The focus of this paper is on an Australian research project that evaluated the effectiveness of a resource called the "Ask Health Diary," which is used in the school curriculum to promote self-determination for better health and wellbeing for adolescents who have an intellectual disability. Education and health researchers used…

This investigation examined the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their preferences for classroom interventions for behaviours consistent with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Teacher ratings of intervention acceptability, effectiveness, and rate of change were compared across United States and New Zealand samples.…

This article reports the findings of a one-year follow-up study of Australian beginning primary teachers' perceived preparedness to manage a variety of problematic student behaviours, and their confidence and use of behaviour management strategies based on their preservice coursework in classroom behaviour management. A total of 216 primary…

In this paper the authors employ a case study approach to investigate the transition process for a student with special educational needs from a Hong Kong subsidised primary school into a secondary school. An analysis of transcripts from individual and focus group interviews with the student, his parents, his 4 primary teachers and his 10…

Increasing numbers of young people experience disruption to their schooling owing to chronic illness. Absence from the day-to-day life of their school for prolonged or accumulative periods of time can erode their sense of belonging and create anxiety about falling behind academically. Maintaining positive connections to school can meet their…

This study explored the utility of using keyboarding as an alternative to handwriting for students with ASD who experience handwriting difficulties. Participants included 22 students with ASD (M age = 10.83 plus or minus 1.4 years) who had been using portable word processors in mainstream classrooms for at least 6 months to circumvent handwriting…

The shift to inclusive education within Australia has resulted in increasing numbers of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) being placed in mainstream educational settings. This move has created new demands on teachers who are not necessarily trained to meet the challenge. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop an understanding of…

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study of learning partnerships between teachers and parents of students with learning barriers. The aim was to investigate the beliefs and understandings of parents and teacher participants around roles in partnerships, so as to identify operational processes that support effective collaboration.…

Children with vision impairment (VI) and blindness are largely educated in mainstream schools in Australia. Specialist itinerant support teachers--vision (ISTVs) travel from school to school to facilitate the education of these children. The purposes of this study were to examine the barriers that ISTVs face in this role, and to identify…

The roles and responsibilities of special educators in both special and regular school settings are changing rapidly. More than two decades ago the move towards more inclusive practices disrupted the traditional, niche separatism of special educators to the extent that they are now an integral part of the regular school teaching staff. Today the…

The inclusion of children with disabilities into the regular education classroom has resulted in many studies on teacher attitudes. Current research has examined teacher beliefs about inclusion, their concerns, and issues pertaining to their ability to cater effectively for children with disabilities in their classrooms. Despite this, there…

The aim of the research described in this article was to build a protocol for describing students' development of emotional knowledge and understanding, and to tailor this to the requirements of assessing the progress of students with additional needs. The paper reports the establishment of such a developmental profile, using procedures for…

This study examined teacher perceptions of educational supports for students with disabilities and significant behavioural problems. Specifically, the study sought to (a) identify the types of behavioural problems displayed by students identified as exhibiting significantly challenging behaviour; (b) ascertain the types of supports and resources…

A review is provided of recent research literature on the topic of troublesome classroom behaviour, published over the past decade or so with particular reference to research carried out in Australian schools. Nine Australian studies are reviewed, as well as a further seven from the USA, Hong Kong, Jordan, Greece and Malta. Seven of the studies…

A survey was conducted to investigate secondary school support teachers' perceptions of speech-language pathology services to students experiencing language difficulties. Information was sought regarding support teachers' understanding of language disorder, their experience with students who have language difficulties and their involvement with…