SpecEDL - Special Education, Development and Learning

The research environment Special Education, Development, and Learning (SpecEDL) is an interdisciplinary milieu open to participants from various institutions. Research within this environment explores questions about opportunities and barriers to children’s and students’ learning and well-being in education, mainly focusing on the relationship between the individual and the learning environment. This involves a special interest in the sociopolitical aspects of education, teaching and learning. Consequently, the research often addresses accessibility, participation, and inclusion at various levels of the education system.

The environment hosts two research groups: Speak Up and Education of People in Vulnerable Life Situations. In seminars, ongoing research is discussed. The research conducted primarily covers the following areas:

• Communication, speech, language, and hearing
• Counselling and supervision
• Feedback and assessment
• History of special education
• ICT as an assistive tool
• International and comparative special education
• Educational consequences of children’s disabilities
• Organisational forms of special education
• Policy and value issues
• Professional collaboration

The members of SpecEDL are actively involved in research projects, seminar activities, grant applications, article writing, editorial work, peer review activities, national and international collaborations, and organizing and participating in conferences.

Networks the Researchers Participate In

• The Swedish Network for Disability Research, SWENDR
• European Educational Research Association, EERA
• Collegium for Life-World Phenomenological Research, University of Gothenburg
• Nordic Educational Research Association, NERA
• Society for Text and Discourse, St&D
• Swedish Interest Association for Speech and Language, SITS (in Swedish only)
• Swedish Educational Research Association, SWERA (in Swedish only)

Additionally, individual researchers collaborate with colleagues from countries such as Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

A steering group comprising Senior Lecturer Britt-Marie Bader and Professor Thomas Barow are leading the research environment during the academic year 2024/25.