Special Education Programs Research Articles

Replication of a skills assessment for auditory-visual conditional discrimination training.

Auditory-visual conditional discrimination training (e.g., receptive identification training, listener responses; AVCD) is ubiquitous in early intervention and special education programs. Nevertheless, some learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) do not appear to benefit from this training despite use of empirically validated treatments. To prevent exposure to extended training that does not lead to learning, a skills assessment that measures skills related to AVCD training will be useful for educators and practitioners. The current study replicated the skills assessment developed and evaluated by Kodak et al. (2015) with 8 participants with ASD who received behavior analytic intervention that included at least 1 goal related to AVCD training. Two of the 8 participants mastered all skills included in the assessment except scanning. In addition, 5 participants' responding failed to reach mastery during subsequent exposure to AVCD training, which further demonstrated the predictive utility of the skills assessment.

SITUATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN BRAZIL AND CANADA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed the world in a public health emergency since the beginning of the year 2020, posing a challenge to education, especially to Special Education. This study aimed to analyze the situation of special education in Brazil and Canada during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research was part of a postdoctoral project in education. Methodologically, it is an international comparative study in education. It was carried out from April 2020 to November 2021, based on a literature review and official documents. The search was carried out in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and in the Institute of Educational Sciences (ERIC), and 233 articles were found. After analysis and following the inclusion criteria, 217 articles were excluded. In the end, 16 studies were selected. The results show that the more structured the educational system and Special Education, the greater the chances of success. In addition to returning to face-to-face classes earlier, Canada also provided more support for families and students, but it was still insufficient. In both countries, children with disabilities are in a fragile situation owing to social isolation. Aspects such as choice of tools, internet connection quality, user skills, virtual spaces for collective support, school and family communication, strengthening of special education policies and programs, adequate support, among others, led to the success of remote education. This research is intended to contribute to an increase in the number of studies in Brazil and abroad, serving as a basis for the scientific production of other international comparative studies. Keywords: Covid-19, special education, comparative study, literature review, Brazil and Canada

Investigating the Effect of Socioscientific Issues-based Instruction on the Academic Achievement of Students: A Mixed-Research Synthesis

This synthesis aims to see the effects of Socio-scientific Issues- Based Instruction (SSI) on the academic achievement of students in Turkey and to help shape future studies on this topic. A mixed-research synthesis method was employed in this study. As a result of the data searching process, 12 studies with quantitative data and 6 studies with qualitative were included in the synthesis. The quantitative studies were analysed through a meta-analysis and the qualitative studies were analysed through thematic synthesis method. As a result of the meta-analysis it was determined the SSI had strong and significant on (g=1.076, 95% CI [0.724, 1.428]) on academic achievement. In addition, it was determined that the calculated common effect size differed significantly according to the school level and the education program applied. As a result of the thematic synthesis six analytic themes were formed. It was attempted to explain the variance between studies included in the meta-analysis, using the analytical themes obtained from the thematic synthesis. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that SSI should be done outside the classroom, experts should be invited to these activities, teachers should be trained on this subject and a special education program should be prepared.

Doctor of Public Health-Crisis Management and COVID-19 Prevention and Control: A Case Study in China.

In the fields of public health policy and public health care, advanced educational programs are an important strategy in dealing with public health crises. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the global need for skilled public health leaders and managers to address complex public health challenges, which requires the strengthening of public health education at the highest levels. This paper is a qualitative case study of a special educational program for doctors of public health in China. The program's educational objectives are in line with epidemic prevention and control. With the goal of developing the world's leading national public health management system, the Chinese government established an advanced academic program for public health crisis management. The program offers doctoral students a multidisciplinary degree based upon the theoretical knowledge of crisis management, supported by advanced training in the foundational concepts, theories, and practices of public health, and the study of basic medicine which provides the theoretical support for developing essential clinical skills. Program graduates develop the theoretical, practical, and leadership-related capabilities required for the management of national emergencies. The program introduced in this paper meets current epidemic prevention and control needs and should be considered by public health policy makers, leaders, and scholars in the discussion of advanced public health policy and health care education in China, including the development of an internationally recognized Doctor of Public Health program.

Assistive Technology for Students with Intellectual Disability: Examining Special Education Teachers ‘ Perceptions in Saudi Arabia

Individuals with an intellectual disability (ID) have complex learning needs, and often experience difficulty acquiring new skills that rely solely on traditional teaching materials. Assistive technology (AT) is a powerful tool that plays an important role in addressing many of the issues encountered by those with ID, via the integration of technology in their learning process. This study explores teachers’ views of AT facilities in different special education programs for students with ID in the Makkah province of Saudi Arabia, in order to identify the uses of the AT tools used to teach them. The study employs semi-structured interviews as the data collection method, seeking to determine the current state of AT integration in this field. The data is analyzed using qualitative methods, and the findings reveal that the teachers interviewed incorporate AT into the academic setting, and agree that such technology can foster student learning, assignment completion, and engagement.

Analysis of Mixed Methods Graduate Thesis Studies in Special Education Programs in Turkey

This research aims to analyze mixed methods graduate thesis studies completed between 2010 and 2020 in special education programs in Turkey. The literature scan has yielded 26 studies. A qualitative research method, analytical research design has been employed in this study. Research data has been obtained from documents – namely the graduate thesis studies – and analyzed through content analysis carried out following fundamental stages of mixed methods research as proposed in the literature. These stages served as themes in this study: 'Determining the research aim and research questions', 'Selecting a mixed methods research design', 'Explaining the rationale for the mixed methods approach', 'Sampling', 'Collecting the data', 'Analysing the data', 'Integrating, interpreting and reporting the data', 'Researcher competencies and roles' and 'Ethics'. The limitations observed in the methodology and reporting of the thesis studies have suggested that the quality standards of mixed methods research are not reflected on the studies. These limitations include confusion in terminology, lack of explanation as to why the method and the design have been employed, restricted validity and reliability, and lack of integration through blending quantitative and qualitative data. In summary, despite the increase in the number of mixed methods research studies in special education has contributed to the field, it is still debatable whether the philosophical perspective behind the method and its strong suits can be reflected on the studies.

Proportion and conditions of use of intranasal take-home naloxone kits: A retrospective study in two French outpatient addiction centers, 2016–2020

Take-home naloxone (THN) helps to revert the medical consequences of an opioid overdose among people who use drugs (PWUD). In France, an intranasal THN was available from July 2016 to Dec 2020, which was directly dispensed in addiction centers, after a specific education program. However, this intranasal THN was subsequently removed from the market. To retrospectively explore the post-dispensing proportion and conditions of use of intranasal THN kits, as well as the preferences for intranasal or intramuscular THN among French PWUD. Based on medical records, all PWUD who benefit from a dispensation of at least one intranasal THN kit in two French outpatient addiction centers, between July 2016 and Dec 2020, were recontacted by phone in April-May 2021, and asked if they used their kits, and, if yes, how. An additional question also explores whether French PWUD preferred being provided with intranasal or intramuscular THN kits. Five hundred thirty-four (534) PWUD were provided a THN kits, but only 188 (35.2%) could be joined by phone. Of them, 26 (13.8%) did not remember being trained for and dispensed with a THN kit. Of the 160 PWUD interviewed, only six (3.7%) reported having used their kits because of an overdose, in three cases for themselves, and in three cases for someone else. In all the six situations, the victim of the overdose survived. One hundred and eleven (111; 59.0%) PWUD declared preferring intranasal THN form, while 30 (16.0%) preferred intramuscular kits, and 47 (25.0%) had no preference. Compared to what was found in other countries, the proportion of use of THN was low among treatment-seeking French PWUD. This might be due to a reduced likelihood of overdose in this population, or more possibly to an insufficient interest in THN benefits by French PWUD.

Sustaining the Use of Evidence-Based Tier 1 Literacy Practices That Benefit Students With Disabilities

The adoption and sustainability of evidence-based Tier 1 literacy practices in secondary content-area classes is important to improve reading success for students with learning disabilities. We conducted an exploratory multiple-case study investigating teachers’ adoption and sustained use of evidence-based Tier 1 literacy practices that benefit students with learning disabilities. The study was conducted within the context of an adolescent literacy model demonstration project funded by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (i.e., Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text [PACT] Plus). Interviews were conducted with two administrators and seven teachers who sustained implementation of the PACT practices beyond 1 year of researcher support. Analyses revealed practice and school-level factors that influenced teachers’ sustained use of the practices. We used findings from this study to propose a model of sustainability of Tier 1 evidence-based literacy practices used to improve outcomes for students with learning disabilities. Limitations and implications for future research are provided.

Teachers’ attitudes in classroom management as perceived by pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

ABSTRACT Studies have extensively presented a range of best practices for teachers to develop adequate classroom management skills. Yet, to date the connected attitudes that teachers would require to capably execute classroom management have received scarce attention in scientific literature. Accordingly, this article documents teachers’ classroom management attitudes (TCMA) from the perspective of pupils presenting with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). Individual interviews were conducted with fourteen SEBD pupils attending secondary-school special education programmes. Using thematic analysis, emergent themes were then identified and categorised, resulting in seventeen teacher attitudes which then fell into four overarching dimensions: 1) Respect; 2) Authority; 3) Supportiveness; and 4) Differentiation. The connection between the teacher attitudes, as voiced by the pupils, and the pupils’ perception of their teachers’ classroom management skill and proficiency is described at length. In light of these findings, avenues for better classroom intervention outcomes and for further research have been proposed.

BASIC APPROACHES OF PSYCHO-CORRECTIVE WORK WITH CHILDREN WITH DISORDERS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

The aim of the article is an analysis of basic approaches of work with a child with disorders of spectrum of autism, that presents an interdisciplinary problem and is the article of research of medicine, psychology, special pedagogics, social work. In the article approaches and directions of correction accompaniment of persons with the spectrum of violations and role of specialists open up in this process. Difficulties of including of autism students are analysed in the class of general school. Drawn conclusion about absence of psychological technology and psychological terms of educational process. It is marked on importance of persuasion of teachers in relation to possibilities of corrections of spectrum of autism during studies. The article reveals the works of inclusive education of persons with the spectrum of autistic disorders and the role of the teacher in this process. It`s analysed the difficulties of inclusion of autistic pupils in the class of mass school. It`s made the conclusion about the absence of psychological technologies and the psychological conditions of an inclusive process. Separately the role of parents and their responsibility opens up in an inclusive process. Underline about a necessity from bringing in to the collaboration with a teacher and parents of other students of class. It`s grounded a necessity of creation of psychological terms and training programs for parents with the purpose of the successful including and general studies of healthy and autism children. It is marked on importance of persuasion of teachers in relation to possibilities of overcoming (corrections) of autistic violations during education and leisure. There are presented the directions of preparation of future specialists – corrective teachers which provide in inclusive space individual approach to autistic child and his special educational program.

Factors Involved in the Overrepresentation of Minority Students in Special Education Programs Through the Lens of Previous Literature

Factors Involved in the Overrepresentation of Minority Students in Special Education Programs Through the Lens of Previous Literature

RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF GERMAN TEACHERS (19TH CENTURY – 1990)

The article is devoted to the retrospective analysis of the development of the ideas of teacher training in Germany since the nineteenth century and before its merger in 1990, during which the stages of the process were outlined. The author draws attention to the positive and negative developments in teacher training and the significant changes in the German education system at each stage. Stage One, beginning of the 19th century to 1917: differentiation was made between the preparation of teachers of the gymnasium, which was always considered scientifically and theoretically oriented, and the training of teachers of the public school, which was mostly practical. Stage Two, 1918 to 1934 was marked by the deepening of the content of teacher training, its professional orientation, the use of methods of working in a group, discussion of the practical experience of students in pedagogical academies during the existence of the Weimar Republic. Stage Three, from 1934 to the end of the 1950s, was characterized by the regressive nature of the pedagogical education as a result of the return to teacher seminars, the simplification and conservatism of teacher training. The Fourth Stage, beginning of the 60s to the end of the 80s of the twentieth century, the system of vocational training in the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR was reformed in the direction of integration of higher pedagogical schools with universities. The publication describes the content of future teachers’ professional training, which consisted of two parts: theoretical and practical. Theoretical preparation was characterized by low level, pragmatic orientation of general and special education programs, separation of theory from practice, high workload and educational work in the phase of practical training. Organizational and structural adjustment in the system of pedagogical education in Germany began in the early 80s. First of all, it is proposed to reform the training of teachers in order to improve their theoretical training.

Quality of Educational Programs for Elementary School-Age Students With Autism.

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of educational programs for school-aged children with autism in the United States. Investigators completed the Autism Program Environment Quality Rating Systems-Preschool/Elementary (APERS-PE) in 60 elementary schools enrolling children with autism. The mean total rating scores were near the midpoint rating, indicating schools were providing educational program environments classified as adequate but not of high quality. Domains of the APERS-PE reflecting structural quality tended to be significantly above average and domains reflecting process quality tended to be significantly below average. With a few exceptions, inclusive and special education program did not differ significantly in total program quality ratings and reflected the same pattern of domain quality ratings.

Формирование стереотипа учебного поведения у детей с тяжелыми множественными нарушениями развития на занятии «Круг»

<p style="text-align: justify;">We present the development of the learning behavior patterns in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with severe multiple developmental disorders (SMDD) on the model of a number of individual behavioral patterns of which the group activity “Circle” consists. The “Circle” is one of the most important organizational activities in the classroom. The study involves a class consisting of five children with severe and multiple developmental disabilities (SMDD) enrolled in the special school education program for children with ASD (so-called adopted general education program type 8.4). Present article covers the issues of the structure of the stereotype of the learning behavior, the aims of the planning psycho-educational work. As a result of the training, all children showed positive dynamics. Also, concomitant positive changes were noted associated with adaptation to schooling. After additional evidence-based studies, it is possible to transfer the practice to work with children with other developmental disorders.</p>

The Use of Interprofessional Education (IPE) to Address Collaboration for Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): A Retrospective Study of Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Special Education Students’ Perceptions

The purpose of this project is to measure the effects of interprofessional education (IPE) on the perceptions of preservice professionals’ development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The preservice professionals (PSPs) participants included master’s students from speech language pathology (SLP), occupational therapy (OT) and special education (SPED) programs (N = 78). The primary project goals were to examine the perceptions of the participants’ roles and knowledge on a multidisciplinary education team, their perceptions of the collaborative process, and their familiarity with the IEP development process. A mixed-methods, retrospective, cross-sectional investigation was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative outcomes. A pre-workshop and post-workshop survey were used to collect the quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected via open-ended survey questions. Results demonstrated increased perceptions of knowledge as a result of the workshop across the three disciplines (OT: t(32) = -3.85, p < 0.001; SLP: t(29) = -5.70,p < 0.001; SPED: t(14) = -2.12, p = 0.02). Qualitative themes identified included increased confidence, collaboration, and preparedness to develop an IEP, and new understandings of roles and responsibilities among the participants.

Зачем нашим предкам понадобился синтаксис? Социальные порядки и коммуникативные заботы (прото)сапиенсов

Objective. Explanation of the late stages of glottogenesis (ordering of an utterance parts, the formation of full-fledged words from protowords, the appearance of the first syntax and grammar constructions) by means of theoretical reconstruction of social orders, challenges, communicative concerns, and practices of late erectus (proto-sapiens and early sapiens) based on indirect data, general laws of social psychology, individual and group behavior. Background. The research on the origin and evolution of language is being actively carried out in last decades. Special educational and research programs, laboratories, centers, societies, journal headings are multiplying; there are even magazines and whole book series devoted to this topic. This interest is determined by the fact that the origins of the main human features and merits such as consciousness, culture, thinking, cognition, are inextricably linked with the origin of language. In the last 10—15 years, attention has been growing to socio-psychological and paleo-sociological explanations of glottogenesis processes. This article develops this direction considering the achievements of domestic science, first the theoretical legacy of Leo Vygotsky. Methodology. An evolutionary approach with usage of multilevel selection mechanisms. Paleo-anthropological, paleo-psychological, and paleo-sociological reconstructions. Conclusions. The transition from the early stages of articulate speech to a proto-language and a full-fledged language was a multi-stage process of complexity and accuracy of utterances increasing. It was a response to step by step renewed techno-natural niches, social orders, and communicative concerns of proto-sapiens, and then early sapiens. The main role was played by the development of fire, collective cooking, joint meals, and the associated ritual practices of telling stories about events that occurred. The result was practice of distant normative control that led to further development language precision and complexity. In later stages, due to environmental and demographic factors in southern and eastern Africa, forced migrations and frequent intergroup clashes led not only to conflicts, but also to the formation of alliances. This formation required negotiations with higher levels of accuracy, logical consistency, and abstractness of communication.

Implementation of the Inter-facility Protocol Including a Company, a Health Insurance Organization, and a Health Check-up Facility Could Improve a Completion Rate of Specific Health Guidance, the Dietary and Exercise Educational Program Provided under the Workplace Annual Health Check-up for a High-risk Group of Metabolic Syndrome, to Nearly One Hundred Percent in a Large-scale Group Organization

Implementation of the Inter-facility Protocol Including a Company, a Health Insurance Organization, and a Health Check-up Facility Could Improve a Completion Rate of Specific Health Guidance, the Dietary and Exercise Educational Program Provided under the Workplace Annual Health Check-up for a High-risk Group of Metabolic Syndrome, to Nearly One Hundred Percent in a Large-scale Group Organization

University Summer Program Model. Intensive Approaches for Innovative Education

The purpose of this paper is to describe the summer university in the ethnographic Bulgarian town in Koprivshtitsa. The aim is to present а specific summer educational program that involve a lot of innovative educational approaches, related in educational field of cultural heritage. The paper describes the most important part of the summer university practices and as a result gives an educational model which can be implemented in other universities related to the topic. The model is described thanks to the experience during the process of education, combined with the feedback of the students and the objective observation of their behavior and attitudes. The research мethods are both - theoretical and empirical, the participants in the research are students. The study methodology is based on field studies, observation, Interview, ethnographic analysis, and educational approaches based on learning by doing and learning by mistake method. The students results are analyzed with the method of quantitative analyze combined with disruptions, evaluation and self-evaluation in the participants in the summer university. The paper will provide valuable information about all segments of preparation of summer school universities in humanitarian field studies at all.

Special Educational Programs for Gifted Senior Pupils

Special Educational Programs for Gifted Senior Pupils

Дети с тяжелыми множественными нарушениями: обзор зарубежной литературы

This article is a review of foreign studies devoted to the organization of psychological and pedagogical assistance to preschool children with severe multiple disorders (SMD). Retrospective data and modern ideas about this nosological group in Russia are presented. In parallel, modern ideas about it in other countries, current research in the field of diagnostics, organization of education, upbringing and social rehabilitation of preschool children with severe disabilities are considered. Among the measures to address issues of development of the socio-communicative sphere, the effectiveness of measures aimed at teaching preschoolers and their immediate environment to use the means of alternative and additional communication, ensuring accessible and developing communication was noted. Among the features of the development and implementation of special educational programs, the importance of a team approach, cooperation with the family and orientation towards teaching disabled child vital skills are highlighted. When comparing the subject of discussion with domestic theory and practice, the similarity of terminological contradictions was noted, as well as the recognition and use in our country of many foreign methods and approaches.