Achievement and Integration of Students with Special Needs (SEN) in the Fifth Grade

In Styria 77.3% of all students with special needs are educated in integrated classrooms. Currently, it is not known much either about the school performance nor the active class participation of these students. This study examined 230 fifth grade students – 43 with and 187 students without special educational needs (SEN). Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that the available data for this study represents the first wave of larger longitudinal study. The school performance of the students with SEN ranged one standard deviation below the level of the students without SEN. All students felt emotionally well integrated in the school settings, but the differences in the degree of social integration were evident. In fact, the students with SEN mentioned that they got along well with their classmates less frequently than the students without SEN

What is behind the diagnosis of learning disability in Austrian schools?

Every school system has to deal with children with Learning Disabilities (LD). However, the concepts of LD, the assessment procedures, the diagnostic criteria as well as their interpretation vary widely from country to country. What they usually seem to have in common is that general cognitive abilities, as measured by standardized IQ tests, are seen as an important aspect of the label.. In Austrian schools the diagnosis of LD is largely based on expert opinions provided by special education teachers. The diagnostic procedure is quite unregulated and open to individual interpretation. As a rule, standardized tests are not used in this connection. In the present study the characteristics of children with a diagnosis of LD are evaluated in terms of standardized testing. Thiry-seven pupils diagnosed as having LD and 136 regular school children were assessed at the end of the 5th grade in Austrian schools using standardized tests of intelligence, reading, writing and arithmetic skills and questionnaires regarding social integration in class, emotional integration in school and cultural capital of their families. Compared with a group of pupils without LD, matched for IQ and age, the LD children showed significantly worse basic arithmetic and reading skills, inferior social integration in class and lower familial cultural capital. A stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that poor basic arithmetic and reading skills were the strongest predictors of having a diagnosis of LD. Other variables, including IQ, had significantly less weight. The results are seen as indication of the fact that precise guidelines for diagnosing LD in the school system and a transition to a system of evidence-based allocation of resources are urgently needed

Linking Self-Rated Social Inclusion to Social Behaviour. An Emperical Study of Students with and without Special Education in Secondary Schools

Successful inclusive education creates a learning environment that supports not only the cognitive abilities of all children but also their social and emotional development. The present study focuses on the development of social participation of students with and without special education needs (SEN). A longitudinal study with two measurement times was conducted. The first measurement (T1) took place at the end of fifth grade, the second (T2) one year later. The sample consisted of 35 SEN students and108 non-SEN students from mainstream classes in Graz, Austria. For assessing the self-perception of social inclusion, items from the ‘dimensions of integration’ questionnaire (FDI 4–6) were used. Social participation does not seem to be a very stable phenomenon; its retest reliability was only .47 for SEN students and .54 for non-SEN students. Results indicate that children with SEN experienced less social participation than children without SEN at T1 and T2. To identify the predictors for social participation, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. Next to social participation at T1, indirect aggressive behaviour (self-assessed) also appears to predict social participation at T2

E. coli Nissle 1917 Affects Salmonella Adhesion to Porcine Intestinal Epithelial Cells

BACKGROUND: The probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 (EcN) has been shown to interfere in a human in vitro model with the invasion of several bacterial pathogens into epithelial cells, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not known. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of EcN on Salmonella Typhimurium invasion of porcine intestinal epithelial cells, focusing on EcN effects on the various stages of Salmonella infection including intracellular and extracellular Salmonella growth rates, virulence gene regulation, and adhesion. We show that EcN affects the initial Salmonella invasion steps by modulating Salmonella virulence gene regulation and Salmonella SiiE-mediated adhesion, but not extra- and intracellular Salmonella growth. However, the inhibitory activity of EcN against Salmonella invasion always correlated with EcN adhesion capacities. EcN mutants defective in the expression of F1C fimbriae and flagellae were less adherent and less inhibitory toward Salmonella invasion. Another E. coli strain expressing F1C fimbriae was also adherent to IPEC-J2 cells, and was similarly inhibitory against Salmonella invasion like EcN. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that EcN affects Salmonella adhesion through secretory components. This mechanism appears to be common to many E. coli strains, with strong adherence being a prerequisite for an effective reduction of SiiE-mediated Salmonella adhesion

Regulated on Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) drives the resolution of allergic asthma

RANTES is implicated in allergic asthma and in T cell-dependent clearance of infection. RANTES receptor family comprises CCR1, CCR3, and CCR5, which are G-protein-coupled receptors consisting of seven transmembrane helices. Infections with respiratory viruses like Rhinovirus cause induction of RANTES production by epithelial cells. Here, we studied the role of RANTES in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells in cohorts of children with and without asthma and validated and extended this study to the airways of adults with and without asthma. We further translated these studies to a murine model of asthma induced by house dust mite allergen in wild-type RANTES and CCR5-deficient mice. Here we show an unpredicted therapeutic role of RANTES in the resolution of allergen-induced asthma by orchestrating the transition of effector GATA-3+CD4+ T cells into immune-regulatory-type T cells and inflammatory eosinophils into resident eosinophils as well as increased IL-10 production in the lung

Wahrgenommene Zusammenarbeit von KlassenlehrerInnen und SonderpädagogInnen in inklusiven Klassen in Grund- und Mittelschulen

In inclusive classrooms teamwork and collaboration between general teachers and special education teachers are among the most important factors for student achievement. Yet, to date, little evidence exists on how teacher collaboration is implemented and whether general and special education teachers value their collaboration equally. The current study analyzes teacher collaboration in inclusive classrooms at elementary and secondary school levels. Participants were 191 general teachers and 130 special education teachers. The results suggest that all teachers were satisfied with their teamwork; differences between general and special education teachers were non-significant. Elementary school teachers had more positive perceptions than secondary school teachers. These findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical significance and their practical relevance for teacher education in inclusive classrooms. (DIPF/Orig.)In inklusiven Klassen ist die Zusammenarbeit und Kollaboration von KlassenlehrerInnen und SonderpädagogInnen einer der wichtigsten Faktoren für den Lernerfolg aller SchülerInnen. Bisher gibt es jedoch kaum Studien, welche die Zusammenarbeit von verschiedenen LehrerInnen in inklusiven Kassen untersuchen. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie wurden 191 KlassenlehrerInnen und 130 SonderpädagogInnen in inklusiven Klassen zu ihrer Wahrnehmung der Zusammenarbeit in Grund- und Mittelschule befragt. Die LehrerInnen schätzten insgesamt die Zusammenarbeit als zufriedenstellend ein und es fanden sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen KlassenlehrerInnen und SonderpädagogInnen in der Einschätzung ihrer Zusammenarbeit. Jedoch hatten Lehrkräfte in der Grundschule insgesamt eine signifikant positivere Wahrnehmung der Zusammenarbeit im Team als LehrerInnen der Mittelschulen. Diese Ergebnisse werden in Bezug auf die Theorien zum inklusiven Unterricht und der praktischen Bedeutsamkeit für die LehrerInnenausbildung für inklusive Klassen diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.

Stimmungsbarometer – ein Feedbackinstrument für Online-Lernumgebungen

„Stimmungsbarometer“ sind für den (E-Learning-)Alltag nützliche, einfach zu realisierende Online-Fragebogen, die dem Ziel dienen, steuerungsrelevante Informationen über die Voraussetzungen und den Verlauf von Online- und Blended-Learning-Veranstaltungen zu gewinnen. Sie ermöglichen es Lehrenden, den Grad des Wohlbefindens, Lernschwierigkeiten und Bedürfnisse zu diagnostizieren und entsprechende Maßnahmen zu ergreifen. Auf der Seite der Lernenden bieten Stimmungsbarometer das Potenzial, Reflexionsprozesse über das eigene Lernen anzuregen. Auf der Ebene der Gesamtgruppe schließlich kann das Zurückspiegeln von Informationen der Community-Bildung von geografisch verstreut Lernenden dienen. Zudem stellen Daten, die nahe an den faktischen Lehr- und Lernprozessen gewonnen werden, wertvolle Informationen für die didaktische Optimierung von E-Learning-Veranstaltungen bereit. (DIPF/Orig.

Umsetzung der schulischen Integration von SchülerInnen mit Behinderung in Österreich

Gemeinsamer Unterricht von SchülerInnen mit und ohne Behinderung(en) findet in Österreich vorwiegend in der Organisationsform von so genannten Integrationsklassen statt. Laut Statistik Austria wird aktuell etwa die Hälfte aller SchülerInnen mit sonderpädagogischen Förderbedarf (kurz: SPF) integrativ unterrichtet (Statistik Austria 2012), wobei die Zahlen zwischen den einzelnen Bundesländern stark schwanken. In der Steiermark werden über 80% der SchülerInnen mit SPF in Integrationsklassen beschult, während es in Niederösterreich nur knapp 30% sind (Buchner/Gebhardt 2011). Unabhängig von der Art der Behinderung eines Kindes können Eltern bzw. Erziehungsberechtigte sich entweder für eine integrative oder segregative Schulform entscheiden. Förderungen und Ressourcen können nur SchülerInnen mit einem diagnostizierten Förderbedarf beanspruchen. Dieser wird in Österreich im Auftrag der Schulaufsicht von SonderpädagogInnen geprüft

General and Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Teamwork in Inclusive Classrooms at Elementary and Secondary Schools

Gebhardt M, Schwab S, Krammer M, Gegenfurtner A. General and Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Teamwork in Inclusive Classrooms at Elementary and Secondary Schools. Journal for Educational Research Online. 2015;7(2):129-146