It is estimated by The NSW Department of Education and Communities (2014) that there are

90,000 (12%) students, with Special Education (SE) needs in public schools. This means that

every 1 in 10 students in our classroom requires additional supports from teachers and

support staffs. Thus, it is vital that preservice teachers equipped themselves with Evidence-

based Practices (EBP) that can address a diverse range of students’ needs within a classroom.

This annotated bibliography will identify and evaluate 4 EBPs in the literature that also

address national and international key legislative requirements, including: The Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (CRPDOP) by UN (2008), the

Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (Salamanca

Statement) by UNESCO (1994) and Australia’s Disability Standards for Education 2005

(DSE).

Crabtree, T., Alber, S.R. & Konrad, M. (2010) The Effects of Self-Monitoring of Story

Elements on the Reading Comprehension of High School Seniors with Learning

Disabilities, Education and Treatment of Children, Vol.33(2), pp.187-203.

In this EBP, Crabtree et al. explore a combination use of explicit instruction, self-

regulated learning and students’ active response to improve reading ability of high school

students with learning disabilities, using a multiple-baseline study. Three Caucasian seniors

diagnosed with learning disabilities and deficiency in reading comprehension were selected

from a rural high school. They all received SE services with two of them also got diagnosed

with ADHD. The treatment involved the students to read a narrative story and then pause at

three pre-calculated reading points in the text. These stopping points require the students to

answer five questions relating to story facts on a self-monitoring form. The effectiveness of

the intervention will be measured by students’ ability to remember story elements

immediately after reading the excerpt and their correct response on a 10-item comprehension
quiz. Each session of the treatment was conducted in the SE resources room for one to three

periods per day (50-minute each period). The students then attended regular classroom as

normal. After intervention, all three students displayed immediate and significant progress on

the number of facts they could recall, as well as substantial increase in quiz accuracy. The

same results were still maintained after the intervention was withdrawn. Not only so, the

three participants also rated this treatment as satisfactory.

The result of this article provides a useful self-monitoring strategy that teachers can use to

address a diverse range of students’ learning needs, including students with reading

impairment and/or with ADHD. By teaching students to regulate their own learning, they will

learn how to have more control over their education achievement, while they are still able to

attend normal class at the same time (textbook, article). This is in line with the first and the

third general principle of Article three from the UN’s CRPDOP which is promoting

individual autonomy of persons with disabilities and providing full inclusion in the society.

Despite the study’s limitation on examining the intervention’s effect across a diverse range

ethnic groups, text types and subject areas, teachers can use the outlined EBP improve

academic achievement of students with SE needs.

Pfiffner, L. J.; Hinshaw, S.P.; Owens, E.; Zalecki, C.; Kaiser, N.M.; Villodas, M.; Mcburnett,

K. & Nezu, A.M. (2014) A Two-Site Randomized Clinical Trial of Integrated

Psychosocial Treatment for ADHD-Inattentive Type, Journal of Consulting and

Clinical Psychology, Volume 82(6), p.1115-1127.

This study examines the efficacy of Child Life and Attention Skills (CLAS) program

in treating students with ADHD-Inattentive Type (ADHD-I). CLAS is a behaviour

psychosocial treatment that integrates the following three elements to address deficits of
ADHD-I across different settings: parents, students and teachers. Although a separate training

of strategies addressing knowledge and performance deficiency is provided separately for

each setting, they all share the same program with common terminologies and rewards for

students’ behaviour change. Because of this unique feature, all three elements of CLAS are

designed to work together, which promotes generalisation of skills at home and school. 96

students from University of California, San Francisco and 103 students from University of

California, Berkeley, between 7-11 years old, were selected in this study. Over a period of 10

to 13 weeks, a 2-site randomized controlled trial is conducted to compare the effectiveness of

CLAS with two other control conditions: typical community treatment (TAU) and parent-

focused treatment, a sub element of CLAS (PFT). After intervention, students in CLAS are

reported by teacher to have better improvement in attention, organisational abilities, social

skills and overall functioning relative to its counterparts. Parents also reported more

improvement in all areas after treatment for students received CLAS comparing to TAU.

CLAS provides a non-pharmaceutical behaviour treatment that teachers can use to assist

students with general ADHD or ADHD-I specifically in the sample classroom. Not only

students are taught new skills to regulate their behaviours, they also receive a combined and

coordinated supports from both parents and teachers creating a sense of community. By

promoting a positive environment, they will feel belonging at both school and home which

further supports students’ adjustment. This meets the standard for making reasonable

adjustments outlined in the DSE (2005) as all affected parties have to be involved in the

decision-making process and agreed with the adjustment. Moreover, this intervention also

addresses both principle 59 and 61 of the Salamanca statement (Appendix 2) which aim to

endorse co-operative partnership between teachers and parents. However, teachers using this
method should be aware of potential different responses from different socioeconomic

backgrounds as parents participated in this study is well educated.

Pfeiffer, E., & Goldbeck, L., Evaluation of a Trauma‐Focused Group Intervention for

Unaccompanied Young Refugees: A Pilot Study (2017), Journal of Traumatic Stress,

Vol.30(5), pp.531-536.

The following pilot study by Pfeiffer et al. provides initial evidence for the usefulness

of Trauma-focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (T-CBT) in elevating Posttraumatic Stress

Symptoms (PSS) of unaccompanied adolescent refugee. The intervention in this study utilises

a combination of principles from T-CBT and group-processing (GP). The T-CBT module

includes assisting participants to normalise the traumatic events/experience, deep breathing as

a relaxation technique to manage stress, trauma narrative to cope with future reminders of

trauma, and cognitive restructuring to counter negative thoughts and emotions. The GP

principles involve of participants sharing experiences, stories and feelings with the group and

providing mutual support for other participants during T-CBT module. This intervention is

carried out by trained social workers for 6 90-minutes sessions over a period of 1-2 months.

29 Male adolescent (14-18 years old) refugees with mild to moderate severity of PSS are

selected for this study. After the treatment, there has been a major reduction in PTSS

experienced by the participants, notably a decline in recurrence of symptoms, evasion and

negative thinking and emotions. However, limited progress was observed for symptoms of

hyperarousal. In additional, since this is a pilot study with no control group, it was unknown

whether the effect of reduction in PTSS was due to the intervention or the general effect of

being cared for.

shows a relief in PTSD of students experiencing war events. Thus, T-CBT propose a viable

and potential strategies that teachers can use to support the special needs of students from

refugee background in the sample classroom. The teacher can employ it by referring the

students to undergo this treatment with consents from guardians or parent. Alternatively, a

social worker can be arranged to assist to student directly in a normal classroom. This is in

accordance with principles for External Support Services stated in the Salamanca Statement

as well as the Standards for student support Service stated in the DSE (2005). Both of these

legislative requirements stress that if a student requires support services to help them

participating at school, educators must ensure that students have full access to these services.

Susan M.B., Robin M.S. & Thomas P.H., Through a Different Lens: Reflecting on a

Strengths-Based, Talent-Focused Approach for Twice-Exceptional Learners, Gifted

Child Quarterly, Vol. 58(4) 311–327.

Using a case study design, Susan et al. assess the experience of a group of twice-

exceptional (2e) students graduated from a SE private school that adopts a strength-based

philosophy. The school uses a Multiperspective Process Model (MPM) which is a team

decision-making framework incorporating important factors to understand 2e students

(Appendix 1).
MPM enables staff and faculties to collect information on students’ strengths, interests and

talents. The team then uses this information to design appropriate talent development

program and to create dually differentiated intervention to use within the classroom.

Students’ shortfalls are then addressed contextually within the enhanced curriculum so that

they can put the skills into practice in a realistic way. Students’ progress is assessed based on

evaluation of specific growth over time rather than measuring them by grade-level

achievements. Data for the study was collected from various sources, including student and

teacher interview, parent focus group, educational and psychological reports. 10 former 2e

students and their teachers took part in an interview composed of open-ended questions

aiming to gain direct access to their experience. An analysis of the data showed students’

growth upon graduation across all three areas: cognitive, emotions/behavioural and social.

However, the study is limited in specialised school with small class size, thus there is more

flexibility for the teachers to adjust the curriculum comparing to other schools.

Despite the drawback of the study, the framework of MPM provides the teacher with a

versatile tool that can address a range of different needs for the 2e students in the sample
classroom. Using features of the MPM above, the teacher can employ similar approaches to

create an inclusive curriculum that that utilise the talents and interests of both 2e student with

Autism and 2e students from Aboriginal background. This is also supported by Garvis (2006)

who stated that curricula must also include Aboriginal cultures and learning style, as well as

involvement of the Aboriginal community. This fits in with the requirement of curriculum

flexibility from the Salamanca Statement and the Australia’s Standards for curriculum

development which both seek to ensure that students with SE needs receive required

instructional supports and not being discriminated, allowing them to fully participated in the

classroom.

To conclude, it is the duty of a teacher to create an inclusive classroom environment that

allows the students to feel safe, supported and respected. To achieve this purpose, both

national and international legislative requirements provide a framework for teachers to guide

their practice. Using this approach, this annotated bibliography has provided a short summary

and evaluation of four EBPs with reference to the legislative requirements that each EBP

meets. Thus, it provides preservice teachers with useful resources that they can equipped

themselves when working with SE students.

References:

Susan M.B., Robin M.S. & Thomas P.H., Through a Different Lens: Reflecting on a

Strengths-Based, Talent-Focused Approach for Twice-Exceptional Learners, Gifted

Child Quarterly, Vol. 58(4) 311–327.

Journal of Pedagogies & Learning, 2:3, 42-51.

Australia Government (2005), Disability Standards for Education 2005.

NSW Department of Education and Communities (2014) Classroom Management and

Students with Special Education Needs, Sydney.

Pfeiffer, E., & Goldbeck, L., Evaluation of a Trauma‐Focused Group Intervention for

Unaccompanied Young Refugees: A Pilot Study (2017), Journal of Traumatic Stress,

Vol.30(5), pp.531-536.

Crabtree, T., Alber, S.R. & Konrad, M. (2010) The Effects of Self-Monitoring of Story

Elements on the Reading Comprehension of High School Seniors with Learning

Disabilities, Education and Treatment of Children, Vol.33(2), pp.187-203.

Pfiffner, L. J.; Hinshaw, S.P.; Owens, E.; Zalecki, C.; Kaiser, N.M.; Villodas, M.; Mcburnett,

K. & Nezu, A.M. (2014) A Two-Site Randomized Clinical Trial of Integrated

Psychosocial Treatment for ADHD-Inattentive Type, Journal of Consulting and

Clinical Psychology, Volume 82(6), p.1115-1127.

United Nations General Assembly (2008) Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities and Optional Protocol, New York.

UNESCO (1994) Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs

Education, Spain.