Parent perceptions of social well-being in children with special educational needs during COVID-19: A mixed-methods analysis

BACKGROUND

Children's educational experiences worldwide have been significantly impacted as a result of global school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic of Spring 2020. A growing number of studies aim to analyse impacts of these changes on social well-being, with limited studies placing an emphasis on the experiences of students with special educational needs (SENs). This article focusses on parent perspectives regarding impacts of school closures on social well-being in Canadian children with SEN.

METHODS

This study uses a mixed-methods approach, drawing from both qualitative and quantitative survey data from Spring/Summer 2020. Participants (n = 263) were eligible for participation if they were a parent/guardian of a child or adolescent with an SEN. We first conducted a descriptive analysis of the key variables, namely, social well-being, grade level of the child, internet and device availability, and the presence of other school-aged children in the home (single child vs. multiple children). Next, we explored the relationship between these using a bivariate correlation. Finally, open-ended responses were analysed using an inductive approach to qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The majority of parents expressed concern for their child's social well-being during the Spring 2020 school closures, with increased concerns for younger children. According to parents, children experienced communication barriers to peer interaction and many experienced emotional difficulties as a result. Technology was described as critical for some in maintaining social connections. Parents raised concerns about the impact of limited peer interaction on broader social skill development, in the short and long term. A small number of participants noted feelings of relief and reduced anxiety among their children with SEN.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight parent views of the negative impact of the pandemic on social well-being and the critical role in-person schooling plays in supporting peer relationships for children with SEN.

Empowering Young People with Special Educational Needs to Recognize and Report Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: A Mixed-Methods Review

Young people with special educational needs (SEN), such as intellectual disability and/or autism, are particularly vulnerable to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). This mixed-methods systematic literature review consolidates findings in respect to how young people with SEN are currently being taught about CSEA in the UK, incorporating empirical and practice-based findings to counteract publication bias. Key databases were searched, and relevant organizations were contacted regarding studies published between 2015 and 2022 (inclusive). Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 adopted a qualitative methodology, and three a mixed-methods approach. The thematic synthesis of the qualitative studies identified the following themes: (a) beliefs and stereotypes about CSEA, vulnerability. and risk have led to young people with SEN being misinformed and misunderstood, and (b) anxiety about the topic of sex and abuse creates polarized views regarding CSEA education in adult guardians of young people with SEN. Themes are discussed in the context of societal biases in respect to vulnerability and risk, and these biases are considered to have a negative effect on how young people with SEN are supported. The findings of this review encourage providers of CSEA awareness education to be mindful of not endorsing harmful stereotypes, and to involve parent-carers as much as possible. This review additionally encourages services and organizations to increase focus on practitioner reflexivity and regular training to counteract potential biases in respect to gender, vulnerability, and risk.

Key developmental milestones helped to identify children with special educational needs and disabilities at an early stage

AIM

Responding to developmental delay promptly is important, as it helps children to reach their full potential. This study investigated how developmental milestones predicted primary school children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at an early stage.

METHODS

We obtained data about 36 milestones between 12 and 45 months using the Dutch Development Instrument. Development, primary school classification and background characteristics were collected from the Dutch Preventive Child Healthcare system in Utrecht from 2008 to 2016. We investigated SEND classifications and the primary schools that the children attended at 4-12 years of age. The findings include area under the curve (AUC) data.

RESULTS

Data on 30 579 children in mainstream schools and 1055 children with SEND were available. Different milestones predicted SEND classifications. Fourteen milestones and parental education predicted attendance at special needs schools with smaller classes (AUC 0.913). Nine milestones, sex, migration background and parental education predicted attendance at schools for severe communication problems (AUC 0.963). Ten milestones and parental education predicted attendance at schools for severe learning difficulties (AUC 0.995). Milestones did not accurately predict attendance at schools for severe behavioural or psychiatric problems.

CONCLUSION

Milestones at 12-45 months predicted most SEND classifications at primary school age, except severe behavioural or psychiatric problems.

Motor Competence between Children with and without Additional Learning Needs: A Cross-Sectional Population-Level Study

The aim of this study was to examine associations in motor competence between children with additional learning needs (ALN) and typically developing children. This cross-sectional study involved a nationally representative cohort of 4555 children (48.98% boys; 11.35 ± 0.65 years) from sixty-five schools across Wales (UK). Demographic data were collected from schools, and children were assessed using the Dragon Challenge assessment of motor competence, which consists of nine tasks completed in a timed circuit. A multi-nominal multi-level model with random intercept was fitted to explore the proficiency between children with ALN and those without. In all nine motor competence tasks, typically developing children demonstrated higher levels of proficiency than their peers with ALN, with these associations evident after accounting for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This study highlights motor competence inequalities at a population level and emphasises the need for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to prioritise motor competence development, particularly for children with ALN.

Sign learning of hearing children in inclusive day care centers-does iconicity matter?

An increasing number of experimental studies suggest that signs and gestures can scaffold vocabulary learning for children with and without special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, little research has been done on the extent to which iconicity plays a role in sign learning, particularly in inclusive day care centers. This current study investigated the role of iconicity in the sign learning of 145 hearing children (2;1 to 6;3 years) from inclusive day care centers with educators who started using sign-supported speech after a training module. Children's sign use was assessed via a questionnaire completed by their educators. We found that older children were more likely to learn signs with a higher degree of iconicity, whereas the learning of signs by younger children was less affected by iconicity. Children with SEND did not benefit more from iconicity than children without SEND. These results suggest that whether iconicity plays a role in sign learning depends on the age of the children.

Parental stress in families of children with special educational needs: a systematic review

Background

This systematic review aimed to identify the risk factors and protective factors for parental stress in families with children with special educational needs. Studies have indicated that the wellbeing of families is related to the physical, psychological, and social conditions of the children, as well as the family functioning, stress coping strategies, and social and professional support of their parents. The parents of children with special educational needs experience high levels of parental stress. Identifying the associated risk factors and protective factors may shed light on the provision of interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of these parents.

Methods

Boolean operators were used to search multiple online databases, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were applied in this systematic review. Data were extracted into categories of population, age, region, the child's diagnosis, the stress-measuring instrument, and the risk factors and protective factors.

Results

Twenty-six studies, including 5,169 parents and 3,726 children, were reviewed. The following four major risk factors and protective factors were found to be associated with parental stress: the sex of the parents, diagnosis-related coping issues, socioeconomic characteristics, and social isolation of the parents.

Conclusions

This systematic review identified four significant risk factors and protective factors related to social support from couples, family members, and social circles. Various agencies may provide financial and manpower assistance and professional support and services to improve the parents' knowledge and coping skills, as well as affectional support, early screening, and continuous assessment of the parents' progress. Social policies and interventions offering continuous and diagnosis-related support to the parents of children with special educational needs are highly recommended.

A longitudinal study of the mental health of autistic children and adolescents and their parents during COVID-19: Part 2, qualitative findings

LAY ABSTRACT

We know that autistic children and young people, and their caregivers, are at increased risk of mental ill health. We asked whether the first 6 months of COVID-19 exacerbated that risk, and whether the implications were different for autistic pupils and their caregivers, than for those with other special educational needs and difficulties. In a linked paper, we found that caregivers of autistic pupils reported higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms in their children than parents of children with other special educational needs and difficulties (Toseeb & Asbury, 2022). For pupils with other special educational needs and difficulties, their parent-reported anxiety symptoms eased over time while remaining high throughout for autistic pupils. There were no differences in mental health and wellbeing between caregivers of autistic pupils and those with other special educational needs and difficulties. Here, we used parents' written descriptions of their own and their child's mental health during the first 6 months of COVID-19 to explore these linked findings in greater depth. We identified strong evidence of worry and distress for all, but most prominently autistic children and young people. Our finding that worry and distress declined over time for pupils with other special educational needs and difficulties, but not for autistic pupils, was supported and we observed a few differences between caregivers. We also found evidence of wellbeing throughout the sample, and examples of some (mainly autistic) pupils benefitting from a reduction in demands (e.g. going to school). This has implications for our understanding of the school experience for autistic pupils. Findings suggest that the mental health of autistic children and young people may have been disproportionately affected during the first 6 months of COVID-19 and that careful consideration of optimal support, from both health and education perspectives, is vital.

A longitudinal study of the mental health of autistic children and adolescents and their parents during COVID-19: Part 1, quantitative findings

LAY ABSTRACT

Autistic children and adolescents, and their parents/carers, tend to experience more symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to those with other special educational needs and disabilities. The rapid change in society as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have disproportionately affected autistic young people and their parents/carers. We investigated how the mental health of autistic young people, and their parents/carers, developed during the first lockdown in the United Kingdom and how it changed once schools fully reopened for face-to-face teaching approximately 6 months later. Parents/carers completed online standardised questionnaires about their own and their child's mental health at four time points between March 2020 and October 2020. We found that, throughout this period, autistic young people experienced more symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to those with other special educational needs and disabilities. Anxiety levels decreased as lockdown progressed and schools reopened for face-to-face teaching but only for those with other special educational needs and disabilities. For autistic young people, both anxiety and depression symptoms remained high throughout. There were no differences in the mental health of parents/carers of autistic children compared to those with other special educational needs and disabilities. These findings suggest that the mental health of autistic children and adolescents is likely to have been disproportionately affected during and after the first lockdown in the United Kingdom. In the second part of this article (Asbury & Toseeb, 2022), we attempt to explain these trends using qualitative data provided by parents during the same period.

Parental perspectives of home-schooling of children with special educational needs and disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review

The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on parental perspectives of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the home-schooling of children with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as to consider implications for their education and well-being. Eleven papers were reviewed, published between 2020 and 2021, selected according to a systematic protocol from three widely used online databases. Analysis of the reviewed papers found that transitioning to home-schooling during the pandemic had negative consequences for most of the children, as well as for their parents, though a small but significant number reported positive consequences. Three key areas of concern were identified in the analysis: balancing home-schooling with parent work activities; parent relationships with schools and support services and agencies and home-schooling effects on the well-being and mental health of parents and children.

Cyberbullying and empathy among elementary school students: Do special educational needs make a difference?

The present study investigates involvement in cyberbullying and empathy skills, as well as the relationship between the two among general education sixth grade elementary school students with and without special educational needs (SEN). Specifically, 120 students with SEN (Autistic Spectrum Disorder-ASD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-ADHD, learning disabilities) and 120 students without SEN from 29 randomly selected schools of the second biggest city in Greece completed a self-report questionnaire, which included a short version of the "Cyberbullying Questionnaire" (Smith et al., An investigation into cyber bullying, its forms, awareness and impact, and the relationship between age and gender in cyber bullying. A report to the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Unit for School and Family Studies, 2006) and the "Basic Empathy Scale"-BES (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006, J Adolesc, 29:589, 2006). The results showed that, regardless of gender, involvement in cyberbullying (as victims/bullies) concerned primarily students with SEN, mainly those with ASD and ADHD. Accordingly, students with SEN and mostly those with ASD expressed lower affective and cognitive empathy compared to the rest of the students. Finally, for all the participating students both affective and cognitive empathy negatively predicted engagement in cyberbullying (as victims/bullies). Implications for preventive actions in elementary education, and especially for children with SEN, are discussed in detail.

Gestational age at birth, chronic conditions and school outcomes: a population-based data linkage study of children born in England

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to generate evidence about child development measured through school attainment and provision of special educational needs (SEN) across the spectrum of gestational age, including for children born early term and >41 weeks of gestation, with and without chronic health conditions.

METHODS

We used a national linked dataset of hospital and education records of children born in England between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005. We evaluated school attainment at Key Stage 1 (KS1; age 7) and Key Stage 2 (KS2; age 11) and any SEN by age 11. We stratified analyses by chronic health conditions up to age 2, and size-for-gestation, and calculated population attributable fractions (PAF).

RESULTS

Of 306 717 children, 5.8% were born <37 weeks gestation and 7.0% had a chronic condition. The percentage of children not achieving the expected level at KS1 increased from 7.6% at 41 weeks, to 50.0% at 24 weeks of gestation. A similar pattern was seen at KS2. SEN ranged from 29.0% at 41 weeks to 82.6% at 24 weeks. Children born early term (37-38 weeks of gestation) had poorer outcomes than those born at 40 weeks; 3.2% of children with SEN were attributable to having a chronic condition compared with 2.0% attributable to preterm birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Children born with early identified chronic conditions contribute more to the burden of poor school outcomes than preterm birth. Evaluation is needed of how early health characteristics can be used to improve preparation for education, before and at entry to school.

The structure of executive functioning in 11 to 14 year olds with and without special educational needs

The structure and development of executive functioning (EF) have been intensively studied in typically developing populations, with little attention given to those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). This study addresses this by comparing the EF structure of 132 adolescents (11-14 years-old) with SEN and 138 adolescents not requiring additional support (Non-SEN peers). Participants completed verbal and non-verbal assessments of key components of EF: inhibition, working memory and switching. Confirmatory Factor Analysis on each group tested one-, two- and three-factor models of EF. In both groups, there was statistical support for the fit of one- and two-factor models with no model being clearly better than the others; there was little support for three-factor models. Parsimony suggests that the one-factor model best represents the structure of EF. In light of our results, the implications for the nature of EF in early adolescence in both SEN and Non-SEN groups are discussed.

Associations between social isolation and parenting stress during the first wave of COVID-19 in Italian children with special educational needs

The parents of 413 children with typical development (TD) or special educational needs (SEN) filled in an online survey to investigate the associations between the restrictions introduced to face COVID-19 and parenting stress and parental disciplinary practices. The parents of children with SEN showed a significantly higher stress level than TD children's parents. However, they showed a lower inclination to overreact. In both groups, the parents who feel less supported, feel their needs threatened, and report having a child with more difficulties were more likely to exhibit parenting stress. Data on the associations between COVID-19 restrictions and the stress perceived by parents could help to focus the attention of the public health system on their parents' needs, leading to practices aimed to prevent parenting stress and burnout.

Work motivation and organisational commitment among inclusive education teachers in China: the mediating role of job crafting

Inclusive education teachers' psychological commitment to their schools plays an important role in improving high-quality education for students with special educational needs. This study aimed to examine the effect of inclusive education teachers' work motivation on their organisational commitment and the mediating role of job crafting in this relationship. A total of 534 inclusive education teachers in Beijing, China, participated in this study. The results suggested that after controlling for demographic factors (i.e. age, years of experience teaching students with special educational needs (SEN), subject taught, and training), controlled motivation positively predicted maladaptive commitments, while autonomous motivation positively predicted adaptive commitments and negatively predicted maladaptive commitments. Furthermore, skill, task, and role crafting were the main mediators in the relationship between work motivation and organisational commitment. This study argues that the effect of teachers' motivation to be engaged in inclusive education on their commitment to schools could be explained by the internalisation of the value of inclusive education; such internalisation could be facilitated by improving teachers' competence in meeting the needs of students with SEN. The theoretical contribution, practical implications, and limitations are discussed.

Experiences and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Distance Learning Among Teachers of Students With Special Educational Needs

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on school learning so far, creating a new and potentially stressful situation during school closures for teachers and students. The sudden switch to distance learning might have been especially hard to cope with for students with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers of student with SEN might thus face greater obstacles when establishing and dealing with distance learning. Teachers' self-efficacy (TSE) is a well-known factor for students' academic achievement and motivation. Little is yet known about TSE in distance learning, especially not with students with SEN. The present study aimed to investigate the experiences and the perceived TSE in distance learning of teachers teaching students with SEN at special schools and inclusive schools during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany during June 2020 and January 2021. N = 96 teachers from both special schools and inclusive schools were involved in the study and were asked to complete a self-report online questionnaire. The study follows an exploratory design to give a first overview of the experiences of teachers of students with SEN and their TSE during the school closures and distance learning. Results showed that no major difference in overall teaching experiences could be found between teachers teaching at special schools or inclusive schools. The identification of difficulties in reading at distance and the support of students with difficulties in reading at distance was perceived by the teachers as most difficult. Difficulties in writing was being rated significantly less easy to identify at distance than difficulties in mathematics. Further, the support of students with difficulties in mathematics was perceived as being significant more challenging than the identification of difficulties in mathematics. TSE in distance learning was rather low, regardless if the teachers taught at a special school or inclusive school in this time period. TSE correlated positively with the perceived goodness of identification of difficulties and support of students with difficulties in reading, writing, and mathematics. Possible reasons and implications are discussed as well as implications of the overall results for distance learning of students with SEN.

Teachers With Special Needs. De-Psychiatrization of Children in Schools

Psychiatrization not only affects adults. Ever more children in Western countries are being diagnosed with a mental disorder of behavior, such as ADHD. Children may often be labelled with the best intentions, for example in order to be able to provide them with suitable care and guidance. However, this labelling can have exclusionary effects and often entails the consequence that important discussion about contextual factors that give rise to (the perception of) unwelcome behavior or academic underperformance rarely, if at all, takes place. In this article we contend that although children are of central concern to schools and the design of pupils' education, it is important not to make pupils the sole owner of problems that arise. It is therefore high time that a far more critical normative stance towards inclusive education is taken, in which the presently widespread biomedical approach is met with a school community response that focuses not on the nature of individual disorders but on the special need for additional capacity that schools and teachers have in meeting (perceived) deviant behaviors and emotions and/or academic underperformance. We argue that teaching should not set out to remedy individual diagnoses, but that teachers should be supported to extend their professional competence to the benefit of all pupils.

Features of Mobile Apps for People with Autism in a Post COVID-19 Scenario: Current Status and Recommendations for Apps Using AI

The new 'normal' defined during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to re-assess how people with special needs thrive in these unprecedented conditions, such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These changing/challenging conditions have instigated us to revisit the usage of telehealth services to improve the quality of life for people with ASD. This study aims to identify mobile applications that suit the needs of such individuals. This work focuses on identifying features of a number of highly-rated mobile applications (apps) that are designed to assist people with ASD, specifically those features that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. In this study, 250 mobile apps have been retrieved using keywords such as autism, autism AI, and autistic. Among 250 apps, 46 were identified after filtering out irrelevant apps based on defined elimination criteria such as ASD common users, medical staff, and non-medically trained people interacting with people with ASD. In order to review common functionalities and features, 25 apps were downloaded and analysed based on eye tracking, facial expression analysis, use of 3D cartoons, haptic feedback, engaging interface, text-to-speech, use of Applied Behaviour Analysis therapy, Augmentative and Alternative Communication techniques, among others were also deconstructed. As a result, software developers and healthcare professionals can consider the identified features in designing future support tools for autistic people. This study hypothesises that by studying these current features, further recommendations of how existing applications for ASD people could be enhanced using AI for (1) progress tracking, (2) personalised content delivery, (3) automated reasoning, (4) image recognition, and (5) Natural Language Processing (NLP). This paper follows the PRISMA methodology, which involves a set of recommendations for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships and Special Educational Needs on Student Engagement and Disengagement: A Correlational study

Contemporary educational research has found that student engagement and disengagement have a relevant influence on learning outcomes. However, research on the influence of teacher–student relationships in the engagement of students with special educational needs (SEN) is scarce. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of teacher–student relationships, peer support at school, family support for learning, opportunities to participate at school, and SEN on engagement and disengagement of students using a sample of secondary students with SEN and typical development (TD). Through a non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional design, we evaluated 1,020 high school students (340 with SEN and 680 with TD) in the 9th grade (13–19 years old, M = 14.8; SD = 0.89). Teacher–student relationships, peer support at school, and family support for learning were assessed via subscales from the Student Engagement Inventory (SEI), opportunities to participate at school were measured with a subscale of the School Participation Questionnaire (SP), whereas engagement and disengagement were measured using the Multidimensional Scale of School Engagement (MSSE). Results show significant statistical differences between SEN and TD students in both student engagement and disengagement indicators. Engagement of SEN students is higher in the cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions than that of TD students. However, they also have higher disengagement in the cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Furthermore, SEN students rate their relationships with teachers more highly and perceive more opportunities for school participation than their peers. Further analyses show that teacher–student relationships are positively associated with all dimensions of student engagement and inversely with behavioral and cognitive disengagement. Although correlational, the findings suggest teacher–student relationships and school participation opportunities could be important variables for diminishing disengagement and its negative consequences for both SEN and TD students, while improving student engagement. We discuss these results considering possible implications for educational policies, practices, and research.

Planned mode of birth after previous caesarean section and special educational needs in childhood: a population-based record linkage cohort study

Objective

To investigate the association between planned mode of birth after previous caesarean section and a child’s risk of having a record of special educational needs (SENs).

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

Scotland.

Population

A cohort of 44 892 singleton children born at term in Scotland between 2002 and 2011 to women with one or more previous caesarean sections.

Methods

Linkage of Scottish national health and education data sets.

Main outcome measures

Any SENs and specific types of SEN recorded when a child was aged 4–11 years and attending a Scottish primary or special school.

Results

Children born following planned vaginal birth after previous caesarean (VBAC) compared with elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) had a similar risk of having a record of any SENs (19.24 versus 17.63%, adjusted risk ratio aRR 1.04, 95% CI 0.99–1.09) or specific types of SEN. There was also little evidence that planned VBAC with or without labour induction compared with ERCS was associated with a child’s risk of having a record of any SENs (21.42 versus 17.63%, aRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.17 and 18.78 versus 17.63%, aRR 1.03, 95% CI 0.98–1.08, respectively) or most types of SEN. However, an increased risk of sensory impairment was seen for planned VBAC with labour induction compared with ERCS (1.18 versus 0.78%, risk difference 0.4%, adjusted odds ratio aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.09–2.34).

Conclusions

This study provides little evidence of an association between planned mode of birth after previous caesarean and SENs in childhood beyond a small absolute increased risk of sensory impairment seen for planned VBAC with labour induction. This finding may be the result of performing multiple comparisons or residual confounding. The findings provide valuable information to manage and counsel women with previous caesarean section concerning their future birth choices.

Tweetable abstract

There is little evidence planned mode of birth after previous caesarean section is associated with special educational needs in childhood.

There is little evidence planned mode of birth after previous caesarean section is associated with special educational needs in childhood.

Dialogic Learning Environments That Enhance Instrumental Learning and Inclusion of Students With Special Needs in Secondary Education

Across Europe, the enrolment of students with special educational needs in regular classrooms is increasing, although it does not always mean access to high quality educational experience. In this context, inclusive education has been enhanced in most educational systems, but its successful implementation is still limited and has become a challenge in most countries, and specially in secondary education, when segregation due to learning achievement is more frequent. Educational practices that take into account the potential of promoting learning interactions within heterogeneous groups of students have already demonstrated contributing to educational inclusion of students with special needs. In this study we analyse the case of a secondary education school located in Valencian Community (Spain), which educates students with special needs along with their typically developing peers and is characterized by its inclusive ethos. The analysis focuses on three educational strategies implemented in the school and their impact on educational improvement and inclusion of the students with special needs: (1) co-teaching, (2) interactive groups, (3) dialogic literary gatherings. Qualitative data were obtained from communicative focus groups with teachers, communicative life stories with students and relatives, communicative observations of the three educational strategies and documentary analysis. The findings show significant increase in the students' instrumental learning, as well as an improvement in these students' overall inclusion in the school.

Impact of Interactive Learning Environments on Learning and Cognitive Development of Children With Special Educational Needs: A Literature Review

Children with special educational needs (SEN) achieve lower educational levels than their peers without special needs, leading to a higher risk of social exclusion in the future. Inclusive education aims to promote learning and to benefit the cognitive development of these students, and numerous research studies have indicated that interactive environments benefit inclusion. However, it is necessary to know how these inclusive environments can positively impact the academic improvement and development of these students' cognitive skills. This article provides a review of the scientific literature from Web of Science, SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsychINFO to understand the impact of interactive environments on the academic learning and cognitive skill development of children with SEN. A total of 17 studies were selected. Those studies showed the effectiveness of interactive learning environments in promoting instrumental learning, increasing academic involvement, and improving the cognitive development of children with disabilities. Based on these results, it can be concluded that interaction-based interventions with an inclusive approach nurture the learning and cognitive development of students with SEN.

"Camouflaging" by adolescent autistic girls who attend both mainstream and specialist resource classes: Perspectives of girls, their mothers and their educators

Autistic girls’ heightened social motivation and associated social coping strategies, such as camouflaging, mean they may be less likely to receive appropriate support in mainstream schools. In this research, a multi-informant approach was used to examine the camouflaging strategies used by autistic girls within specialist resource classes attached to mainstream schools (whereby girls transition between resource classes and mainstream classes). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adolescent girls, their parents (eight mothers) and their educators (six teaching assistants/aides and one senior staff member) about the girls’ camouflaging experiences. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (1) inconsistencies and contradictions in camouflaging, (2) challenges of relationships and ‘finding a tribe’, (3) learning, inclusion and awareness and (4) consequences of camouflaging. These results highlight the challenges that the girls experienced when attempting to hide their autism and fit within both mainstream classes and specialist resource classes. These challenges had significant impacts on the girls’ relationships and learning, as well as consequences for their mental health. The findings highlight the need for increased awareness of how camouflaging presents across the autism spectrum and suggests that individualised, evidence-based support will be essential for enabling autistic girls to flourish in school.

The Impact of Evidence-Based Dialogic Training of Special Education Teachers on the Creation of More Inclusive and Interactive Learning Environments

In the international context of a progress toward more inclusive educational systems and practices, the role of Special Education teachers is being transformed. From an inclusive perspective, these professionals increasingly support students and their teachers in the mainstream classroom, avoiding segregation. However, Special Education teachers often struggle to reach and support all students with special needs and their teachers to provide quality inclusive education. For this reason, more research is still needed on in-service training strategies for the inclusion of students with special needs that effectively translate into evidence-based school practices that improve the education of all students. This article analyses the impact of two evidence-based dialogic training programs of Special Education teachers working in mainstream schools carried out in Mexico during the 2018–2019 school year. Through in-depth interviews with participants, it was identified how, after the training, teachers increasingly grounded their actions on scientific evidence and promoted interactive learning environments that improved the educational inclusion of their students with special needs. This training also became the venue to make evidence-based educational actions available to other students without special needs, improving the quality of education provided to all students.

The impact of the dyslexia label on academic outlook and aspirations: An analysis using propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

There is current academic debate over the reliability of the dyslexia label. However, this argument does not consider the impact of the dyslexia label on an individual's academic outlook and aspirations.

AIMS

Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, this paper aims to objectively explore the impact of the dyslexia label on academic outlook and aspirations.

METHODS

Propensity score matching was used to compare children with dyslexia with a non-dyslexic group matched on ability, socioeconomic class, parent education, income, country, gender, and age in year group.

RESULTS

The results show that those labelled with dyslexia hold lower beliefs about their ability in English and Maths than their matched peers without this label. The children labelled with dyslexia were also significantly less likely to say that they would go to university. Furthermore, teachers and parents held lower aspirations for children labelled with dyslexia. As the children were matched, the results show that dyslexic children, their teachers and parents hold lower expectations of the child's academic ability while holding higher expectations of those with matched characteristics who do not have the dyslexia label.

CONCLUSIONS

The paper concludes that caution is needed when labelling with dyslexia and that further research is needed in order establish whether labelling with dyslexia is beneficial in the current system.

Efficacy of a Web-Enabled, School-Based, Preventative Intervention to Reduce Bullying and Improve Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Bullying is a major preventable risk factor for mental disorders. Available evidence suggests school-based interventions reduce bullying prevalence rates. This study aims to test the efficacy of a web-enabled, school-based, multicomponent anti-bullying intervention to prevent school bullying and to assess its effects on mental health and quality of life. Methods and analysis: Cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in 20 publicly funded primary and secondary schools in Madrid, Spain. Schools are randomly allocated to either the intervention arm (n = 10) or conventional practices arm (n = 10). The web-enabled intervention (LINKlusive) lasts ~12 weeks and consists of three main components: (i) an online training program for teachers and parents, (ii) a web-guided educational program for students, focusing on promoting respect for diversity, empathy, and social skill development, and (iii) a web-guided, teacher-delivered, targeted intervention program for bullying situations identified based on peer-support strategies and individual intervention for those involved (i.e., bullying victims and perpetrators). The primary objective is to compare differences between peer-reported bullying victimization in the intervention and control arms at the end of the intervention. Secondary outcome measures are additional measures of bullying victimization and perpetration, mental health symptoms, self-esteem, and quality of life. A follow-up assessment is conducted 1 year after the end of the intervention. Treatment effects will be tested using multilevel mixed models, adjusting for school-, classroom-, and student-related covariates. Considering the increased bullying rates in children with special educational needs, a specific subgroup analysis will test the efficacy of the intervention on bullying prevalence, mental health, and quality of life in this particularly vulnerable population. Ethics and Dissemination: The Deontology Commission of the School of Psychology, Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain reviewed the study protocol and granted ethical approval on 21st January 2019. The results of the trial will be disseminated in relevant peer-reviewed journals and at conferences in the field. Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN15719015.

Educational attainment in childhood cancer survivors: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess differences across educational outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer (CCS) compared with peers.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION

Medline, EMBASE, ERIC, CINAHL and PsycInfo from inception to 1st August 2018. Any peer reviewed, comparative study with a population of any survivor of childhood cancer, from high-economy countries, reporting outcomes on educational attainment, were selected.

RESULTS

26 studies representing 28 434 CCS, 17 814 matched controls, 6582 siblings and six population studies from 11 high-income countries, which have similar access to education and years of mandatory schooling as reported by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, were included. CCS were more likely to remain at compulsory level (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.43) and less likely to complete secondary (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.0) and tertiary level education (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.98). They were more likely to require special educational needs (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.91 to 3.20). Subgroup analyses revealed that survivors, irrespective of central nervous system (CNS) involvement, were less likely to progress onto secondary level compared with cancer-free peers (OR 1.77. 95% CI 1.46 to 2.15; OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.42, respectively). This, however, changed at tertiary level where those with CNS involvement continued to perform worse (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.68) but those without appeared to perform similarly to their peers (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with controls, we have elucidated significant differences in educational attainment in survivors. This is sustained across different countries, making it an international issue. CNS involvement plays a key role in educational achievement. Clinicians, teachers and policymakers should be made aware of differences and consider advocating for early educational support for survivors.

How the Psychology of Education Contributes to Research With a Social Impact on the Education of Students With Special Needs: The Case of Successful Educational Actions

One current challenge in the psychology of education is identifying the teaching strategies and learning contexts that best contribute to the learning of all students, especially those whose individual characteristics make their learning process more difficult, as is the case for students with special needs. One main theory in the psychology of education is the sociocultural approach to learning, which highlights the key role of interaction in children's learning. In the case of students with disabilities, this interactive understanding of learning is aligned with a social model of disability, which looks beyond individual students' limitations or potentialities and focuses on contextual aspects that can enhance their learning experience and results. In recent years, the interactive view of learning based on this theory has led to the development of educational actions, such as interactive groups and dialogic literary gatherings, that have improved the learning results of diverse children, including those with disabilities. The aim of this paper is to analyze the social impact achieved by a line of research that has explored the benefits of such successful educational actions for the education of students with special needs. National and European research projects based on the communicative methodology of research have been conducted. This methodology entails drawing on egalitarian dialogue with the end-users of research - including teachers, students with and without disabilities, students' relatives and other community members - to allow an intersubjective creation of knowledge that enables a deeper and more accurate understanding of the studied reality and its transformative potential. This line of research first allowed the identification of the benefits of interactive learning environments for students with disabilities educated in mainstream schools; later, it allowed the spreading of these actions to a greater number of mainstream schools; and more recently, it made it possible to transfer these actions to special schools and use these actions to create shared learning spaces between mainstream and special schools. The improvement of the educational opportunities for a greater number and greater diversity of students with special needs evidences the social impact of research based on key contributions of the psychology of education.

Validation of a Physical Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy Instrument Toward Inclusion of Students With Disabilities

Acquiring specific training in disability seems to be a key aspect for achieving school inclusion. Teachers who receive such prior training would be more prepared to address diversity in the classroom, which could be related to their perception of self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Education Teacher Education Majors toward Children with Disabilities (SE-PETE-D). Two hundred and eighteen in-service physical education teachers participated in this study, with a M age = 38.06 years and M teaching  experience = 11.72 years. To obtain the three subscales resulting from intellectual, physical, and visual disabilities, several exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The results supported three independent models made up of three factors (intellectual, physical, and visual disabilities). The structure of the models was invariant with respect to gender, the educational stage in which the teaching was taking place, previous teaching experience, previous training, and previous experience in adapted or inclusive physical activity and sports. The subscales presented high reliability values for Cronbach's alpha, and Omega's index ≥0.81. This study provides evidence of the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure the perceived self-efficacy of physical education teachers to include students with disabilities in their classes and is the first study to be applied with in-service teachers. In addition, some methodological and conceptual limitations of the original scale are identified, opening new lines of work in relation to training situations to assess the perception of self-efficacy or the type of disability.

Consequential differences in perspectives and practices concerning children with developmental language disorders: an integrative review

BACKGROUND

Inter-professional collaboration (IPC) has been recommended for many years as a means by which the needs of children with developmental language disorders (DLD) can be met at school. However, effective IPC remains difficult to achieve and our knowledge of how to support it is limited. A shared understanding between those involved has been identified as critical to IPC.

AIMS

To examine the literature, as one source of data, for evidence of a shared understanding between the fields of speech and language therapy (SLT) and education about children with DLD and how such needs can best be met at school.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

An integrative review of the literature was undertaken. A systematic search of the published, peer-reviewed literature (between 2006 and 2016) was conducted for empirical and theoretical papers and a manual search was undertaken to obtain a representative sample of policy/professional guidelines. A total of 81 papers across SLT and education were included in the review. The papers were scrutinized using a qualitative content analysis.

MAIN CONTRIBUTION

Although some commonality between perspectives in the literature was identified, differences between the fields dominated. These differences related to how DLD is conceptualized; how children's needs are assessed; which outcomes are prioritized and how best these outcomes can be achieved. We also found differences about what constitutes useful knowledge to guide practice. We suggest that the nature of the differences we identified in the literature may have negative implications for practitioners wishing to collaborate to meet the needs of children with DLD in school. The perspectives of practising SLTs and teachers need to be sought to determine whether the findings from the literature reflect dilemmas in practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Effective IPC is essential to meet the needs of children with DLD in school; yet, it remains difficult to achieve. Our review of the literature across SLT and education indicates evidence of a lack of shared understanding about DLD. If these differences are also evident in practice, then a conceptual model to support IPC may be warranted.

Improving developmental and educational support for children born preterm: evaluation of an e-learning resource for education professionals

OBJECTIVES

Children born preterm are at higher risk for special educational needs and poor academic attainment compared with term-born peers, yet education professionals receive limited training and have poor knowledge of preterm birth. We have developed an interactive e-learning resource and evaluated its efficacy in improving teachers' knowledge of preterm birth and their confidence in supporting the learning of children born preterm.

SETTING

Eight primary, infant or junior schools in England.

PARTICIPANTS

61 teachers of children aged 4-11 years, of which 55 (90%) were female.

INTERVENTION

Interactive e-learning resource designed to improve education professionals' knowledge of long-term outcomes following preterm birth and strategies that can be used to support children's learning (www.pretermbirth.info). In a repeated measures design, participants were given up to 30 days access to the e-learning resource, before and after which they completed the Preterm Birth Knowledge Scale (PB-KS; scores 0-33; higher scores indicate greater knowledge) to assess knowledge of outcomes of prematurity. Four Likert scale items were used to assess confidence in supporting children's learning and 10 items were used to evaluate the utility of the resource. PB-KS scores and responses on confidence item were compared pre-resource and post-resource use.

RESULTS

PB-KS scores significantly increased after accessing the e-learning resource (median (95% CI): pre-resource 13 (11 to 14); post-resource 29 (28 to 30)), equating to a 2.6 SD increase in PB-KS scores. Teachers' confidence in supporting children born preterm was also significantly improved after using the resource. The utility of the resource was evaluated positively by participants with 97% reporting that they would recommend its use to others.

CONCLUSIONS

The e-learning resource substantially improved teachers' knowledge of preterm birth and their confidence in supporting preterm children in the classroom. Use of this resource may represent a key advance in improving educational outcomes for children born preterm.

The views and aspirations of young people with autism spectrum disorders and their provision in the new Education Health and Care plans in England

Background: The new special educational needs and disability legislation in England has introduced Education Health and Care plans as statutory documents for children with special educational needs, and has extended provision beyond compulsory education, placing transition in a compelling position. This policy recognises the need to include the views, wishes and aspirations of children and young people in the development of provision to cater for their needs. For young people with autism spectrum disorders and their families, transition to post-16 education and employment could be challenging. This study aimed to explore how voices of young people with autism spectrum disorders are captured in their Education Health and Care plans.Methods: These views were collected from the Education Health and Care plans of 12 young people with autism spectrum disorders. These plans were analysed inductively and deductively through content analysis, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth Version as a coding framework.Results: Discrepancies were found between plans concerning the ways in which the voices of young people with ASD were elicited. A total of 189 functioning codes were identified, with a prevalence of activities and participation codes to reflect their views, followed by body functions and lastly environmental factors.Conclusion: These disparities are discussed in light of the biopsychosocial model of functioning and health, and the new English policy. Implications for adopting the International Classification of Functioning framework to give voice to young people with autism spectrum disorders are also discussed.Implications for rehabilitationYoung people with autism spectrum disorders face many challenges in their transition to post-16 education and employment.Engaging young people with autism spectrum disorders in matters that affect their own lives contribute to the development of provision that is aligned with their wishes and aspirations.Practitioners collaborating in the development of Education Health and Care plans should ensure that young people are effectively involved in the development of their own plans.The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children and Youth Version provides a systematic framework and language for coding and recording data from different sources with which to capture young people's views.

The Longitudinal Measurement of Reasoning Abilities in Students With Special Educational Needs

Students with special educational needs in the area of learning (SEN-L) have learning disabilities that can lead to academic difficulties in regular schools. In Germany, these students are frequently enrolled in special schools providing specific training and support for these students. Because of their cognitive difficulties, it is unclear whether standard achievement tests that are typically administered in educational large-scale assessments (LSA) are suitable of students with SEN-L. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of a short instrument for the assessment of reasoning abilities that was administered as part of a longitudinal LSA to German students from special schools (N = 324) and basic secondary schools (N = 338) twice within 6 years. Item response modeling demonstrated an essentially unidimensional scale for both school types. Few items exhibited systematic differential item functioning (DIF) between students with and without SEN-L, allowing for valid cross-group comparisons. However, change analyses across the two time points needed to account for longitudinal DIF among students with SEN-L. Overall, the cognitive test allowed for a valid measurement of reasoning abilities in students with SEN-L and comparative analyses regarding students without SEN-L. These results demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating students with SEN-L into educational LSAs.

Traditional Bullying and Discriminatory Bullying Around Special Educational Needs: Psychometric Properties of Two Instruments to Measure It

Two important challenges in research on bullying are to have reliable tools to measure traditional bullying and discriminatory bullying related to special educational needs (SEN), and to learn more about their prevalence. We present the validations of two instruments to measure bullying (European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire, EBIPQ) and discriminatory bullying with respect to SEN (EBIPQ–Special Education Needs Discrimination version, henceforth EBIPQ-SEND). A total of 17,309 teenagers from Ecuador took part in the study (M = 14.76, SD = 1.65; 49.9% male). The item response theory analyses evidenced accuracy and quality of the measures. The confirmatory factor analyses of the EBIPQ and the EBIPQ-SEND revealed the same two-factor structure—aggression and victimization—regardless of gender, showing optimal fit indexes. We present the results of the prevalence according to the roles of participation in traditional bullying and discriminatory bullying around SEN. Significant gender and age differences were observed for involvement in both phenomena. We also discuss the advantages of applying the EBIPQ and the EBIPQ-SEND to evaluate and diagnose harassment and discriminatory harassment around SEN.

Student Attitudes Toward Inclusion in Physical Education: The Impact of Ability Beliefs, Gender, and Previous Experiences

This study addresses the associations between students' ability beliefs and attitudes toward inclusion in physical education, as well as the impact of gender and previous contact/participation with children with disability on these variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 976 students (491 girls and 485 boys; age 11-16 years), who responded to ability beliefs and attitudes questionnaires. Ability beliefs (entity and incremental) and the 3 sociodemographic variables predicted 20.4% and 9% of the behavioral and cognitive subscales of attitudes, respectively. Students with higher scores for entity beliefs of ability had a less favorable attitude toward inclusion. Girls reported more favorable attitudes toward inclusion than boys. Students who indicated previous participation in physical activities with children with disabilities showed attitudes that were more favorable in both the behavioral and cognitive subscales, while those who reported previous contact had more favorable attitudes in the behavioral subscale and lower entity beliefs. However, the 3 sociodemographic variables had a lower contribution to the explained variance of attitudes.

Associations Between Perception of Parental Behavior and "Person Picking an Apple From a Tree" Drawings Among Children With and Without Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The present study examines and compares associations between perceptions of parental acceptance/rejection in 191 Greek school age children (84 inclusion class students and 107 typical class students, age range 10-12), and their "Person Picking an Apple from a Tree" (PPAT) drawings. Perception of parental behavior was measured by the "Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire" (Rohner and Khaleque, 2005). Drawing content was analyzed quantitatively according to a reliable rating system called the Symbolic Content in PPAT drawings (SC-PPAT: Bat Or et al., 2014, 2017). We employed k-means cluster analysis and obtained three relatively discrete PPAT scripts. Drawing content elements and scripts were found to be associated with children's perceptions of parental behavior; these associations were found mainly among children with special educational needs (SEN) and boys. Results are discussed in terms of children's subjective experience, clinical implications, and future research directions.

Measuring Cortisol in the Classroom with School-Aged Children-A Systematic Review and Recommendations

The collection of salivary cortisol has been chosen as one of the least intrusive, easiest to collect, analyze, and store methods of obtaining information on physiological changes. It is, however, not clear what the best practice is when collecting salivary cortisol from children within the school setting. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the feasibility of cortisol collection in schools for future research and to make recommendations for best practice. The review included 25 peer-reviewed articles from seven databases. The hypotheses of the included studies vary, but they all use cortisol as a diurnal, baseline, or acute measure, or to measure the effect of an intervention. Two methods of salivary cortisol collection were preferred by most of the research, i.e., passive drool or cotton Salivettes. The review has concluded that cortisol is a physiological marker that can be successfully measured in school-based research. However, there are discrepancies across studies when evaluating the collection guidelines, protocols, and instructions to participants as well as transparency of the success rate of obtaining all samples. Recommendations are made for future research to address and avoid such discrepancies and improve cross-study comparisons by implementing standard protocol guidelines.

Antenatal and Neonatal Antecedents of Executive Dysfunctions in Extremely Preterm Children

To find out why children born extremely preterm are at heightened risk of executive dysfunctions, the authors assessed 716 children who were 10 years old born extremely preterm whose IQ was ≥ 70. A working memory dysfunction (n = 169), an inhibition dysfunction (n = 360), a switching dysfunction (355), and all 3 (executive dysfunction; n = 107) were defined on the basis of Z-scores ≤ -1 on the Differential Ability Scales-II Working Memory composite, and/or on the NEPSY-II Inhibition-Inhibition and Inhibition-Switching subtests. All risk profiles include an indicator of socioeconomic disadvantage. The risk profile of each of the 3 individual dysfunctions includes an indicator of the newborn's immaturity, and the risk profiles of the inhibition dysfunction and switching dysfunction also include an indicator of inflammation. Only the switching dysfunction was associated with fetal growth restriction. The risk factors for executive dysfunction can be subsumed under the 4 themes of socioeconomic disadvantage, immaturity/vulnerability, inflammation, and fetal growth restriction.

[School Attendance of Children with Mental Health Problems]

School Attendance of Children with Mental Health Problems School can support a child's resilience as well as be a risk to the child's mental health. However school is an indicator of social participation, an aspect that flourished especially in the debate about inclusion. In this paper assistance opportunities are being discussed that are established to support children with a psychological disease in school. Three of the different concepts of funding priorities for special educational needs in the German system will be presented: "Förderschwerpunkt emotionale und soziale Entwicklung" (special needs in emotional and social development), "besonderer Förderbedarf "(special needs) and "Schulbegleitung" (school assistants). Also, the conditions for students of schools in hospitals and clinics will be analyzed and the reintegration process back to home school will be considered. It becomes unequivocal that there is little data about special assistance opportunities and that law structures in the federal states of Germany differ from each other and are partly unclear. The involvement of the three systems school, child and youth welfare service and child and youth psychiatry demands solid structures of communication and cooperation and a common continuous work across systems' borders during the child's school years.

Inclusion of Children With Disabilities in Physical Education: A Systematic Review of Literature From 2009 to 2015

This systematic review examines research published from 2009 to 2015 on inclusion of children with disabilities in physical education according to the PRISMA guidelines. We have used a stakeholder approach as a framework for organizing and discussing the results. The searches yielded 535 studies, of which 112 were included. The systematic review outlines which stakeholder perspectives received the most attention, the main themes and findings, the methodological trends that governed the research contribution, and the country of data collection. The main findings indicated that perspectives of pre- and in-service teachers and studies of attitudes still dominate the research contributions. The strengths and limitations of the research conducted to date highlight that several other perspectives need to be discussed. Especially important is seeking information from children with disabilities themselves. Other barriers and facilitators perceived by those actively involved in the inclusion process need to be sought.

Early and long-term outcome of infants born extremely preterm

There is no question that birth at extremely low gestational ages presents a significant threat to an infant's survival, health and development. Growing evidence suggests that gestational age may be conceptualised as a continuum in which births before 28 weeks of gestation (extremely preterm: EP) represent the severe end of a spectrum of health and developmental adversity. Although comprising just 1%-2% of all births, EP deliveries pose the greatest challenge to neonatal medicine and to health, education and social services for the provision of ongoing support for survivors with additional needs. Studying the outcomes of these infants remains critical for evaluating and enhancing clinical care, planning long-term support and for advancing our understanding of the life-course consequences of immaturity at birth. Here we review literature relating to early and long-term neurodevelopmental, cognitive, behavioural and educational outcomes following EP birth focusing on key themes and considering implications for intervention.

Testing Students with Special Educational Needs in Large-Scale Assessments - Psychometric Properties of Test Scores and Associations with Test Taking Behavior

Assessing competencies of students with special educational needs in learning (SEN-L) poses a challenge for large-scale assessments (LSAs). For students with SEN-L, the available competence tests may fail to yield test scores of high psychometric quality, which are—at the same time—measurement invariant to test scores of general education students. We investigated whether we can identify a subgroup of students with SEN-L, for which measurement invariant competence measures of adequate psychometric quality may be obtained with tests available in LSAs. We furthermore investigated whether differences in test-taking behavior may explain dissatisfying psychometric properties and measurement non-invariance of test scores within LSAs. We relied on person fit indices and mixture distribution models to identify students with SEN-L for whom test scores with satisfactory psychometric properties and measurement invariance may be obtained. We also captured differences in test-taking behavior related to guessing and missing responses. As a result we identified a subgroup of students with SEN-L for whom competence scores of adequate psychometric quality that are measurement invariant to those of general education students were obtained. Concerning test taking behavior, there was a small number of students who unsystematically picked response options. Removing these students from the sample slightly improved item fit. Furthermore, two different patterns of missing responses were identified that explain to some extent problems in the assessments of students with SEN-L.

A comparative study of educational provision for children with neurogenetic syndromes: parent and teacher survey

BACKGROUND

A number of neurogenetic syndromes have a high association with special educational needs including fragile X syndrome (FXS), Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), Williams syndrome (WS) and Velo-Cardio-Facial syndrome (VCFS). There is a paucity of research on educational provision for children affected by these syndromes.

METHOD

Parents (n = 381) and teachers (n = 204) of school-aged children with one of the four syndromes in the UK and Ireland were surveyed in a range of areas concerning the child's educational provision. Areas surveyed included school placement, views on the needs of children with the syndromes, desired changes to current provision and perceived teacher knowledge.

RESULTS

School placement in mainstream settings decreased with age in all of the syndromes. Males with the syndromes were more likely to be in specialised educational settings with the exception of WS. Teachers reported limited input on initial or subsequent training for all of the syndromes. The majority of teachers did not view the needs of children with syndromes as different from other children with intellectual disability (ID) although there were significant differences between the syndromes. Changes deemed necessary to provision by parents and teachers differed between the syndromes indicating the existence of perceptions of syndrome specific needs. The lowest perceived level of teacher knowledge was in the VCFS group.

CONCLUSION

The majority of teachers of children with neurogenetic syndromes report limited knowledge of the syndromes, but also a lack of belief that the children's needs are different from the majority of children with ID. Differences between the syndromes in some areas of provision suggest that a child's syndrome does impact on educational provision in some areas.

Assessment of the Self-Determination of Spanish Students with Intellectual Disabilities and other Educational Needs

The purpose of this study was to assess the self-determination of Spanish high school students with Intellectual Disability and other Special Educational Needs (SEN). A total of 371 students between 11 and 17 years of age participated in the study. Of these, 46.4% (n=171) presented SEN, specifically learning disabilities (n=97; 26.2%), borderline and intellectual disability with higher IQ scores (n=43; 11.6%) and mild intellectual disability (n=32; 8.6%). The remaining students without SEN made up the control group. The assessment was carried out using a translated and validated Spanish version of The Arc's Self-Determination Scale (Wehmeyer, 1995). This measure had appropriate psychometric properties. Students with SEN obtained significantly lower scores than their peers without SEN. However, no differences were found in relation to the type of SEN or, more specifically, in relation to the presence of intellectual disability. The educational implications of the results are discussed.