Special School Setting Research Articles

Teaching Physics to Students With Intellectual Disabilities Using Digital Learning Objects

Digital Learning Objects (DLOs) as pedagogical complete structures of learning content contribute to science education. DLOs especially in the form of interactive simulations seem to be promising tools in physics teaching and learning for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study used an AB single subject design to evaluate the effects of four DLOs on students’ learning of transverse waves and simple pendulum motion in a special education high school setting. A functional relationship was found between students’ correct responses concerning both scientific terminology and physical phenomena understanding during probe sessions and the DLOs intervention. In addition, a social validity assessment that evaluated students’ attitudes on learning, quality, and engagement, showed that the DLOs helped students with ID to acquire physics content. The students also reported satisfaction from using the DLOs. Suggestions for future research include the design of DLOs especially for students with ID.

Special educators’ experiences of a numeracy intervention for autistic students

ABSTRACT Very little qualitative research has been carried out about the experiences of educators who deliver mathematics evidence-based teaching programmes to autistic students. Using a semi-structured format, we interviewed ten educators who had been delivering the Teaching Early Numeracy to Children with Developmental Disabilities (TEN-DD) programme for eight months with autistic students in a special school setting. Reflexive thematic analysis findings indicated that taking part in the numeracy intervention was a valuable experience for both the educators and their students. There was initial scepticism about the intervention, but this was transformed to conviction during the implementation period. Educators reported an increased sense of competence in their teaching skills, evident in greater satisfaction and increased self-efficacy. Furthermore, there was a strong interest in continuing to use the numeracy intervention with students. There were also implementation challenges with TEN-DD, including students’ challenging behavior. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Considerations About How Emotional Intelligence can be Enhanced in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this perspective paper, we review established areas of ASD emotional difficulties in relation to “emotional intelligence” (EI) theoretical frameworks. Existing literature suggests that people with ASD have lower EI on average in the domains of perceiving emotions from the environment and body language, using emotions to relate to other’s experience, understanding emotions based on contextual cues, and managing emotions in the self and others. Poorer EI in ASD may detract from academic success, even when cognitive intelligence is intact. We conclude by considering the manner in which EI interventions in special education classrooms and school settings, formerly termed “Social and Emotional Learning” (SEL) programs, can be adapted to promote EI in children with ASD.

Dog training intervention improves adaptive social communication skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder: A controlled crossover study

There is some evidence that using therapy dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder generally results in improved social communication skills and reduced behavioral problems. However, well-controlled studies that examine its effectiveness are scarce. This study examined the effectiveness of a "Dog Training Intervention." The study included 73 participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (61 males, 12 females) with age range of 2:10-7:6 years (M = 4:10 ± 1:0) who attend autism spectrum disorder-specific special education schools. The study population was divided into two groups. Each group received the dog training intervention during one part of the school year (first half or second half) in addition to the standard interventions provided by the special education school settings. The dog training intervention was given twice weekly for 4 months within the school setting. The group that received the dog training intervention first showed a significant increase in adaptive social and communication skills in comparison to the second group that did not receive the intervention in this period. This improvement was maintained after the dog training intervention. The second group, which received intervention at the second half of the year, showed improvement in communication and socialization adaptive skills only during the period in which they received the dog training intervention. The positive impact on social communication adaptive skills of the dog training intervention among young children with autism spectrum disorder suggests that dogs may serve as an effective model for establishing social interaction. Dog training intervention appears to be an effective adjunct treatment to the interventions provided in special education schools for young children with autism spectrum disorder.

Multiple comparison test by Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD): Do the confident level control type I error

Examining a huge amount of data is a typical issue in any research process. However, different statistical processes and techniques play essential role to derive a meaningful conclusion from the presented enormous data. Control of type I error is highly essential for a researcher or statistician while dealing with comparisons test with more than two variables. Multiple testing statistical tests provides a structural system and minimizes the error rate by helping to derive meaningful accurate conclusions. Among the different multiple test procedures Tukey's honestly significant difference test (Tukey's HSD) is most common and popular techniques. The main objective of this study was to explore how significantly selection of confidence level or error rate can affect the rate of committing type I error while drawing conclusion. The effect of committing type I error with selection of confidence level or error rate was explored with citing suitable case study in a special education setting. The case study focuses cognitive effect of music on growth and enhancement of the motor behavior (running, jumping and sliding) of children with mild intellectual disability enrolled in the special school setting. ANOVA test was performed and the significance of selection of individual confidence level and simultaneous confidence level) in Tukey’s HSD test was described.

Fear or freedom? Visually impaired students’ ambivalent perspectives on physical education

With a growing interest in sport, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle, bodily practices are increasing in importance in our society. In the school context, physical education (PE) is the subject where these practices play a central role. But, the German language discourse shows in an exemplary manner that inherent body-related social normality requirements are articulated in didactic traditions and curricular requirements, and that these normality requirements have exclusionary potential for those students who do not fit into the norms. Against this background, this article seeks to understand children with visual impairments’ (CWVI’s) individual constructions of PE in a school specialized for CWVI in Germany. This interview study with eight CWVI focused on individual opportunities and challenges concerning central aspects in PE. The findings show that the CWVI draw ambivalent perspectives on PE that range from existential fears (e.g., fears of heights) to feeling free in working off energy. These aspects especially gain importance in connection to the body, when the general wish to learn and experience with the body seems to be disturbed by normality requirements – like doing certain movements in a pre-defined way – which lead to existential challenges for the CWVI. Further, the relationship between blind and visually impaired students in PE seems ambivalent. Within this special school setting, the segregation according to the external differentiation in “handicapped” and “non-handicapped” somehow leads to a kind of subsegregation at the blind and visually impaired school.

Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Biofeedback Game (DEEP) to Reduce Anxiety and Disruptive Classroom Behavior: Single-Case Study.

BackgroundMany adolescents in special education are affected by anxiety in addition to their behavioral problems. Anxiety leads to substantial long-term problems and may underlie disruptive behaviors in the classroom as a result of the individual’s inability to tolerate anxiety-provoking situations. Thus, interventions in special needs schools that help adolescents cope with anxiety and, in turn, diminish disruptive classroom behaviors are needed.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of a virtual reality biofeedback game, DEEP, on daily levels of state-anxiety and disruptive classroom behavior in a clinical sample. In addition, the study also aimed to examine the duration of the calm or relaxed state after playing DEEP.MethodsA total of 8 adolescents attending a special secondary school for students with behavioral and psychiatric problems participated in a single-case experimental ABAB study. Over a 4-week period, participants completed 6 DEEP sessions. In addition, momentary assessments (ie, 3 times a day) of self-reported state-anxiety and teacher-reported classroom behavior were collected throughout all A and B phases.ResultsFrom analyzing the individual profiles, it was found that 6 participants showed reductions in anxiety, and 5 participants showed reductions in disruptive classroom behaviors after the introduction of DEEP. On a group level, results showed a small but significant reduction of anxiety (d=–0.29) and a small, nonsignificant reduction of disruptive classroom behavior (d=−0.16) on days when participants played DEEP. Moreover, it was found that the calm or relaxed state of participants after playing DEEP lasted for about 2 hours on average.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of the game, DEEP, as an intervention for anxiety and disruptive classroom behavior in a special school setting. Future research is needed to fully optimize and personalize DEEP as an intervention for the heterogeneous special school population.

Quality of Life of Hearing-Impaired Middle School Students: a Cross-Sectional Study in Hubei Province, China

To assess the self-perceived quality of life of in middle school student with hearing impairment and identify the social-demographic and clinical factors those influence their quality of life in Hubei Province, China. A school-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in Hubei Province. Using stratified sampling method, 437 middle school students diagnosed with hearing impairment, aged 12-18 years, in special school setting were enrolled in the study. The Quality of Life Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSCA) was used for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at the significance of p < 0.05. The quality of life of participates calculated to be 132.43 ± 15.19, and no significant differences were found in the overwhelming majority subscale and whole scale between students with hearing impairment and their normal hearing peers. Good peer relationships (β = −6.32, p < 0.001) and school performance (β = −3.58, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a better quality of life. Moreover, receiving hearing rehabilitation was also significantly associated with a better quality of life (β = 2.81, p < 0.001). Overall, students with hearing impairment reported similar quality of life to their normal hearing peers. The findings contradicted with the hypothesis that hearing impaired students could have poorer quality of life compared with their normal hearing peers. Promoting peer relationship and school performance may be conducive to the improvement of quality of life in hearing impaired students.

개별차원의 긍정적 행동지원이 특수학교 전공과 자폐스펙트럼장애 학생의 자리이탈 행동에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the individualized positive behavior support (PBS) on out-of-seat behavior of a student in vocational education program after high school with autism spectrum disorder in transition program after special school graduation. A multiple baseline design across settings was utilized as a research design in this investigation. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) was used to develop the problem behavior hypothesis and individualized positive behavior support has been provided as an intervention in special school setting. Results of the study indicated that individualized PBS decreased out-of-seat behavior for a student with autism spectrum disorder in transition program after schooling. The effects of PBS for a student with autism spectrum disorder in post-high school specialized vocational program suggested that more research of PBS intervention would be necessary to generalize the results of this study and quality of life perspective.

Factors influencing a physical education teacher’s pedagogical games practices with pupils experiencing social, emotional and mental health issues

Recognizing the limited research examining physical education teachers’ pedagogical practices for pupils experiencing social, emotional and behavioural issues, this case study sought to examine how a male teacher with a high performing sports background taught games to such pupils and identify those factors that led to such practices. Occupational socialization was used to explore how childhood experiences of physical education and high performance sport, higher education and the workplace influenced his teaching and learning approaches in a special school setting. Data were collected by conducting three semi-structured interviews, eight videoed lesson observations and a self-reflective journal. Inductive data analysis identified that the twin aims of developing life skills and transferability of such skills beyond physical education were said to be achieved by developing pupils’ emotional resilience and encouraging appropriate social behaviour. The influence of the teacher’s family, his high performing sporting background, the needs of the pupils and the school’s policies impacted on developing such resilience and social behaviour. Two suggestions are offered as a result of these findings. Firstly, prior examination of childhood values should be undertaken for those wishing to teach physical education to pupils experiencing social, emotional and mental health issues. Secondly, given this study contradicts research findings that teachers with high performing sport backgrounds emphasize the development of pupils’ practical performance, research examining the impact of such sportspersons on physical education pedagogy in different educational settings appears warranted.

Prevalence and correlates of challenging behaviour in children and young people in a special school setting

ABSTRACT Previous research is not conclusive in detailing the prevalence of challenging behaviour and its correlates in children with intellectual disabilities in school settings in particular. In the current study, an amended version of the Behaviour Problems Inventory – Short Form was used to collect data from a sample of 321 students in a special school. Prevalence of challenging behaviour was high with 53% of students having at least one challenging behaviour, 36.4% self-injurious behaviour, 30.2% aggressive/destructive behaviour, and 25.9% stereotyped behaviour. Challenging behaviour overall was significantly associated with poorer adaptive behaviour skills and the presence of an autism diagnosis. Stereotyped behaviour was also significantly associated with higher levels of neighbourhood deprivation and age. The implications of these findings for schools and future research are discussed.

Use of Information Technology for Communication and Learning in Secondary School Students with a Hearing Disability

Information technology (IT) is important to meet the needs of students with a hearing disability in special Thai school settings. The aim of this paper was to research the use and opinion of IT for communication and learning from students with a hearing disability in schools for the deaf. The IT in this study included information devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets. This study used the stratified random sampling method for enrolling its participants. Data collected from 192 students with a hearing disability using a self-administered questionnaires. Results found that most of these students knew about chat applications, for example, Line, Facebook, Messenger and face-to-face conversation apps. Furthermore, most of these students contacted people with hearing problems by sending messages through Facebook, Line and face-to-face applications. The main reasons why they used IT was for convenience and general conversation. A study of opinions on the use of IT by students with a hearing disability found that most of them agreed that IT equipment contributed to their participation in various activities, including conversations with their relatives and friends on social networking. Conclusion and discussions were included.

The effect of interactive computer play on balance and functional abilities in children with moderate cerebral palsy: a pilot randomized study

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of a six-week interactive computer play training on balance and gross motor function in children with moderate cerebral palsy. Design: A pilot single-blinded matched randomized controlled study. Setting: Community. Participants: In total, 18 children with moderate cerebral palsy were recruited, paired according to age and severity of cerebral palsy and randomized into intervention group or control group. Intervention: The intervention group received additional trunk control training using the interactive computer play in sitting four times per week, 20 minutes per session for six weeks. All study children continued their usual physiotherapy programme. Measurements: All study children were assessed at baseline, week 3, week 6 (completion of intervention) and week 12 using the Pediatric Reach Test, Gross Motor Function Measure–66-Item Set and 2-Minute Walk Test. Results: All intervention children completed and enjoyed the training with no reported adverse event. All children were assessed at all time points. No significant difference was found between the two groups in all assessments. In both groups of children, significant improvements were found in the Gross Motor Function Measure–66-Item Set between week 3 (intervention group: mean 53.41, SD 5.34; control group: mean 52.86, SD 8.33) and week 6 (intervention group: mean 55.00, SD 6.32; control group: mean 54.20, SD 8.35). Conclusion: The intervention protocol of a six-week interactive computer play training was feasible and safe for children with moderate cerebral palsy in special school settings. Future studies with larger sample sizes or using single-subject designs are recommended.

Sensory Snack Time: A School-Based Intervention Addressing Food Selectivity in Autistic Children

Difficulties with diet and mealtimes, often exacerbated by food selectivity have been highlighted as priority areas of support by parents of autistic children. There is a large body of evidence noting the significant relationship between sensory differences and greater food selectivity in individuals on the autism spectrum. In order to address the needs expressed by parents the present study examined the effect of a whole class, sensory based feeding intervention carried out in a special school setting that was integrated into part of the daily school routine. The intervention sought to become self-sustaining with minimal financial and time costs. In total 23 autistic pupils aged 4-10 took part in the Sensory Snack Time intervention. Results indicated that pupils ate a wider variety of foods and displayed significantly reduced food selectivity, distressed mealtime behaviours and food refusal following the twelve-week intervention. Furthermore, the intervention was successfully integrated into everyday practice and was successfully implemented by existing school staff. Further research is necessary to qualify the precise impact the intervention had on supporting pupils to manage sensory based aversions to foods and to examine the potential for the intervention to be generalised to main meals and different settings, such as pupils’ homes.

Studying the implementation of PECS in a naturalistic special education school setting

AimsThis study sought to investigate the predictors of spontaneous Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) use in a naturalistic school setting.MethodThe study recruited 44 students (36 boys and eight girls), aged between 6 to 18 years and their teachers (26 teachers and two teaching assistants). Teaching staff completed measures of student’s communicative ability, autism symptomology and PECS abilities. Teachers also provided information of their PECS training history and PECS teaching experience.FindingsStepwise Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that: (1) teacher’s intentional pre-planning of PECS; (2) context in which PECS is used; (3) PECS phase level; and (4) the number of months of PECS teaching experience teachers had significantly predicted spontaneous PECS use. Child-dependent variables such as the severity of student’s autism symptomology and level of student’s mastery and age did not significantly predict spontaneous PECS use.LimitationsThe limitations of this study are the small sample size, teachers’ self-reported bias, and the lack of exploring other potential factors.ConclusionsThe findings of the study highlight the importance for professionals, such as Educational Psychologists (EPs), to consider implementation factors that will impact the efficacy of intervention. In this study, it was the orchestration of how PECS is taught that had significantly predicted better PECS spontaneous use, rather than within-child factors. This suggests that PECS is suitable for a wide range of ASD learners. Additionally, it provides new insights for EPs to emphasise certain components over others during PECS teachers’ trainings.

A Research Review of High-technology AAC Intervention for Individuals with Disabilities

본 연구의 목적은 장애인을 대상으로 이루어진 국내외 하이-테크놀로지 기반 보완·대체의사소통 중재 실험 연구의 최근 동향을 분석하여 하이-테크놀로지 기반 보완·대체의사소통체계를 활용한 중재와 연구 등에 필요한 기초 자료를 제시하는 것이다. 분석 기준에 따라 전자 데이터베이스를 활용하여 2009년부터 2016년 6월까지의 문헌을 검색하여 총 46편(국내 연구 23편, 국외연구 23편)이 선정되었다. 선정된 문헌을 (1) 중재 대상 (2) 연구 설계 (3) 중재 환경 (4) 독립변인(5) 종속변인 (6) 사용된 의사소통 기술 (7) 중재에 사용된 하이-테크 AAC 기기의 유형 (8) 사용된 소프트웨어의 종류 등의 기준에 따라 분석하였다. 중재 대상은 총 126명이었으며, 연령별로는 6-11세가 가장 많았고, 장애 영역별로는 자폐성 장애의 비율이 가장 높았다. 연구 설계는 국내연구의 경우 중다 간헐 기초선 설계가 많았고, 국외 연구에서는 중재 교대 설계가 가장 많았다. 중재 환경은 특수학교나 특수학급과 같이 분리된 학교 상황의 교실 등에서 실시한 경우가 가장 많았다. 독립변인의 분석 결과, 국내 연구에서는 하이-테크 AAC 기기를 기반으로 하는 중재 프로그램(전략)의 효과를 알아보는 연구가 많았고, 국외 연구에서는 다양한 유형의 AAC 도구를 활용한 중재 비교연구의 비율이 높았다. 종속변인으로는 의사소통 기능 향상이 국내외 모두 가장 많았다. 중재에 사용된 하이-테크 AAC 도구는 태블릿 PC의 사용 비율이 가장 높았고, 소프트웨어 는 국내에서는 ‘마이토키’, 국외에서는 ‘Proloquo2Go’의 사용 비율이 높았다. 이러한 분석 결과를 바탕으로 장애인 대상 하이-테크놀로지 AAC 도구와 관련한 중재 연구, 현장 적용, 기기 개발 등의 방향성을 논의하였다.The purpose of this study was to find out the recent trend of high-tech AAC intervention studies for individuals with disabilities. Electronic database searches were completed to identify studies published between 2009 and 2016. 46 studies were identified for inclusion in this review. The studies were classified as participants, research design, intervention settings, independent variables, dependent variables, communication skills by High-tech device, type of high-tech AAC device. Across these studies, intervention was provided to total of 126 participants. Most participants are aged 6-11 and the most common diagnosis was autistic spectrum disorder. Most common study designs were multiple probe design and multiple treatment design. The majority of studies implemented interventions in a special education school(classroom) setting. The majority of studies implemented interventions to compare the effect of high-tech and low-tech AAC device interventions. The majority of targeted behavioral outcomes were communication skills. Tablet PC was the most frequently used for intervention in both domestic and foreign studies. The most common softwares were ‘My talky’ in domestic studies and ‘Proloquo2Go’ in foreign studies. The synthesis of evidence describing views of users and providers and the implementation of high-tech AAC device can provide valuable data to inform intervention studies and functional outcome measures. Suggestions for the future research are discussed.

Investigating the Experiences of Special School Visual Arts Teachers: An Illustration of Phenomenological Methods and Analysis

This paper reports on a recent hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed at understanding the experiences of special school teachers in Hong Kong, and specifically visual arts teachers tasked with teaching students with intellectual disabilities. Illustrating the use of a phenomenological research method, the paper outlines the methodology and procedure followed in respect of determining the source of data, conducting phenomenological interviews, and formulating themes. The themes that emerged from the interviews were examined in conjunction with the stories told by the teachers. The special school visual arts teachers who participated in this study have strong emotional and personal connections with their students. In relation to performing their teaching role, the teachers had experienced problems of various kinds, with many of these problems unique to the special school settings. In an effort to tackle these problems and improve their teaching, these teachers engaged in reflection and explored a variety of ways to enhance their students’ learning. Despite the practical learning problems their students experience, the teachers maintained that studying visual arts is beneficial to their students’ whole-person development. The paper concludes with a critical reflection on the nature of teaching visual arts to students with intellectual disabilities.

A Novel Enuresis Alarm for Toilet Training Students With Intellectual Disability

In this study, a novel enuresis alarm device using a miniaturized radio frequency module and disposable sensors made with inexpensive conductive ink was used to teach toilet use for urination with three participants with severe intellectual disability (two males and one female; aged 7–15 years) in a private special education school setting. At study entry, the participants did not use the toilet for urination independently, despite prior training attempts using standard behavioral interventions. For each participant, the enuresis alarm was used as part of a manualized behavior modification program. Two of the participants progressed markedly in the acquisition of toileting skills during participation in the program, but results for the third participant were less clear. Data suggest high staff satisfaction with the device and procedure and several possible advantages over standard behavioral intervention. Thus, an enuresis alarm that comprises state-of-the-art technology may be useful for teaching toileting skills in classroom settings for some individuals with developmental disabilities.

Teaching Assistants Talking

Local Authorities (LAs) in Britain traditionally employ Visual Impairment (VI) teams as integrative statutory Special Educational Needs and Inclusion (SENI) provision. Teaching Assistants (TAs) work alongside Qualified Teachers (QTs) in VI teams to support children and young people (CYP) with VI. The VI TA has a broad role in covering early years, primary, secondary and special school settings and their key duties can include implementing visual targets, providing sensory support, delivering touch typing lessons, to name a few. Based on systemic and work‐based learning theories, this article explores the learning stories of seven VI TAs who volunteered to participate in professional development focus group discussions between September 2014 and November 2015. The seven participants all work in the VI team of one LA in Cambridgeshire. The focus of the fortnightly focus group discussions were to explore the impact which eye conditions had on the education and learning of CYP. Participants were encouraged to engage in reflective writing about their new knowledge and how this may have changed their VI practice. Findings from qualitative data generated for analysis and interpretation demonstrated that most participants did improve their knowledge and understanding of specific eye conditions. Some participants benefited and changed their practice based on their newly acquired knowledge whereas some were not aware of any impact on their practice. Themes also highlighted constructive comments on how future professional learning for TAs can be improved. There are currently no mandatory training requirements for specialist VI TAs.

Comparative efficacy of a simplified handwashing program for improvement in hand hygiene and reduction of school absenteeism among children with intellectual disability

Infectious diseases are common among schoolchildren as a result of their poor hand hygiene, especially in those who have developmental disabilities. A quasi-experimental study using a pre- to post-test design with a control group was used to test the feasibility and sustainability of simplified 5-step handwashing techniques to measure the hand hygiene outcome for students with mild intellectual disability. Sickness-related school absenteeism was compared. The intervention group experienced a significant increase in the rating of their handwashing quality in both hands from pre- to post-test: left dorsum (+1.05, P<.001); right dorsum (+1.00, P<.001); left palm (+0.98, P<.001); and right palm (+1.09, P<.001). The pre- to post-test difference in the intervention group (+1.03, P<.001) was significantly greater than the difference in the control group (+0.34, P=.001). There were no differences between the post-test and the sustainability assessment in the intervention group. The intervention school experienced a significantly lower absenteeism rate (0.0167) than the control group in the same year (0.028, P=.04).Students in this study showed better performance in simplified handwashing techniques and experienced lower absenteeism than those using usual practice in special education school settings. The simplified 5-step hand hygiene technique has been proven effective in reducing the spread of infectious diseases.