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Introduction: Research has indicated that need-supportive learning environments positively influence students' motivation. According to self-determination theory, a need-supportive learning environment is one in which teachers provide structure, autonomy support, and involvement, and thereby support their students' psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. In this study, we aimed to explore whether teachers of students with congenital deafblindness provide such an environment and how they adjust their need-supportive teaching to these students. Methods: We conducted an in-depth analysis of teacher-student interactions using a multiple-case-study design. We analyzed videos of teacher-student interactions from the perspective of self-determination theory. Results: We found that successful need support for this group requires careful adjustments for each individual student. Only if the provision of structure, autonomy support, and involvement is tailored to the student can a positive influence on motivation be noticed. Another important finding is that teachers provide more structure and involvement than autonomy support. Discussion: This study showed that need-supportive teaching is important in the education of students with congenital deafblindness. By using video analysis, we were able to point out teaching strategies that led to greater motivation for these students. Implications for practitioners: Motivation is a prerequisite for learning, and teachers' behavior might add to that motivation. This study showed that need support leads to enhanced motivation in students with congenital deafblindness. We provided practical insights that teachers can use to create need-supportive learning environments for these students.

In the Netherlands, the trend towards inclusion has led to the development of a 'To School Together' programme in which students with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) receive tailored care and education during the school day in a special classroom ('To School Together' class) within a mainstream school. Besides shared activities with other students with disabilities in the 'To School Together' classroom, inclusion moments are organised in which students with PIMD engage in activities with typically developing peers. A teaching assistant (TA) is present to support the student with PIMD. In this study, we explored the type of activities offered during these inclusion moments, the interaction between students with PIMD and their peers, and the role of TAs. Video recordings were made of three inclusion moments for eight students with PIMD. We coded the contact initiations of students with PIMD, their peers and TAs, and the responses to these initiations. The results show a total of 246 contact initiations by peers where students with PIMD responded positively 82 times, TAs attempted to facilitate interactions 55 times and students with PIMD responded positively 11 times. Based on our findings, we make several recommendations that can guide inclusive practices for students with PIMD.

The article presents a comprehensive literature review of evidence about the psychological needs of students with hearing and/or visual loss, as well as the effect of their perceptions of need support on their motivation, engagement, and outcomes. The framework applied is based on the Self-Determination Theory of motivation, which addresses the important influence that psychological needs bear on the motivation of students. Seventeen studies were included. Although the results are fragmented in the sense that no study was found to encompass Self-Determination Theory as a whole, researchers were able to assess the psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness separately. Existing literature reports inconsistent findings concerning the perceived needs of students. A few studies suggest that students feel more competent and related in special classroom settings than they do in mainstream settings. Other studies indicate that the extent to which students feel competent, autonomous, and related is often similar to that of students without sensory loss. Potential implications for educational practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Research on Self-Determination Theory has shown that teachers' need-supportive behaviour is associated with student motivation and engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing the motivation of students with congenital and acquired deafblindness by enhancing teachers' need-supportive behaviour. To assess the intervention effect, this study follows a multiple case-study design. Teacher questionnaires were administered and video observations of teacher--student interactions were made during pre-test, post-test and follow-up phases. The results showed that teachers provided involvement most, followed by structure and autonomy support. Teachers' provision of structure and autonomy seems to improve most after the intervention. In general, teachers of students with congenital deafblindness showed larger intervention effects than teachers of students with acquired deafblindness. The results also provide indications that students' levels of engagement improved after the intervention.

Because little is known about teacher-student relationships that involve students with acquired deafblindness, the authors performed a multiple case study with a multiple-method design to investigate the relationship between need-supportive teaching behaviors and student engagement. Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), they analyzed video observations of interactions. It was found that teachers' provision of structure, autonomy support, and involvement often cooccurs with higher levels of student engagement. Moreover, varying degrees of need support over time seem to result in varying levels of student engagement. Examples are provided of need-supportive teaching behaviors that can be used to foster the motivation of students with acquired deafblindness.

Research on Self-Determination Theory has shown that teachers’ need-supportive behaviour is associated with student motivation and engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing the motivation of students with congenital and acquired deafblindness by enhancing teachers’ need-supportive behaviour. To assess the intervention effect, this study follows a multiple case-study design. Teacher questionnaires were administered and video observations of teacher–student interactions were made during pre-test, post-test and follow-up phases. The results showed that teachers provided involvement most, followed by structure and autonomy support. Teachers’ provision of structure and autonomy seems to improve most after the intervention. In general, teachers of students with congenital deafblindness showed larger intervention effects than teachers of students with acquired deafblindness. The results also provide indications that students’ levels of engagement improved after the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]