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This paper outlines some of the recent changes in the pattern of provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN), with particular emphasis on incidence, prevalence and placement. Statistics relating to some specific areas of SEN, including severe learning difficulties (SLD), are not readily available, and so information is derived from a number of sources: national surveys into the pupil population of special and mainstream schools, recent findings from the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE), and statistical information from the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). A brief historical overview of special educational provision is also provided. Key points which emerge from the summary are the increased inclusion in mainstream schools of pupils with SEN, the concomitant downward trend in the number of pupils being placed in special schools, the apparent trend towards a more multiply‐disabled special school population, and a sharp increase in the number of pupils being excluded from mainstream education. In addition, there are indications that the most severely intellectually disabled are the least likely to be included in mainstream school provision.

In England and Wales, the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs now places emphasis on the role of the special educational needs co‐ordinator, or SENCO. Analyses the results of a study of 63 SENCOs, in primary and secondary schools in one urban local education authority in England. Examines status in school, levels of salary and time devoted to the role as well as the extent to which SENCOs managed other personnel, together with their reports on ways in which the use of resources was monitored within their schools. It appears that SENCOs’ status is being recognized in many schools, not just by their salary levels but by the time which they have available to devote to their jobs. Administrative burdens brought by the Code of Practice are a continuing concern. Concludes that most SENCOs continue to view resource monitoring as an accounting exercise rather than one in which pupil involvement can be linked to expenditure on inputs.

The purpose of this paper is to apply critical legal analysis to laws, policies and reforms focused on special educational needs (SEN) and equality in England and to suggest a Neurodiversity spectrum statement.

The paper reviews current legal and policy initiatives in SEN, together with recent reforms in equality law.

While past and current policies may have laudable aims, tensions such as a lack of integration of education, health and social services have had prejudicial outcomes for children with SEN, their families/carers, and the professionals involved.

Legal reforms promise to remedy some problems, but must be underpinned by adequate resourcing, appeal procedures, and remedies which foster the enforcement of legal duties. Some resources for families with children with SEN are noted.

A research study into the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a special educational needs (SEN) environment, as part of a larger project to develop a multimedia learning environment for this group. Benefits and barriers of ICT usage in this environment were examined, and attitudes and experiences of SEN teachers were explored. An enquiry into the information and other needs of the teachers formed part of the study, and the working environment was also researched, for contextual information.

Qualitative depth interviews were undertaken in the working locations of the SEN teachers and assistants.

The SEN working environment was found to have changed greatly in recent years. There was now a more formal and structured curriculum, and many attempts at activities designed to foster inclusion. Difficulties faced by teachers included a lack of and poorly functioning equipment, a paucity of appropriate learning materials, and unusual challenges posed by the differing needs of learners. The needs of teachers included ways of facilitating evidence of progress, lesson plans classified according to cognitive and accessibility levels, and administrative information. Advantages of using ICT ranged from enhancing the learning experience by offering a more personalised environment, to “liberating pupils” from problems such as physical cutting and pasting.

Most literature on using ICT for those with SEN focuses on physical rather than cognitive disabilities. There has been almost no literature on the views or needs of SEN staff, with regard to this topic.

Despite dealing with special educational needs (SEN) students, many teachers feel unprepared for this task. This situation reveals the urgent need for studies in different areas, directed toward the inclusion of students in regular classrooms. Therefore, a diagnosis about the situation of inclusive education and the resources available in schools offering regular teaching becomes of paramount importance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present the results of an investigation that sought information on pedagogical work in inclusive education and in the use of support materials by teachers of basic education in Brazil and Portugal.

In order to carry out this investigation, a questionnaire was developed by a partnership between researchers from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil and the University of Minho, Portugal, and applied to mathematics teachers. The study participants consisted of 197 mathematics teachers, working in primary school, secondary school and young people and adult education. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire, available online and designed in Google Forms, with 48 questions (both open and closed formats).

From the results obtained, there is a clear need not only for promoting initial and further teacher training that takes into consideration the profile of this teacher, but also for promoting the development of support materials (games, software, devices and assistive technology) in a collaborative way, involving users, teachers, engineers in a way to ensure a good usability and adequate adaptability. Thus, the inclusion of SEN students in schools must not take place only with their physical integration, but also must consider their integration at social, emotional and educational levels.

It is understood that the teacher should receive a solid training in successful inclusion experiences in terms of technological, educational and didactic experiences. Another problem that seems to be recurrent is that support materials have been developed in a way that is somehow disconnected from the reality of the classroom. The context in which the support material is inserted is fundamental to the success of its utilization. What is more, it cannot be isolated from the individuals who will use it. It thus becomes urgent to prepare the school environment for the reality of inclusion. This involves aspects from changes in infrastructure and development of assistive technology to assist the student with SEN in their learning, to the establishment of public policies that involve teacher initial and further training, specialized support and curricular discussions.

Schools face a formidable task as they come to terms with the effective management of the special educational needs response in the light of changes in culture, legislation and public expectations. Explores new ground in the development of flexible training modules which are designed to be practical and relevant for schools. These modules are designed collaboratively between serving teachers, LEA staff and local providers of accredited training. The process which has evolved ensures flexibility and maximizes the most efficient use of GEST and LEA funding.

This article theoretically analyzes how response to intervention (RTI) can be used as a tool in lesson study (LS) to enhance student learning and how RTI can be made more user-friendly by teachers in LS. The focus is on how RTI can be adapted to teachers' daily work by including it in the LS model and how LS can benefit by introducing a scientific approach in analyzing student learning outcomes through RTI. The article also highlights how this approach can contribute to learning for children with special educational needs (SEN).

This theoretical paper describes and compares the characteristics of the LS model with the RTI framework. The comparison highlights the design of models related to teachers’ development and learning outcomes. The benefits and challenges with the models are described. A previous research study related to the models is also briefly reviewed.

There are benefits and challenges with both the RTI and LS models but parts of the models appear to complement one another to some extent. Teachers' professional development and a better control of learning outcomes could be gained by combining the models. This could also lead to educational improvement.

There has been almost no research about a combined LS and RTI model.

The purpose of this paper is to present data drawn from the Department for Education (DfE)concerning trends in the number of children identified as having a learning disability within state schools in England.

Data based on the school census conducted by the DfE was examined annually for 2009/2010 to 2014/2015, to determine the number of children identified as having moderate learning difficulty (MLD), severe learning difficulty (SLD) or profound multiple learning difficulty (PMLD) within state schools in England, at two levels: having a Statement of Educational Needs/Education Health Care Plan, or at School Action Plus.

The number of children identified as MLD reduced substantially over time, for both statemented children and children identified at the School Action Plus level. In contrast, the smaller number of statemented children with SLD or PMLD increased over time, in line with increasing school rolls and epidemiological trends.

Further work is needed to understand the sharp reduction in the number of children being identified as having MLD within schools, and the educational support being offered to this group of children. Better information is also needed on children with learning disabilities not being educated in the state school sector.

This paper highlights important trends in the identification of children with learning disabilities in state schools in England, with consequences for how large groups of children are being supported.

The purpose of this paper is to examine data on absences and exclusions from school amongst children with learning disabilities and autistic children in England in 2016/2017.

Data were drawn from Department for Education statistics for the school year 2016/2017 on school absences (authorised and unauthorised) and school exclusions (fixed-period and permanent) for children in the primary special educational needs categories of moderate learning difficulty (MLD), severe learning difficulty (SLD), profound and multiple learning difficulty (PMLD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

Authorised school absence rates were higher for all groups of children investigated compared to children without special educational needs, primarily due to illnesses and health-related appointments. Rates of unauthorised school absences were low. Rates of fixed-period and permanent school exclusions were higher for children with MLD and ASD compared to children without SEN, and lower for children with SLD and PMLD. Reasons given for exclusions were similar across children (persistent disruptive behaviour, physical assault against a pupil, verbal abuse against an adult), although physical assault against an adult was also commonly mentioned for children with SLD, PMLD or ASD.

Reducing school absences for children with learning disabilities and autistic children will involve co-ordination of health and social care support arrangements to ensure they are convenient and efficient for children and families. In terms of exclusions, schools need to consider the extent to which they are making reasonable adjustments for children with learning disabilities and autistic children.

This paper presents in one place statistics concerning school absences and school exclusions for children with learning disabilities and autistic children in England.

This part of the report (Part 1 is published in the International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 5 No. 3, 1991) is a description of each day of the study visit with appropriate comments and impressions. From this, practices used in Denmark which could be of potential benefit in the UK are discussed; and also issues worthy of further study. The study visit raised pertinent questions on UK philosophy on teaching in general and teaching of the disabled; the rights of the disabled; and the responsibility for the provision of education.