Publications
Communication and Sensory Loss (2024)
Nancy Martiniello, Joanne Mosen, Shivani Wasi, Walter Wittich
This collection explores communication differences in individuals with sensory impairment/loss relevant to health and education students and professionals.
Children and adults with hearing, vision, and dual sensory impairment/ loss may experience differences and/or difficulties with communication. This book goes beyond describing sensory loss to encourage readers to think about sensory loss and communication as part of a biopsychosocial view of health and the intersecting identities of the clients and families that they service. The book takes a strengths-based, evidence-informed approach and utilises the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization (WHO). Each chapter focuses on either children or adults with hearing, vision, dual sensory impairment/loss, or sensory loss and complex communication needs. Each chapter introduces the group described in the chapter and issues around appropriate use of terminology, followed by a discussion of the sensory impairment/loss and communication needs considered within each component of the ICF. Chapters conclude with case studies highlighting cultural and linguistic diversity, high-resourced and low- resourced contexts, and intersecting identities in which the framework of the ICF is applied.
Addressing the challenges of conference participation for the Pacific: a regional approach to maximise attendance and participation (2024)
Angela Page, Joanne Mosen
This paper delves into challenges faced by individuals from remote regions accessing international conferences and proposes culturally appropriate solutions. It shares insights examining remote conference hubs designed to improve attendance and connectivity to online conferences in three Pacific countries. Commissioned by the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI), the research aimed to understand barriers faced by remote attendees and document a model for future remote hubs. The findings, including participant feedback and the hub model, are transferable to diverse contexts. Initiated for the SPEVI bi-annual conference, three Pacific hubs facilitated increased attendance and interaction among Pacific Islanders. These hubs provided a space with good internet, facilitated local language communication, and fostered engagement with both main conference activities and specific local events. The collective approach of these hubs resonated with Pacific cultural values, resulting in enhanced participation and satisfaction. This research offers a globally applicable model for remote community participation in conferences and professional development. It provides unique insights from a Pacific perspective, contributing to inclusive conference participation by embracing Pacific ways of understanding and being and advocates for reshaping future online education conferences. Support for professional development in remote locations, emphasising inclusivity and accessibility for all, is discussed.
Pacific inclusive education model: addressing dichotomies to ensure positive outcomes (2023)
Angela Page, Angelinah Vira, Susan Ledger, Joanne Mosen, Jennifer Anderson, Jennifer Charteris, Christopher Boyle
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offers a global blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for every person, through universal action to address social, economic, and environmental inequity and inequality (United Nations Development Programme, 2021). For educators, SDG Goal 4 aims to ensure an equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities and this goal has been endorsed by Pacific United Nations States in order to pave the road towards an inclusive education for all. We wish to argue, however, that attempting to meet global development goals for inclusive education is fundamentally problematic because of the nuances of the regions and contexts. For example, Pacific states, might better benefit from its own inclusive education trajectory that reflects individual contexts and understanding of distinct educational complexities. We propose the alignment of the global goals that positions local discourses of knowledge, values and understanding alongside inclusive education frameworks. The Pacific Disability Model offers a third space for disability discussions and actions that intersects global and local policy and practice binaries. By doing so, it is hoped that an inclusive approach to education can reach its potential for all, and particularly, students with disabilities in Pacific nations.
Culturally responsive inclusive education: The value of the local context (2022)
Angela Page, Sophia Mavropoulou, Isabella Harrington
This study investigates the effectiveness of a professional development initiative in inclusive education for teachers who support students with disabilities at the Creative Centre. The Creative Centre is a private school providing educational services for post-secondary school young people and adults with disabilities. Staff (N = 5) at the Centre were interviewed before and after the proposed professional development program, reporting on their reflective practices. The results indicated that staff shifted towards a more positive attitude towards students and reported stronger support for the advocacy for disability and community connectedness. Additionally, staff described the significance of embedding life skills into programs for students with disabilities. The article provides a juxtaposing narrative of the journey of the project. The outcomes of the project illustrate how the local culture and context is required to realise the success of effective culturally responsive inclusive education.
Creating Inclusive Classrooms in the Pacific Region: Working in Partnership with Teachers in the Republic of Nauru to Develop Inclusive Practices (2021)
Angela Page, Jennifer Anderson, Peter Serow, Elizabeth Hubert, Amanda O'Donnell-Ostini
Inclusive education can be viewed as an ongoing active process or journey that is impacted by changes in policy, practices, and values (Anderson & Boyle, 2020). This “journey toward inclusion” is not always an easy undertaking, but rather a progression that requires modification to systems, structures, and functioning in schools. Nauru, a small Pacific republic situated in the Micronesian central Pacific Ocean, has worked in partnership with Australian education providers since 2011 to improve educational learning experiences for all Nauruan students. More recently, initiatives by the Nauru Government resulted in the commissioning of a national project to develop a Nauru policy on inclusive education and also to deliver professional development for teachers that would be needed to support inclusion. Inclusive education staff at the University of England, Australia, guided the development of the project which culminated in the Nauru Inclusive Education Policy and Guidelines (2017) (Page, 2018). From this policy, a series of workshops were delivered on unpacking the policy directions, guidelines, and roles and responsibilities for teaching staff in Nauru. This chapter describes the university staff who are working in collaboration with Nauruan teachers in order to develop their capacity to create inclusive classrooms. In doing so, we embraced approaches that incorporated culturally responsive practices into our work, using the framework of Ekereri (educational approaches that embody the core values of Nauruan culture) into our practices. With this chapter, we hope to further the understanding of how contextual factors influence the collaboration and implementation of educational partnerships between culturally distinctive groups of people.
Culturally responsive pedagogy for sustainable quality education in the Cook Islands setting (2020)
Teanau Te Ava, Angela Page
The provision of a culturally responsive pedagogy is considered to be an important part of delivering a quality education that is ongoing and able to be sustained over time in Pacific developing nations. A quality sustainable education is considered to encourage cultural inclusivity, policy and curriculum practices in schools. By ensuring an inclusive and quality education, education can serve as a powerful vehicle for wider sustainable economic development in the Pacific region. To meet this end, United Nations Pacific signatories pledged support for the educational goal, endorsing an inclusive and equitable quality education for all that promotes relevant learning.
The implementation of culturally relevant teaching and learning environments have long remained a challenge for Pacific nations. In order to realise a sustainable quality education, the question that needs to be asked is: what does sustainable education look like in Pacific regions? This paper explores how the tivaevae as a culturally responsive pedagogy model creates opportunities for a sustainable education and curriculum in the Pacific region and, in turn, contributes to an inclusive and quality education.
Parent and teacher attitudes towards inclusive education in Nauru (2020)
Angela Page, Jeffrey Berman, Peter Serow
It is recognised that the attitudes of parents and teachers are important in supporting inclusive education in developing countries. This study involved the application of quantitative research through the administration of a survey to determine the attitudes of parents and teachers in the Republic of Nauru. The results have provided preliminary data regarding attitudes related to the emergence of inclusive education in Nauru. Parents were more positive concerning issues that relate directly to the educational benefits of their children over more general benefits of inclusion in education. At this stage, teachers report higher levels of positive attitude than parents. A more fine-grained level of analysis revealed that there is a wide range of attitudes to aspects of education for students with disabilities, and areas of expertise needed to support inclusive education. This research has provided an understanding of current parental and teacher attitudes and levels of existing teacher expertise towards inclusion that is able to inform future policy development in Nauru.
A critical view of female aggression and the implications of gender, culture and a changing society: A Cook Islands perspective (2019)
Angela Page, Teanau Te Ava
The form and function of female aggression have been for many years an important social issue that demands investigation. Many studies of female aggression have focused on the perpetration and victimization of girls and young women from western countries. As a result, existing theoretical models and empirical foundations of girls' aggression are based on these defining constructs. The purpose of this article is twofold. The present study of adolescent females in the Cook Islands seeks to understand the role that perpetrators play in the type and the target of aggressive behaviour. It also examines the qualitative findings of girls' aggressive behaviour by boys, girls and their teachers and its gendered relationship inside the Cook Islands environment. The outcomes inspect the cultural context of girls in the Cook Islands that make their understanding and experiences of physical aggression and relational aggression unique and highlight the difficulties of young women positioned themselves between Cook Islands traditional values and asserting their contemporary Cook Islands' identity. The discussion highlights that aggression by girls in the Cook Islands is derived from a particular past and present that can in turn shape understandings of addressing aggression in the future.
Teacher perceptions of inclusive education in the Cook Islands (2019)
Angela Page, Christopher Boyle, Kathryn McKay, Sophia Mavropoulou
The inclusion of all students with special educational needs in mainstream classes was formally enacted by the Cook Islands Ministry of Education in the Special Needs Education Policy of 2002 and updated in 2011 to reflect support for diversity among all learners. This paper investigates the current views about inclusive education (IE) by exploring the perceptions of 10 in-service teachers. Qualitative korero (conversations) were conducted, and transcripts were coded using a thematic analysis approach, which indicated teachers were concerned about a lack of formal diagnosis of children’s disabilities. The results also highlighted the impact of individual teacher’s attitudes on inclusion. Additionally, teachers perceived a need for regular and compulsory education and support in IE. The findings are discussed regarding developing strategies to further promote IE within Cook Islands schools.
Classroom behavior management in the Pacific: Developing an approach to create meaningful shifts in teacher thinking (2019)
Angela Page
This entry discusses developing behavior management strategies for Pacific Island classrooms. It emphasizes shifting teacher perspectives to foster inclusive and supportive learning environments. Published in Encyclopedia of Teacher Education by Springer.
Teacher aides' views and experiences on the inclusion of students with Autism: A cross-cultural perspective (2018)
Angela Page, Rachael Ferrett
The human rights issue of inclusion in education has been the focus of numerous legislative and policy documents around the world. The right of a student with additional needs to access their local school and participate in mainstream classrooms has been mandated for numerous years across many nations. Increasing numbers of students with additional needs who are included in the regular classroom are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but reports indicate the understanding of ASD students remains low. This study investigates the views and experiences of teacher aides (TAs) who support students with ASD in mainstream settings in two countries: the Cook Islands (CI) and New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The research addressed the growing international use of TAs and their roles in inclusive classrooms, and the need to understand contemporary practices from comparative global perspectives. Results indicate many similarities between TA views and experiences on the inclusion of students with ASD in NSW and the CI. The findings are discussed in terms of recommendations to enhance the efficacy and practices of TAs in supporting students with ASD in the inclusive classroom.
Tuvalu Professional Learning Project (2018)
Jennifer Charteris, Angela Page
The focus of the teacher professional development work in June 2018 was ‘Positive Behaviour for Learning (fautuaga mo fakatokaga lei mo akoakoga I faleakoga). The approach prioritises school-wide classroom and behaviour management through quality teaching pedagogy that aims to enhance the learning outcomes of pupils. The UNE lecturers conducted a total of 10 workshops and visited the classrooms of Nauti and SDA schools over 8 days.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.