bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Behavior and Low Incidence Handicaps
Authors: Meacham Frieda R. , Kline Marilyn M. , Stovall Jim A. , Sands Deanna I.
Published: December 2008

This article presents a practitioner's guide to adaptive behavior scale selection for the low incidence populations of deaf, blind, and deafblind/multihandicapped sensory impaired students and/or clients. Revisions for the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984) are discussed with respect to use with the sensory impaired population. Revisions for other scales are also identified. Notable for its suitability for sensory impaired populations is the National Independent Living Skills project (Iceman, Woosley, Windham, & Sanders, 1985a, 1985b), normed on a national sample.
Direct Observation in Special Education Classrooms: Concurrent Use of Two Instruments and their Validation
Authors: Tindal Gerald , Parker Richard
Published: December 2008

In the past decade, a number of methodologies have been proposed for observation in the classroom. Generally, this research has focused on the use of one instrument and has rarely reported results from validation investigations. The current study, however, employed two direct observation instruments concurrently within two reading programs—Breaking the Code and an Eclectic Program—in middle school resource rooms. A momentary time sample of task engagement and an event record of discrete student responses were employed in six classrooms representing the two programs. A multimethod validation process was implemented, focusing on treatment and criterion-related validities. Many findings were program-specific, with differences lost or diluted when data were combined across programs. An argument is presented for structuring observation in a manner sensitive to classroom activity structures.
Antisocial Behavior in School Settings: Initial Differences in an at Risk and Normal Population
Authors: Shinn Mark R. , Ramsey Elizabeth , Walker Hill M. , Stieber Steven , O'Neill Robert E.
Published: December 2008

This study examines the behavior of two groups of students in fifth grade—a group of students identified as at risk for development of antisocial behavior and a normal control group. Students in the at risk group were identified primarily on the basis of familial variables. Subjects were selected for two separate cohorts that were studied 1 year apart to facilitate the investigation of generality of findings. Subjects' academic engaged time and social interactive behavior in recess settings were observed and teachers completed ratings of different aspects of the students' social skills. Records were inspected for evidence of principal contacts regarding discipline, attendance, and special education services received. Clear differences were indicated in school behavior between the two groups that were replicated across cohorts.
TEACHING EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN TO DISCRIMINATE REALITY FROM FANTASY ON TELEVISION
Authors: Sprafkin Joyce , Gadow Kenneth D. , Kant Gail
Published: December 2008

This study assessed the effects of a school-based television viewing skills curriculum on the television-related knowledge and attitudes of emotionally disturbed (ED) children. Three classes ( n = 21; age: M = 11.4 years) received the 12-lesson curriculum over a 4-week period and three classes ( n = 21; age: M = 11.4 years) served as a control group. Analyses of covariance using the pretest as a covariate revealed that the children who received the curriculum made significantly more accurate reality-fantasy discriminations concerning television program content than those in the control group; however, the curriculum was not effective in increasing knowledge about commercials. The social and educational implications of the findings for ED children are discussed.
Self-Efficacy Differences Among Mildly Handicapped, Gifted, and Nonhandicapped Students
Authors: Gresham Frank M. , Evans Sally , Elliott Stephen N.
Published: December 2008

Self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) suggests that persons develop a sense of efficacy based primarily upon past performance accomplishments in specific situations and settings in which they function. The present investigation assessed the academic and social self-efficacy beliefs of mainstreamed mildly handicapped, gifted, and nonhandicapped students in regular education classrooms. Mainstreamed mildly handicapped students reported lower academic and social self-efficacy than their nonhandicapped and gifted peers. No differences in academic self-efficacy were reported between gifted and nonhandicapped students; however, gifted students reported lower social self-efficacy beliefs than nonhandicapped students. Implications for mainstreaming practices and future research are discussed.
Microcomputer Instruction and Perceptions of Effectiveness by Special and Regular Education Elementary School Teachers
Authors: Cosden Merith A.
Published: December 2008

Instructional goals and perceptions of microcomputer effectiveness were assessed in a sample of special and regular education teachers with access to computers. For both groups of teachers, discrepancies existed between their perceptions of effective uses of the technology and the types of microcomputer instruction their students received. Differences were also noted between the special and regular educators in some areas. A chi-square analysis also indicated that special and regular education teachers differed in their perceptions of who benefits most from this type of instruction. Visual inspection of the data suggested further differences in their goals for microcomputer instruction, assessment of effective uses of technology, and perceptions of its limitations. The development of instructional goals and the effects of the diffusion of responsibility on the implementation of those goals are discussed.
The Effectiveness of the Graphic Representation of Signs in Developing Word Identification Skills for Hearing Impaired Beginning Readers
Authors: Stoefen-Fisher Jill M. , Lee Min Ae
Published: December 2008

This study examined the effectiveness of the graphic representation of signs in developing word identification skills for hearing impaired beginning readers. Twenty prelingually deaf students ranging in age from 6 years to 8 years, 11 months participated in two reading tasks: a word identification task and an immediate retention task. In the word identification task, two word lists were used 2 weeks apart: print plus sign (PS) and print only (PO). Students performed better in the PS condition than in the PO condition. In order to evaluate immediate retention, one word list in print-only form was administered to the students twice, once after the PS condition (PSR) and once after the PO condition (POR). Students retained more words following the PS condition.
Psychopharmacological Intervention I
Authors: Singh Nirbhay N. , Epstein Michael H. , Luebke Jerry , Singh Yadhu N.
Published: December 2008

A 27-item questionnaire was used to explore the perceptions, knowledge, and opinions of 146 teachers of students with serious emotional disturbance regarding medication used with their students. The results indicated that the student's doctor was perceived as the leading professional responsible for taking steps to have the student on or off medication for behavior disorders. Parents, the school psychologist, and the student's case committee had a moderate degree of influence on such decisions. The doctor and school psychologist were perceived to be responsible for determining the type of assessments used for evaluating drug effects. Teachers rated global impressions as the assessment procedure used most frequently for such evaluations, but suggested that informal teacher diary would be their choice. Hyperactivity and delusions/hallucinations were seen as the behavior disorders that most likely would lead to medication and, to a lesser extent, acting out and aggression. In general, the teachers desired more involvement in drug decisions and better liaison with the doctors. In addition, they uniformly suggested that their preservice and inservice training in matters related to drug treatment was inadequate, and indicated that there was a great need for further training in this area. Changes in current school policies and practices were suggested by the teachers.
Self-Perceptions Of Nonhandicapped Children And Children With Learning Disabilities In Integrated Classes
Authors: Bear George G. , Clever Andrew , Proctor Willis A.
Published: December 2008

Based largely on social comparison theory, it was hypothesized that self-perceptions of scholastic competence, behavioral conduct, and global self-worth are (a) lower among children with learning disabilities (LD) in integrated classes than among nonhandicapped (NH) children in the same classes, and (b) higher among NH children in integrated classes than among NH children in nonintegrated classes. Scores of 341 third graders (52 LD Integrated, 164 NH Integrated, and 125 NH Nonintegrated) on the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985) provided general support for the first hypothesis, but limited support for the second hypothesis. Sex differences were found, as were Placement Group x Sex interactions. Results also indicated that measures of self-perceptions of scholastic competence, behavioral conduct, and global self-worth provided redundant information in the discrimination between LD Integrated and NH Integrated groups. Findings suggest that integration is unlikely to have a positive effect on the self-perceptions of children with learning disabilities, but may well enhance the self-perceptions of NH children, particularly NH boys.
Community Support In Israeli Kibbutz And City Families Of Children With Disabilities: Family Climate And Parental Coherence
Authors: Margalit Malka , Leyser Yona , Ankonina Dee B. , Avraham Yaakov
Published: December 2008

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of community support on families of disabled children. Families were investigated in two environments: in the Israeli kibbutz, where resources are provided by the community according to needs, and in the Israeli city, where the family system must cope individually with its increased needs for resources. Perceptions of family climate and sense of coherence were studied among two groups of parents with disabled children (43 kibbutz families and 48 city families) and were compared with those among two groups of control families with nondisabled children (49 kibbutz families and 51 city families). The comparison of parental perceptions revealed significant differences. Parents of disabled children in the two environments expressed a lower sense of coherence and viewed their family climate as less supportive and as providing less opportunities for intellectual and leisure activities than the control group. The discrepancies between the fathers' and mothers' scores were greater among the parents of handicapped children than among the control parents, in family cohesion, achievement orientation, and control. The lack of the expected mediating impact of additional resources in the kibbutz environment suggests that future research should focus on the subjective meaning of support. These results call for interventions geared toward empowering parents to develop family environments that foster the sense of coherence among its members.
Expectations And Social Interactions Of Children With And Without Mental Retardation
Authors: Miller Carol T. , Clarke Richard T. , Malcarne Vanessa L. , Lobato Debra , Fitzgerald Martha D. , Brand Pamela A.
Published: December 2008

Mentally retarded and nonretarded perceiver children (n = 40) conversed by telephone with a child who was described as a special or regular education student. Perceivers reported that special and regular education telephone partners behaved differently during the conversation even though observers who were unaware of how telephone partners had been described did not detect behavioral differences between them. These same observers did detect differences in stereotype-related social behaviors of mentally retarded and nonretarded perceivers, but only when perceivers thought they were speaking to a regular education student. Observer ratings also suggested that non-retarded perceivers “talked down” to special education telephone partners. These results suggest that stereotypes about children with and without learning problems may become self-fulfilling prophecies by altering how children treat one another and by affecting how they interpret each other's behaviors.
A Third of Our Youth? A Look at the Problem of High School Dropout Among Students with Mild Handicaps
Authors: Blackorby José , Edgar Eugene , Kortering Larry J.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the demographic characteristics, information at referral to special education, and school history while in special education of special education dropouts and graduates. The groups differed on demographic measures of handicapping condition and ethnic group membership. In addition, their school histories differed markedly in terms of attendance disruptions. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Improving the Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Case Lisa Pericola , Harris Karen R. , Graham Steve
Published: December 2008

Four students with learning disabilities, whose primary difficulty in solving simple word problems involved performing the wrong operation, were taught a strategy for comprehending the problem and devising an appropriate solution. Students learned to apply the strategy first to addition word problems, then to subtraction word problems. Upon completion of instruction, students' overall performance on mixed sets of addition and subtraction word problems improved, and they were much less likely to perform the wrong operation. Although the effects of instruction generalized to a different setting, maintenance of strategy effects was mixed, perhaps due to administration of the maintenance probes during summer vacation.
Severe Does Not Always Imply Significant
Authors: Evans Larry D.
Published: December 2008

The Regression Discrepancy Model (RDM) was originally offered as a method to increase accuracy in assessing severe discrepancy by accounting for regression effects and measurement error. However, demonstration that the RDM realizes its goal of accurate, nonbiased assessment of IQ-achievement discrepancies has not been provided. The RDM's mathematical equations are examined, particularly the initial equation evaluating significant difference between IQ and achievement scores. Results from the initial equation are shown to be related to IQ levels and to bias the detection of severe discrepancy at lower IQ levels. Methods to minimize or remove this bias are proposed.
Discrepancies Between Competence and Importance in Self-Perceptions of Children in Integrated Classes
Authors: Clever Andrew , Bear George , Juvonen Jaana
Published: December 2008

Self-perceptions of specific domains of competence, judgments of the importance of these domains, and perceptions of global self-worth were examined among children with learning disabilities (LD), low achievement (LA), and normal achievement (NA) in a full-time integrated classroom setting. Results showed that children with LD and LA held lower self-perceptions of scholastic competence than children with NA, and children with LD had lower self-perceptions of behavioral conduct than children with LA and NA. Both children with LD and children with LA had significantly larger discrepancies between perceived competence and importance in the scholastic domain than did children with NA. We found little evidence that children with LD employ a discounting mechanism to protect their self-worth. Overall, results offer little support for the use of importance ratings or discrepancy scores in understanding the relation between children's self-perceptions of competence and global self-worth.
The Maze as a Classroom-Based Reading Measure: Construction Methods, Reliability, and Validity
Authors: Parker Richard , Hasbrouck Jan E. , Tindal Gerald
Published: December 2008

Twenty years of research on the Maze is reviewed to help ascertain the potential usefulness of this classroom-based reading measure for students with learning disabilities. Alternative methods of construction, administration, and scoring are examined. We examined evidence for three types of reliability: test-retest, alternate forms, and internal consistency. In addition, we scrutinized the use of Maze scores for instructional-level text placement. Finally, we summarized evidence on three types of validity criteria: standardized tests, teacher judgment, and reading group placement. The extant research on various Maze formats is supportive; however, the most common version of the Maze (Guthrie, 1973) needs to be revised to obtain minimum construct validity. Additional research is urgently needed on the Maze's alternate forms reliability and its usefulness in making instructional decisions.
The Extent of Incorporation of Dynamic Assessment into Cognitive Assessment Courses
Authors: Lidz Carol S.
Published: December 2008

This survey of 120 school psychologist trainers documents the extent to which information about dynamic assessment is incorporated into graduate cognitive assessment courses. Responses to the survey suggest the following: (a) There is widespread familiarity with dynamic assessment as a model of cognitive assessment; (b) few trainers are actually using the procedures themselves, although those most familiar with it are more likely to use it; (c) the majority of the responders gained their familiarity through reading and, many, through a workshop; (d) most of the trainers who are familiar with the model do mention it in their courses, and the model they are most likely to discuss is Feuerstein's; (e) most of the trainers who do not teach the model attribute this omission to their insufficient knowledge base and lack of time, in view of other priorities. Some express reservations about technical adequacy; (f) trainers who are familiar with the model see its primary asset as the change in focus from learning products to processes. Other assets include relatedness to interventions, reduced cultural bias, and increased comprehensiveness of information provided; and (g) trainers who are familiar with the model see the primary limitations as time required for administration, technical adequacy, and lack of a match with demands of the school/employment situation. The issues and implications of these findings are discussed.
Content-Specific and General Reading Disabilities of Secondary-Level Students
Authors: Espin Christine A. , Deno Stanley L.
Published: December 2008

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine the diagnostic utility of reading from text for distinguishing students with general reading disabilities from those whose reading deficits are related to background knowledge in specific content areas, and (b) to establish the educational utility of these two subgroups. Participants were 121 students (71 male and 50 female) in the 10th grade who were participating in a larger study to examine the contribution of reading to the academic success of secondary students. Students first completed a background-knowledge vocabulary test. Then they read aloud from English and science texts, studied and answered multiple-choice questions based on the selected texts, and finally read aloud from the texts again. The discrepancy between student performance in reading aloud from the prestudy English and science texts was utilized to formulate two subgroups: students with general reading deficits defined by low reading scores in both English and science, and students with content-specific deficits defined by reading scores in English that were substantially higher than in science. Results of the discrepancy analysis yielded a group of 33 students with general deficits and 6 students with content-specific deficits. To examine the educational utility of these groups, content-specific and matched general-deficit groups were compared on their poststudy reading performances of the science passage. Poststudy reading scores for the content-specific group were significantly higher than for the general-deficit group, suggesting that students in the content-specific group benefited more from study of the text than did students in the general-deficit group. Additional analyses supported the hypothesis that the content-specific deficits were due to a lack of background knowledge. Results lend support to the possibility that reading from text can be used by teachers as a diagnostic tool to identify educationally relevant subtypes of students with learning difficulties in the content areas.
Special Education as Developmental Capital Revisited
Authors: Deno Evelyn
Published: December 2008

The paper describes the social, political, and professional climate that prevailed in the 1950-70 period, which the 1970 Deno article reflects. The dramatic social-political and economic shifts that have occurred since that era are examined in terms of what the field of special education needs to do now and in the future to attain and maintain the kind of cost- and quality-effective interface with regular education and other social support systems that is needed as the lines between public education, therapy, and social intervention on behalf of the common good thin increasingly in even the most socially and economically advantaged local school districts.
Special Education in Urban America
Authors: Gottlieb Jay , Alter Mark , Gottlieb Barbara W. , Wishner Jerry
Published: December 2008

We review current practices in urban school districts related to referral and placement of academically low-functioning children in special education. Data we have collected over a 10-year period indicate that today's child with learning disabilities functions very similarly to the way students with educable mental retardation performed 25 years ago. We discuss the characteristics and needs of inner-city special education youngsters and the difficult options facing school administrators.
Toward a Culture of Disability in the Aftermath of Deno and Dunn
Authors: Hallahan Daniel P. , Kauffman James M.
Published: December 2008

The articles by Deno (1970) and Dunn (1968) spoke forcefully to the issues and conditions of their era, and both contained much wisdom. Both articles, however, contained ideas that have been exploited by today's critics of special education and now threaten to demolish the field. Deno questioned the need for a separate system of special education and called for an ecological approach, setting the stage for proposals to merge special and general education and for the tendency to blame a student's failure to learn solely on the teacher. Dunn questioned the efficacy of special classes and described the apparent damage done by labeling, providing proponents of inclusion and nonlabeling with a convenient rationale. We consider the possibility of developing a culture of disability that uses the distinctive characteristics of persons with disabilities as a basis for developing a positive identity through congregation, teaching, and support.
Postmodernism in Special Education
Authors: Gerber Michael M.
Published: December 2008

As a basis for policy, constructivism has an ideological character that draws from but is not identical to Piagetian or Vygotskian notions of constructed knowledge. Special educators should be wary of borrowing fashionable rhetoric of postmodernism to justify development or reform of instruction and curriculum unless accompanying constructs and values can first be disentangled. In reflecting on the articles in this special issue, I indicate that there are higher stakes for special education, particularly in national curriculum and testing reform, that accompany constructivism as a rationale or framework for development of instructional curricular strategies for students with disabilities.
Inclusion at the High-Water Mark? Some Thoughts on Zigmond and Baker's Case Studies of Inclusive Educational Programs
Authors: Gerber Michael M.
Published: December 2008

Zigmond and Baker's (this issue) case studies of students with learning disabilities, teachers, and instructional arrangements in five select schools engaged in inclusive practices (e.g., collaborative instruction) raise alarming questions about the educational program of students with learning disabilities and the future of special education. The case studies are discussed in the context of a theory of tolerance as a function of enduring cognitive, affective, and economic constraints on instructional practice. Despite differences in approach, the effect of implementing “inclusion” in each of these schools was to diminish and subordinate the role of the special education teacher, reduce the potential effectiveness of special education as a program of specialized instructional cffort, and remove the academic press for achievement by students with learning disabilities.
On the Failure of Imagination in Inclusive Schooling
Authors: Pugach Marleen C.
Published: December 2008

Based on the first-generation attempts at inclusion described in these case studies, this analysis poses three questions: What are the bottom-line practices we ought to expect in inclusive classrooms and from all the teachers who work in them? What might the relationship look like between the classrooms themselves and the schools and the administrators who lead them? And, how can we best use these case studies to stimulate the development of the next generation of inclusive classrooms?
Full Inclusion of Students with Learning Disabilities and its Implications for Teacher Education
Authors: Sindelar Paul T.
Published: December 2008

In this paper, I describe my reactions to the case studies Zigmond and Baker report in this issue. I admire the vision and energy of these pioneering efforts and find much commendable about both the work and the research. To my eye, the case studies illustrate wonderfully some of the problems inherent in inclusive education (e.g., coteaching, logistics) as well as some of the challenges it presents to teacher educators (e.g., preparing teachers to work collaboratively). I suggest that fundamental school reform offers an alternative to the model of implementation we see in these five schools and that instructional practice in these 10 classrooms may have fallen short of what general educators now recognize as best practice. I also take issue with Zigmond and Baker's concerns about the potential loss of identity for learning disability specialists and argue instead that their skills are needed now more than ever.
Using Natural Cues within Prompt Levels to Teach the Next Dollar Strategy to Students with Disabilities
Authors: Colyer Sandra P. , Collins Belva C.
Published: December 2008

Natural cues were inserted with the prompt levels of a system of least prompts procedure to teach elementary students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities to use the next dollar strategy in making purchases. The transfer of generalized responding from the classroom to the community setting was monitored throughout the project. In addition, dollar equivalencies were inserted in the consequent statements as nontargeted information. The results indicate that the procedure was effective for at least 3 out of 4 of the participants.
Commentary
Authors: Deno Stanley L. , Foegen Anne , Robinson Steve , Espin Christine
Published: December 2008

A case history involving a middle school's implementation of an integrated collaborative program for students with mild disabilities is presented as a foundation for initiating a dialogue regarding the realities of inclusion. The literature on inclusion is discussed in relation to the context of the case history, and readers are invited to respond to the issues and questions presented.
Communication Intervention with Persons Who Have Severe Disabilities
Authors: Reichle Joe
Published: December 2008

This article summarizes areas of progress made in meeting the communicative needs of individuals with severe disabilities. Evidence supporting best practices in the selection of (a) communicative functions, (b) communicative modes and symbols, and (c) instructional formats is presented. Evidence suggests that approaches to intervention that incorporate careful consideration of social motivations for behavior and recent advances in augmentative communication modes have had a significant impact on success in establishing beginning communicative repertoires. Inherent in this orientation is the belief that nearly all individuals attempt to communicate. This means that literature describing best practices in establishing functionally equivalent and maximally efficient new communicative forms to replace old forms is extremely relevant to communication interventionists. Finally, recent literature suggests that interventionists consider generalization as part of the acquisition process and carefully select a range of contexts in which to implement opportunities to teach new communicative repertoires.
PREDICTING QUALITY OF LIFE OF YOUTHS AFTER THEY LEAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Authors: Heal Laird W. , Khoju Madhab , Rusch Frank R.
Published: December 2008

A subsample of 713 students was selected from a nationwide stratified probability sample of 8,404 students with disabilities attending U.S. high schools in 1985. In-school and out-of-school information about these students was obtained in 1987 from their school records, school personnel, and parents. Conventional item analysis procedures were used to construct three quality-of-life composites—esteem, independence, and support—from 17 questionnaire variables. These composites were related to 28 geo-economic, family, demographic, cognitive, disability, and school program variables using a canonical correlation. The sum of three redundancy coefficients from the canonical analysis indicated that the predictors accounted for 36.9% of the variance in the three quality-of-life composites taken in concert, from which 5.3% was attributed uniquely to school program variables. The three canonical dimensions were labeled “general competence,” “sensory disability,” and “valued support” because of the patterns of quality-of-life variables and predictor variables with which they correlated. These analyses implied that quality of life for individuals with disabilities is difficult to disentangle from competence. However, the data set used for the present study included very few quality-of-life variables that are not related to competence—such as students' satisfaction with their lifestyles or students' freedom to make their own choices—making it difficult to detect these dimensions.
COMPARISON OF ETIOLOGY-SPECIFIC COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING PROFILES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH FRAGILE X AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME
Authors: Powell Lesley , Houghton Stephen , Douglas Graham
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive functioning profiles of individuals with Fragile X as compared to those of individuals with Down syndrome. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1983) was administered to 32 individuals with Fragile X and 8 children with Down syndrome. Results revealed that individuals with Fragile X scored significantly lower on Sequential Processing than on Simultaneous Processing. This difference was not evident for the Down syndrome group. There were significant differences within the three groups on individual subtest scores for Sequential Processing and Achievement. Within the domain of Simultaneous Processing, significant differences were found between individual subtest scores for the Fragile X groups but not for the Down syndrome group. Study findings provide support for etiology-specific cognitive functioning profiles for individuals with Fragile X.
Charter Schools in Colorado and Their Response to the Education of Students with Disabilities
Authors: McLaughlin Margaret J. , Henderson Kelly
Published: December 2008

This article presents the results of an investigation involving the provisions for special education services in state charter school legislation and highlights selected special education issues within Colorado's charter schools. The research included document reviews, a survey of individual charter schools, interviews, and site visits in four schools. The results of this multilevel effort reveal significant variability across states and among charter schools within Colorado in how students with disabilities access the schools as well as how special education is provided. There is a general lack of information flowing to charter schools about special education and a disparity in how services are funded and provided. Legal and administrative responsibilities for special education are often ambiguous. Nonetheless, charter schools appear to offer individualized educational approaches that are perceived by many parents and teachers as meeting the needs of many students who had experienced learning as well as behavior problems in the public schools.
Unintended Consequences
Authors: Jaeger Audrey J. , Eagan M. Kevin
Published: December 2008

Employment of part-time faculty members by community colleges has become an increasingly common approach to reducing institutional costs, which may have unintended consequences for student outcomes. This study examines the relationship between part-time faculty members and the associate's degree completion of community college students. The authors use hierarchical generalized linear modeling to analyze student- and institution-level data from the California community college system to determine how student exposure to part-time faculty members affected the likelihood of earning an associate's degree. Findings indicate that students experienced a significant yet modest negative effect from exposure to part-time faculty members on the probability of completing an associate's degree.
Student Success Courses in the Community College
Authors: O'Gara Lauren , Mechur Karp Melinda , Hughes Katherine L.
Published: December 2008

This study examines student success courses in two urban community colleges. Through analysis of student interview data, we find that such courses are an essential resource for students, in large part because the various benefits reinforce one another and magnify their influence. These benefits include learning about the college, classes, and study skills. In addition, students build important relationships with professors and peers.
How many body locations need to be tested when assessing sensation after stroke? An investigation of redundancy in the Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Performance
Authors: Busse Monica , Tyson Sarah F
Published: December 2008

Objective: Assessing sensation after stroke is time consuming. This study aimed to identify how many body locations need to be tested to establish whether sensation is `intact', `impaired' or `absent' and to assess validity of that classification.

Design: Participants' sensation was tested in a single assessment session. Agreement between the scores for individual anatomical sites and those for the whole limb was calculated using a weighted kappa and percentage agreement for each modality. High agreement between tests indicated redundancy, suggesting that the number of anatomical sites tested could be reduced. The Kruskal—Wallis test assessed the validity of classification by comparing a range of measures of functional ability in people with intact, impaired and absent sensation.

Setting: Hospital-based stroke care.

Subjects: One hundred and two patients tested 2—4 weeks after stroke.

Main measures: Four proprioceptive and tactile modalities were measured using the Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Performance.

Results: Agreement between the total limb score and individual anatomical sites was substantial to excellent for all modalities and anatomical sites. Agreement was greater than 90% when sensation was intact or absent. The comparison between patients with intact, impaired and absent sensation showed significant differences in functional mobility, independence in the activities of daily living, balance and weakness in people with stroke.

Conclusions: Sensory impairment can be classified as `intact', `impaired' or `absent'. There is a high redundancy between anatomical sites when the patient's sensation is `intact' or `absent' and not all sites need to be tested. Reducing the number of sites tested will improve usability of the Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Performance in day-to-day clinical practice.
Training patients in Time Pressure Management, a cognitive strategy for mental slowness
Authors: Winkens Ieke , Van Heugten Caroline M , Wade Derick T , Fasotti Luciano
Published: December 2008

Purpose: To provide clinical practitioners with a framework for teaching patients Time Pressure Management, a cognitive strategy that aims to reduce disabilities arising from mental slowness due to acquired brain injury. Time Pressure Management provides patients with compensatory strategies to deal with time pressure in daily life. Application of the training in clinical practice is illustrated using two case examples from a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of Time Pressure Management for patients with stroke.

Rationale: The Time Pressure Management approach is based on Michon's task analysis, describing levels of decision-making in complex cognitive tasks. Decisions with little or no time pressure are not impaired by mental slowness. Therefore, patients should try to transfer actions from situations with high time pressure to situations where the preserved decision levels with little or no time pressure can work.

Theory into practice: Several factors are required to teach patients to use Time Pressure Management. First, sufficient awareness is needed to recognize that there is a deficit and behavioural change is necessary. Sufficient awareness is also required to recognize and anticipate time pressure situations and to realize that the strategy is helpful and might also be useful in new and more difficult circumstances. Second, adequate motivation is needed to learn the strategy. And finally, the training should be adjusted to the patient's individual learning abilities and cognitive skills.
Evidence for the retraining of sensation after stroke: a systematic review
Authors: Schabrun SM , Hillier S.
Published: December 2008

Objective: Retraining of sensory function following stroke is frequently overlooked in rehabilitation protocols despite more than 60% of patients presenting with sensory deficits. Methods to train sensory function include both passive and active training protocols. Here we examined the volume and quality of the evidence available for both passive and active sensory training following stroke. In addition, we aimed to quantify the effect of sensory training on impairment and function.

Data sources: Databases searched included MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL, Academic search elite, Scopus and the Cochrane library. Unpublished articles were identified using a search engine.

Review methods: Studies utilizing passive or active sensory training paradigms post stroke were identified. Methodological quality was examined using the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence and the McMaster University critical appraisal tool.

Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria; 8 examined passive and 6 active sensory training. Methodological quality scores ranged from 11 to 18.5 (maximum 20). Meta-analysis was performed using three studies examining hand function, demonstrating a moderate effect in favour of passive sensory training. Other studies were unable to be pooled due to heterogeneity of measures or insufficient data.

Conclusion: Meta-analyses and single studies offer some support for the effectiveness of passive sensory training in relation to sensory impairment and motor function. However, empirical evidence for active sensory training is limited. Further high-quality studies with greater statistical power and meaningful clinical measures are required in order to accurately determine the effectiveness of sensory retraining following stroke.
Development of Symbolic Play in Visually Impaired Young Children
Authors: Rogers Sally J. , Puchalski Carol B.
Published: December 2008

This study explores the nature of the development of symbolic play in visually impaired young children. The beginnings of representational play where examined in a group of 16 visually impaired children, ages 18 to 38 months. Nine children demonstrated some symbolic acts at a mean age of 25.9 months, which is significantly earlier than the literature suggests. Presence of symbolic acts was significantly related to the use of the word “no,” two-word combinations, and general sensorimotor skills. Performance on specific symbolic scenarios was considerably below that of 20-month-old sighted children.
Federal Legislation and Young Handicapped Children
Authors: Allen K. Eileen
Published: December 2008

Federal legislation related to young handicapped children enacted during the past twenty years is reviewed in terms of the history and current status of several of the most effective and enduring of the early childhood programs. Starting with amendments to the Social Security Act such as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment program (EPSDT) the discussion continues with a brief sketch of other pieces of legislation: the laws that sponsored and expanded the interdisciplinary University Affiliated Facilities (UAFs), the Handicapped Children's Early Assistance Act (the First Chance Network), the Head Start mandate to serve the severely handicapped, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and P.L. 94–142 with its preschool incentive. These important pieces of legislation seem to be more or less firmly entrenched in the federal statutes but optimism must be tempered with caution and vigilance on the part of advocates for early-childhood special education.
Federal Statistical Programs
Authors: Simon Paul , Scotch Richard K.
Published: December 2008

Federal statistical programs are important for monitoring both the need for and the impact of public programs, including those for handicapped children. The information provided by surveys and other data-collection efforts by the federal government is particularly needed in this time of rapidly changing public policies. However, the federal statistical system has suffered from overall budgetary cutbacks, and from several decisions to eliminate statistical programs. In response to public, professional, and congressional criticisms, some reductions have recently been restored, but continued advocacy is needed to preserve the quality and scope of federal statistics.
Approaching Special Needs Children's Social Competence from the Perspective of Early Friendships
Authors: Raupp Carol
Published: December 2008

This article asserts that peer friendship is a vital manifestation of social competence in the preschool years. Current conceptual and empirical advances in our appreciation of normal patterns of friendship development are reviewed and integrated to provide insight into the meaning of social competence for young special needs children. The questions generated pose challenges for researchers and practitioners who seek to enhance special needs children's social effectiveness.
Eco-Behavioral Assessment
Authors: Carta Judith J. , Greenwood Charles R.
Published: December 2008

The effectiveness of early intervention programs has been an area of controversy since the early 1960s. Unfortunately, many in the academic community and the general public remain unconvinced that spending government funds for the education of young handicapped children is an effective use of public resources. Research has been limited to the measurement of singular outcomes (e.g., changes in the behavior and/or adjustment of the handicapped students or parents that have been the targets of intervention). This paper proposes a methodological expansion in evaluation research, an ecobehavioral approach, that has been used recently in teacher effectiveness studies within elementary grade classrooms. The paper discusses the implications of using the eco-behavioral approach in the evaluation of preschool programs for the handicapped. It argues that this methodology will allow both (a) determination of early intervention effectiveness and (b) specification of factors that are responsible for this effectiveness.
Toys as an Aspect of the Physical Environment: Constraints and Nature of Relationship to Development
Authors: Wachs Theodore D.
Published: December 2008

The role of the physical, as distinguished from the social, environment is discussed as a major factor in influencing child development. That the child's physical world is critical must be established before toys may be seen as developmental instruments. In contrast to a global view of good versus bad child environments, a differentiated approach is advocated wherein environmental, age, and organismic specificity are related to developmental impact. Availability, variety, complexity, and responsivity are discussed as dimensions of objects (toys) that interact with child characteristics to influence development; of these, variety and responsivity seem the most important. The concepts of affordances, match between the physical attributes of the toy and child characteristics, and individual differences in responsivity are discussed as future directions for research.
Selecting, Adapting, and Applying Toys as Learning Tools for Handicapped Children
Authors: Langley M. Beth
Published: December 2008

Handicapped children's responses to toys vary as a function of sensory and response limitations, cognitive delays, and the quality of experiences provided. Each developmental difficulty (motoric, visual, auditory, emotional, cognitive) generates special developmental needs that must be recognized and considered when planning play activities and selecting and using toys. This article focuses on criteria for selecting, adapting, and using toys for each developmental problem.
Developmental Issues in Chronic Illness
Authors: Cerreto Mary C.
Published: December 2008

New and advanced systems of medical care and technology have increased survival rates for chronically ill children who are now served optimally by their families and schools in the community. The legal mandate to educate children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment has resulted in the integration of chronically ill children in the regular classroom. Mainstreaming is expected to normalize the educational setting and process for these children. The Developmental Task Model provides a basic framework from which to attain optimal normalization. The Model enhances understanding of how the specific characteristics of an illness interact with the particular age-related developmental tasks of childhood. Implications for applications of the Model at home and in the classroom are discussed.
Profiles of Young Gifted and Normal Children
Authors: Lewis Michael , Feiring Candice , McGuffog Carolyn
Published: December 2008

Profiles of young gifted children are compared to profiles of normal children across a number of skills and abilities. Data are presented for the sample as a whole and as a function of sex and familial history of handedness. The results suggest that the gifted child is not necessarily gifted in all areas. Gifted children excel in memory and quantitative ability while there are no differences between the gifted and normal children in prereading skills or motor ability. Normal children show more advanced play behavior. In general, sex of children and handedness history operate similarly in the gifted and normal groups; males perform better than females and the right-handed children perform better than left-handed children.