Research and Development for Theory and Practice

The main objectives of research and development at the HfH are high-quality research on issues in special needs education using innovative methods, and development of products for the professional field.

Research and development at the HfH contributes greatly to innovative analysis and understanding of issues in special needs education, to professionalization of practice, and to development of the discipline. The goal is to pave the way for people with disabilities or impairments to have self-determined lives full of social participation and better quality of life.

The focus is on conditions of life and development of persons with special educational needs and on their environment against the backdrop of social change. In application-oriented research and development projects, the university analyses current and future issues in the practice and profession of special needs education. (Link Research and development projects)

Research and development work at the University of Teacher Education in Special Needs is conducted at five thematic institutes:

• Institute for Disabilities and Participation
• Institute for Educational Support for Behaviour, Social-Emotional, and Psychomotor Development
• Institute for Special Learning Needs
• Institute for Language and Communication
• Institute for Professionalization and System Development

Publications. The staff publish the results of their work in the form of papers at scientific conferences and congresses, articles in scientific and practice-oriented journals, and presentations for practitioners and the general public. The University of Teacher Education in Special Needs supports the Open Access policy of swissuniversities (the umbrella organisation of the Swiss universities) and promotes public access to its publications via the institutional repository Zenodo .

Support our research. Private persons and companies can provide financial support for selected research projects.

Participate in research. Interested persons and institutions can obtain information on participating in research studies from the university’s Centre for Research and Development.