FePrax – Diagnostic Practice for the Purpose of Determining Special Educational Needs as well as Disparities between German Federal States within the Framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Project Description

The FePrax project investigates the implementation of diagnostic practice in the field of special needs education in five federal states of Germany, that is Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia. A particular emphasis will be placed on the enhancement foci of "learning", "language", "emotional and social development", "mental development", and "autism spectrum disorder". Counseling of guardians concerning the choice between special and mainstream school based on expert assessment of the child’s special educational needs is also of central interest in this project. The project will examine and answer the following questions:

• To what extent do diagnostic and counseling practices differ with regard to the identification of special educational needs and assignment practices to special vs. inclusive schools?
• Are there differences related to the federal state, specific special needs, and/or grade/age? Are there patterns of disadvantage for certain groups of students (e.g. with regard to individual characteristics such as gender, immigration history, socioeconomic background, parents' educational qualifications, and potential for parental support)?
• Are status-related and learning process/instruction-related diagnoses linked?
• Which preventive measures are provided to children and to what extent before the start of a special education assessment procedure?

The subproject situated at the DIPF focuses in particular on the analysis of the tests and diagnostic tools that are used in the assessment procedures.

Project Objectives

The aim of the project is to gain insights into the diversity of special education diagnostics as well as to provide guidance for an improved (in terms of validity, educational equity, and in relation to the implementation of the Convention of the United Nations on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) counseling practice.

Funding

Cooperations

• Goethe University (coordination and subproject): Prof. Dr. Vera Moser
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (subproject): Dr. Ellen Brodesser

Project Management

Project Team

• Rebecca Aissa
• Dr. Elena Galeano Weber

Project Details