This article, by Brahm Norwich of the Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, sets the recent legislative changes in the special education system in England, the Children and Families Act (2014), in the context of wider changes in the school system, such as changes in curriculum-assessment, the governance of schools and inspection…

Finding suitable curriculum materials for Sexuality and Relationship Education for young people with autistic spectrum disorder can be a challenge for teaching staff. In this article, Sue Hatton and Angie Tector who both formerly worked at Coddington Court School discuss findings from their research project asking pupils with autistic spectrum…

The combining of subject areas or disciplines, referred to in this article as curriculum integration, has been recognised as being linked to high levels of student motivation and learning. Sheryl MacMath of the University of Toronto, Jillian Roberts of the University of Victoria, and John Wallace and Xiaohong Chi of the University of Toronto…

In this article, Brahm Norwich, Professor of Education at the University of Exeter, examines the roles that special schools can play within inclusive educational systems. He notes that the percentage of young people in special schools in England has remained broadly stable over a number of years, despite inclusive policy initiatives. Brahm Norwich…

Recent changes in the structure of initial teacher education have resulted in teacher training institutions having to think again about how they address the issue of inclusion within their provision. In this article, Sue Pearson, who co-ordinates the MA (SEN) programme in the School of Education at the University of Leeds, and who contributes to…

In this article, Hazel Lawson, principal lecturer in education at the University of Plymouth, Sue Waite, a researcher at the University of Plymouth, and Christopher Robertson, lecturer in special and inclusive education at the University of Birmingham, discuss the curriculum for students with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties…

Helen May recently completed her doctoral studies at the University of Leeds. Her EdD thesis, written with the benefit of extensive experience of practice, focused on the engagement of children with learning difficulties in interactions in primary classrooms. In this article, Helen May draws on her familiarity with the literature to explore the…

Investigation of the use of music in the education of students at British schools for students with severe/profound or multiple difficulties found music was a significant component of students' lives and education. The article urges research on this population's musical behavior and needs and development of musical education guidelines and…

This article describes an Australian project that brought together educators, parents, and students to identify skills that young people with severe/profound or multiple learning difficulties need to gain before leaving schools. Results were fed back to schools to support the process of curricular review. The four-stage process of achieving…

This article describes the development of an outcomes-based curriculum for students (ages 2-16) with a range of learning disabilities in a British special school created recently after the amalgamation of three smaller schools. The new curriculum has resulted in positive feedback from teachers, parents, and students. (Contains 5 references.) (CR)

Describes a framework for teaching British National Curriculum subjects to pupils with profound learning difficulties. Discussion focuses on curriculum adaptations, educational rationale for subject selection, insights from subject specialists, and integration of therapies, health care, and emotional support within education. (DB)

This article addresses curriculum development for students with severe, profound, and multiple learning difficulties in the context of British National Curriculum requirements. It suggests that practitioners have recognized the dangers of "complementary curricula" but are using the concept of "subjects as contexts of experience" to address…

Examines art in the curriculum of British students with special education needs. Distinguishes between art as therapy and the therapeutic aspects of a good art curriculum within the context of both the national curriculum and the broader "whole curriculum," which seeks to promote the student's total development in an integrated fashion. (DB)

This article discusses the development and implementation of procedures to comply with the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs in a special British school for children with disabilities. The procedures involve observing the student, conducting diagnostic assessments, determining areas and levels of…

An art curriculum for students (6-16 years old) with moderate learning difficulties begins with color and moves through such topics as line, shape, texture, and pattern. Information is provided for junior children (5-9 years), middle school children (9-14 years), and senior children (14 and over). (CL)