Special Education in the Early Years (eBook)

This book explores policies and practices in special education in the early years, highlighting shared enablers and barriers. It examines research, policies and practices from different Nordic countries and discusses the theory and empirical data underlying the research. It looks at specific issues including gifted children, social inequality and exclusion, teaching children with autism, inclusive practice, language and emotions. The book offers critical perspectives, highlights potential developmental objects and gives recommendations for further research as well as policy and practice. The book features many aspects of the so-called Nordic model - the economic and social policies common to the Nordic Countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The findings provide important insights into the Nordic model and advance the understanding of relevant issues facing the Nordic countries.

Professor Heidi Harju-Luukkainen holds a Ph.D. in education, special education teacher qualification and qualification in leadership and management from Finland. She has published more than 100 international books, journal articles and reports as well as worked on more than 35 projects globally. Harju-Luukkainen has worked at top-ranked universities in the USA like UCLA, USC as well as in many Nordic research universities. She has developed education programs for universities, been a PI of PISA sub-assessments in Finland and functioned as a board professional. Her research areas are early childhood education, justice in education and international student assessment.?  

Natallia Bahdanovich Hanssen, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Faculty of Education and Arts at Nord University in Bodø, Norway, and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer. She has an aesthetic education, with a major in music, singing, and art history from the Belarusian State Pedagogical University and adaptive training and special needs education from Nord University in Bodø, Norway. Natallia's research is currently linked to early childhood education, special needs education, inclusive education, comparative studies, developmental language disorder, aesthetic and special needs education. 

Christel Sundqvist, Ph.D., is an associate professor in special education at Nord University in Norway and at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. Her research interest concerns inclusive education, the special education teachers' role, multi-professional collaboration and consultation in special needs education.