Students with autism spectrum disorder have been shown to benefit both academically and socially from inclusion in general education classrooms, but concerns remain about the persistence of separate special education settings around the world. Using special education program placement data from the Canadian province of Ontario and census data…

A critical aspect of inclusive policies and practices is the role that Teacher Assistants (TAs) are supposed to assume within mainstream classrooms. Despite the evidence, TAs are still linked to the most vulnerable children, especially those with severe afflictions. This exploratory mixed method of investigation analyses the differences between…

One of the criticisms concerning teacher aides (TAs) is that they have limited education and pedagogical skills to support teaching of students with disabilities in the classroom. In Ghana, universities have responded and have introduced a 4-year degree programme in special education. The graduates are recruited as TAs by the government, to work…

International discussion on inclusive education has managed to identify various contextual, process and individual factors having an impact on implementation. In addition, learning and support assistants (LSAs) have been found to be a key element in enhancing participation and learning for all students in inclusive schools. The present…

Internationally, teacher assistants (TAs) have emerged as a prominent feature of inclusive educational service delivery and existing research has focused extensively on their roles, training and supervision. In the context of this special issue on TAs, this article describes reasons why relying extensively on TAs as a central feature of inclusive…

Inclusion is an expectation of all mainstream schools across England yet research into strategies concerning how teachers and teaching assistants facilitate effective inclusive practice remains limited. This study explores the enactment of Florian and Black Hawkins (2011. "Exploring Inclusive Pedagogy." "British Educational Research…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight a paradox between inclusion/exclusion at the level of the organisation and classroom practices, as well as between general and disability/special educational needs (SEN)-specific approaches to diversity in the classroom. The authors recommend better alignment between school policies and teaching…

This article explores two aspects of special needs education (SNE) for pupils in compulsory schools in Finland and Norway, who according to official procedures, have been granted SNE. The two aspects are "educational settings" for the implementation of SNE and "formal competence" among those who implement the SNE to which the…

This study was designed to identify professional development needs of classroom teachers and exceptional education assistants who teach regular and exceptional education students within the same classroom. The researcher assessed the needs of classroom teachers and exceptional education assistants using a Likert scale survey to identify areas of…

Students with special needs face difficulties in teaching and learning activities in a regular elementary school. There are various aspects that affect their learning process in a regular school. The study objectives are: (1) to know the implementation of education for students with special needs in a regular elementary school. (2) to know if the…

This article explores the process by which children attending mainstream UK primary schools can achieve social inclusion. It presents the findings from a systematic literature review, followed by empirical research, exploring the concept of social inclusion with particular regard to the experiences of pupils identified with SEND. The article draws…

This is your comprehensive resource on providing effective special education services in your school. Written for current and aspiring administrators and teacher leaders, the book offers action items, case studies, and reproducible tools to help you stay in front of special education law, know and support your learning services team, and ensure…

In this article, we draw on DisCrit to critically analyze how a group of early childhood educators approached assistance with young children of color with disabilities in a Head Start inclusion classroom. Using examples from data collected over one school year, we demonstrate how child-centered assistance advances justice for young children of…

Teacher aides have been part of New Zealand classrooms for many decades. Initially, they were employed to perform clerical and supervisory duties that required no professional training, such as typing, duplicating and playground supervision. Over the years, however, their role has changed significantly. They now play a pivotal role as a 'people…

Adjustments are considered necessary for students with disabilities to be fully included in classroom instruction, classroom assessment and external accountability tests. The 67 item Checklist of Learning and Assessment Adjustments for Students (CLAAS), translated for the Chinese community, was used by 74 teachers from Macau and Mainland China to…