Volume 45 Number 3 September 2010

Long-term Outcomes of Services for Two Persons with Significant Disabilities with Differing Educational Experiences: A Qualitative Consideration of the Impact of Educational Experiences

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Diane Lea Ryndak, Terri Ward, Sandra Alper, Jennifer Wilson Montgomery, and Jill F. Storch

Abstract: Though research exists related to effective services in inclusive general education settings for students with significant disabilities, there are no longitudinal investigations of adult outcomes for persons with significant disabilities who received services in inclusive general education settings. This study uses qualitative methods to describe two persons with significant disabilities across settings over time. After originally receiving special education services together in a self-contained special education class in middle school, these individuals then received services in different types of settings (i.e., one received services in self-contained special education settings and one received services in inclusive general education settings) for the remainder of their educational careers. Findings indicated that the individual who received services in inclusive general education settings appeared to have achieved better adult outcomes as reflected in performance in community living and work contexts, interactions with schoolmates and co-workers, independent participation in naturally-occurring activities, and quality and size of a natural support network. In addition, the findings suggest the importance of a “benefactor” on the quality of long-term outcomes achieved by individuals with significant disabilities.

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Social Skills Instruction Carried Out by Teachers Working at Private Special Education Institutions in Turkey

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Ayten Uysal and Yasemin Ergenekon

Abstract: As social beings, humans have to learn social behaviors, too. The social behavior repertoire is increased by learning, and is affected by any factors that may impact learning. Individuals with developmental disabilities need systematic teaching in order to acquire social skills (SS) in natural settings. Via SS instruction, SS are taught to individuals who have social inadequacies or, in other words, such individuals are taught how to use the skills they already have in their repertoire. In this study, in order to determine the SS teaching practices of teachers who work at private special education centers, semi-structured interviews were conducted and the data collected have been analyzed by using inductive analysis procedures. The participants of this study were 14 teachers. The results demonstrated that teachers were having serious problems and inadequacies regarding SS instruction. It can be said that, there is a need for supportive services for systematic planning of SS instruction for pre-service and in-service teachers.

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Resilience in Families with an Autistic Child

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Abraham P. Greeff and Kerry-Jan van der Walt

Abstract: The primary aim of this study was to identify characteristics and resources that families have that enable them to adapt successfully and be resilient despite the presence of an autistic child in the family. The study was rooted within the contextual framework of the Resilience Model of Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation of McCubbin and McCubbin (1996). Parents of 34 families whose children attend a special school for autistic learners in the Western Cape, South Africa completed self-report questionnaires and answered an open-ended question. Resilience factors identified in this study include higher socioeconomic status; social support; open and predictable patterns of communication; a supportive family environment, including commitment and flexibility; family hardiness; internal and external coping strategies; a positive outlook on life; and family belief systems.

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Training Teachers to Use an Inquiry-Based Task Analysis to Teach Science to Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Ginevera R. Courtade, Diane M. Browder, Fred Spooner, and Warren DiBiase

Abstract: Federal mandates as well as the National Science Education Standards call for science education for all students. IDEA (2004) and NCLB (2002) require access to and assessment of the general curriculum, including science. Although some research exists on teaching academics to students with significant disabilities, the research on teaching science is especially limited. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if teachers of students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities could learn to use a task analysis for inquiry-based science instruction and if this training increased student responding. The findings of this study demonstrated a functional relationship between the inquiry-based science instruction training and teacher’s ability to instruct students with moderate and severe disabilities in science.

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Description of Communication Breakdown Repair Strategies Produced By Nonverbal Students with Developmental Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Baris Dincer and Dilek Erbas

Abstract: This study describes the communication repair behaviors used by nonverbal students with developmental disabilities in the interactions they were involved in with their teachers during free play activities. All children were students at centers serving student with developmental disabilities at Anadolu University in Turkey. Data were collected by videotaping the students during free play sessions at the centers they attended. The tapes were observed by the researchers, and any communication repair behaviors displayed by the students and communication breakdowns used by their teachers was recorded. The results of this study revealed that repetition, no response, addition, and recast were most frequent communication breakdown strategies displayed by nonverbal students with developmental disabilities, respectively. In addition, results showed that there was a positive correlation between the way teachers expressed communication breakdowns and the communication strategies the students used, which may be interpreted as the more teachers made use of asking for clarification, the more students utilized recast, addition and repetition strategies.

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Evaluation of a Personal Digital Assistant as a Self-Prompting Device for Increasing Multi-Step Task Completion by Students with Moderate Intellectual Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Linda C. Mechling, David L. Gast, and Nicole H. Seid

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the use of a personal digital assistant (PDA), with picture, auditory, and video prompts, would serve as a portable self-prompting device to facilitate independent task performance by high school age students with moderate intellectual disabilities. A multiple probe design was used across three cooking recipes and replicated across three students to evaluate the effectiveness of the self-prompting program. Results indicate that students were able to independently use a PDA to self-prompt completion of the three cooking recipes without the need for external adult prompting, to maintain use of the device over time, and to self-adjust the levels of prompts used within and across recipes.

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Family Perspectives on Post-Secondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Megan M. Griffin, Elise D. McMillan, and Robert M. Hodapp

Abstract: This study investigated the issues that families consider when making decisions regarding postsecondary education (PSE) for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Survey respondents were 108 family members of transition-aged students with intellectual disabilities. Although respondents were generally positive about PSE programs, they reported that educators’ attitudes were less supportive. Respondents identified many barriers that prevent their understanding of PSE options, but a lack of information and guidance was the barrier cited by the most respondents. When considering PSE options, respondents were most concerned about student safety, and they considered a focus on employment to be the most important program component. Continued research is needed to investigate the factors critical in developing successful PSE programs for students with intellectual disabilities.

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Deinstitutionalisation and Adaptation of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Results from Que´bec

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Hubert Gascon and Pierre Morin

Abstract: During the past twenty years, an important body of research has examined the different impacts of deinstitutionalisation on the adaptation and quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities. This empirical study was conducted with 136 persons with intellectual disabilities following the closure of the Hoˆpital Saint-Julien (Que´bec, Canada). Various questionnaires relating to adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, mental health problems, medication and to the relocation were completed. The measures were taken following the exit from institutions and subsequently after 27 months. Improvements are observed on adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, and on mental health. The relation between medication’s evolution and the one noted for the maladaptive behaviors and mental health is examined. The relocation variable should be considered in future studies.

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Effects of Most to Least Prompting on Teaching Simple Progression Swimming Skill for Children with Autism

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Ilker Yilmaz, Ferman Konukman, Binyamin Birkan, and Mehmet Yanardag˘

Abstract: Effects of most to least prompting on teaching simple progression swimming skill for children with autism were investigated. A single subject multiple baseline model across subjects with probe conditions was used. Participants were three boys, 9 years old. Data were collected over a 10-week with session three times a week period using the single opportunity method as an intervention. Results indicated that all the boys increased their simple progression swimming skill significantly during intervention phase. In addition, participants maintained their successful skills during first, second and fourth week of generalization phases. Results showed that most to least prompting was an effective way of increasing and maintaining simple progression swimming skill of children with autism.

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Enabling a Prelinguistic Communicator with Autism to Use Picture Card as a Strategy for Repairing Listener Misunderstandings: A Case Study

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Yoshihisa Ohtake, Michael Wehmeyer, Naomi Uchida, Akitaka Nakaya, and Masafumi Yanagihara

Abstract: The purpose of this case study was to examine the effects of a time-delay prompting procedure on the acquisition of skills for repairing multiple listener misunderstandings. A prelinguistic student with autism was taught to use picture cards as a strategy to repair listener misunderstandings in a setting where the student had to ask the listener to pick up a pen to paint a TV logo that was one of his preoccupations. The listener intentionally provided the student a pen with non-preferred attributions (brand, color, or size) to provide the student opportunities to repair the communication breakdown. The type and number of attributions misunderstood by the listener in a communication episode changed as the student met the predetermined criterion. Results of a changing-criterion design demonstrated that the intervention was effective in enabling the student to use picture cards in a way that took into consideration which attributions the listener misunderstood.

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Professionals’ Attitudes on Partnering with Families of Children and Youth with Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Jamie Bezdek, Jean Ann Summers, and Ann Turnbull

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the professionals’ perspectives regarding characteristics of effective partnerships with parents. The sample involved 20 professionals representing the backgrounds of occupational therapists/physical therapists/speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and health professionals. The following three themes were identified through qualitative analysis: (a) gap between family-centered language and actions; (b) “Goldilocks” perception (i.e., the perception that parents may be involved too much, too little, or just right); and (c) parental blame. Future directions for research and practice are suggested.

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Effects of the TOUCHMATH Program Compared to a Number Line Strategy to Teach Addition Facts to Middle School Students with Moderate Intellectual Disabilities

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

By: Dale Fletcher, Richard T. Boon, and David F. Cihak

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to systematically replicate and extend previous studies of the TOUCHMATH program, a multi-sensory mathematics program (Bullock, Pierce, & McClellan, 1989). Three middle school students with moderate and multiple disabilities (e.g., autism and moderate intellectual disabilities) participated. Students were taught how to solve single-digit mathematics problems using TOUCHMATH and a number line. An alternating-treatments design across participants (Barlow & Hersen, 1984) was utilized to evaluate and compare the effects of both strategies. Results indicated that the TOUCHMATH strategy was more effective and efficient in teaching students’ single-digit addition problems compared to the use of the number line. Limitations of the study, implications for practice for classroom teachers, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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