The objective of this study is to analyse different models of educational support that are used in schools with public funding from the perspective of support teachers, counsellors and members of management teams. Participants were 79 professionals from the three areas mentioned above. The methodological approach was a phenomenological qualitative…

Limited research has focused on the unique needs of military families and their preschool-age children and even less work focused on military families whose preschool children have special needs or disabilities. Researchers implemented a multicase qualitative research design conducted at two sites to gain the perspectives across all service ranks.…

When developing inclusive practices in early childhood education (ECE) settings teachers are required to be guided by the principles enshrined in Te Whariki. When a child deemed to need 'extra support' comes into an ECE setting, to what extent might ECE teachers and support staff draw on the spirit and intention of this document to support the…

This article draws on an important distinction between abstract and concrete forms of utopia advanced by the Marxist philosopher of hope, Ernst Bloch, to examine participation and disability in education. Bloch's view of concrete hope, attuned to reason, engaged with social reality and inseparable from human responsibility, is drawn upon to…

As more states adopt the Common Core State Standards, teachers face new challenges. Teachers must unpack these standards and develop explicit learning targets to make these rigorous standards accessible to their students. This task can be especially challenging for special educators who must balance standards-based education with individualized…

The author is a special education teacher in New York and a mother of two children on the autism spectrum. The author's intimate involvement in the education system has made navigating the world of special education for her children easier in some ways, but also infinitely more difficult and heartbreaking in others. Since the passage of No…

This paper lists practices recommended by the Council for Exceptional Children's Division for Early Childhood concerning Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) programs for infants and young children with special needs and their…

In 2008, Thailand passed legislation on the educational provisions for students with disabilities to mandate the implementation of inclusive education. This article provides a historical overview of special education in Thailand and the emergence of inclusive education as it moves from policy to practice. To further identify the challenges faced…

This system aims to improve the communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in schools that serve students with disabilities, especially those in urban and/or high-poverty settings. The STAR system outlines five practices that build a more adaptive and inclusive education environment while utilizing modes of communication and…

Trends in Mexico concerning integrating children with special needs into general classrooms and a new model of service delivery providing greater site-based approaches to educating students with learning disabilities are discussed. Assignments and materials may be modified, and both resource rooms and specialists are available to the general…

This study explores key indicators of special education service delivery based on responses from 92 special educators and 36 administrators in 19 Vermont schools. Special educators reported on their work, the work of paraprofessionals they supervised, and 103 students with disabilities who were receiving one-to-one paraprofessional supports within…

Highlights of an ongoing forum of educators serving students with special educational needs (SEN) in Great Britain focus on concerns about writing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in light of the revised "SEN Code of Practice." These concerns address time constraints, the importance of students' individual needs, ways of…

Interviews with 17 key informants and surveys of 278 schools in Scotland explored policy and practices related to parent and student participation in the development and implementation of individualized educational programs (IEPs). While finding such participation desirable, education professionals did not agree on what constitutes participation,…

Describes the educational philosophy and practices of the Sunrise Children's Center in Amherst, New Hampshire, which serves all children, both disabled and nondisabled, from the ages of two to six years. The description of the program is highlighted with stories of children in the center. (BB)

This manual presents guidelines to assist Vermont schools in the systems change involved in implementing full inclusion for students with disabilities in general education classrooms and community settings. The first chapter addresses general issues concerned with full inclusion, including Vermont's vision for education, the role of collaborative…