New technologies and ongoing developments in the fields of Virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence are changing the ways in which we facilitate learning. Recognising the positive role these technologies can play in the learning and progress of students assessed as having special educational needs, this practical guide explains the characteristics, benefits, risks and potential applications of new technologies in the classroom. An innovative and timely resource, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence in Special Education offers a background in the evidence-based theory and practice of using new technologies in an educational context. Accessible and free of complex jargon, chapters provide information on the development, intended uses and most current terminology used in relation to technologies, and explains how modern equipment, approaches and possibilities can be used to promote improved communication skills, independent learning and heightened self-esteem amongst students diagnosed with SEND. Offering a wealth of practical tips, downloadable resources and ideas for engaging with technology in the classroom, the text will support teachers to ensure that students can benefit from exciting technological advances and learn to use them appropriately. Demystifying a complex and varied field, this practical resource will inspire and inform teachers, SENCOs and practitioners working with children and students with SEND as they harness the use of technology in the classroom.

In Helping Parents of Diagnosed, Distressed, and Different Children, Eric Maisel provides clinicians with the tools they need to address the issues facing the parents of diagnosed children. In these pages, mental health professionals will find tips for using the right language to guide families through situations such as sibling bullying and parental divorce, as well as guidelines for thinking critically about children's mental health. Filled with hands-on resources including checklists and questionnaires, this valuable guide offers clinicians a set of strategies to help parents deal effectively with their child's distress, regardless of the source.

Play is critical to children's well-being and development. All students should have access to and adequate time for positive play experiences every day. Learning and Connecting in School Playgrounds invites parents, teachers, principals and education administrators to take another look at their school playgrounds as spaces crucial to learning, well-being and development. This book combines research findings, commentary and the authors' personal experiences and observations together with the views of teachers, principals, parents and students related to play and play spaces. Key content includes consideration of the role of adults in the school playground, the influence of technology on play, the challenges experienced by children transitioning to new school environments and consideration of strategies to support students' access and participation in the playground. Cases are presented to illustrate the use of an audit tool to enhance school playgrounds. The future of school playgrounds is also considered through the reported hopes and dreams of adults and students and a range of recommendations are made for the review and development of schools' outdoor play spaces. Learning and Connecting in School Playgrounds is written with a sense of urgency, calling for the recognition of positive play experiences as invaluable to children's education. It includes important and challenging insights to inform and guide decision-making and will be an essential resource for all stakeholders who share responsibility for children's participation and learning during school break-times.

A balance of theory and practice for understanding the full range of curriculum and instructional topics involved in educating individuals with severe intellectual disabilities and autism In this authoritative guide, leading scholars and researchers present information and evidence-based practices for dealing with the full range of curriculum and instruction for individuals with severe intellectual disabilities and autism. Case studies throughout Instruction of Students with Severe Disabilities look at students of various ages and with a variety of disabilities, and each chapter includes an application to a student with autism. The content is presented with citations of supportive research, and evidence-based practices are presented in clearly defined ways to ensure that teachers understand the practices and how to apply them in their own classrooms. The 9th Edition is updated with new evidence-based research; a new chapter on inclusive education; a new chapter on transition; and more.

Originally published in 1995, this book offers a crucial view of the implementation of legislation for the integration of pupils with special educational needs in EU countries at the time. The match or mismatch between the rhetoric and reality, between the policy and the practice are reviewed by presenters from a recent appraisal of progress in individual national contexts. Authors are critical of the situation in their own countries and call upon recent and relevant research sources to support their views. The relationships between particular themes in the education of pupils with special needs are observed and compared in a broad European context.

First published in 1996. Three major and topical issues which affect the lives of people with learning difficulties and those who work and live with them are sexuality, integration and age appropriateness. These issues are contentious and controversial and there are no simple solutions. In this book, preconceived, established and sometimes narrow views of what constitutes integration, sexuality and age appropriateness are challenged and a discussion of thought-provoking alternatives are explored from the perspective of the child or adult with learning difficulties.

Dismantling the Disabling Environments of Education: Creating New Cultures and Contexts for Accommodating Difference challenges assumptions that view people of difference to be "abnormal," that isolate attention to their difference solely in the individual, that treat areas of difference as matters of deficiency, and that separate youth of difference from the mainstream and treat them as pathologized. As outsiders to mainstream special education, the authors of this collection take a more social and cultural perspective that views the surrounding social environment as at least as problematic as any point of difference in any individual. Most of the scholars contributing to this volume work with preservice and inservice teachers and grapple with issues of curriculum and pedagogy. One of the primary audiences we hope to reach with this book is our colleagues and practitioners who have not made special education or disability studies the focus of their careers, but who, like we, are determined to engage with the full range of people who attend schools. Dismantling the Disabling Environments of Education: Creating New Cultures and Contexts for Accommodating Difference can be a valuable text for undergraduate and graduate courses in teacher education, as it addresses key issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and differentiated approaches to educating the full range of students.

First published in 1982. Between 1955 and 1980 the number of pupils in special needs schools in Britain increased tenfold. Between 1970 and 1977 the number of units for 'difficult' pupils also increased tenfold and went on increasing. Some observers saw this as a welcome advance in special education, others as an extension of discrimination. The authors of this study highlight the dangers of such a provision being used as a form of social control, which may be imposed on children whose only failure is an inability to fit into the stereotype of the ideal student.

Originally published in 1975 Education and Social Action, examines the possibility and value of effecting links between community service and the curriculum in various sectors of higher education. It describes what has been done in each of several disciplines in giving students the opportunity to carry out work of direct social utility within the context of the curriculum. It examines the benefits and the problems experienced by students, their teachers, and analyses the social and educational issues involved. The book derives links between the work of Community Service Volunteer in fostering links between Community Service and the curriculum, not only in schools but in institutions of higher education.

Foreword by James McLeskey Improve teacher retention by understanding and supporting the work of special education teachers! Are you concerned about special education teacher attrition? Do you wonder about how to meet the demand for highly qualified special needs teachers? This book highlights the problems that drive many special needs teachers out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, Billingsley provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special needs teachers. Cultivating and Keeping Committed Special Education Teachers provides effective ways to: - Recruit and hire qualified special needs teachers - Provide responsive induction programs for new teachers - Design effective professional development opportunities - Create inclusive and collaborative schools - Provide reasonable work assignments and reduce paperwork - Promote wellness by reducing stress This book emphasizes the important role that headteachers play in supporting special needs teachers and how they can make a difference in what special educators accomplish in their schools. Numerous assessments, tools, and resources are included to help leaders, mentors, and teachers improve the conditions of special education teaching.

Updated and revised in the light of developments in practice since the first edition, this text discusses children's language development and language difficulties in the context of the classroom. The book is designed to help the practitioner to understand the range of language difficulties experienced by children and should assist them in planning appropriate activities with pupils, their parents and other education professionals. In particular, this second edition offers further guidance for teachers on observing children's communication skills in school; fully revised and updated chapters in the light of contemporary research; advice for schools on the implications of the increased emphasis on language and communication needs in the revised SEN Code of Practice 2001; and discussion about the increasingly recognised links between communication difficulties and EBD.

Among the most commonly reported characteristics of individuals with learning and behavioral disabilities are significant and persistent problems with literacy acquisition. Applied research has revealed a number of methods for facilitating literacy learning among individuals with learning and behavioral disabilities. Included in this volume are chapters from a group of internationally-prominent authors, addressing important issues in the conceptualizing, assessing, and treating problems in literacy. These chapters include conceptual factors in reading assessment, reading comprehension, and a critique of the 'dyslexia' concept, implementation of Response to Intervention models for treatment of literacy deficits, applications for individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, reading instruction in the content areas, strategy instruction, and reading instruction for English learners with learning disabilities. In addition, current research in writing for students with learning and behavioral disabilities is described, including chapters on contextual factors in writing disabilities, persuasive writing for students with behavioral disabilities, writing instruction for young children with disabilities, and peer-mediated writing strategies. This volume is intended to be of interest to clinicians, teachers, researchers, graduate students, and many others interested in literacy and learning of individuals with learning and behavioral disabilities.

An Emerging Approach for Education and Care provides a synthesis of the extensive research that has been conducted worldwide about the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth in education and care. The main purpose of the ICF is to provide a classification of functioning for adults and children with difficulties, considering their everyday lives, all the activities they perform and the environments they are embedded in, in addition to their health condition, which has been the traditional focus of Special Education provision in many countries. Each chapter presents an evidence-based study describing how the ICF has been used to improve the provision of services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs around the world. Moreover, each chapter is written by an expert on the ICF from a different country, thus providing an overview of how the ICF can be applied in international educational contexts with different educational and health systems and cultural backgrounds. This synthesis of world-leading research focuses on the ICF as a framework to approach assessment, intervention and classification for children and young people with SEN, whilst also providing practical examples of how it can be implemented. An Emerging Approach for Education and Care will be essential reading for academics, researchers and practitioners working on Special Educational Needs provision and rehabilitation. It should also be of great interest to those involved in the study of early childhood education, and for postgraduate students aspiring to work in these settings.

"This is the second of two themed volumes addressing current issues and trends in special education. Volume 20 covers research, technology, and teacher preparation whilst volume 19 covered identification, assessment and instruction. The field of special education constantly changes as a result of legislation, new instructional formats and current research investigations. It can be difficult for general and special educators, school counselors and psychologists, administrators and practicing clinicians to keep up with these changes and be current in all areas relating to special education. The special education literature knowledge base should reflect these changes; however, there is no current resource that effectively and comprehensively does this. The purpose of "Current Issues and Trends in Special Education" is to fill this void, providing chapters written by active researchers and practitioners in their respective areas.

What is the impact of an infant's diminished hearing on the infant and its parents? How does communication develop in cases of diminished hearing? How does diminished hearing affect social and cognitive development? What types of early interventions can improve communication and development in infants with diminished hearing? The World of Deaf Infants presents the results of a 15-year research study that addresses these questions. Through their research, perhaps the largest, long-term comparison of deaf and hearing infants, Meadow-Orlans's team provides a comprehensive and intimate look into the world of deaf infants. For a core group of 80 families that includs all four combinations of parent-infant hearing status, data was collected longitudinally at 9, 12, 15, and 18 months, and mother-infant interactions were recorded and observed in both structured and unstructured settings. Mothers' facial, vocal, and tactile behaviors during interactions were related to infants' temperament and stress; mothers' linguistic and communication behaviors, as well as their overall responsiveness, were related to children's language; and the effects of support provided to mothers were evaluated and explored. The results were dramatic, particularly those on infant attachment behaviors and the importance of visual attention to the overall development of deaf infants. This comprehensive work provides a foundation on which researchers, teachers, students, and parents can build to improve communication, cognitive and social development, and to enhance the world of deaf infants.

• Focused on practical teaching strategies. • Based on extensive experience and research. • Considers the many ways in which diverse learners can succeed in science. • Helps staff to understand the best approaches and research evidence so that they have the confidence to teach it. • Teachers’ notes provide additional guidance, as well as suggestions on how to adapt the material in specialist settings.

"This book fills a noticeable gap in our profession's ability to identify the keys elements, strategies, and resources required for successful transition into postsecondary education." -Robert N. Ianacone, Former President International Division on Career Development "The book is well-written, easy to read, and addresses many facets and avenues for transitioning effectively. A must-have!" -Jane Williams, Former Professor and Chairperson, Department of Special Education Towson University Help students with disabilities put their goals into action and navigate postsecondary life! As mandated by federal law, schools must assist students with disabilities in developing appropriate goals and transition plans for life after high school. Written for teachers and student assistance professionals, this comprehensive and practical book focuses on how the planning process can prepare students for the greater independence of postsecondary settings. Recognizing that students with disabilities have a wide range of needs, this resource discusses the transition requirements of various postsecondary options, including colleges, universities, career and technical training programs, and employment. Developed by highly regarded experts, this authoritative guide includes: An overview of transition considerations for middle school youth The most up-to-date information on key legislation that affects transition services and the rights and responsibilities of students and professionals Advice for helping students document disabilities, develop self-advocacy skills, and seek accommodations Information about postsecondary resources on campus and in the community Students' personal stories and a look at the role of family involvement With user-friendly tools such as checklists, case studies, and reflective questions to support the creation of transition plans, educators can help students successfully explore and pursue educational opportunities after high school.

All children require mathematical understanding to access as full a life as possible. This practical book explores the curriculum required to accommodate the various difficulties faced by children with severe and profound learning difficulties. It describes how children's mathematical thinking first develops and how it can be nurtured to ensure real understanding and support essential life skills. Chapters explore key concepts including: quantity recognition and counting sequence and measurement comparisons space and shape time monetary value. Mindful of the diverse challenges faced by teachers and pupils, the book explains the neurological and pedagogical theories that underpin the development of early mathematical thinking. It considers how mathematical skills that will best support children's everyday functioning can be developed. Practical ideas and activities for application in the classroom are further supported by illustrative diagrams, case studies and detailed online reading to deepen teachers' understanding and confidence when working with pupils. An essential and inspiring guide for teachers, special educational needs coordinators, teaching assistants, and parents, this text proves that with the appropriate strategies, each child is able to develop the mathematical skills essential to everyday living.

Throughout history there have been efforts to help deaf children develop spoken language through which they could have full access to the hearing world. These efforts, although pursued seriously and with great care, frequently proved fruitless, and often only resulted in passionate arguments over the efficacy of particular approaches. Although some deaf children did develop spoken language, there was little evidence to suggest that this development had been facilitated by any particular education approach, and moreover, many, even most deaf children--especially those with profound loss--never develop spoken language at all. Recent technological advances, however, have led to more positive expectations for deaf children's acquisition of spoken language: Innovative testing procedures for hearing allow for early identification of loss that leads to intervention services during the first weeks and months of life. Programmable hearing aids allow more children to make use of residual hearing abilities. Children with the most profound losses are able to reap greater benefits from cochlear-implant technologies. At the same time, there have been great advances in research into the processes of deaf children's language development and the outcomes they experience. As a result, we are, for the first time, accruing a sufficient base of evidence and information to allow reliable predictions about children's progress that will, in turn, lead to further advances. The contributors to this volume are recognized leaders in this research, and here they present the latest information on both the new world evolving for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and the improved expectations for their acquisition ofspoken language. Chapters cover topics such as the significance of early vocalizations, the uses and potential of technological advances, and the cognitive processes related to spoken language. The contributors provide objective information from children in a variety of programming: using signs; using speech only; using cued speech, and cutting-edge information on the language development of children using cochlear implants and the innovations in service provision.
Along with its companion volume, Advances in Sign-Language Development of Deaf Children, this book will provide a deep and broad picture of what is known about deaf children's language development in a variety of situations and contexts. From this base of information, progress in research and its application will accelerate, and barriers to deaf children's full participation in the world around them will continue to be overcome.

First published in 1988. Language is an important developmental ability which facilitates communication both at home and at school. It is also the foundation of many of a child's learning experiences in school. A certain level of language is often a pre-requisite both for success in particular curriculum areas and for the ability to conceptualise generally. Language developing is thus a major concern for those who work with mentally handicapped children and it has come to be regarded as one of the main objectives within the special school curriculum. This book is concerned with the opportunities for language learning which special schools make available for severely mentally handicapped children. It describes how special schools seek to meet the very diverse needs of their pupils and provides a discussion of the success of contemporary approaches to encouraging language development. The author makes a number of constructive criticisms and suggestions for improving practice which should interest anyone whose work involves teaching children with severe learning difficulties.

First published in 1992. For disabled people and people with learning difficulties the transition from school to college, work or training can be stressful and frustrating; job choices are often restricted, and they face barriers which are beyond their control. This book is about their struggle for choice. It sets special needs in further education in a socio-political context. By exploring the concept of 'transition to adulthood' in terms of class, race, gender and disability differences, and relating it to social, economic and political influences, it seeks to challenge complacency and encourage dialogue and debate.

First published in 1985. The field of mental handicap is a broad one encompassing the interests of many professional groups. As a result, there is a need periodically to present wide-ranging reviews of advances in the field. This is the central aim of this volume. Two chapters focus on the cognitive domain, and are especially pertinent in view of the recent release of the new Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children which uses Das's theoretical position as its foundation. Another contribution reviews the area of non-speech communication with those with special needs, a subject of much current interest and controversy. Other chapters focus on major issues such as maladaptive behaviour and deinstitionalization and use of new technology. The book is thus likely to be relevant to all those with an interest in advances in mental handicap research.

First published in 1995. This book responds to the multiplying demands for support and training for teachers of integrated classes in mainstream schools. Such support through school-based development initiatives enhances teachers' abilities to meet the emotional, behavioural and learning needs of their pupils. This volume aims to assist school staff to further their efforts in curriculum content and delivery, teacher-pupil and classroom relationships and parent involvement.

First published in 1978. Reading for Slow Learners is a practical guide for teachers, defining the objectives of the reading curriculum, identifying important aspects of teaching method and suggesting various approaches. This title will also be of interest to parents of children with learning difficulties.

First published in 1995. Notions of 'inclusive schools' and 'schooling for diversity' are rapidly gaining currency across the developed world as alternatives to traditional approaches to special needs education. This book explores the advances in our understanding of how schools can change and develop in order to include a wider range of students. By bringing together some of the foremost international writers and researchers in the field, it makes available to policy makers, practitioners and researchers the experiences from Australia, Europe, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.