Between 2006 and 2008 the Ministry of Education funded the evaluation of three Talent Development Initiatives for gifted and talented students. The methodology employed was one of participatory action research, a process of evaluation that enables learning by doing, as researchers and practitioners work alongside one another. Through the process…

This paper reports on a small action research project carried out by a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in a small rural, full primary school in New Zealand. It focused on improving the literacy outcomes for Years 5-8 boys in the school by way of a boys'-only writing group. Results show that the boys'-only learning group had a positive…

In this article I outline different elements of action research in an attempt to describe and define participatory action research (PAR). There is a lot more material available to readers these days, some of which I will refer you to in this article. I see my role here is to summarise enough of this material to help support your reading of the…

Much has happened since nine teams across New Zealand engaged in a Ministry of Education-funded participatory action research project looking at effective practice for supporting children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in education. Building on earlier discussions, the project ran from 2002 to 2004, and until now the story…

"Kairaranga" operates as a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Special Education, Resource Teachers: Learning and Behavior (RTLB) and the tertiary sector. The journal was published by and for RTLB from 2000 to 2003, but the partnership model has been in operation since Volume 5, Issue 2, 2004. After three years of…

A significant challenge for all participants in the autism spectrum disorder participatory action research (ASD PAR) project, including the Ministry of Education, the local project teams (LPT) and mentors, was the lack of availability of a single ethics approval process for the project in its entirety and, in particular, one that could accommodate…

The development of inclusive schools is not an easy task and not all people are committed to the development of inclusion because they have strong beliefs about where and how different "kinds" of children should receive their schooling. This article attempts to locate recent developments in inclusive practice and learning for all in a…

Supporting children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an endeavour associated with both reward and challenge. There are teams of people across New Zealand who provide this support daily, without fanfare or display--it is simply what they do. In 2003 and 2004 nine such teams stepped up and out by taking part in the national…

This article describes a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in a large urban, co-educational secondary school. The project focused on two senior pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who, seemingly as a result of feeling stressed or anxious, displayed behaviours that inhibited communication. Using questionnaires,…

This article provides an overview of the process of EEPiSE from conception to conclusion. It attempts to outline the extent of cooperation and collaboration among educators across sectors in identifying what works for children and young people who require significant adaptation to the curriculum. Outlined are the sequence of events, and the people…

The purpose of this study was to capture a sense of the experience of facilitators working with schools and teachers on the Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE) project. Facilitation skills are often used in educational contexts in a variety of forms and for a variety of purposes. A considerable body of literature provides…

In 2005 Motueka High School became involved in the Ministry of Education's Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE) project. The following is the story of how we integrated this action research project into our existing Enhanced Programme Funding (EPF). The project was supported by researcher Don Brown and led by our head of…

This article is an analysis of the reports submitted to the Ministry of Education by teams and mentors who took part in the autism spectrum disorder participatory action research (ASD PAR) project. The key findings highlight the importance of: individualised support based on a sound knowledge of the child or young person; strategies targeted at…

When teachers participate in professional development and learning opportunities it enables them to reconceptualise their assessment and teaching practices with the support of facilitators and researchers. National programmes of professional development and research, such as the three year Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE)…

This article describes an action research project, based within a school, to develop and increase the social resiliency of students with special education needs in both school and community settings. The programme included role-plays, scenarios and problem solving. An assessment tool was developed to measure self-esteem amongst the students and…