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…

Current research provides unique insights into the experiences and context of twice-exceptional students in K-12 schools. However, within this literature, a critical gap exists concerning the voices of twice-exceptional African American students and their families. The current qualitative study examined the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences…

Over a decade ago the UK government launched its gifted and talented education policy in England, yet there has been very little published research which considers how schools and teachers are interpreting and implementing the policy. By seeking the views of the gifted and talented co-ordinators (For ease of reference, the term gifted and talented…

Internationally, there is growing interest in children's transition to school and their readiness for formal education. Parents' memories of school offer important insights into children's preparation for school and how families view schools; however, few studies consider the influence of educational histories. To address this gap, a sample of 24…

This study attempts to understand how "achievement gap Discourse" might be present in preservice teachers' (PSTs) Discourse about students they found challenging to teach. Using a Discourse analytic approach, the project considers: How do PSTs describe challenging students in their written reflections? Do PSTs draw on students' multiple…

This paper analyses the relationship between Norwegian school reform implementation and the use of special education. After the introduction of the national reform programme called the "Kunnskapsloftet" ("Knowledge promotion") in 2006, the use of special education has increased dramatically in Norway. As part of the national…

With a high rate of additional learning needs in children with permanent hearing loss, this study sought to understand their educational and support needs. School information on 62 children with varying degrees of hearing loss attending an urban public school during a 5-year period was analysed to understand types and amounts of services over…

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students often are not overtly aware of their cultures until they find themselves in a different one. The cultural capital students may have accumulated, at times, does not necessarily contextually match the culture of the classroom or school, possibly resulting in diminished returns academically and…

Background: Over a decade ago, the National Research Council (NRC) published the influential book, "Educating Children with Autism." Objective: To survey parents and state-level special education administrators to evaluate how NRC's recommendations, as published in "Educating Children with Autism," have impacted…

This investigation employs Disability Critical Race Studies as a theoretical framework to determine the interdependence of racism and ableism in school settings. African American male students with learning disabilities are queried about their interpretations of special education placement and labeling while attempting to secure educational…

Preparing teachers to work in urban public schools--and to remain there--is a daunting challenge. In an age plagued with the overrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students placed in special education programs, it is important that teacher preparation programs within the field of special education devote attention to the…

By assigning students a label from one of the 11 disability categories, schools receive money from the government to provide appropriate educational assistance to facilitate student learning (e.g., special equipment, paraprofessional support). But educators often think of this labeling as a double-edged sword: children must have the label to…

This study uncovered some experiences and perspectives of four students of color during their educational journey through K-12 public schools as students identified with high incidence disabilities in school systems that exhibited ethnic disproportionality in special education. The participants reflected on their experiences to provide detailed…

Understanding how labels and prior training affect teachers of students with a disability is a step toward creating effective educational environments. Two goals of the present study were to examine how teacher training (special education vs. general education training) and labeling of students (either as having attention deficit hyperactivity…

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the existing relationships between main concepts associated with labelling exceptional students and impact on their self-esteem. The aim was to examine how these concepts are presented in the existing research literature, and what the implications are for educational practice of labelling…