Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder estimated to affect around 1% of children worldwide. Although advances in pharmacological and behavioural treatments appear promising, there is a paucity of research, especially in New Zealand, where little is known about parents' and caregivers' attitudes and experiences. The current study aimed…

International recognition of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) as agents of change for students with special educational needs calls for a deeper understanding of SENCo agency. However, literature on teacher agency for inclusion has paid little attention to SENCos. Taking a sociocultural view of agency, this qualitative case study…

This research examined an evidence based dialogic shared reading strategy which incorporated aided language modelling and increased communication partner responsiveness with two children with complex physical, cognitive, and sensory needs (CPCSN) who use auditory plus visual partner assisted scanning (PAS) to access a Pragmatic Organised Dynamic…

The current study was conducted to understand better the university experiences and academic outcomes for students with and without self-reported disabilities or impairments. The project explored responses to an online questionnaire on early university experiences of first-year students (n = 1019) within one New Zealand university. A…

Research suggests that access to early intervention can improve a range of outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the type and amount of intervention that is typically available to young children with ASD in the New Zealand community. There is also limited information about parent demand for types…

Personal narrative ability is crucial for social-emotional well-being and classroom participation. This study investigated the ability of 10 school-age participants with Down syndrome to share past personal experiences with their teacher aides in their school environment. To participate, children were required to speak in short sentences and be…

Identifying an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) method for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might be informed by comparing their performance with, and preference for, a range of communication modalities. Towards this end, the present study involved two children with ASD who were taught to request the continuation of toy…

The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) family of measures is routinely used in mental health services in the New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. However, the psychometric properties of the HoNOS65+ for elderly people have not been extensively evaluated. The aim of the present study was to examine the validity, reliability, and…

Fifteen fathers of children with disabilities living in urban and rural settings in New Zealand were interviewed about their experiences, which included their interactions with teachers and others in the school system. Eight key concerns of the fathers are discussed along with implications for policy and practice. (Author/CR)

Sixty-three New Zealand schools were surveyed concerning establishment of Support Teacher positions to assist children with special needs. Results are discussed in terms of drift from the support team model, differences between primary and secondary schools in model implementation, the importance of training, and the importance of an active…

This study analyzed tape-recorded workplace small talk collected in New Zealand workplaces, including workplaces employing workers with intellectual disabilities. The topics, the distributional patterns, and the functions of small talk are described, and aspects of the management of small talk which may present problems to workers with…