Constructivist literature has become increasingly prominent in the area of special education. The nature of constructivism and its relevance and limitations for students with special needs is discussed, as is the importance of appropriate research in determining the efficacy of instructional interventions. A search of the literature into the…

Sustaining comprehensive secondary school reform (CSR) represents an immensely difficult and unresolved challenge for the field. The problems associated with CSR are of significant concern to proponents of inclusion given that more responsive schools and classrooms are connected to, if not dependent upon, the success of broader school reform…

In this address, the author examines what it means when one uses phrases like "evidence-based practices" and "evidence-based policies." She suggests that there is a need to re-think the meanings attached to these terms and she presents a rebuttal of the reliance on a single conceptualisation of evidence. The author then argues for a re-making of…

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…

The aim of this study was to develop a means of tracking the reading performance of low-progress readers on a weekly basis, so as to inform instructional decision-making. A representative sample of 261 primary school children from Years 1 to 5 were tested on 21 different text passages taken from a developing passage reading test, the Wheldall…

A review of research into the acquisition of phonological awareness skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities, the relationship between phonological awareness and reading in these individuals and the effect of phonological awareness training on the development of their phonological skills is presented. Research indicates that children…

Constructivist literature has become increasingly prominent in the area of special education. The nature of constructivism and its relevance and limitations for students with special needs is discussed, as is the importance of appropriate research in determining the efficacy of instructional interventions. A search of the literature into the…

This case study examined the effects of a parent-presented Direct Instruction decoding program on the reading and language skills of a child with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Following the 23 hour intervention, reading comprehension, listening comprehension and fluency skills improved to grade level, whilst statistically significant…

Former students (34) of a residential school for students with emotional-behavioural difficulties, and their parents, were interviewed to determine their perceptions about the educational and social adjustment of the students. Following reintegration into mainstream schools, or work, the majority of the former students were reported as coping at…

This paper is written primarily as a call to those of us in the special education field in Australia to become more actively involved in responding to the popular culture construction of disability as it takes place in the mainstream media. It is not the aim to define the form such activism should take but rather to raise awareness of the issue…

This research examines the strategies reported by teachers who have managed aggressive and extremely disruptive behaviour of students who have special needs. A sample of 52 teachers from mainstream and special settings listed the strategies that they have used to respond to this behaviour, the reasons for their choice and their estimate of the…

In her Des English Memorial Lecture, the author provides some commentary on the changes that have occurred during her career in relation to the field of special education. In the 25 years that she has worked as an educator and been involved in special education in one way or another, there have been very significant and fundamental changes of…

This article reports on research exploring the school experiences of 26 children (aged between 8 and 15.5 years) diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. The research adopted a qualitative methodology, and is reported here from the perspective of both the parents and the children themselves. Three different groups of families emerged: those who were…

Student teachers' perceptions of possible best practices in the education of students with high support needs and their reports of level of implementation during field experience were investigated in this research. In addition, the student teachers' suggestions for other indicators of best practice and their perceptions of barriers to best…

Recent research suggests that inquiry-based approaches can be powerful in stimulating the development of inclusive practices. However, the implementation of such approaches can be difficult, particularly in contexts where there is a strong emphasis on improving standards, as measured by test and examination scores. This article describes and…