Marte Karoline Herrebrøden

• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2026). Educational professionals' perspectives on hearing protection devices for autistic students. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. ISSN 1750-9467. 139. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Autistic students who are sensitive to auditory stimuli often experience sensory overload in school due to insufficient adaptation to auditory barriers. Hearing protection devices (HPD) may serve as a valuable support by reducing auditory input and facilitating participation in learning activities and overall well-being. This study aims to explore the practices, perceptions, and competence of employees in school and the Educational and Psychological Service regarding the use of HPD for autistic students across different educational settings. Furthermore, the study examines the need for comprehensive guidelines and the implications for strengthening inclusive educational practices. Method Data were collected through a digital questionnaire completed by 608 school professionals and employees of the Educational and Psychological Service, all working with autistic students. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to examine patterns and predictors of HPD use and related outcome measures. Results HPD are widely used in educational settings, and educational professionals perceive their use as potentially supporting autistic students' participation and well-being across school contexts. The findings also reveal potential barriers, including a lack of standardized routines and practices, as well as variability in awareness and competence related to HPD use among educational professionals. Conclusions This study highlights the considerable potential of HPD to support autistic students in everyday school contexts. However, a gap remains between their perceived benefits and their practical implementation in inclusive educational settings. This discrepancy is likely related to variability in professional competence, as well as the absence of consistent routines and clearly established guidelines.

• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Marentakis, Georgios; Dechsling, Anders; Esposito, Gianluca; Dimitriou, Dagmara & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2026). Advantages and disadvantages of noise-cancelling headphones for autistic students in educational settings. Research in Developmental Disabilities. ISSN 0891-4222. 173. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2026.105301. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This perspective article explores the various advantages and disadvantages of using noise-cancelling headphones in educational settings for autistic students with auditory sensory differences. Although noise-cancelling headphones can have several advantages for autistic students in educational settings, it is important that use of such assistive technological tools should not be implemented without a plan and tailoring at an individual level.

• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gibson, Suanne; Woodcock, Stuart; Dechsling, Anders; Kullmann, Harry & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Parental (dis)satisfaction with school placement to achieve inclusion: a cross-country comparison. Frontiers in Education. 11. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1710708. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background This study draws on data from a larger international project exploring parents' perceptions of the education of their children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Using responses from 1,309 parents in Australia, England, Germany, and Norway it examines parental satisfaction with mainstream and special schools, and parents' school placement preferences, including willingness to change schools. Parental satisfaction is assessed as an overall evaluation of how well the child's school placement meets their needs, without distinguishing between specific aspects of the school experience. The study also explores whether the child's level of support is associated with these perceptions. Based on a human rights perspective, we highlight parents’ perspectives and their role in the development of more inclusive education systems, without promoting one model of schooling over another. Methods Responses from 1,309 parents across four countries were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Non-parametric tests compared satisfaction across school types, chi-squared tests assessed associations with willingness to change schools, and binary logistic regression examined whether level of support was associated with parents' willingness to change school placement. Results Parents in England, Germany, and Norway reported higher satisfaction with special schools than with mainstream schools. No statistically significant difference was observed in Australia. Parents of children in special schools were less likely to report considering changing schools, particularly in England and Norway. Higher pupil support needs were significantly associated with parents’ willingness to change school across the combined sample. These findings suggest that parental satisfaction with their child's education and their preferences regarding school placement may be shaped by both school type and how well pupils' support needs are perceived to be met. Discussion and conclusion The role of parents as key stakeholders in developing inclusive education systems, consistent with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is emphasised. While parents in special schools in three of the four countries reported higher satisfaction, the reasons for this remain unclear. Understanding the factors shaping parental satisfaction is essential for developing inclusive and responsive learning environments. These findings offer a starting point for future research on how education systems can better align policy commitments with families’ lived experiences.

• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2025). Cultivating inclusive schools: the role of extended professional learning communities. Educational Research. ISSN 0013-1881. 67(4), p. 442–460. doi: 10.1080/00131881.2025.2548263. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Dechsling, Anders; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2025). Audio Technology for Autistic Persons with Auditory Sensory Differences—A Scoping Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. ISSN 2195-7177. doi: 10.1007/s40489-025-00511-3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Auditory sensory differences are common in the autistic population, often causing daily challenges. Audio technology offers support in managing auditory environments and can be a useful resource in various contexts. This scoping review examined 17 studies on the use of audio technology for autistic persons with auditory sensory differences, highlighting significant research gaps. Findings reveal limited empirical research integrating technology and autism perspectives. The studies predominantly use quantitative methods, small, narrowly aged samples, under-representation of females and individuals with intellectual disabilities, and high dropout rates. Few studies assess acceptability. Further studies on audio technology for autistic persons with auditory sensory differences are needed to address gaps and facilitate the auditory environment for autistic persons.

• Selvik, Sabreen & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2024). Teacher experiences under COVID-19 pandemic school reopening periods: A window of opportunity for adapted education. Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies. ISSN 0742-051X. 139. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2023.104445. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The COVID-19 pandemic obliged schools worldwide to make structural changes in response to the epidemiological situations in their countries. New national transmission control measures (TCMs) at schools were continuously announced to ensure pupil health. This study investigates how TCMs influenced the teaching and learning environment for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) at Norwegian schools during reopening periods. Data was gathered through eight in-depth interviews with teachers and coded thematically. It was analyzed using self-determination theory and adapted education. Despite the difficulties caused by TCM, teachers reported positive teaching and learning opportunities for pupils with SEN.

• Skadsheim, Preben Halvorsen; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Lopez-Pedersen, Anita (2023). Spesialundervisning i norske fengsel. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. p. 58–72. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Jensen, Magne Skibsted & Andreassen, Ulf Rune (2021). Framstillinger av personer med funksjonsnedsettelser i norske lærebøker: Bidrag til en inkluderende skole? Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. 105(3), p. 312–324. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-2987-2021-03-05. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Lærebøker kan ha betydning for elevers forståelse av hva det innebærer å ha en funksjonsnedsettelse. På bakgrunn av dette analyserte vi et utvalg av norske lærebøker for grunnskolen. For det første var vi opptatt av hvor høy forekomst det var av tekster som framstilte personer med funksjonsnedsettelse. For det andre analyserte vi disse tekstenes innhold på bakgrunn av kriterier som indikerte om personene i hovedsak var positivt eller negativt framstilt. I et utvalg på 78 lærebøker fant vi kun 21 portretter av personer med funksjonsnedsettelser. Vi fant at 12 portretter hadde en negativ framstilling, noe som samsvarer godt med et vanskeperspektiv. De resterende ni portretter var positivt framstilt, i samsvar med et kompetanseperspektiv. Vi illustrerer med to eksempler hvordan portrettene har blitt framstilt, enten positivt eller negativt. Nøkkelord: lærebøker, personportretter, funksjonsnedsettelse, inkludering, innholdsanalyse

• Jensen, Magne Skibsted; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Andreassen, Ulf Rune (2021). The Invisible Minority. Why do textbook authors avoid people with disabilities in their books? International Journal of Inclusive Education. ISSN 1360-3116. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1889049. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Representation of disability in school textbooks may influence pupils’ knowledge and perceptions of people with disabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate representation of people with disabilities in school textbooks. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative frequency analysis was used to investigate the extent of representation of disabilities in texts and pictures in 78 Norwegian textbooks for Grades 5–10. Regarding texts, the results showed that people with disabilities were represented in less than half of these textbooks (49%). Concerning pictures, people with disabilities were even less represented, appearing in only 29% of the textbooks. These quantitative findings were supplemented by a qualitative survey of textbook authors, who were asked to explain the marked absence of disability references in their own books and in school textbooks in general. The two most frequent explanations were that textbook authors had either overlooked people with disabilities, or that the Norwegian National Curriculum (Kunnskapsdepartementet 2006. Lærerplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet (LK06) [The Norwegian National Curriculum]. https://www.udir.no/lk20/overordnet-del/) did not explicitly mention this minority. We discuss these explanations as expressions of conscious considerations rather than unconscious omissions.

• Amundsen, Marie-Lisbet; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Mjøberg, Anne Grethe & Rosenberg, Charlotte (2020). Skolens møte med elever som strever med skolevegring. Psykologi i kommunen (PIK). ISSN 1892-3364. Full text in Research Archive

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• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Skafle, Ingjerd (2026). The fight for justice and equality: Parental perspectives on school choice in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Skafle, Ingjerd; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2026). Unlocking the Potential of Hearing Protection Devices in Supporting Inclusive School Environments for Autistic Students. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Skafle, Ingjerd; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2026). Hearing Protection Devices for Autistic Students Sensitive to Auditory Stimuli: Enhancing School Inclusivity? doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15086.57923. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Autistic students with auditory sensitivity often experience sensory overload in school due to insufficient adaptation of the auditory environment (Price & Romualdez, 2025). These challenges can negatively affect learning, academic performance, and social-emotional well-being (Keith et al., 2019; Poulsen et al., 2025). Hearing protection devices (HPDs) show potential to support autistic students in managing sensory environments (Pfeiffer et al., 2019; Kwong et al., 2025). Educational professionals require sufficient competence to balance benefits and drawbacks of these technologies to support inclusive practices. Despite the widespread use of hearing protection devices among autistic students, there is limited empirical research and guidance to inform their appropriate use (Herrebrøden et al., 2025). Objective: To explore educational professionals’ experiences and perspectives on the use of HPDs for autistic students in school, including their competence and systemic approaches. The overall aim is to increase awareness of how educational environments and HPDs can support inclusive practices for students with auditory sensitivities.

• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2026). Nyheter, Høyskolen | Forsker fra Halden studerer autistiske elevers skolehverdag. [Journal]. Halden Arbeiderblad . doi: https:/www.ha-halden.no/forsker-fra-halden-studerer-autistiske-elevers-skolehverdag/s/5-20-1869843. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2025). School Professionals' Awareness and Perceptions of the Use of Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Autistic Students in Schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Gibson, Suanne; Woodcock, Stuart; Dechsling, Anders; Kullmann, Harry & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Parental (Dis)Satisfaction with School Placement to Achieve Inclusion: A Cross-Country Comparison. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Article 24 of the CRPD (2006) underpins inclusive education for children with disabilities as a human right. However, global systems often fail to meet these needs, with persistent segregation, limited accessibility, and inadequate accommodations (Anderson & Boyle, 2020). Inclusion is frequently reduced to physical placement, neglecting meaningful participation and systemic adaptation (de Beco, 2022). Critics argue this reinforces segregation rather than fostering inclusivity. Parental perspectives, shaped by concerns over bullying, isolation, and insufficient support, remain mixed (Gal et al., 2025). Systemic reform prioritizing parent and student voices is essential. This paper seeks to examine parental perceptions of children with additional educational needs, addressing a notable gap in research that has often overlooked these critical stakeholders (Sharma et al., 2022). It investigates the factors influencing parents' choices between mainstream and special schools for their children, as well as their satisfaction with these decisions. Using the recently developed Parental Perception of Inclusion Climate Scale (PPICS, Sharma et al., 2022), a tool designed to assess parents' views on school practices related to inclusion, our findings from a study with 9 countries, show that parents of children in special schools, report significantly higher levels of satisfaction compared to those with children in mainstream schools. Among parents considering a change in their child's school, those with children in mainstream schools are three times more likely to seek such a move. Notably, the likelihood of wanting to switch schools is not influenced by the level of support needs, though this trend varies in some country-specific data. Furthermore, 68% of respondents believe that special schools or special classes are necessary to meet the needs of students like their child, underscoring strong support for specialized education settings. Implications for practice and recommendations for policy and practice will be discussed.

• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2025). La oss snakke om og med DeveLeP. [Internet]. http://www.spesblogg.no. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Dechsling, Anders; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2025). Autistic Persons with Auditory Sensory Differences: The Use of Audio Technology - A Scoping Review. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Auditory sensory differences often co-occur with autism (Williams et al., 2021) o Everyday sounds are often perceived as overwhelming, intense, frightening and even painful (Aazh et al. 2016; Tyler et al., 2014) o Auditory sensory differences are linked to increased sympathetic nervous system reactivity, which in turn relates distractibility, reduced concentration, distress, and elevated stress and anxiety levels (Howe & Stagg, 2016; Lau et al., 2023; Pfeiffer et al., 2019) o Reported consequences include avoidance of certain environments and interactions, reduced participation or engagement in meaningful activities, and performance-impairing distractibility (Bendo et al., 2024; Pfeiffer et al., 2019) o Audio technology can support autistic persons with auditory differences in various contexts (Feldman et al., 2022; Ikuta et.al., 2016; Kulawiak, 2021; Rance et al., 2017) o Despite the widespread use of audio technology in everyday life for many autistic persons, there is little empirical research to justify proper use Objective:Map the extent and type of evidence that exists on the use of audio technology by autistic persons with auditory sensory differences, analyze existing research and identify potential research gaps

• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Ulriksen, Line Britt; Nordahl-Hansen, Anders & Dechsling, Anders (2024). Parental Perception on Well-being of Students with Disabilities in Regular and Special Schools. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Inclusion is a complex concept that ranges from placing students in mainstream classrooms to changing entire educational systems. Whileinclusive education is often simplified as the place where students are educated, it is much more than just the mere placement. In inclusiveclassrooms, all students irrespective of diversities are welcomed and schools make adjustments to ensure that the needs of all students aremet. Research has shown a positive impact of inclusive practices on all students including those who have additional needs (Artiles et al.2006). There has been some debate that inclusion mandates across most countries are driven by policymakers, and researchers and thevoices of parents/carers and students with disabilities and their siblings are not given due attention. The perspectives of those who are theactual recipients of inclusion policies and how they experience them should not be overlooked. In Norway, the basic principle of specialeducation is that the student should be taught in mainstream schools (also referred to as inclusive schools), still 9% of students areeducated in permanent special education units (NDET, 2023). The current project investigated the potential relationship between the type of placement of students with additional needs with theperception of students' well-being. In this context, relevant factors in measuring the quality of the inclusion climate in schools are students'social participation and acceptance among friends, happiness, and belonging in the school community (Sharma et al., 2022; Schwab et al.,2018). Objective: The objective of this paper is to investigate parental reports about the well-being of students receiving special education in regular schools,special schools and special education groups. Method: Through an internet-based survey, we collected data about parental perspectives about inclusion [Parental Perception of Inclusion ClimateScale (Sharma et al., 2022)] and compared it between parents of children who were attending ordinary schools and special schools/groupsas dichotomous independent variables. We used individual items and three sub-factor scores on the Parental scale (Sharma et al., 2022)]related as dependent variables. The findings of the study will be discussed with possible implications for the special and inclusive educationsectors in Norway and other countries

• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Dechsling, Anders; Marentakis, Georgios & Nordahl-Hansen, Anders (2024). Noise- cancelling technology and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and auditory difficulties in school; a systematic review. Full text in Research Archive
• Nordahl-Hansen, Anders; Dechsling, Anders; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Ulriksen, Line Britt (2024). Pågående studie om foreldres holdninger til skoletilbud ønsker deltakere til undersøkelse. [Internet]. stiftelsensor.no. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Selvik, Sabreen (2023). Teachers’ experiences of special need education under the Covid-pandemic: Lessons learned from Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum (2023). Professional learning community - contribution to an inclusive school? Full text in Research Archive
• Johansson, Veslemøy Maria Fossum & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2023). Professional learning communities - contribution to an inclusive school? Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2022). Skolevegring. Full text in Research Archive
• Selvik, Sabreen & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2022). Teachers’ experiences of special needs education under the Covid Pandemic: lessons learned from Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Selvik, Sabreen & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2022). Teachers’ experiences of special needs education under the Covid Pandemic: lessons learned from Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline; Jensen, Magne Skibsted & Andreassen, Ulf Rune (2021). Representation of persons with disabilities in Norwegian textbooks. Contribution to an inclusive school? Full text in Research Archive
• Andreassen, Ulf Rune; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Jensen, Magne Skibsted (2021). Den glemte minoriteten Inkludering handler om å være regnet med og bli sett. Full text in Research Archive
• Andreassen, Ulf Rune; Jensen, Magne Skibsted & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2020). Hvordan fremstiller lærebøker for grunnskolen mennesker med funksjonshemming? Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Magne Skibsted; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Andreassen, Ulf Rune (2019). I hvilken grad er funksjonsnedsettelser og mennesker med nedsatt funksjonsnivå representert i norske lærebøker for grunnskolen? Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Magne Skibsted; Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline & Andreassen, Ulf Rune (2019). I hvilken grad er funksjonsnedsettelser og mennesker med nedsatt funksjonsnivå representert i norske lærebøker for grunnskolen? Noles, Literacy i opplæringen. 1(29), p. 67–68. Full text in Research Archive
• Nordhagen, Inger C.; Skutlaberg, Linn Synnøve; Reinertsen, Anne Beate & Herrebrøden, Marte Karoline (2022). Hvordan jobbe mer inkluderende i barnehager, skoler og SFO?: Sluttrapport - Følgeforskning av piloter for inkluderende praksis. Ideas2evidence. ISSN 9788284410289. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Rapport 15:2022

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