Objectives: The present study aimed to conduct a comprehensive study examining stigma towards mainstream students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in local pre-service teachers. The study assessed the contributory role of both illness-related predictors (knowledge of ASD and threatening illness perceptions) and personal prosocial traits (the need for closure (NFC), compassion, psychological inflexibility) in stigma formation. Research effort has also been paid to investigate how stigma affected emotional and behavioural consequences in this particular context. Methods: 133 education-majoring local students (mean age = 20.89, 81.2% female) responded to the study by completing a questionnaire, which consisted of a battery of psychological scales measuring different constructs. Results: All five predictors and three consequences were found significantly correlated to stigma. Compassion and psychological inflexibility demonstrated an extra explanatory power on stigma formation after controlling the effect of the two illness-related predictors. A partial mediating effect of negative affect was also observed between stigma and punitive intention. Conclusion: Personal traits exert an influence on stigma formation, further examination of relevant interventions and meditations deserve future research effort. The partial mediating effect of negative affect provides an insight to help understand the mechanism from stigma to teaching-related behaviours. All rights reserved.

Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that being stigmatized by the frontline educators. However, research targeting on the preservice teachers is scarce. Guided by the common sense model, a psychoeducation training about ASD was developed to understand pre-service teachers' attitude and to address the myths with comprehensive information.Methods A total of 233 undergraduate students studying educational programs completed a pre-test questionnaire, psychoeducation training, and a post-test regarding ASD. Among them, 216 participants completed a one-month follow-up measure. The hypotheses were tested using bivariate correlations and repeated measure t-test.Results The results of the bivariate correlations between the perceived chronicity and consequence of the course of ASD were positively associated with stigma and preferred social distance. By using the paired-sample t-test, the results suggested that participation in psychoeducation training could help to increase pre-service teachers' knowledge and reduce their stigmatizing attitudes towards individuals with ASD. A shorter preferred social distance and more acceptance level were significantly associated with improved knowledge at the post-test. The results of improved knowledge and decreased stigma were also observed one month after the psychoeducation training.Conclusion Theoretically, the present study indicates that the common sense model contributed to a deeper understanding of the attribute of the negative attitudes towards people with ASD. Practically, the effectiveness of the psychoeducation training on improving knowledge might provide some insights for the future development of knowledge-based interventions that mitigating the stigma associated with ASD. The findings could also guide the design of the teacher-training programs on special education to better prepare the pre-service teachers on their teaching professions. All rights reserved.

Teachers' self-efficacy is a critical predictor for successful inclusive physical education. However, little is known about preservice physical educators' self-efficacy toward teaching students with autism spectrum disorders in China. A sound instrument is necessary to measure their self-efficacy level. This validation study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Physical Educators' Self-Efficacy Toward Including Students with Disabilities--Autism. A multisection survey form was administered to preservice physical educators in Mainland China (n = 205) and Hong Kong (n = 227). The results of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the one-factor model of the scale in the total sample and each of the two samples. Invariance tests across the two samples supported configural and metric invariance but not scalar invariance. The scale scores showed good internal reliability and were correlated with theoretically relevant constructs (i.e., burnout and life satisfaction) in the total sample and subsamples. These findings generally support the utility of the scale for use among Chinese preservice physical educators.
[Copyright of Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly is the property of Human Kinetics, Inc..]

Students with special educational needs (SEN) are at an elevated risk of psychological and behavioural dysfunctions. In this study, we conducted a survey of parents of students with SEN in Hong Kong to examine the impact of two school practices – learning support and school climate – on the psychological and behavioural functioning (PBF) of students with SEN. We also examined the mediating effects of social participation and academic engagement. Questionnaires were distributed to 586 parents in 139 primary schools. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis show that perceived school climate has a direct effect on perceived PBF, while perceived learning support does not. Perceived learning support has two indirect effects on perceived PBF, with perceived academic engagement or social participation as a mediator. The findings have implications for the effective use of educational resources to support the inclusive education of students with SEN.
[Copyright of International Journal of Disability, Development & Education is the property of Routledge.]

Initially developed from policies implemented under British rule, the integrated programme for children with disabilities has not been widely publicised in the context of early childhood education in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Local communities have responded differently to the integrated programme implemented in mainstream kindergarten-cum-child care centres (Kg-cum-CCCs), which serve children from 2 to 6 years old. This study focuses on the perceived benefits and challenges of the integrated programme implemented in mainstream Kg-cum-CCCs. Thirty stakeholders (18 school personnel and 12 parents of children with and without disabilities) from six integrated Kg-cum-CCCs took part in a series of semi-structured in-depth interviews, providing a comprehensive database for this study. The data were analysed with reference to previous studies on the integrated programme for children with disabilities in the context of the current educational experience in the HKSAR. The findings indicate that the stakeholders believe that the integrated programme can benefit children with and without disabilities, but that it can also cause challenges for these children. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
[Copyright © 2017 TACTYC.]

融合教育發展至今，全港已有四萬多名有特殊學習需要的學生就讀於普通學校內。根據政府統計，約有千名輕度智力障礙學生就讀於融合學校。由於智障學生的學習特性及困難，學校需要進行不同方面的支援。本文將就「支援智障學生在普通學校學習意見調查」 的結果，分析學校在課程編、課程實施、教學支援、考評安排和成長支援等方面，如何支援及協助智障學生學習，並提出改善建議及教學支援策略。