Why is this true, and what should parents and caregivers know about this issue? This series of five briefs answers these questions and provides parents with steps for protecting their children's rights in both the education and the court systems.

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience behavioural and learning problems at home and at school, as well as a lack of self-control in their lives. We can take advantage of the evolution of new technologies to develop applications with the aim of enhancing and stimulating the learning process of children with ADHD.…

When Alexis Wiggins returned to full-time teaching after having a baby, she took with her an idea from the book "A Path With Heart" by Buddhist Jack Kornfield. The idea was that each day might go better if she viewed everyone she encountered during that day, including any student or parent who seemed to make her teaching life harder, as…

School and district personnel have identified common challenges in implementing individualized, intensive interventions for students with severe, persistent learning and behavioral needs. The National Center on Intensive Intervention has worked with scores of local educators--including district administrators, building principals, special and…

There is a growing body of opinion that we should view autism as fractionable into different, largely independent sets of clinical features. The alternative view is that autism is a coherent syndrome in which principal features of the disorder stand in intimate developmental relationship with each other. Studies of congenitally blind children…

Ever since the first schools opened their doors, teachers have struggled to find ways to successfully deal with misbehaving students. Many have found nothing but stress and frustration in their attempts to bring order to their classrooms. Unfortunately, this problem is not going away. As times and students change, teachers are finding that old…

Based on a collaboration dating back nearly a decade, the authors--a behavioral analyst and a child psychiatrist--reveal their systematic approach for deciphering causes and patterns of difficult behaviors and how to match them with proven strategies for getting students back on track to learn. "The Behavior Code" includes user-friendly worksheets…

Scholars have suggested that counseling theory is greatly enhanced by adding creative approaches (Degges-White & Davis, 2011). However, few suggestions have been made in the counseling literature indicating how motivational interviewing can be creatively used. In addition, the majority of creative approaches for problem behaviors within the…

Challenging behavior can be defined as any repeated pattern of behavior, or perception of behavior, that interferes with or is at risk of interfering with optimal learning or engagement in prosocial interactions with peers and adults. It is generally accepted in young children that challenging behaviors serve some sort of communicative purpose--to…

This article describes how a Tulane early childhood mental health clinic provided trauma-informed care for a young, severely maltreated child victim of human trafficking. Effective treatment included two evidence-based therapies and psychiatric care over a span of 2 years. Therapists made decisions about intervention in response to fluctuations in…

As the number of students with disabilities within residence halls increases, their interactions with other residents can become problematic; in many instances, students without disabilities may not understand the behavior of their peers with disabilities and vice versa. Misunderstandings are compounded by the fact that 84% of students with…

While theories on the etiology of sexually problematic and offending behavior have become increasingly developmental in their perspective, treatment approaches that are utilized to address these issues have not significantly changed to address this thinking. Adolescent behavioral problems are especially linked to a wide range of personal and…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders have the highest dropout rates of any student group--about 40%. The outcomes for students who drop out of school are dire but are particularly bleak for students with poor academic, interpersonal, and decision-making skills. Helping students earn a high school diploma and gain the skills needed to…