The present study compared 2 sequential stimulus pairing (SSP) procedures, one that divided kanji into 2 parts based on their radicals (the normal condition), and another that divided kanji based on information that the children knew (known condition). The participants were 4 children enrolled in a special needs classroom for pupils with intellectual disabilities. The present study compared the results from the 2 sequential stimulus pairing procedures and examined whether the use of known information about the sequential stimulus pairing procedure had a facilitatory effect on the acquisition of kanji writing by children with intellectual disabilities. The research design was an intertask multiple-probe design. The results showed that the number of blocks required for all of the target children to acquire kanji writing was lower in the known condition than in the normal condition. These results suggest that the use of known information may have had a facilitatory effect on the acquisition of kanji writing by these children with intellectual disabilities.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between the decision-making structure of teachers at schools for children with special needs, such as physical disabilities, when teaching physical movements as one of the contents of jiritsu katsudo (an instructional field in schools for children with special needs), and attributes of the teachers, such as years of experience as a teacher of children with special needs and proficiency in theory and skills related to teaching physical movements. In addition, the present study explores how lessons should be conducted so as to enhance teachers’ ability to teach physical movements. A questionnaire was completed by 780 teachers of curricula for teaching physical movements. Factor analysis revealed 3 factors in the decision-making of teachers at the lesson-planning stage and 4 factors in their decision-making at the lesson-implementation stage. A 2-way ANOVA examined the relationship between the extracted factors and teachers’ attributes. Proficiency in theory and skills was found to have a stronger impact in the lesson-implementation stage than in the lesson-planning stage. The present results suggest the importance of teachers acquiring theory and skills for teaching physical movements so that they can better understand each student’s level of learning and select alternative plans, if necessary, when making decisions.

One aim of the present study was to examine effects of a program in which parents and teachers supported each other through using antecedent-behavior-consequence (A-B-C) recording for behavior problems of their children. In addition, the present study examined how parent-teacher relationships changed after participating as pairs in the program. Each of the 5 participating parent-teacher pairs selected a target behavior that matched the child’s actual situation and made records on an A-B-C chart. To make A-B-C recording specific and develop a support plan, parent-teacher pairs asked each other questions. The researchers provided positive feedback for asking questions and for making the descriptions accurate. The results showed that the accuracy of A-B-C recording improved for many participants. Parents and teachers collaborated to identify, incorporate, and implement appropriate support. In addition, the children’s target behaviors improved, and the parents’ and teachers’ scores on the Parent-Teacher Relationship Scale-II increased. It is presumed that the accuracy of A-B-C recording promoted monitoring of the antecedents and consequences of the children’s behavior. These results suggest that parent-teacher collaboration to address children’s behavioral challenges across home and school may have positive effects on parent-teacher relationships. On the other hand, some participants did not show these results. In cases in which the children had severe behavior problems, it appeared to be difficult to apply this program. Future research should examine hierarchical interventions that promote parent-teacher collaboration in the context of the actual conditions and needs of parents, teachers, and children.

The purpose of the present article is to describe contemporary educational practices and research in juvenile training schools before and after a revision of the relevant law in 2014. A collaborative study with the Japanese Association of Special Education, this report describes the treatment of inmates with developmental difficulties such as developmental disabilities, the educational programs available, especially in relation to the types of delinquent acts committed by the inmates and their individual problems, and a new program called specific lifestyle guidance. In order to prevent recidivism, various educational programs, such as cognitive behavior therapy, have been implemented. Although the expertise of staff at juvenile training schools has improved since the revision of the law, issues remain, such as how to verify the effects of the educational programs and how to utilize outside advisers to upskill the staff.