Similarities and variation in preschool special education studies: an overview of main content themes in Nordic research

The study provides an overview of what has been researched with regard to special needs education in kindergartens. The systematic review identifies the similarities and variations in Nordic research in the period 2006-2014.

The results show five main areas of research on special needs education in kindergartens: 1) special needs education and children in kindergarten, 2) inclusion and participation, 3) relationships, interaction and collaboration, 4) special needs educators and 5) special needs education documentation. The systematic review shows a change in the research topics, from a focus on individual-based interventions to topics that deal with the employees’ responsibility for and opportunities to create a kindergarten for everyone that is inclusive in spatial, social and educational ways. 

The systematic review includes 31 studies published between 2006-2014. In order to be included in the review, the studies had to be published in a scientific peer-reviewed journal as an article or thesis, be published between 2006 and 2014, investigate the content of Nordic kindergartens and focus on special needs education in kindergartens. The researcher used a thematic content analysis to identify, index and compare the data material.

Palla, L. (2020). “Similarities and variation in preschool special education studies: an overview of main content themes in Nordic research”. Early Child Development and Care, 190(5):698-711.