Dianne Chambers – författare

Support staff in schools are increasingly recognised as playing an important, though often undefined, role in inclusive education. While there has been some research on how best to work with support staff, this book provides readers with a comprehensive examination of roles and responsibilities within the classroom. Issues in determining appropriate ways to work effectively with support staff are raised, along with strategies teachers can use to enhance the collaborative and reflective nature of working with others.

This book investigates the role of Service Learning in supporting inclusive practice. Specifically, it explores the process of Service Learning and the intersection with inclusion in classroom and community. Special consideration is given to issues of equity, students with disability, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and students of different cultural and language groups. Service Learning involves students at primary, secondary and tertiary levels actively engaging with schools and the community in service projects, where both students and community benefit. It involves reciprocity between those providing the service and those receiving the service. Students connect with their academic discipline through intentional academic and personal learning goals as a result of structured reflection. The first section of the book embeds Service Learning and inclusive education within a theoretical perspective. Discussions focus on research, practical considerations for developing a Service Learning program, ethics and social capacity of those who are marginalised. The second section reviews Service Learning within a primary/elementary context. Chapter authors discuss how service learning can be embedded into the school environment and how participating student’s experiences have shaped classroom and community interactions. The third section describes methods of incorporating Service Learning within a secondary school context. A variety of experiences are examined, along with procedures for successful program development. The fourth and final section focuses on the impact of Service Learning on pre-service teachers’ appreciation of inclusivity and social justice issues within inclusive classrooms. Preparation for the practical and professional components of becoming an effective inclusive teacher are described.

In this edited collection, experienced practitioners discuss how a range of existing and emerging assistive technology devices and services are used across a variety of international settings to support the inclusion of students with disabilities.This book details authentic examples of best practice, including identification and implementation of appropriate tools, the use of aided communication devices, modified seating equipment, computers and tablets, robotics, costs, outcomes, and services among others. It showcases a spectrum of promising and positive results in reducing exclusion, thereby supporting teachers to improve learning outcomes for students with disabilities. By providing an excellent and current overview of assistive technology and the use of the technology in the classroom, this book is an insightful read for those who work with technology and the inclusion of students with disabilities. The authors demonstrate how specialists, teachers, parents and students can work together using technology to ensure inclusive education is a realistic goal for all.