| 1. |
- Karlsudd, Peter, 1958-
(author)
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Improving children's sense of belonging through group-orientated individualisation
- 2021
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In: British Journal of Special Education. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0952-3383 .- 1467-8578. ; 48:4, s. 417-437
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A sense of belonging is essential for children in preschool. During the past decade, there has been a striking change in the orientation of the Swedish preschool environment. Now more child observations tend to focus on individual skills and assessment of ability to handle future schooling. A new discourse is clear; one that moves from a group orientation to a more individual approach. School-related skills are now more clearly the focus, within which an individualised discourse easily leads to grouping by levels and special programmes. In this action research study, a model of inclusive individualisation was tested, in which individual opportunities were anchored in a group-orientated teaching method. Nine preschool departments from four preschools participated in the study. The work involved about 45 preschool staff. At work meetings, nine departments spent about two hours each, processing and evaluating the model. The results show that the majority of the staff felt that the model opened up new issues, ideas and perspectives. It was clear that the staff were eager to plan early interventions. Communication and social skills for the children were the areas exclusively focused upon in the work with the model.
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| 2. |
- Cameron, David Lansing, et al.
(author)
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A comparative study of special educator preparation in Norway and Sweden
- 2018
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In: British Journal of Special Education. - : Wiley. - 0952-3383 .- 1467-8578. ; 45:3, s. 256-276
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to explore similarities and differences between special educator preparation in Norway and in Sweden. Graduates of special education programmes at two Norwegian (n = 320) and two Swedish universities (n = 425) who completed their training between 2001 and 2012 responded to surveys. Findings indicate that both Swedish and Norwegian graduates felt prepared for their current work and that teaching approaches employed in the different programmes were similar. However, there appears to be a stronger focus on pupils’ social goals in Sweden, as well as on advising teachers, school development and promoting inclusive environments. In contrast, Norwegian participants reported a greater focus on preparation to work with specific types of learning and behavioural difficulties. Findings are discussed in relation to differing political and social structures, such as national regulations for steering special educator preparation in Sweden, which are absent in the Norwegian context.
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| 3. |
- Pettersson, Gerd, et al.
(author)
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Professional collaboration between class teachers and special educators in Swedish rural schools
- 2019
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In: British Journal of Special Education. - : Wiley. - 0952-3383 .- 1467-8578. ; 46:2, s. 180-200
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to shed light on how work-related teacher support in the form of special educational consultation can promote the professional development of teachers working in rural schools located in sparsely populated areas. The phenomenon studied was professional collaboration between class teachers and special educators in the context of special educational consultation. The empirical data were collected through interviews and observations in three rural schools in the northern part of Sweden. The findings indicate that special educational consultation is perceived as support and collaboration. The class teachers appreciate the support they receive from special educators. The collaboration is characterised by professional exchange and mutual problem solving. Distributed expertise seems to be a crucial element of the collaboration. The conclusion is that collaborative special educational consultation enables class teachers to support pupils with special educational needs and strengthens professional collaboration between class teachers and special educators.
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| 4. |
- Takala, Marjatta, et al.
(author)
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Special education in Swedish and Finnish schools : seeing the forest or the trees?
- 2014
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In: British Journal of Special Education. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0952-3383 .- 1467-8578. ; 41:1, s. 59-81
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this research was to study the content of the work of two special education professions in Sweden, special teachers and special pedagogues. In addition, we compare their work to the work of Finnish special teachers. The Swedish participants were 74 special educators: 27 special teachers and 47 special pedagogues. The Finnish data were from an earlier study, involving 133 special teachers. Participants in both countries were approached via a questionnaire. The results show that Swedish special pedagogues do more consultative work and Swedish special teachers more direct work with pupils. However, there is plenty of overlap in the work profiles of Swedish special pedagogues and special teachers. Most of the work content is in line with the Finnish findings, except that Finnish special teachers had a minor consultative role. It seems that the work duties across the two professions, special pedagogues and special teachers, are somewhat similar. Their ways of working in practice are discussed.
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| 5. |
- Harrysson, Björn, et al.
(author)
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How People with Developmental Disabilities Navigate the Internet
- 2004
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In: British Journal of Special Education. - : Wiley. - 0952-3383. ; 31:3, s. 138-142
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We live at a time when the Internet is used increasingly for communication, for information, and for the exchange of goods and services. Questions arise about how people with learning disabilities make use of this new technology. In this article, Bjorn Harrysson, with two of his colleagues, A. Svensk and G. I. Johansson, from the Department of Design Sciences at the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden, explores the opportunities and difficulties experienced by members of this group when navigating the Internet. Harrysson, Svensk and Johansson observed seven people, aged between 15 and 44 and with mild to moderate developmental disabilities, as they navigated between different web pages using the general tools of Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Browser. The authors describe some of the strategies that were used for moving within and between web pages and for opening web pages, carrying out searches and finding preferred web sites. The results of the study are partly optimistic. The people involved made good use of many of the features of the general software. They experienced greater difficulties when it became necessary to use text to navigate and explore the huge potential of the Internet. Harrysson, Svensk and Johansson close their article by making a series of recommendations for developments that would facilitate ease of access and independence in the use of the Internet for people with developmental disabilities.
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