As societies move toward a deeper engagement with humanitarianism and egalitarianism, education systems have increasingly embodied a commitment to principles of inclusion. The field of gifted and talented education (GATE) has reflected these changes in recent discussions around equity, diversity, and inclusive practices. This article aims to…

This manuscript focuses on the various ways that the gifted label hinders the field of gifted and talented education (GATE) from progressing into a more inclusive and equitable field. Specifically, this manuscript outlines how (a) the social status that the gifted label confers is problematic for achieving equity within GATE, (b) how the gifted…

This "Equity by Design Research Brief" describes the foundational principles underpinning multitier systems of support, challenging common usage of the approach to label students. Whether imparted explicitly or implicitly, the inclination to identify and treat individuals--as opposed to addressing specific behavioral and learning…

The goal of this study was to analyse the role of the assessment of students with special educational needs from the perspective of professionals in Madrid (Spain), who work in multi-professional teams (psychologists, social workers, support teachers and others) and are responsible for its realisation, which, in principle, should be a support to…

Restorative justice represents "a paradigm shift in the way Americans conceptualize and administer punishment," says author Maisha T. Winn, from a focus on crime to a focus on harm, including the needs of both those who were harmed and those who caused it. Her book, "Justice on Both Sides," provides an urgently needed,…

Students with special educational needs (SEN) are at risk of lower teacher expectations due to disability-related negative labelling effects. In most educational systems, students with SEN receive measures such as accommodations (adjustments of the learning/assessment conditions), curriculum modifications (adjustments of the learning objectives),…

The purpose of this "Equity by Design Research Brief" is to summarize a study by Dr. David Hernández-Saca of student Sophia Cruz's experiences of being labeled with a Learning Disability (LD), and what the meaning of LD was for her. The purpose of the study was to center student voice within the traditional special education field of LD…

In the province of Manitoba, Canada, there is a gap between the rhetoric of inclusive education and its practical implementation. In the absence of inclusive educational policies and guidelines, deficit-based approaches such as categorical labels for students who are deemed to have a severe emotional and behavioural disorder, segregated…

The purpose of this project was to explore strategies of how to help special needs children adapt according to their own abilities. Contributing factors, such as discrimination practices, served as the foundational components that led to the formation of special education services. At one time, "special needs children," also referred to…

Decision-making regarding intensive instructional support for children with special needs should build from children's instructional needs, and not from diagnostic labelling and criteria for funding eligibility. Cognitive referencing, the use of results on intelligence and language quotients to decide children's academic options and funding…

School leaders are expected to transcend the confines of conventional instruction and implement effective measures to serve the growing population of language-minority students. Understanding students' backgrounds and needs for belonging, health care, and educational success is essential. Strategies for learning, avoiding stereotypes, and…

Papers presented at this conference relate to redefining conceptual and program parameters for educating handicapped children and serving handicapped young persons previously unserved or underserved by the public schools. The papers address critical issues, legislation and litigation, program implications, and program practices. (Author/MLF)

The purpose of the annual leadership conferences is to establish a continuing forum to stimulate dialogue among special education leadership personnel from the public schools, university training programs, and state education agencies. A critical factor in the selection of topics was the recognition that leaders in the field must design their…