Functional Life Skills Research Articles

Perceptions of Saudi elementary school special education teachers regarding mathematics content and instructional practices for students with intellectual disabilities

This study explored the perceptions of special education teachers of students with intellectual disabilities at three elementary schools in Saudi Arabia regarding the instructional practices and content used for teaching such students mathematics. The research employed a qualitative multiple case study design and used an open-ended questionnaire, artifacts, and teacher interviews with 14 special education teachers. By employing thematic analysis of the data collected, the following major issues were identified: (a) there is a strong focus on teaching only numbers; (b) there is an emphasis on teaching functional life skills rather than academic mathematics skills; and (c) mathematics instruction emphasizes procedural mathematics rather than mathematical understanding, also known as conceptual mathematics. These findings illustrated that elementary school students with ID in the sample did not receive comprehensive mathematics education in terms of either content or instructional practices. It might be beneficial for future studies to replicate and extend this research to incorporate observations of the classroom to obtain objective data on teachers’ actual practices while instructing students with ID in mathematics.

Construction of learning environments: A multiple case study in special education settings

AbstractEducation in segregated settings for pupils with intellectual disability (ID) has often been portrayed as a unified form of schooling. There is a risk of providing a simplified picture of these settings and of what pupils with ID need to learn. This is generally stipulated in policy documents, leaving room for staff in school to interpret curricula and form learning environments. The aim of this study is to explore how four different learning environments are constructed in segregated settings where pupils with ID are educated in Sweden. The study was conducted as a multiple case study, using observations and interviews with teachers and pupils in four special classes for pupils with ID (SCIDs). Drawing on curriculum theory, the four learning environments, in the results named as Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta class, respectively, appeared to be characterized by different ideas of schooling, labelled as knowledge‐mediating, socializing, functional life skills and caring as well as teacher‐centred classrooms. The study contributes to a deepened understanding of the complexity of education for pupils with ID in segregated settings.

New Technologies for Inclusive Learning for Students with Special Educational Needs

In recent years, in the context of the educational reform, dominant position is held by the social demand for the inclusion of all students in the regular classroom and the request to redesign the educational process to align with the individualized needs of students. Τhe concept of inclusion, which view the heterogeneity in the light of social justice and equality, refers not simply to the placement of the SEN students in the mainstream school, but basically, to their dynamic engagement in every aspect of the educational process and in the social interactions that flow from it. “E-inclusive” pedagogy refers to teachers’ decisions to providing their students innovative ways of learning and alternative means of completing their tasks, by incorporating the technology in the educational activities. The aim of this paper is to propose tech tools and e-services for the accessibility and active participation of students with special educational needs in teaching and learning procedures of the ordinary classroom and examine the role of teachers in realizing their inclusion / e-inclusion, as the main facilitators and modulators of the classroom settings to an open learning and development ecosystem. The results showed that teachers who provide authentic opportunities for interaction and learning for all their students and incorporate, flexibly, new technologies into their teaching strategies to meet their unique needs, contribute significantly to their acquisition of academic but mainly functional life skills, preparing them for substantial employment and integration opportunities in community life.

Pembelajaran Kurikulum Fungsional pada Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus di Yayasan Pendidikan Dwituna Harapan Baru Kota Medan

Functional Curriculum is an educational service whose approach takes into account the individual needs of students from various aspects to fulfil their future needs. The functional curriculum is a learning design for children with special needs. The focus of the functional curriculum is increasing independence through teaching functional life skills. The curriculum emphasizes the life skills that children with severe cognitive disabilities need to fulfil their needs in their current and future environments. The purpose of writing is as a result of the author's dedication after finished PKL II at the Dwituna Harapan Baru Education Foundation. The method used is qualitative research with data collection techniques by observation and interviews. Secondary data sources for this writing are journals and literature that can support the analysis of the discussion. The actualization of curriculum plans or concepts, the learning process, the realization of ideas, values ​​and the process of changing student behaviour is the meaning of curriculum implementation. The impact of functional curriculum learning on each student is different according to the abilities of each individual. Support and guidance from family and educators is very important as a stimulus for children to learn improving their self-quality.

The Experiences of Students with Disabilities Actually Doing Service Learning: A Systematic Review

Background: There are many examples of school-based interventions involving a service learning project aimed at helping students with disabilities, but it is potentially more impactful on the students with disabilities for them to be active participants in service learning, rather than merely its recipients. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present a synthesis and analysis of all available research studies focused on service learning where the students with disabilities were active participants in the service learning, rather than passive recipients of interventions. Methodology/Approach: We assessed all available studies ( N = 13), including eight peer-reviewed journal articles and five dissertations, for content and for research quality according to established design standards for quantitative ( n = 3), qualitative ( n = 6), and mixed methods ( n = 4) research. Findings/Conclusions: Favorable evidence in support of service learning participation for students with disabilities exists in the available qualitative and mixed methods research, but evidence from quantitative research is lacking. Implications: The activity-based, often motivating opportunities to learn and apply a wide range of academic and functional life skills are abundant in service learning. We urge practitioners to consider implementing this practice, while also noting the need for more empirical research.

특수교육 기본교육과정의 개정 방향을 위한 제언

National special education curriculum is a fundamental standard of education for students with disabilities. There is currently a nation-wide research being conducted to reform the national special education curriculum. The purpose of this study was to present suggestions for the development of the 2022 Basic Curriculum for Special Education. The ultimate goal of special education is to improve the independence of students with disabilities, helping them to succeed in their present and future lives in a variety of settings such as home, school, community, and job. The study suggested three approaches for reforming the national basic curriculum for special education. The first approach was to use a functional life skills curriculum for reforming the special education basic curriculum. The second was to use a unified subjects approach for the reform of the basic curriculum for special education. Finally, the third approach was to infuse the content of the basic curriculum for special education with functional subject contents. The study ends with a discussion of these approaches as they pertain to the reform of the nation-wide special education curriculum for students with disabilities.

Analysis of the Connection between the Functional Life Skills of Ecological Curriculum and the Subject Standards for the Achievement of National Special Education Basic Curriculum by Grade-cluster

Analysis of the Connection between the Functional Life Skills of Ecological Curriculum and the Subject Standards for the Achievement of National Special Education Basic Curriculum by Grade-cluster

Augmented Reality: Teaching Daily Living Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

Independent living is recognized as a marker of adulthood. For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, however, the need for continued support in completing daily living tasks reduces the likelihood of achieving independence in this domain. Barriers to living independently include increased dependence on family and support staff and deficits in functional life skills. In this study, a multiple-baseline across behaviors design was used to examine the efficacy of an augmented reality intervention for teaching daily living skills to three young adults with disabilities in a residential postsecondary education program. Our results indicate the intervention was effective for increasing independence among all participants. Furthermore, the intervention was found to be a socially acceptable and nonstigmatizing method for supporting young adults in a residential postsecondary education program.

지적장애 학생 및 성인의 기능적 생활기술을 위한 국내 중재연구 고찰

지적장애 학생 및 성인의 기능적 생활기술을 위한 국내 중재연구 고찰

El modelo de atención centrado en la persona, aplicado en un centro de día geriátrico para la mejora en las actividades de la vida diaria y habilidades sociales

La experiencia es realizada en dos centros de día geriátricos (uno como grupo control y otro experimental), dirigidos por dos terapeutas ocupacionales, y con cuidadores fijos en cada uno de ellos, ubicados en la Residencia para Mayores Los Royales. Tras realizar una valoración previa a los residentes (Cognitiva, físico, funcional, habilidades de la vida cotidiana y afectiva) y conociendo sus habilidades sociales y valoración propia del envejecimiento de manera individualizada, se instruye a las cuidadoras del grupo experimental que permitan desarrollar un plan de atención centrado en la persona para potenciar las habilidades y el poder de autonomía personal y para favorecer el mantenimiento o mejoría de las habilidades en el residente.Resultados: La investigación se realiza durante tres semanas, con evaluación pretest y postest, y se realiza un análisis estadístico con pruebas no paramétricas en donde se observa la eficacia del mismo en diferentes áreas del usuario.

Curriculum research for students with intellectual disabilities: a content-analytic review

Curriculum content, the issue of what to teach is fundamental. For students with intellectual disabilities (ID), the choice of educational content is crucial in a life span perspective. Curriculum research for this learner group is sparse. Drawing on a curriculum approach, the purpose of this content analytic reviw study is to analyse trends in curricular research, and discuss implications for further curricular research and policy. Curricular research articles from 1994 to 2016 were identified from databases, using systematic search procedures and specific criteria for inclusion and categorisation of the literature. Based on prior review studies, functional life skills and cognitive academic content formed the analytical fulcrum. The results showed that cognitive academic articles had the highest coverage in the literature and showed a steep increase in publication frequency compared to functional life skill articles. If curricular research on functional life skills stagnates, curriculum policy and practice may fail to provide students with ID the skills necessary for social and practical adaption in their communities. A discursive connection to normative curricular frameworks is essential to analyse and guide curricular choices. This article provides analytical insight and directions for future research in the field of curriculum research for students with ID.

Effectiveness of static pictures vs. video prompting for teaching functional life skills to students with autism spectrum disorders

ABSTRACTThis study compared the effectiveness of static picture prompting to video prompting when used as precursors for teaching daily living and motor skills to three individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The video prompting intervention was delivered on an iPad. Participants learned three out of six different tasks, which included throwing a ball overhand, walking backward, performing jumping jacks, washing a mirror, cutting a banana, and brushing teeth. The effects of the instructional methods were compared and assessed using an alternating treatment design. Results show that video prompting and static pictures are both effective in teaching correct independent skill responses to children with ASD. Although one participant showed greater gains on one of the three tasks using static pictures, video prompting resulted in overall faster acquisition.

Raising the Bar

This essay describes major advances in educating students with severe disabilities. The authors propose that applied behavior analysis, the focus on functional life skills, and the promotion of academic content have been the major advances in the “how” and “what” of learning for this population. An increased focus on literacy, improved instruction for teaching state standards, and increased emphasis on students with the most significant disabilities are provided as goals for the future.

Academic or Functional Life Skills? Using Behaviors Associated with Happiness to Guide Instruction for Students with Profound/Multiple Disabilities

The field of special education has begun to concentrate its efforts on developing objectives and procedural strategies that promote a positive quality of life for students with profound multiple disabilities, while determining which educational strategies are the most appropriate. A multielement design was used to compare the effects of two educational conditions, academic skills instruction and functional life skills instruction, on the quality of life indicators of four students with profound multiple disabilities. Results indicated that all four students demonstrated a greater number of behaviors associated with happiness while receiving academic skills instruction. Implications for current educational practices are addressed and directions for future research are discussed.

Improved Transition Outcomes for Students with Visual Impairments through Interagency Collaboration

In the course of a busy day, it is not uncommon to think, If only 'someone else' would do this, and this, and that, then it would be easier to accomplish what I need to do Looking to someone else leads to no one getting anything done. Every teacher of students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) and every service provider who works with these students--whether as an orientation and mobility (OM if only adult service agencies would do such and such, then the schools could do more. Community rehabilitation providers may comment that graduating students who are entering adult service agencies cannot read, cannot write, and cannot live independently. Schools have much to do to prepare children with visual impairments for adulthood: academics, functional life skills, expanded core curriculum, and the list continues. School personnel may wonder if those who provide services to adults with visual impairments have an understanding of the realities faced by teachers in schools today. The field of visual impairment is privileged that specialized support services exist for people with visual impairments. The various professionals who provide these services receive specific training that address the continuum of life-span needs of visually impaired students from prekindergarten to school age to the transition to adult services. When all such professionals work together, the result can be a positive force for change in services for students and clients, regardless of who spends the most time with them, who is for what, or who has more resources. NEEDS Many years ago, the reality of poorly prepared high school graduates entering community rehabilitation training programs in our community (Hillsborough County, Florida) was openly discussed by all providers responsible for the success of these students--teachers of students with visual impairments, adult service agency staff members, and community rehabilitation providers. The three groups acknowledged that high school graduates with visual impairments were leaving school with appropriate completion of required coursework, but without many of the skill levels they needed to propel them into postsecondary training to enter the workforce, attend vocational school, enroll in college, or live independently. So we came together to make a plan. All the staff members from the state agency, community rehabilitation provider, and school district convened a meeting with a trained PATH (Planning Alternative Futures with Hope) facilitator. This process helped us establish interagency goals. We identified existing opportunities within the organization of each agency that would allow all parties to be included and better collaborate in the transition of students, such as at combined training sessions and by participation in staff meetings and Individualized Education Program meetings. Now, organizations that used to work in isolation call on each other regularly for assistance in achieving common goals for students and clients. RESULTS Intended and unintended consequences followed our collaboration efforts, which included a summer transition program. …

Parenting Adults with ASD: Lessons for Researchers and Clinicians

Parenting Adults with ASD: Lessons for Researchers and Clinicians Cassandra R. Newsom, Amy S. Weitlauf, Cora M. Taylor, and Zachary E. Warren Recent reviews of treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) reveal how little we still know about how to help adolescents with ASD and their families successfully transition into adulthood (Shattuck et al., 2012b; Taylor et al., 2012a). Shattuck and colleagues found that services in the United States for adults with ASD were marked by high unemployment rates, a reliance on families to provide care across the lifespan, high turnover rates in front-line service providers, insufficient transition planning for high school students, and generally insufficient services to meet current needs. In a recent Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Comparative Effectiveness Review, the authors similarly found that there is very little evidence available to pinpoint specific intervention approaches for adolescents and young adults with ASD due to a lack of good quality studies. This was especially true for evidence-based approaches to support the transition of youth with ASD to adulthood (Taylor et al., 2012a). For the last decade, with dramatic increases in both ASD awareness and estimates of ASD prevalence, our field has understandably focused intensely on improving early detection and treatment of ASD. Our diagnostic tools and understanding of ASD presentation in very young children has improved tremendously. Different from many of the young adults in these stories, who were often diagnosed in their early teens, we now aim to identify children well before their third birthdays. Research has consistently shown that early and intense ASD-specific intervention can dramatically enhance outcomes for children with ASD. As such, there has been heavy investment in attempting to take full advantage of this early window of neuro-plasticity. However, as these stories illustrate, these children grow up. Their needs change, and our systems are often poorly equipped to help them live fulfilling lives, capitalize on their talents, and obtain independence and equal access, while still providing a safe, supportive environment. Without readily accessible and understandable coordinated systems of care, parents are forced to adopt the multiple roles of case manager, teacher, therapist, community educator, advocate, job coach, housing specialist, financial planner, and often, lifelong caregiver. These stories eloquently illustrate those struggles and successes. Grief and Joy: Opposite Sides of the Same Parenting Coin The idea of grieving a diagnosis is controversial. Many of the writers seemed to feel conflicted about their grief responses and the validity of their feelings. Research shows that many families view the diagnostic process as extremely stressful (Siklos & [End Page 199] Kerns, 2005; Heiman, 2002). Feelings of sadness, anxiety, and depression are common at the point of diagnosis and may reemerge as milestones pass unmet. Families must modify the futures they imagined for their children and begin to envision new goals and dreams. Anonymous Three described this process when she wrote: Most children grow up, go to school, get jobs, move out of their parents’ home, etc. My husband and I have had to seriously consider how much of these are even possible for a young man with autism, even one who has a good number of functional life skills. Tasks of adolescence and adulthood such as starting high school, driving a car, and moving out of the house may be delayed and hard won if met. Raising a child with ASD appears to have particular challenges. Throughout this process, families begin to redefine what “success” means. Rather than ascribing to societal standards, they find joy in personal milestones. McDonald described the triumph of teaching his nephew to shake women’s hands instead of touching their hair, an important safety goal that took three months to accomplish. Each family thereby creates its own path. People outside of the family often do not understand the complicated interplay of love and obligation as well as the frustration and fulfillment that families experience. Just like any family, the parents of children with ASD describe many joys in addition to their struggles. They see their children’s strengths in a world that too often focuses on their weaknesses. Gifted with the everyday experience of their child’s development, they see past the necessity of a...

Practical handbook of school psychology: effective practices for the 21st century

Part I: The School Psychologist as a Problem Solver: Establishing a Foundation and a Vision. Ervin, Peacock, Merrell, The School Psychologist as a Problem Solver in the 21st Century: Rationale and Role Definition. Hawkins, Barnett, Morrison, Musti-Rao, Choosing Targets for Assessment and Intervention: Improving Important Student Outcomes. Part II: Assessment and Analysis: Focus on Academic Outcomes. VanDerHeyden, Analysis of Universal Academic Data to Plan, Implement, and Evaluate Schoolwide Improvement. Floyd, Assessment of Cognitive Abilities and Cognitive Processes: Issues, Applications, and Fit within a Problem-solving Model: Focusing on Academic Achievement. Marcotte, Hintze, Assessment of Academic Skills in Reading within a Problem-solving Model. Burns, Klingbeil, Assessment of Academic Skills in Math within a Problem-solving Model. Gansle, Noell, Assessment of Academic Skills in Written Expression within a Problem-solving Model. Daly III, Hofstadter, Martinez, Andersen, Selecting Academic Interventions for Individual Students. Part III: Assessment and Analysis: Focus on Social Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes. McIntosh, Reinke, Herman, Schoolwide Analysis of Data for Social Behavior Problems: Assessing Outcomes, Selecting Targets for Intervention, and Identifying Need for Support. Martens, Ardoin, Assessing Disruptive Behavior within a Problem-solving Model. Miller, Assessing Internalizing Problems and Well-being. Jones, Wickstrom, Using Functional Assessment to Select Behavioral Interventions. Part IV: Implementing Prevention and Intervention Strategies. Stoiber, DeSmet, Guidelines for Evidence-based Practice in Selecting Interventions. Howell, Schumann, Proactive Strategies for Promoting Learning. Merrell, Levitt, Gueldner, Proactive Strategies for Promoting Social Competence and Resilience. Linan-Thompson, Vaughn, Evidence-based Reading Instruction: Developing and Implementing Reading Programs at the Core, Supplemental, and Intervention Levels. Chard, Ketterlin-Geller, Jungjohann, Baker, Evidence-based Math Instruction: Developing and Implementing Math Intervention Programs at the Core, Supplemental, and Intervention Levels. McCurdy, Schmitz, Albertson, Evidence-based Written Language Instruction: Teaching Written Language Skills at the Core. MacKay, Andreou, Ervin, Peer-mediated Intervention Strategies. Hoff, Sawka-Miller, Self-management Interventions. Gilbertson, Sonnek, Interventions for Homework Problems. Detrich, Higbee, Teaching Functional Life Skills to Children with Developmental Disabilities: Acquisition, Generalization, and Maintenance. Friman, Volz, Haugen, Parents and School Psychologists as Child Behavior Problem-solving Partners: Helpful Concepts and Applications. Shriver, Allen, Parent Training: Working with Families to Develop and Implement Interventions. Bushman, Peacock, Problem-solving Skills Training: Theory and Practice in the School Setting. Swearer, Givens, Frerichs, Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions for Depression and Anxiety. Kern, Benson, Clemens, Strategies for Working with Severe Challenging and Violent Behavior. DuPaul, Weyandt, Booster, Psychopharmacological Interventions. Part V: Evaluating Interventions. Daly III, Barnett, Kupzyk, Hofstadter, Barkley, Summarizing, Evaluating, and Drawing Inferences from Intervention Data. Noell, Empirical and Pragmatic Issues in Assessing and Supporting Intervention Implementation in Schools. Part VI: Building Systems to Support the Problem-solving Model. Sheridan, Magee, Blevins, Swanger-Gagne, Collaboration across Systems to Support Children and Families. Alsop, Dawson, Schaughency, The School Psychologist's Role in Assisting School Staff in Establishing Systems to Manage, Understand, and Use Data. Rhodes, Implementing the Problem-solving Model with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Tilly III, Niebling, Rahn-Blakeslee, Making Problem-solving School Psychology Work in Schools.

Errorless learning of functional life skills in an individual with three aetiologies of severe memory and executive function impairment

Errorless learning (EL) procedures have been shown to be effective in teaching new information and new procedures to individuals with severe memory impairment. The published studies have been based on comparatively short-term interventions delivered to individuals with relatively circumscribed impairments. In this single case study, we explore the usefulness of errorless learning procedures used for seven years with an adult with profound and complicated memory and executive function impairments associated with three distinct aetiologies. In primary functional areas targeted by the intervention, outcome was documented by behavioural descriptions and a frequency rating scale. Caregiver burden was documented with qualitative descriptors. A financial cost–benefit analysis is also provided. In the absence of change in underlying neuropsychological impairments, DI's everyday functioning in critical areas improved substantially, with corresponding reduction in supports and improved quality of life. Caregiver burden was reduced to acceptable levels and cost–benefit analysis demonstrates substantial ongoing cost savings.

Functional Life Skills Curricular Interventions for Youth With Disabilities

The relationship between functional or life skills curricula (the intervention) and transition-related outcomes for secondary-aged youth with disabilities is explored in this systematic review. A total of 50 studies intervening with 482 youth with (largely) disability labels of moderate to severe mental retardation were reviewed. The findings of this review provide tentative support for the efficacy of the use of functional or life skills curricular interventions across educational environments, disability types, ages, and gender in promoting positive transition-related outcomes. These findings are discussed in terms of characteristic features of the literature set and competing trends in secondary education. Selected studies in a number of specific curricular areas are recommended.

Singaporean Parents’ Curriculum Priorities for Their Children with Disabilities

This study examined Singaporean parents’ perspectives on how much they valued major curriculum skill areas for their children with disabilities. Parents were also asked to indicate whether they expected priority skill items within the curriculum areas to be performed with assistance or independently. The results showed that the parents of children with moderate and severe disabilities indicated the highest priority for self-help functional life skills, followed by community-based functional life skills, social relationship skills, and functional academics. Parents of children with mild disabilities indicated the highest priority for self-help functional life skills, followed by community-based functional skills, functional academics, and social relationship skills. The results also showed that parents’ relative ratings of the other skill areas besides self-help skills were influenced by the level of disability of their children. The milder the disability, the higher the relative parental ratings and expectations for independent performance of social relationship skills, functional academics, and community-based life skills. Conversely, the more severe the disability, the lower the relative ratings of these skills and expectations for independent performance compared with self-help functional life skills.