ABSTRACT
In the first part of this chapter, we briefly describe major theories of motivation and engagement. We follow the conceptualization of student engagement as a meta-construct, bringing together many separate lines of research, including motivation, extracurricular participation, belonging/connectedness, and so forth. Research has clearly established the importance of student engagement across grade levels (elementary school through post-secondary enrollment) and academic, social-emotional, and behavioral domains for all students. However, this chapter focuses on studies of student engagement among students with special needs in school, with particular focus on those struggling with attention difficulties, behavioral and emotional problems, and learning disabilities. Types of engagement (behavioral, academic, cognitive, and affective) are used as an organizing heuristic for the presentation of research results. We draw from relevant studies to provide implications for practitioners and conclude with future directions in the study of engagement and interventions among students with special needs.
