Communicative spontaneity in autism: exploring supportive prompts in an educational context

The purpose of this article was to describe a Finnish research project concerning communicative spontaneity in pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a behavioural syndrome which is neurobiological in origin and which involves atypical developmental dysfunctions in the brain. The essential features are persistent impairment in reciprocal social communication and social interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interest, and activities. However, an important part of flexible interaction is functional communication between partners, and spontaneity is a critical aspect of functional communication. Communicative spontaneity can be assessed by examining the rela…

The implementation of new special education legislation in Finland

This article examines the implementation of new special education legislation in Finland among students with significant disabilities. The data consist of a nationwide survey and field observations. In the analysis, a policy implementation framework is utilized as a theoretical lens. The findings suggest that schools and municipalities that had participated in long-term development projects had more capacity and willingness to reform special education practices substantially, suggesting that learning in one policy area can transfer to other domains across multiple levels of national and local governments. The key findings highlight the significance of professional trust as a policy instrum…

The Transition to Upper Secondary Level After Basic Education for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Finland

This chapter provides an exploration of the preparation of pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for transition to upper secondary level after Finnish basic education. It also examines the importance of supports required during the transition phase. Two examples of pupils with ASD (Kalle and Maija) are utilized to illustrate how to plan and support pupils with ASD during their initial post-school transition. Transitions are defined, after which education opportunities after basic education for pupils with ASD in Finland are examined. This is followed by a brief illustration of the Finnish comprehensive school system to provide context with a focus on support arrangements and the prepar…

Conceptions associated with sense of belonging in different school placements for Finnish pupils with special education needs

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine conceptions associated with sense of belonging (SEBE) in Finnish general and special school placements for pupils with special education needs. Five pupils were selected for this study by means of purposive sampling. They had a history of several school placements prior to arriving at their current special school. Qualitative phenomenographic analyses of interview transcripts revealed numerous conceptions regarding the pupils’ SEBE in the different educational placements. The pupils had undergone numerous placements in which their SEBE had been jeopardised, as disturbing relationships with teachers and peers seemed to have affected the pupils’ me…

Special education without teaching assistants? : The development process for students with autism

Many children may need the help of another person to attend school. It is common for children with disabilities to receive help from a teaching assistant at school. Assistants are provided in many countries as a legal right and are often publicly funded. It is also widely assumed that having teaching assistants in the class is an effective and cost-efficient way to support students with disabilities. In this study, the research task was to monitor and document the development process carried out by the teacher, with the aim of making visible the development of a more dynamic classroom interaction. The focus in this development process was the teacher’s idea of minimizing the conta…

Erityinen tuki perusopetuksen oppilaille, joilla tuen tarpeen taustalla on vakavia psyykkisiä ongelmia, kehitysvamma- tai autismin kirjon diagnoosi : VETURI-hankkeen kartoitus

Tämä raportti on kirjoitettu VETURI-hankkeessa. Kyseessä on nelivuotinen tutkimus- ja kehittämis-hanke, joka kohdistuu perusopetuksen erityiseen tukeen. Tarkastelun kohteena on moniammatillista erityistä tukea oppimiseensa ja kuntoutumiseensa tarvitsevat oppilaat, joilla on vakavia psyykkisiä pul-mia, moni- tai vaikeavammaisuutta, kehitysvammaisuutta tai autismin kirjon diagnoosi. Useilla kohde-ryhmän lapsilla on pidennetty oppivelvollisuus. Lisäksi tähän ryhmään saattaa kuulua kotiopetuksessa olevia lapsia. VETURI-hanke toteutetaan yhteistyössä Helsingin yliopiston opettajankoulutuslaitoksen erityispeda-gogiikan ja Jyväskylän yliopiston kasvatustieteiden laitoksen erityispedagogiikan yksik…

Vaativaa tukea tutkimusperustaisesti : TUVET-hankkeesta tukea opettajille ja opettajaksi opiskeleville

Erityisen tuen toteutuminen sairaalaopetusyksiköiden, valtion koulukotien sekä kuntayhtymien ja yksityisten omistamien laitos- ja erityiskoulujen opetusryhmissä. VETURI-hankkeen kartoitus II.

Ruskeasuon koulun kehittämishanke II : ICF-pohjaiset toimintakykykuvaukset, HOJKS-tavoitteet ja lukuvuosiarvioinnit toiminta-alueittaisessa opetuksessa

Valteri-koulu Ruskis (aiemmin Ruskeasuon koulu) on Helsingissä sijaitseva valtion erityiskoulu, joka toimii osana valtakunnallista Oppimis- ja ohjauskeskus Valteria. Koulussa on liikunta- ja monivammaisia sekä pitkäaikaissairaita oppilaita esiopetuksesta lisäopetukseen. Artikkeli on jatkoa aiemmalle kuvaukselle koulun kehittämisprosessista (ks. NMI Bulletin 3/2013). Tässä työssä tarkastellaan koulun tavoitetyöskentelyyn kohdistuvan pitkäaikaisen kehityshankkeen viimeisintä vaihetta, jossa on paneuduttu tarkastelemaan toiminta-alueittain opiskelevien oppilaiden (n = 19) yhden lukuvuoden keskeisiä HOJKS-tavoitteita, niiden suhdetta oppilaiden ICF-pohjaisiin toimintakykykuvauksiin sekä tavoitt…

Teacher Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Finland

This chapter first provides a short description of the historical background and development of special education teacher training in Finland. The relationship between special education and teaching pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is covered by chronologically presenting the main events, turning points, publications, and people that have had a significant effect on the education of pupils with ASD in Finland. This is followed by a description of the organization of teacher training, in general, and the particular characteristics of teaching pupils with ASD. In the context of ASD, it is essential to examine questions concerning the link between learning as social practice and the …

Interaction between students and class teachers in vocational education and training: ‘Safety distance is needed’

Interaction between students and teachers is fundamental and has therefore been widely studied in education. However, there have been few studies on intensive spe-cial support being provided to vocational education and training (VET) students. Firstly, the focus of this article is on students’ perceptions of interactions with their class teachers. Students (aged 17–34 years) from four Finnish vocational institutions providing intensive special support were interviewed. According to the findings, the demands students placed on their class teachers and for interactions with them were modest and their perceptions of both were favourable. Interactions seemed to be study-orientated and class tea…

The school staff's perception of their ability to teach special educational needs pupils in inclusive settings in Finland

Recent studies have suggested that the professional training received by general educators does not adequately prepare them to properly implement inclusion-based practices. The idea of inclusion in practice has not significantly changed the situation of teaching pupils with special educational needs (SENs) in mainstream classes. This study's primary intent is to examine the factors that identify the school staff's ability to meet the needs of SEN pupils in their daily teaching situations. A total of 187 elementary school teachers, principals and teaching assistants in a Finnish city completed a structured questionnaire that used a self-evaluation method. Two components were generalised acco…

From the shade into the sun: exploring pride and shame in students with special needs in Finnish VET

This paper reports on a study of the dynamics of social emotions and social bonds between students and class teachers by analysing the narratives of students receiving intensive special support in the Finnish vocational education and training (VET) system. Pride refers to a strong and safe involvement in interaction, and shame implies intimidated social bonds. The analysis is based on abductive content analysis for which Greimas’ actant model worked as an analysis tool. We found some students showing high respect to their teachers who acted as senders setting the objects for students’ studying. Pride is based on the students’ experiences in achieving the objects, thereby pleasing their teac…

The involvement of autistic children in early childhood education

Research on the involvement of autistic children in daily activities in inclusive early childhood education is scarce. In Finland, all children, including autistic children, under the age of seven (before basic education) are entitled to participate in early childhood education and care. Children also attend compulsory, free-of-charge pre-primary education during the year before their basic education begins. Furthermore, attending early childhood education and care is not dependent whether a child requires day care because of their parents’ work. Autistic children attend early childhood education in inclusive day care centres. Thus, in this study, we examined the involvement of autistic chi…

Why Study Online in Upper Secondary School? Qualitative Analysis of Online Learning Experiences

In Finland, online learning has become more common in recent years. In this study, we examined why adult students chose to study online for upper secondary school. The research also focused on the support needed for learning from a special education perspective. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected using an electronic questionnaire. In total, 58 students responded. Data were analyzed qualitatively using the content analysis technique. The findings indicate that the main reasons for online studies are similar in Finland to those found internationally: flexibility of timetables, the student’s health condition, and family situations. The findings also indicate that a student’s…

Children with Down syndrome in Finland and Italy: comparing adaptive behavior and services

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare a sample of Italian (n = 29) and Finnish children (n = 32) with Down syndrome for possible differences emerging from diverse educational surroundings. Besides the level of adaptive and challenging behaviors, some other issues were compared, including teacher satisfaction. Methods: We used the children’s teachers as informants. They were interviewed using standardized scales. Results: No differences in adaptive behavior or challenging behavior were observed between the samples. All children from the Italian sample were fully included in mainstream classes, while in the Finnish sample, 92% of all the school years were spent in self-contained sp…

Sense of Belonging and Life Transitions for Two Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Finland

AbstractSense of belonging refers to the degree to which individuals feel included, accepted, and supported by others in a variety of social settings. This study, based on the narratives of two females (ages 26 and 29) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), examines sense of belonging and various life transition issues that may appear throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in the absence of appropriate social supports. Hearing the voices of females with autism is important, because the number of girls diagnosed with ASD has grown. Women on the spectrum can potentially provide significant insights into the services required to feel a sense of belonging to society. Qualitative analysi…

Parental Perceptions of the Use of Coercive Measures on Children with Developmental Disabilities

Background Children with developmental disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviour are potentially subject to the use of coercive interventions. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the use of coercive measures by authorities, according to parents’ reports. Materials and Methods A postal survey was distributed, as a total population study, to 946 Finnish parents of children with developmental disabilities, between the ages of 5 and 15, and who were entitled to the highest disability allowance. Results Of the respondents, 54 (22%) answered ‘yes’ when asked whether their child had been subjected to coercive procedures by authorities. The parents had seldom approved the…

The usefulness of the ICF framework in goal setting for students with autism spectrum disorder

AbstractAn Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a multi-disciplinary, team-developed plan that is required for a child receiving special education services. IEPs are tools for setting objectives that are responsive to students with special needs. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a hierarchical classification for human functioning and disability developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The ICF classification can be used as a structural and conceptual instrument in goal setting. In this study the educational IEP objectives of five Finnish students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are examined within the ICF framework. The focus is i…

Teaching Children with Intellectual Disabilities: Analysis of Research-Based Recommendations

<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to produce an overview of topics and practical recommendations that have been presented for teaching for students with intellectual disabilities in educational research articles published from 2000 to 2013. The sample of peer-reviewed research articles considering this topic was selected using a database search of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). To represent the richness of this research area, the topic was purposely left broad, and the outline was made by focusing on the practical implications of research articles. These recommendations were identified, classified, synthesized, and evaluated. The implications for pract…

Contradictions as Drivers for Improving Inclusion in Teaching Pupils with Special Educational Needs

The aim of this paper is to enhance understanding of the contradictions that arise in the drive to improve teaching practices among pupils with special educational needs (SENs). A questionnaire was administrated to 167 classroom teachers, subject teachers, special education teachers and teaching assistants in Finland. The analysis, based on thematic coding and analysis of manifestations of contradictions, revealed contradictions related to artefacts of teaching, participation in the community and school staff’s professional ability to teach SEN pupils in mainstream. Four types of manifestations, namely conflicts, critical conflicts, dilemmas, and double binds, could be identified in the dat…

Collaboration for Inclusive Practices : Teaching Staff Perspectives from Finland

accepted in publication Collaboration between educators is considered to be the key issue when implementing inclusive practices within schools. An open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to extend the current understanding of collaboration between teaching staff. The questionnaire was administrated to 167 classroom teachers, subject teachers, special education teachers and teaching assistants in primary, secondary and special education public schools in Finland. Also, semi-structured interviews with 20 participants were used to deepen the understanding of the elements included in the teaching activity in diverse classrooms. The results indicate coordination, cooper…