Students with behavioural problems or disorders are difficult to integrate into regular classes.

These students’ behaviour is a major source of stress for teachers and has a negative impact on the teaching and learning time of the other students. Research shows that a lack of training and support for teachers can lead them to use negative strategies with these students and that the use of such strategies is associated with higher teacher stress and increased behavioural problems on the part of the students.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the impact of ACES (Accompagnement Collaborative des Enseignants du Secondaire).

The goal of this research was to evaluate the impact of ACES (Accompagnement Collaborative des Enseignants du Secondaire), a training program for high school teachers aimed at facilitating the educational integration of students with special needs. Offered individually or in groups, the program was well received by all stakeholders and had a positive impact on teachers, students and the classroom climate. The program positively influenced teachers’ attitudes towards their students, their understanding of behavioural disorders, their use of positive and proactive intervention strategies, and the student-teacher relationship.

Teachers who took part in the program had a significantly lower level of teaching stress than those in the control groups. While little difference was observed between the two versions of the program, the group training was more popular with all parties concerned.

Main researcher

Line Massé, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Summary

Research report

Call for proposals

Deposit of the research report: October 2014