https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/68620 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:59:26 GMT 2026-04-28T03:59:26Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/81364 Title: Children with special educational needs : parents’ involvement in their education : a study in Italy and Malta Abstract: There are numerous advantages and positive influences that the role of parents play in education. The current study examines how parents, in Italy and Malta, are involved in the education of their children with Special Educational Needs. A qualitative methodology was used to gather the real life experiences of four Maltese and four Italian parents, whose children attend secondary school. An inductive process was used, face to face interviews conducted and open ended questions asked. Thematic analysis revealed the various opportunities that parents get involved in. The analysis seeks to contribute towards an understanding of how such parents are involved. Results were drawn and a model for parental involvement with regards to Parents with Special Educational Needs was suggested. Description: M.ACCESS ED. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/81364 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/69026 Title: The experiences of MCAST lecturers when dealing with students with specific learning difficulties Abstract: Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) are a significant educational issue that teachers or lecturers are regularly facing in their classroom. This research study looked into the perceptions, knowledge, and awareness of eight Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) lecturers vis-à-vis students with SpLD, dyslexia in particular, in a Higher Education (HE) context which is also a vocational college. It also addressed the training, policies, and practices concerning the professionals to ensure better education and support to students with SpLD within a HE setting. Individual audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were used to collect data that were analysed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that participants are aware and possess basic knowledge and understanding regarding SpLD individuals, thus helping them formulate lesson plans while keeping in mind the skills and needs of each student. This study is important because of limited research conducted in this context. A limitation of the study is that it focuses only on MCAST lecturers, and so has a narrow research scope. The way forward identified is to provide “hands-on” training and workshops focusing on “actual” strategies that can be used in class to ensure a positive learning experience for all students. Recommendations elicited from the data also include the need for training modules designed to increase teachers’ awareness regarding the needs of students having SpLD, particularly dyslexia. Apart from this, access to updated practical guidance and advice on dyslexia increase the efficacy of classroom teaching and students’ learning and performance. Description: M.ACCESS ED. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/69026 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/68785 Title: The role of the head of department for inclusion in Maltese primary schools Abstract: This study investigates how the Head of Department for Inclusion (HoD ensures that the learners’ needs are being addressed in Maltese primary schools. A qualitative approach to the data analysis contributed to understanding the role within the Maltese educational landscape as it led to discussing the implications that this role has on the philosophy of inclusive education in Malta. By conducting an interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers & Larking, 2009), the researcher examined the ways in which HoDs provide their professional help to educators, namely teachers and learning support educators, to ultimately support primary school children. The interview data, which were gathered from contexts where the HoD Inclusion is exclusively school-based or, alternatively, where the HoD visits on a regular basis but is not school-based, further reveal the complexity of this role across different school contexts. The interview data helped identify the chief themes for the focus group discussions with teachers and learning support educations. The HoDs’ own evaluation of their professional role, together with the educators’ understanding and interpretation of this support, provides multiple insights into the relevance of this role to the development of inclusive communities. The collated data reveal how the nature of the context in which the HoD Inclusion works in a key factor which impacts directly the degree of support that the HoD provides in Maltese schools. This research study concludes with a number of recommendations that can help improve the quality of the support that the HoD Inclusion provides to learners ith individual educational needs. Description: M.ACCESS ED. Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/68785 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/68748 Title: The school community’s role in educating for responsibility for inclusion Abstract: Malta was one of the first countries to introduce inclusive education and welcome pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools. However, the notion of inclusion does not only refer to persons with disabilities but rather aims to include everyone, people with different origins, gender, religions, sexual orientations, social and economic statuses, migrants and others, through active involvement in community life without any discrimination. The operations necessary for such an undertaking require a lot of effort and commitment. It is the responsibility of every school community to include every student. This research study, therefore, develops a deep understanding of responsibility for inclusion and how it is imparted to others, using mainly the literary works of great philosophers like Emmanuel Levinas, Hannah Arendt and Paolo Freire. Furthermore, this study examines the present situation in Maltese schools to verify whether the school communities educate towards responsibility for inclusion, ethical values and attitudes and how they engage in this process. A qualitative inquiry was chosen during this study. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with principals and headteachers of state, church and independent school communities. The findings of different school types were analysed separately using thematic analysis. Hence, an overview of the current situation in Maltese schools related to responsibility for inclusion was developed and presented in this paper. Moreover, the main recent policy documents are evaluated in this study in light of responsibility for inclusion. Description: M.ACCESS ED. Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/68748 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z