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1. Ministry of Education: Special Education

   The Special Education section of the Ministry of Education website includes pages on ASD, including   ASD evaluation and research. While the reports are made to the Ministry of Education, they are a treasure trove of evidence that school communities...

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   Ministry of Education: Special Education

   The Special Education section of the Ministry of Education website includes pages on ASD, including   ASD evaluation and research. While the reports are made to the Ministry of Education, they are a treasure trove of evidence that school communities can use for their own decision-making. They include:

   • evaluations of professional development programmes such as Tips for Autism and of parent education programmes such as Early Bird and ASD Plus
   • a review of the effectiveness of applied behavioural analysis
   • an investigation into Māori perspectives of ASD.

   Other research publications dealing more generally with special education include:

   • a review of international trends in special education
   • a summary of the public response to the Review of Special Education
   • a literature review on interventions for students whose developmental disabilities are associated with challenging behaviours.

   Resources for:

   Further learning

   Relevant to:

   Leading change, Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Understanding inclusion, Effective schools, Special education and ASD in NZ school settings, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Education .

2. Education in Motion

   Michael Fullan is one of the world’s leading experts on educational change for improvement. He has had a profound influence on many New Zealand efforts for change. You can learn about his ideas by exploring his website, which lists the...

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   Education in Motion

   Michael Fullan is one of the world’s leading experts on educational change for improvement. He has had a profound influence on many New Zealand efforts for change. You can learn about his ideas by exploring his website, which lists the books, articles, and other resources he has authored. Some of them are available for download.

   In his article “ The Awesome Power of the Principal” Fullan summarises how powerful principals get results for each and every student through leading change at the instructional core of teaching and learning.

    Fullan, M. (March 2010). “The Awesome Power of the Principal”. Principal, 89(4), pp. 10–15.

   Resources for:

   Further learning

   Relevant to:

   Leading change, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies

   Contributed by:

   Michael Fullan .

3. Effective RTLB Practice: Annotated Case Studies from Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour

   Hancox, M., and Macdonald, A. (2011). “ Case Study: Year 6 Student with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder”. In Effective RTLB Practice: Annotated Case Studies from Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour. Christchurch/Wellington: New Zealand Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour Association.New Zealand...

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   Effective RTLB Practice: Annotated Case Studies from Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour

   Hancox, M., and Macdonald, A. (2011). “ Case Study: Year 6 Student with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder”. In Effective RTLB Practice: Annotated Case Studies from Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour. Christchurch/Wellington: New Zealand Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour Association.

   New Zealand RTLBs Mary Hancox and Annette MacDonald present a case study of an ecological assessment used to foster inclusion for a year 6 student with ASD. The assessment surfaced the issues for the boy, his parents, the teacher, and the peer group. It allowed the co-construction of an intervention that led to whole-school improvement. The outcomes included increased understanding and empathy for the student from staff and peers, and a happier boy whose participation in playground activities increased from 5 percent to 60–70 percent.

   Resources for:

   Taking action

   Relevant to:

   Building inclusive school cultures, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Hancox, M., and Macdonald, A. 2011 .

4. Barriers to School Inclusion: An Investigation into the Exclusion of Disabled Students From and Within New Zealand Schools

   Alison Kearney's recent doctoral thesis Barriers to School Inclusion: An Investigation into the Exclusion of Disabled Students From and Within New Zealand Schools is based on evidence that disabled students are being excluded from and within New Zealand schools.Kearney wanted...

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   Barriers to School Inclusion: An Investigation into the Exclusion of Disabled Students From and Within New Zealand Schools

   Alison Kearney's recent doctoral thesis Barriers to School Inclusion: An Investigation into the Exclusion of Disabled Students From and Within New Zealand Schools is based on evidence that disabled students are being excluded from and within New Zealand schools.

   Kearney wanted to know how this was happening, and why. To answer these questions she conducted qualitative research with parents and school principals, teachers, teacher aides, and a group of year 6 students. A significant number of the parents and caregivers volunteered that their child had ASD.

   Kearney’s thesis is an important contribution to our understandings about inclusion in New Zealand schools, but its length makes it more suitable for selective reading.

   One approach may be to begin with her conclusion, in which she organises her major findings in relation to five key areas: access, accountability, attitudes, knowledge, and responsibility. She then provides tables of prompts for teachers, school principals, and senior managers for each area: “These prompts are designed to help guide attention and discussion to issues that are important if exclusion is to be reduced and eliminated” (page 217). You could use these prompts to help assess your current position and then review the effectiveness of your inclusion plan, setting up a system to collate and summarise your responses so that you can track progress over time.

   Kearney, A. (2008). “Exclusion at School: What Is Happening for Students Who Are Disabled?” The International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations, 7(6), pp. 219–227.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action

   Relevant to:

   Inquiry and knowledge-building, Understanding inclusion, Special education and ASD in NZ school settings, Audit

   Contributed by:

   Kearney, A. 2009 Unpublished doctoral thesis. Massey University: Palmerston North.

5. You're Going to Love This Kid

   Kluth, P. (2010). You're Going To Love This Kid! Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom. Baltimore, MA: Brookes.Kluth, P. (2011). You're Going To Love This Kid! A Professional Development Package for Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive...

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   You're Going to Love This Kid

   Kluth, P. (2010). You're Going To Love This Kid! Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom. Baltimore, MA: Brookes.

   Kluth, P. (2011). You're Going To Love This Kid! A Professional Development Package for Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom. Baltimore, MA: Brookes/Landlocked Films. (DVD and facilitator guide)

   See also Paula Kluth's introductory video clip You're Going To Love This Kid!

   You can also find an article by Paula Kluth on “Supporting Students with Autism: 10 Ideas for Inclusive Classrooms” on the Autism Speaks website.

   The title of these resources by renowned educationalist Paula Kluth is indicative of the tone throughout all her work – Kluth loves students with ASD for who they are as unique individuals and for the way they enrich the lives of those around them.

    Reviews of Kluth’s work emphasise the practical nature of the strategies and resources she provides, her commitment to inclusion, and the strong foundation on research. The 2010 book and professional development package include observation forms and checklists that could be used to review your practice and make decisions about what to do. Examples, case studies, and the DVD show that the approaches she suggests do work. They include checklists for auditing aspects of school and classroom practice, including whether the school is inclusive and whether classrooms are comfortable for students with ASD. Advice is provided on how the materials can be used for professional learning, both in the book and in the manual accompanying the DVD.

   Before purchasing a copy of her resources, you may like to access a copy on loan from Autism New Zealand and/or view the video clips available on the Internet. The introductory video is available here, but you can also find other extracts by typing in the words “You're going to love this kid!” and “DVD”.

   One of the features of Paula’s website is a set of readings on ASD, inclusive schooling, differentiated instruction, and literacy.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Leading change, Understanding autism spectrum disorder, Understanding inclusion, Audit, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices, Managing transitions, Specific issues for secondary schools

   Contributed by:

   Kluth, P. 2010 .

6. System-wide Improvement In Education

   Levin, B. (2012). System-wide Improvement in Education. Geneva, Switzerland: International Academy of Education/International Bureau of Education. Available from www.ibe.unesco.org Levin’s website presents more of his research. Some of his papers and PowerPoint presentations are available for download, including presentations given...

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   System-wide Improvement In Education

   Levin, B. (2012). System-wide Improvement in Education. Geneva, Switzerland: International Academy of Education/International Bureau of Education. Available from www.ibe.unesco.org

   Levin’s website presents more of his research. Some of his papers and PowerPoint presentations are available for download, including presentations given in New Zealand.

   Ben Levin is an internationally recognised expert on educational change for improvement who successfully led system-wide change in Ontario, Canada. He has visited New Zealand several times, engaging with teachers, principals, policy makers, and academics. Although the research summary recommended here is directed at policy makers, it provides a brief and valuable insight into the elements of effective change management – relevant to all educators.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Leading change

   Contributed by:

   Levin, B. 2012 Geneva, Switzerland: International Academy of Education/International Bureau of Education.

7. Literacy Professional Development Project Research Summaries

   The Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP) was a national project that sought to achieve sustainable improvement in schools’ literacy practices by supporting schools to engage in evidence-based inquiry at both the macro (school-wide) and micro (classroom) levels. It began in...

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   Literacy Professional Development Project Research Summaries

   The Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP) was a national project that sought to achieve sustainable improvement in schools’ literacy practices by supporting schools to engage in evidence-based inquiry at both the macro (school-wide) and micro (classroom) levels. It began in 2004 and ended in 2010.

   The project achieved great success because it took an inquiry and knowledge-building approach to the application of theory to practice. While it was based upon fundamental principles of effective professional learning, it also generated new knowledge to share with others in a set of research summaries that capture the project’s learning about the characteristics of professional learning that have a real and ongoing effect on student learning outcomes. The following summaries are likely to be particularly relevant to schools engaging in a journey into inclusion:

   • If the Teacher is Clear about it, the Students will Get It: Professional Inquiry for Teachers
   • Effective Facilitation: Understanding and Improving Learning Conversations with the Teachers
   • Coherence and Inquiry as Key Dimensions for Sustainability of Professional Learning
   • Leadership for Learning: Understanding the Knowledge and Practice of Effective Principals.

   Resources for:

   Further learning

   Relevant to:

   Inquiry and knowledge-building, Leading change

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Education 2009-2011 Wellington: Learning Media..

8. Learning Better Together: Working towards Inclusive Education in New Zealand Schools (DVD and booklet)

   A prominent New Zealand researcher and disability advocate, Jude MacArthur creates a coherent picture of what we can aspire to in our schools.The Learning Better Together booklet is closely aligned to the principles outlined in the Index for Inclusion. The...

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   Learning Better Together: Working towards Inclusive Education in New Zealand Schools (DVD and booklet)

   A prominent New Zealand researcher and disability advocate, Jude MacArthur creates a coherent picture of what we can aspire to in our schools.

   The Learning Better Together booklet is closely aligned to the principles outlined in the Index for Inclusion. The topics addressed include:

   • medical (deficit thinking) versus social models of disability
   • what inclusion means … and what it is not
   • Māori and inclusion
   • developing an inclusive school culture and inclusive classroom practices
   • inclusive education as matter of human rights and social justice
   • students’ social experiences and learning in regular compared to special education settings
   • the need for teacher professional development
   • the role of leaders.

   A   DVD is also available.It covers similar topics as well as a range of perspectives from children, parents, teachers, and principals. It is particularly valuable for exploring the principle of inclusion and the related concepts of segregation and exclusion. It shows disabled children being included in the classroom and playground context, clearly demonstrating the benefits to them and their peers. Important principles are addressed – for example, the need for active involvement by all concerned, the need for good communication between home and school, and the role of the teacher in addressing individual needs and setting up the classroom culture.

   The DVD shows that strategies for supporting students with special education needs (for example, visual schedules and social stories) are really just about knowing learners well and explicit teaching, and can be used to benefit others. The key message of both the DVD and the booklet is that inclusion is about responding to diversity and that it is a fundamental human right, not an act of beneficence.

    MacArthur, J. (2009). Learning Better Together: Working towards Inclusive Education in New Zealand Schools. Wellington: IHC New Zealand.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action

   Relevant to:

   Leading change, Understanding inclusion, Effective schools, Special education and ASD in NZ school settings, Building inclusive school cultures, Producing inclusive school policies, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   MacArthur, J. 2009 IHC New Zealand.

9. Ki te Aoturoa: Improving Inservice Teacher Educator Learning and Practice

   Ministry of Education (2008). Ki te Aoturoa: Improving Inservice Teacher Educator Learning and Practice. Wellington: Learning Media. Ki te Aoturoa is a set of learning materials that is designed to support leaders of educational learning to learn and improve so...

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   Ki te Aoturoa: Improving Inservice Teacher Educator Learning and Practice

   Ministry of Education (2008). Ki te Aoturoa: Improving Inservice Teacher Educator Learning and Practice. Wellington: Learning Media.

   Ki te Aoturoa is a set of learning materials that is designed to support leaders of educational learning to learn and improve so that they can support the learning of others, with the ultimate goal of improved outcomes for students. The materials emphasise a collaborative process in which each person is treated with respect while their knowledge, values, beliefs, and practices are considered and critiqued.

   You may find the following sections of particular value.

   • The chapter on 'Conducting Inquiry' includes a section on selecting a collaborative process and activities to scaffold learning. The section describes five approaches, illustrated by video clips from practice:
     • aligning beliefs with practice through problem-based methodology
     • learning from modelling by others
     • participating in role play
     • using a coach or mentor
     • working with a critical friend.

   • The Learning cases show inservice teacher educators using a version of the inquiry and knowledge-building cycle as they work to improve their own practice while simultaneously supporting others to inquire into and improve theirs.
   • School leaders may find the chapter ' Change for Improvement' useful for thinking about how to manage their communities through the discomfort and uncertainty of change. See, in particular, the suggested activity on page 176, which is based on a set of assumptions on educational change developed by Michael Fullan (2007).
   •  The chapter on ' Communication and Relationships' may help prompt thinking about the kinds of relationships necessary to bring about worthwhile change and how they can be created.

   Fullan, M. (2007). The New Meaning of Educational Change, 4th ed. New York: Teachers College Press.

   Resources for:

   Further learning , Taking action , Others' stories

   Relevant to:

   Inquiry and knowledge-building, Leading change, Building inclusive school cultures, Evolving inclusive practices

   Contributed by:

   Ministry of Education 2008 Wellington: Learning Media.

10. Teachers as Learners: Improving Outcomes for Māori and Pasifika Students through Inquiry

    Ministry of Education (2009). Teachers as Learners: Improving Outcomes for Māori and Pasifika Students through Inquiry. Wellington: Learning Media. These materials illustrate teachers’ use of an inquiry approach to become more culturally responsive and improve educational outcomes for their Māori...

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    Teachers as Learners: Improving Outcomes for Māori and Pasifika Students through Inquiry

    Ministry of Education (2009). Teachers as Learners: Improving Outcomes for Māori and Pasifika Students through Inquiry. Wellington: Learning Media.

    These materials illustrate teachers’ use of an inquiry approach to become more culturally responsive and improve educational outcomes for their Māori and Pasifika students. While not specifically focused on students with ASD, they have value in helping you inquire into your own understandings about teaching as inquiry, cultural responsiveness, and effective pedagogy.

    Resources for:

    Further learning , Others' stories

    Relevant to:

    Inquiry and knowledge-building, Evolving inclusive practices

    Contributed by:

    Ministry of Education 2009 Wellington: Learning Media.