This paper, based on a keynote speech delivered at "Rock and Roll of New Senior Secondary (NSS)" conference organised by the Special Education Society of Hong Kong, briefly reviews the journey from integration to inclusion in education for disabled learners. In doing so, it presents a social model of disability that provides the basis for inclusive education. It addresses current focus on inclusive education in Hong Kong and identifies gaps between theory and practices of inclusive education with a specific focus on the New Senior Secondary Academic Structure and its implication on disabled learners attending special schools. 本文取材自作者為香港特殊教育學會舉辦的【新高中的樂與怒】研討會上發表的講稿。文章簡略追溯了融合教育發展至全納教育之歷程，並以殘疾的社會模式作為提供全納教育的基礎。文章述及香港融合教育的現行重點，並以新高中學制為例，指出當中理論與實踐間之鴻溝及其對殘疾學生就讀特殊學校的影響。
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In Hong Kong, as in all other countries around the world, children with autism remain perhaps the most challenging individuals to teach and manage in schools and at home. The search continues for effective methods to use when teaching these children and when seeking to improve their communication, self-management and social skills. This paper provides a brief overview of autism spectrum disorders and the difficulties encountered by children with such disorders. The writers review some the approaches available for use with autistic children and report views from a sample of local special education teachers (n=54) concerning the extent to which some of these approaches are used in the special schools of Hong Kong. The teachers' views on positive and negative features of each approach were also investigated.
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The purpose of this paper is to find out the underlying difficulties of students with learning difficulties in Hong Kong. Based on the dual-route model of reading, words may be read by either a lexical (words are recognized as wholes) or a sub-lexical (words are recognized through grapheme-phoneme correspondence) procedure to read. Castles & Coltheart (1993) and Jimenez (2000) provided evidence for the existence of these two mechanisms in English reading and Spanish reading respectively. They suggested that deficits in one and/or the other mechanism would lead to different patterns of reading disability. Surface dyslexia results from impairment of the lexical procedure with an intact phonologyical route to reading. Phonological dyslexia results from a highly selective deficit in the grapheme-phoneme transformation mechanism. It was found that surface and phonological dyslexic reading patterns were also found in the Chinese children with learning difficulties. 本文主要目的是找出存在於有學習困難的學生的一些閱讀困難的模式。本於雙軌閱讀模式理論，讀者可依循義的途徑或聲的途徑來認字。Castles & Coltheart (1993) 及 Jimenez (2000) 的研究中，分別顯示英語及西班牙語系中，有部份讀者在運用義的途徑時會有障礙，而聲的途徑則沒有問題，部份讀者的情況則剛好相反。前者稱之為有表層閱讀障礙，後者為有聲層閱讀障礙。本文研究結果亦證明表層及聲層閱讀障礙模式存在於中文讀者之中。
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This paper reports on a treatment program for children with developmental dyslexia (specific reading disability) administered at the Developmental Dyslexia Clinic of the University of Hong Kong. Recent research attempts to relate poor reading abilities of dyslexics to the poor development of metalinguistic awareness (an awareness about the structure of orthography). The basic hypothesis behind this treatment program is that by fostering the flexible application of phonological regularity and consistency rules in reading, the reading performance of dyslexia children will improve. The training program is divided into three phases: the establishment of phonological regularity awareness in the first phase, the building of phonological consistency awareness in the second phase and the flexible application of regularity and consistency rules in the third phase. Results indicate that there is an overall improvement in post-treatment reading scores of the Hong Kong Graded Chinese Character Naming Test (HKGCNT). The probe results also reveal the corresponding effect of manipulating treatment materials on performance. The results suggest that the program is affecting the reading strategies used by the clients and is effective in improving reading performance. 本文報告在香港大學兒童讀寫障礙診所進行的三組療程。近期的研究指出，讀障學童的閱讀能力是由於元語言意識的發展不足所致。元語言意識是指讀者對文字結構的意識。讀者自行分析字型、語言和語義之間的關係，整理出一套形音義規則，再將規則靈活地應用在閱讀上。本療程的基本假設是︰如學童能靈活地運用中文字的語音規則性 (phonological regularity) 和語音一貫性 (phonological consistency) 規則，他們的閱讀能力會得以提升。療程分為三個階段:第一階段建立語音規則性的意識；第二階段建立語音一貫性的意識；第三階段促進語音規則和一貫性意識的靈活運用。結果顯示在治療後，學童在《香港中文單字閱讀測試》的表現有明顯的進步。在每節治療後進行的測驗則顯示，治療中所選用的字詞類別直接影響學童的元語言意識發展和閱讀策略，有提升閱讀能力的效果。
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In 2000, the Education Commission launched a 10-year campaign that strived reform education by reconfiguring the academic system, including redesigning curriculum aims and assessment mechanism. Intense and frequent changes that resulted transformed the ecology of the education system. Local surveys indicated that most teachers suffered a high level of stress and many of them were nearly burnout. A combined inquiry was used to probe the external and internal influences that education reforms had upon teachers in schools for children with physical disabilities in Hong Kong. On the external influences, historical study and document analysis were employed. As to the internal influences, three methods were utilized. First, a four-section modified questionnaire was distributed to investigate these teachers' (n=92) stressors and gather data regarding their professional development. Second, 11 individual interviews were conducted in order to collect in-depth concerns from the representatives of novices, experienced and administrative teachers. Third, a focus group discussion with six experienced teachers was held to collect further data. Results of data analysis were discussed in order to provide recommendations to various stakeholders in supporting teachers along different stages of their career paths. 在2000年，教育統籌委員會啟動長達十年的教育改革，不但重新規劃香港學制，也重整課程目標及評估機制。自此，轉變密集而頻繁，改造了整個教育系統的生態，而本地多項調查顯示大部分教師承受着高度的工作壓力，有許多更近乎耗盡。本文採用綜合方法，深入調查教育改革對肢體傷殘學校教師所帶來的外在及內部影響。就其外在影響，作者運用歷史研究法及文件分析法調查；至於內部影響，則透過問卷調查、個別面談、焦點小組三種方法搜集資料。經過分析資料及討論觀點後，作者向教育官員、學校領導、特校教師提出建議，望後者在不同階段的教學生涯中獲得支援。
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With the use of questionnaire, observation and case study, the current practice in using multi-media tcchnology in schools for mentally handicapped (MH) children was studied. The aims, staff expertise, use, software and school-based work in computers were identified for investigation. The results indicated that the recent development was positive and encouraging. Provided with adcquate facilities, most schools with MH students introduced computer technology in classroom teaching. Although MH students may have different kinds of physical and intellectual disabilities, the use of technology and accessories helped them overcome their learning difficulties. A larger proportion of teachers reflected that they were not professionally trained to meet the growing demands of computer-based technology. They stated their limitations and shared their successful experience in school-based work. Regarding the lack of expertise, it was recommended that the authority should provide more positive support and resources to the schools while the schools should take strategic measures for staff development in this area.
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This research project attcmpted to study the use of Control Theory in counseling in a school for social development in Hong Kong. Based on counseling records of students, the effectiveness of control theory and the needs of students were explored. Results suggest that control Theory methods are useful in helping students develop the sense of self-discipline. The frequency of students who require counseling service may serve as a criterion for screening disruptive students
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This paper discussed class discipline and management of children with severely mentally handicap. The authors argued that effective teachers could manage children's learning and create a responsive environment for maximizing the potentials of children. A case study in Hong Kong special school setting was presented to illustrate the possible instructional strategies involved: including individual educational plan, behavioral modification, social acceptance, and structured learning environment.
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This article first describes some of the ways in which teachers might (in theory) differentiate their approach to teaching and learning in inclusive mixed-ability classrooms. The writer then questions whether teachers faced with a heavy workload, large classes and subject specialization can really be expected to adopt and sustain the use of such differentiation strategies. How much classroom differentiation is beneficial and achievable? What problems are associated with differentiation and what are the alternatives? These issues are addressed with particular reference to the Hong Kong context. Given the current enthusiasm for 'curriculum tailoring' and 'adapting instruction' it may appear to be heresy to suggest that this heavy emphasis on individual differences among students could make teaching just too difficult for the average practitioner — and may not necessarily be the best way of meeting students' educational needs and raising achievement standards.
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The author, drawing upon evidence from researches carried out in Hong Kong, discusses the progress Hong Kong is making towards including children with difficulties and disabilities within the mainstream. He argues that top-down reforms have failed in Hong Kong and that it is time for the profession to actively engage in school development and school reform. The author argues that teachers need to engage in action research to improve both professional practice and the change process.
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