Abstract Evidence suggests that special education teachers are not well‐prepared to implement services for students who may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication. The lack of training often emerges during their pre‐service teacher preparation programs. To alleviate the knowledge gap, special education teachers may rely on professional development training opportunities. As a result, to better understand the perspectives of special education teachers on the state of AAC professional development training an online survey was conducted across the United States. A total of 772 special education teachers provided their views through five identified themes. These included that AAC professional development ‘training is available,’ there is a ‘need for training,’ there are ‘systemic barriers’ to training, ‘team support’ was used as a means for training, and participants were ‘unclear or did not know’ if AAC professional development training was available. Results suggested that most participants indicated that AAC professional development training is lacking, and that training is needed. Various influencing factors were identified between participants' demographics and their views on AAC professional development training. Practical implications, a call to action and future research directions are discussed.
Abstract Echolalia has been widely examined in clinical and developmental research, yet the experiences of teachers, who arguably encounter echolalia across the widest variety of contexts and environments, remain largely unexplored. This study examined special education teachers lived experiences of echolalia in specialist schools. Using a qualitative design, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 83 special education teachers. Data was analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Five interconnected practice problems emerged: limited foundational knowledge, lack of classroom‐based strategies, inconsistent speech pathology interpretations, limited specialist presence and unclear professional roles. This study found that teachers' experiences of echolalia are not only shaped by echoes themselves, but also by the fragmented knowledge, structural constraints and ambiguous professional responsibility within special education systems.
Abstract The inclusion of pupils with special needs in mainstream schools presents complex ethical dilemmas for educational staff, school leaders and families. This research explores these dilemmas through Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model in the context of Israel's 2018 inclusion reform, highlighting the interaction between schoolchildren and their environment across five subsystems. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 83 educators holding diverse school roles across Israel. Using grounded theory analysis, findings demonstrated that although ethical dilemmas appeared across all ecological systems, they were concentrated within the exosystem where organisational structures, resource limitations and policy implementation conditions constrained educators’ ability to enact inclusive practices. Two dominant categories of ethical dilemmas were identified: balancing inclusive participation with effective classroom functioning, and managing tensions between parental preferences and professional educational judgement. The research demonstrates that educators’ experiences are shaped by organisational structures, resource availability, leadership support and policy implementation processes. Findings contribute to the international literature on inclusive education by illustrating how ethical dilemmas are distributed across interconnected ecological systems and by highlighting the importance of systemic support for sustainable inclusion practices. The findings highlight the importance of systemic conditions and organisational support for translating inclusive education policies into sustainable practice.
Abstract Children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities are rarely included in discussions of inclusion/inclusive education. This paper begins from the premise that their inclusion matters and that it is helpful to begin at the level of the classroom where children and teachers have some agency. The aim is to make students with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities the focus of discussion of inclusion and belonging, and to show how, by seeking to research their lived experience with them, we can shed light on matters that are important. The work draws on theory concerning relational belonging encompassing affect, attachment, people, places and temporal rhythms, plus occupational science theory about co‐occupation characterised by shared physicality, intentionality and emotionality. From case study research conducted in a special school in England, the vignette method used stresses embodied attentiveness and knowing. The findings show the physical, embodied, time and place, and co‐occupation dimensions associated with achieving belonging in a special school classroom that are likely to matter to broader inclusive education. Discussion of these leads to the conclusion that through their different ways of knowing, students with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities draw attention to relational foundations for inclusion that are too readily forgotten.
Abstract Inclusive education in higher education is increasingly framed through commitments to equity, diversity, and epistemic justice, yet the enactment of these commitments remains uneven and contested. This qualitative case study examines a cross‐disciplinary staff development initiative at a UK post‐92 university that engaged academic and professional services staff with decolonial approaches to curriculum design. Grounded conceptually in praxis, positionality and pluriversality, the initiative comprised participatory workshops and a practical toolkit intended to support critical reflection on colonial legacies in teaching and learning. Data were generated through workshop feedback, reflective testimonies and follow‐up consultations with 40 self‐selecting participants across education, health, business and professional services. Reflexive thematic analysis indicates that the initiative functioned primarily as a space for conceptual clarification and affective engagement rather than sustained pedagogical or structural transformation. Participants reported increased confidence in articulating decolonial concepts and heightened awareness of epistemic exclusion, alongside persistent constraints linked to assessment practices, institutional regulation and audit cultures. Although framed within inclusive education, issues of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and neurodiversity were largely absent from participant reflections. Rather than treating this as a limitation, the paper interrogates this absence as an empirical finding.
Abstract After the 25th of April 1974, Portugal was marked by legislative developments in major areas defining a democratic society, including education. The aim of this paper is to describe a comprehensive analysis of the legislation on education for children with disabilities in Portugal, exploring commonalities with international developments regarding children's rights and access to education. A document analysis was conducted on the chronology of laws on education for children with disabilities over the last 50 years coupled with assessment of quantitative indicators of their access to mainstream schools. Findings confirm the accomplishment of significant legislative developments following the 25th April 1974 affirming and reaffirming the right of children with disabilities to education in mainstream settings and establishing support for them to succeed in school. Legislative developments were analysed within Göransson & Nilholm's framework (2014), describing evolving categories to education from physical placement in mainstream schools towards the building of an inclusive and supportive school community based on principles of equity, care and justice. Legislative developments were consistent with the focus of international conventions as well as the emphasis on access to education in mainstream schools, highlighting that inclusive education for children with disabilities has been mainly a policy‐driven process.
Abstract Autistic students often face unique challenges related to Internet threats. When intersected with gender and sexuality diversity, challenges can compound and lead to increased risk of bullying, discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion. Although there is an intersection between autism and gender and sexuality diversity, the voices of gender and sexuality diverse autistic students about Internet threats remain an underexplored research area. Most studies have focused on neurotypical, heterosexual and cis‐gender students or addressed autism, sexuality and gender separately. This paper builds on findings from a recent exploratory pilot study offering new empirical insight into autistic perceived Internet threats—an area currently underrepresented in inclusive education and digital safety. This paper presents considerations from the exploratory pilot study to inform future research on gender and sexuality diverse autistic students' perspectives on Internet threats. The pilot study engaged with autistic voices and employed a D/discourse theoretical framework, the Inclusive New Literacies and 4 CO:RE Classification of Online Risk to Children frameworks when interpreting the data. Recommendations may inform educators, parents/carers, policy‐makers and practitioners regarding appropriate Internet safety education to promote positive and safe online learning experiences of gender and sexuality diverse autistic students who are a population with unique neurodiversity, identities and experiences.
Abstract Valid assessment in special and inclusive education requires instruments capable of capturing the multidimensional learning outcomes of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). This study examined the content validity of a newly developed, teacher‐rated SEN outcomes instrument grounded in Bloom's Taxonomy, which assesses cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development in school settings. Using the Content Validity Index (CVI) approach, eight experts in educational management, special education and educational assessment evaluated 19 items on a four‐point relevance scale. Item‐level (I‐CVI) and scale‐level (S‐CVI/Ave and S‐CVI/UA) indices were computed following established guidelines. Seventeen items achieved full agreement (I‐CVI = 1.00), one met the acceptable threshold (I‐CVI = 0.88) and one was removed for insufficient relevance (I‐CVI = 0.75). Initial values (S‐CVI/Ave = 0.98, S‐CVI/UA = 0.89) exceeded recommended standards. After the item was removed, the final 18‐item instrument reached S‐CVI/Ave = 0.99 and S‐CVI/UA = 0.94, indicating excellent content validity. The instrument shows strong conceptual coherence and alignment across all three domains. It offers educators a theoretically grounded framework to support Individualised Education Plans (IEPs), data‐informed instructional planning and systematic monitoring of holistic learner development in inclusive settings.
Differentiation is a widely established approach to addressing heterogeneity in students' learning needs and prerequisites in inclusive mainstream classrooms. While differentiation has been extensively studied regarding its implementation and effectiveness, aspects of social selectivity in these practices remain underexplored. This study focuses on curriculum modifications, a form of differentiation that entails reduced learning objectives and altered curricular content for low-achieving students, and examines their socially selective allocation. Drawing on population-wide and administratively linked data on primary school students in Northwestern Switzerland, it is examined whether and to what extent students from low-income households are more likely to receive curriculum modifications. Results from multilevel regression models suggest a systematic overrepresentation of students from low-income households among those receiving curriculum modifications. Mediation analyses confirm that this overrepresentation of students from low-income households is only partly explained by income-related gaps in academic achievement. Since curriculum modifications, as suggested by prior research, may carry adverse implications for targeted students' learning progress and future educational pathways, social selectivity in the allocation of this measure may contribute to an exacerbation of educational inequalities.
International research indicates elevated levels of educational instability among autistic students, including school mobility and exclusion. However, systematic evidence on how such trajectories are experienced within differentiated education systems remains limited, particularly from teachers' perspectives in Germany. The present study examines teacher-reported educational pathways of autistic students across school types, focusing on patterns of instability, institutional conditions and professional challenges. A total of N = 392 teachers completed an anonymous online survey. Data were analysed using a two-stage strategy combining descriptive analyses with exploratory inferential analyses within a defined subsample. Teachers predominantly described educational trajectories as fluctuating and recurrently challenging, whereas formal exclusionary events were reported as rare or limited to individual cases. This pattern indicates that instability may not primarily manifest in formally recorded events but rather in ongoing challenges within everyday school participation. Institutional conditions were described as uneven and frequently constrained, particularly with regard to staffing and environmental adaptation. Repeated participation in autism-related training and perceived support from school leadership and colleagues were associated with higher professional confidence. These findings underscore the relevance of institutional and professional support structures for teachers' capacity to respond to autistic students' needs and to support sustained educational participation.
While educational inclusion is national policy in many countries, good practice is slow to emerge. The study investigated mainstream teachers' orientation towards collegial learning while they participated in a national professionalization programme aimed at expanding schools' capacity for inclusive education in Sweden. Qualitative data collected from a total of 30 interviews and 60 observations from 30 schools who participated in the national professionalization programme were re-analysed. Results suggest that teachers are both willing and feel able to strive for more inclusive education through collegial learning. However, the data also suggest that vague goals undermine effective use of collegial learning in schools and that national (or above school-level) coordination of collegial learning practice is needed to achieve goals that are located beyond teachers' and their school's most immediate needs.
School attendance problems (SAPs) have received increased attention internationally in recent years; however, there are still few qualitative studies that explore attendance promotion from the perspective of young people with such experiences and who have managed to increase their attendance. This study contributes by focusing on six young people's experiences of and perspectives on pathways to increased attendance and support related to SAPs in Sweden. Qualitative interviews were conducted with young people with experiences of SAPs, and a thematic analysis was conducted. The results reveal that a combination of relational (informal) and formal support, mainly in the social and learning environment in school, but also from actors outside school, stood out as helpful in increasing their attendance. The young people emphasized that schools should listen to them, understand, offer inclusive support and hope in order to promote attendance. The results might be understood in light of recognition theory by stressing the significance of individual recognition in school in order to promote attendance and that SAPs might be understood as a way for young people to protect themselves from a lack of recognition in different spheres within the school context.
Abstract Limited research has examined how neurodiversity‐affirming approaches are (1) co‐created with autistic people, (2) operationalized, (3) implemented, (4) assessed and (5) iterated. Across a 3‐year program of research, we co‐developed and iterated game design and employment workshops for and with autistic youth. After encountering difficulties enacting authentically neurodiversity‐affirming approaches during the Year 2 workshop, we developed neurodiversity‐affirming principles that guided hiring, training, curriculum development and student and staff advocacy opportunities in Year 3 workshops. We assessed fidelity to these principles. This paper examines if these changes were associated with increases in: 1) neurodiversity‐affirming staff practices and (2) student engagement with workshop content. Masked coders analysed the following data sources from Years 2 and 3: (1) video recordings of staff teaching practices, (2) pre‐ and post‐workshop staff surveys and (3) students' ratings of engagement with workshop activities. Staff used neurodiversity‐affirming practices more frequently after the aforementioned changes. Student‐reported engagement did not differ across years and was generally high. However, in Year 3 only, student engagement improved within workshops following intentionally advocacy‐oriented student feedback loops. Findings show that redefining fidelity as a flexible, values‐driven process offers a model for inclusive program design that fosters socially valid, responsive learning environments.
The transition to primary school is typically more challenging for children with additional support needs (ASN). This is notable, as a positive experience at the transition to school is associated with greater wellbeing, school engagement, and academic outcomes. Practices and support for this transition are common and varied; however, the extent to which practices are appropriate or modified to support children with ASN to flourish during their first years of schooling is unclear. The UK government's recent aim to improve early school outcomes in England will necessitate an understanding of how to adequately support children with ASN at this transition. In this exploratory study, we interviewed seven teachers in England and Scotland about their experiences of supporting children with ASN at the transition to primary school. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed four themes: good intentions but lack of evidence for effective practice; differentiated practice is good, but changing the whole system would be better; neither country gets it quite right; and need to look beyond the initial transition. Findings reflect teachers' effort to meet the varied needs of children but highlight how the lack of guidance around recommended practice and cuts to funding limit their ability to provide support.
This is the first study to comprehensively consider cycle instructor knowledge, motivation and behaviour when teaching children with disabilities. Using a prospective design, we used a questionnaire to measure COM-B components before (N = 845), immediately after (N = 480) and 6 months after (N = 63) an online course for instructors. We also conducted interviews (N = 12) 3 months after training. Prior to the course, physical opportunity and psychological capability were the biggest barriers to delivering inclusive cycle training. In addition, motivation was important in predicting adaptations to training. Scores on all factors increased immediately following the course, 6 months later only an increase in psychological capability was maintained. Qualitative data highlighted behavioural changes as a consequence of the course, which were captured in the quantitative data. 6 months after the course social opportunity was an important predictor of behaviour, highlighting the importance of social influence and support. Recommendations from these data focus on social opportunity, that is, how an online community of instructors may provide support in delivering inclusive cycle training. These findings hold global significance as the provision of cycle training appropriate to the needs of each child is crucial in the promotion of cycling as a form of physical activity.
This study addressed the use of inclusive educational practices in two districts nominated by scholars of inclusive education across the USA. The two districts that eventually agreed to be studied were located in rural places. This article analyzes and interprets study data to address the local features related to inclusive educational practice in these places in order to derive insights that might benefit districts elsewhere, including in both rural and more urbanized locales. The key conclusion highlights the importance of community in securing and sustaining local support-such a connection builds a mutually constitutive relationship that propagates understanding of and support for inclusive practices. This study expands on our earlier work, which revealed several promising strategies that districts might use when adopting inclusive practices, including maintaining an identity of inclusivity and using community-grounded and systemic approaches. It seems that sustainable inclusive practice benefits from, or perhaps requires, community understanding and support. Smaller and more rural schools (and, in North America, school districts) come to this difficult work, in general, with some advantages.
This systematic review synthesizes the empirical research on assistive technologies for dyslexia, with a special focus on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) methods, device form factors (such as desktop, mobile, tangible and virtual reality interfaces) and emotional design elements embedded within these tools. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 20 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2020 were selected through structured database searches and rigorous screening procedures. Key data were extracted about study settings, technological platforms, HCI evaluation strategies, user outcomes and the incorporation of emotional design. The findings reveal that PC and mobile platforms overwhelmingly dominate, constituting 90% of all reviewed interventions, while only 10% utilize either virtual reality (VR) or tangible user interfaces (TUI). While user-centered design (UCD) is frequently cited as an approach, formal heuristic evaluations are notably under-reported. Emotional design features were present in only 20% of the studies, signalling an opportunity for further development. The review underscores the necessity for aligning platform choices with both the cognitive and affective needs of users. This approach recommends employing dual-evaluation strategies to guarantee both technical accuracy and user accessibility. An agenda is proposed for future research, linking HCI principles, device form factors and emotional engagement to optimize outcomes in dyslexia support technology.
Autism Bases, as part of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) resourced provisions (RP), offer a hybrid model of inclusive education, combining specialist support with access to mainstream classrooms. While such provisions are widespread, few studies capture the voices of autistic pupils navigating these dual settings. This small-scale, practitioner-led study explores how autistic children experience inclusion while dividing their time between an autism-specific Base and mainstream classes. Informed by the Mosaic Approach (Clark & Moss, 2001), the research used multimodal methods, facilitated discussions, writing, sorting activities, and photovoice to elicit the perspectives of 16 autistic pupils (ages 7-11) in an English primary school.
This study examines how multiple systems of oppression-ableism, sexism and educational discrimination-intersect to shape the lived experiences of female students with disabilities, with the goal of informing and strengthening teacher education in Bangladesh. Sixteen females with disabilities were selected through the purposive sampling technique for this study. Using an intersectional qualitative approach, researchers conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with female students with disabilities across various educational settings. Data was analysed following a six-step thematic data analysis framework. The findings highlight significant challenges related to enrollment, classroom participation, access to learning resources, and sustaining motivation for education. By centering the voices and narratives of female students with disabilities, this research underscores the urgent need to integrate an intersectional lens into teacher education programs. Such integration can help future educators better understand and respond to the intersecting identities of students while considering the multiple systems of oppression. The authors of this paper recommend embedding intersectional perspectives within the curriculum and pedagogy of teacher education to effectively support students with multiply marginalized identities in Bangladesh and other similar socio-economic contexts.
Paraprofessional support is considered a key resource for promoting the inclusion and social participation of students with special educational needs. Despite ongoing debates surrounding its effectiveness, little is known about how paraprofessionals themselves conceptualise social participation, or whether they view its facilitation as part of their professional responsibilities. This exploratory study examines the experiences of paraprofessionals working in Germany. A total of 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the interview data, reflecting paraprofessionals' conceptualisations of and approaches to promoting social participation. These themes were subsequently analysed deductively in relation to existing research on social participation and inclusive education. The four themes reflect the considerable variation in paraprofessionals' experiences. The current study provides new and valuable insights into paraprofessionals' perceptions of their role in supporting students' social participation and discusses various starting points for further development. The results highlight the crucial role of teachers in guiding and supporting paraprofessionals to promote social participation effectively and sustainably.
