Welcome to this special issue on developmental disabilities. We have a range of interesting and stimulating articles for you that span early primary to post-school education. Some of the articles address generic issues that are potentially relevant for children with any type of developmental disability, two focus specifically on Autism Spectrum Disorder and one is relevant to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

This study reports data from teachers in regular classrooms about their experiences of inclusion for 143 young children with disabilities. Children were recruited from early intervention programs and their experiences were tracked across 3 years, from a Preparatory year to Year 2 of school. Children's teachers rated the appropriateness of the child's placement in their classroom as high to very high. However, most teachers rated the resources and supports available to support inclusion as only adequate. Teachers perceived a range of benefits for the child, peers, and themselves from inclusion but also identified significant challenges, including time pressures and increased responsibilities, as well as various behavioural and developmental concerns that had an impact on all children's learning. Challenges identified deserve continued attention for successful inclusive practice.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently associated with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The Mental Effort Reward Imbalances Model (MERIM) explains this observational association as follows: in ADHD a disproportionate level of mental effort is required for sustaining concentration for achievement; in ODD the subjective experience of reward for achievement is less than normal. In combination, these mechanisms predispose to reductions in motivation and achievement, and to low mood, oppositional behaviour, and reward seeking. Self-regulation has been used as a management strategy in ADHD, with interventions directed towards encouraging individuals to evaluate and reinforce positive behaviour. Using the logic of the MERIM, self-management strategies would be directed towards encouraging the individual to attribute value to a task or activity with the goal of obtaining the emotional outcome of feeling good about themselves through their achievement. We describe the use of two such strategies: positive rumination and positive reappraisal. These could potentially lead to improvements in functioning, enhancing the quality of life of affected individuals and resulting in fewer incidents of destructive, reward-seeking behaviour in relation to those around them.

Many young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) intend to go to college and/or university, yet research suggests that these individuals find aspects of college and university life challenging. To explore the views of individuals directly affected by these challenges, a systematic review of the existing qualitative literature in this area was conducted. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of these articles identified six superordinate themes: the involvement of professionals; academic, environmental, and social factors; wellbeing; communication; and understanding. The facilitators, obstacles and needs of students pervaded these themes and are discussed alongside implications for counsellors and psychologists working in schools.

I am delighted to introduce the two papers in our Applied Practices’ section of the journal, which are part of this special issue on disability. Both emphasise the critical role of the school counsellor/school psychologist in the active implementation of best practice assessments and evidence based interventions.

Students with developmental disabilities have many challenges with learning and adaptive behaviour, as well as a higher prevalence rate of mental health problems. Although there is a substantial body of evidence for efficacious interventions for enhancing resilience and promoting mental health in typically developing children, very few programs have been modified for use with students with developmental disabilities. In this article we present two interventions (Aussie Optimism and the Resourceful Adolescent Program) that have been rigorously tested with typically developing students and subsequently adapted and evaluated for their effectiveness for students with developmental disabilities. The article highlights the critical importance of using interventions with a robust evidence base, and the important role for school psychologists and counsellors in program selection, implementation, and evaluation.

The social-communication and behavioural difficulties experienced by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are well documented in the research literature; however, relatively little attention has been paid to their commonly experienced reading difficulties. In this article, we synthesise the findings of the research to date and provide practical recommendations for school psychologists and counsellors tasked with assessing and supporting children with ASD who experience reading difficulties. Central to these recommendations is the need for comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment tailored to each child's needs, at all times avoiding common assumptions regarding literacy and learning in children with ASD.

An important goal of inclusive education is to create an environment in which individual differences are appreciated, and where all children are valued. Books are an important way in which children learn about themselves, others and the world around them. Children's literature can potentially promote awareness of individual differences and similarities, acceptance of self and others, and information that counteracts ignorance, misperceptions and stereotypes about disability. This awareness, acceptance and knowledge should ultimately contribute to greater understanding, empathy and respect for diversity. In this article, we review over 50 children's books that may be of value for assisting children of different ages to understand and appreciate individual differences and disabilities. Most of the reviews were contributed by postgraduate psychology students who were enrolled in a disability unit at Queensland University of Technology.