Background: Various aspects of the home literacy environment are considered to stimulate the emergent literacy development in children without disabilities. It is important to gain insight into the home literacy environment of children with cerebral palsy given that they have been shown to have difficulty acquiring literacy skills. Aims: The aims…

Background: Four elementary (primary) school students with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) aids were selected to take part in an intensive, 4-week summer intervention program. The program was designed to explore effective approaches, content and contexts for supporting…

Several factors have been shown to influence inclusion of children with special educational needs. This paper reports on findings from a questionnaire investigating training, specialist knowledge, confidence, attitudes and beliefs of the Reception class, Year 1, and Year 2 teachers of a cohort of children with a preschool diagnosis of moderate or…

Speech-language pathologists (N=21) and teachers (N=54) were surveyed regarding their perceptions of classroom-based interventions. The two groups agreed about the primary advantages and disadvantages of most interventions, the primary areas of difference being classroom management and ease of data collection. Other findings indicated few…

Background: Children with specific speech and language difficulties (SSLD) pose a challenge to the education system, and to speech and language therapists who support them, as a result of their language needs and associated educational and social-behavioural difficulties. The development of inclusion raises questions regarding appropriate…

This questionnaire study examined the coordination of speech/language therapists (N=47) with teachers (N=62) in 54 special schools for children with physical disabilities in England. Respondents were positive about the value of collaboration, although many reported problems of limited time available for joint planning and development of…

Ninety parents of children (mean age 9.3 years) with Down syndrome and their children's teachers were surveyed to investigate the success of inclusive practices. This study examined responses on parent and teacher questionnaires and parent anecdotal records. Several factors influenced parent reports of successful inclusion experiences, including:…

The shaping of positive attitudes toward the inclusion of children with disabilities is an important aspect of the education of university students preparing to become teachers in regular education. This study examined: (1) components of university student attitudes toward inclusion requests; (2) whether attitudes toward inclusion varied by…