Major developments in the use of the internet have enabled easy and widespread access to information and the ability to form virtual social networks. For parents of children with developmental disorders, who may at times feel isolated, having a forum to discuss their fears and concerns with other parents who are sharing similar experiences may…

In this article the author, as a practitioner, discusses the poetry she wrote by adapting the actual words and phrases of students with special educational needs in a research study to investigate their literacy acquisition. The poetic text gave an insight into the concerns the students had and the difficulties they were encountering and also the…

The 2001 Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (DfES, 2001) explicitly states that students with IEPs should have an active role in the writing and implementing of them. A research project was conducted in which 19 Year 8 students in three schools were interviewed, with the findings cross-referenced against an examination of their…

Trisha Waters presents the theoretical basis for Therapeutic Storywriting Groups, an outline of how they work in practice and a summary of the research report commissioned by SERSEN to evaluate their impact on pupils' learning. The article finishes with a short case study of a nine-year-old boy who is on the special educational needs register for…

The influence of social status on child development has been the subject of research for several decades, with children who are not accepted by their peers being shown to be at risk of a range of difficulties both at the time and in later life. Strong links have also been established between behaviour and social status. A small-scale action…

Literature is replete with evidence of considerable pressure that many mainstream teachers may experience in their bid to respond to the diverse needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities and to achieve ever better results. In this study, the results of 100 teachers from mainstream primary schools in three of the ten regions…

As policy makers and educators respond to legislation promoting the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, there is sometimes confusion about why this is being done and how it can be accomplished effectively. In this article, two categories of fallacies, or misunderstandings, are identified. The first fallacy is…

This study examined whether audiovisual computer training without linguistic material had a remedial effect on different learning disabilities, like dyslexia and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). This study applied a pre-test-intervention-post-test design with students (N = 62) between the ages of 7 and 19. The computer training lasted eight weeks…

Seating arrangements are important classroom setting events because they have the potential to help prevent problem behaviours that decrease student attention and diminish available instructional time. The purpose of this synthesis of empirical literature is to determine which arrangements of desks best facilitate positive academic and behavioural…

The idea of a personal style in learning has grown during the past decade to dominate teacher discourse in the UK. The theory supporting this idea is work in understanding cognitive and learning style. A recent review of learning styles for the Learning and Skills Development Agency in the UK has been widely publicised and is deeply critical of…

In this article Joseph Mintz explores the importance of developing positive attitudes to SEN and Inclusion among primary teacher trainees. The research reported indicates that student attitudes towards SEN/Inclusion were generally positive, but that such views are fluid and subject to change during a course of training. The article reinforces the…

Many educational psychology services across the country have changed or are in the process of changing to a consultation approach to service delivery. This paper outlines the experiences of an inner city service in the development of consultation particularly in the area of group consultation. Group consultation involves a pair of educational…

In this article we will address the question: is the use of labels in special education helpful? Within this question there are a number of other questions and issues to consider: what is the relationship between labelling and special educational needs? or the relationship between labelling and the allocation of resources?, as well as the more…

Evaluations of practice have often adopted experimental or quasi-experimental approaches and have focused heavily on outcomes of innovative programmes. This creates problems in replicating studies and effectively creates obstacles to the sharing of good practice. In this paper, ideas from Pawson and Tilley's (1997) approach to Realistic Evaluation…

This article considers a range of effective interventions for children with autism. It focuses on communication and socialization issues, both of which inform improvements in behaviour. The article emphasizes the ongoing importance of these in any intervention programme, and their ultimate goal of promoting greater independence.