This essay aims to examine the meaning work at daily activity centers gives people with intellectual disabilities and the questions these people consider necessary to ask in quality surveys. This has been done by interviews with twelve respondents in various daily activitiy centers within a private care company in the Stockholm area. The theories that has been used to analyze the empirical data is SOC - sence of coherence, stigma and empowerment. The result shows that the meaning of daily activity is to create and maintain social contacts, feeling important and needed by others and an opportunity to feel “normal” and like everybody else. Furthermore, the results show that the possibility of self-determination, the fellowship with personal and other participants and to have tasks with moderate severity are necessary questions to ask in quality surveys. Another result shows that the respondents are aware that the absence of salary differs a regular job from work in a daily activity center.

Parents with intellectual disabilities (ID) are disproportionately represented in child maltreatment (CM) statistics due to a confluence of factors. Prevention efforts should address this population by developing curricula that support various modes of learning. Technology offers a potentially effective tool because it is visual, free from extraneous factors, engaging, and self-instructional. SafeCare is an evidence-based parenting program with flexibility to adapt curricula while maintaining fidelity. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an adaptation to the SafeCare parent-infant (PII) module for parents with ID by using digital picture frames with pictures of their own PII to effect performance. A multiple-probe design across behaviors was used with one mother with ID and her infant. Results showed a significant increase in PII behaviors through two month follow-up. These data suggest the digital picture frame enhancement to the SafeCare PII module is a promising instructional tool for parents with ID.

Very little information exists regarding the communication ofnonverbal adults with severe Intellectual Disabilities(ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). Most research in this area pertains to children. This study poses the following questions: “Howdononverbal, intellectually disabled adults who haveASD and those people who have contact with them on a regular day-to-day basis communicate with each other? What enhancesand or strengthens this communication? Can positive development in communication occur?”Based upon the data retrieved from eleven interviews, portraits of the communicative relationships of nonverbal adults with ID and ASDand their caregivers were compiled. The results of the study confirmed the existence of a personalized, functional system of communication between nonverbal adults with severe ID and ASD and their caregivers. The information gathered revealed improvement in communication. It was discovered, moreover, that a key factor in communicative development was the creation of common conceptual ground between caregiver and service user. Several attitudes and behaviors on the part of caregivers were noted to increase this common conceptual ground. The study’s conclusion cites the limitations, in methodology and scope, of the current investigation, and calls for more wide-ranging research on the communication of nonverbal adults with ID and ASD. / Det finnsidagintemycket information tillgängliggällandekommunikation avicke-verbala vuxna med gravtintellektuella funktionshinder ochAutismspektrumtillstånd. En stor delav forskningsom har bedrivitsidetta område gäller barn. Frågeställningarna i denna uppsats är: ”Hur kommuniceraricke-verbala vuxna med intellektuella funktionshinder och Autismspektrumtillståndi sin vardagmed de människor som finns runt omkring dem?Vad är det som gynnaroch förstärkerdenna kommunikation? Kan dennakommunikationutvecklas och förbättras?Med information från intervjuer med elva omsorgsgivare skapades femporträtt av detkommunikativa samspeletmellan icke-verbala individer med gravtintellektuella funktionshinder och Autismspektrumtillstånd, och deras kontaktmän. Studiens resultat visade att det finns ettfungerande, individualiserat kommunikationssystem mellan omsorgstagare och omsorgsgivare. En förbättring i kommunikationennoterades. Man har kunnat se att omsorgsgivarens attitydoch förhållningsättgentemot omsorgstagaren varit betydande fördenna förbättring. Resultatenvisade att utvidgning av den gemensamma konceptuella grunden[common conceptual ground] mellan omsorgstagare och omsorgsgivare var en viktig faktor i den kommunikativaförbättringen. Flera faktorer visade sig vara avgörande i expansionen av den gemensamma konceptuella grunden. Det påpekasatt det fanns uppenbara begränsningar i bredden och metodeni denna studie och det konstateras att det finns behovav mera omfattande forskning omkommunikation av icke-verbala vuxna med intellektuella funktionshinder och Autismspektrumtillstånd.

Didaktiniai žaidimai vaidina svarbų vaidmenį, siekiant pamoką padaryti įdomesne, didinant mokinių motyvaciją dalyvauti mokymosi procese. Pedagoginėje literatūroje ir mokslinėje bei mokyklinėje praktikoje jau daugelį metų diskutuojama apie šio metodo taikymo mokyme galimybes. Žaidimo tinkamumą mokymui savo pasisakymuose minėjo Platonas ir Aristotelis. Mokslinėje literatūroje, pedagoginėje publicistikoje plačiai aptariamas didaktinių žaidimų naudojimas mokymosi procese. Mokslininkai, pedagogai praktikai (Montessori M., 2004, Pokrovskis A., 1994, Grinevičienė N., 2002, Kontautienė Z.,1978 ir kt.) nagrinėja didaktinių žaidimų panaudojimo galimybes ugdant skirtingo amžiaus vaikus, aiškinasi šio metodo naudojimo privalumus skirtingų dalykų pamokose. Tačiau iki šiol mažai nagrinėtas didaktinių žaidimų, skirtų padėti intelekto sutrikimus turinčių vaikų jausmų bei emocijų pažinimui. Vaiko emocinio vystymosi problema - viena iš aktualių problemų psichologijoje. Poddiakov A. N. (2000) (Поддьяков) savo darbe teigia, kad įvairiausių mokslininkų darbuose (Henderson B., Keller H., Rotenberg V. C. ir kt.) įrodyta, kad emocijų susiformavimo jų gausos ir diferenciacijos lygis priklauso nuo pažintinių procesų kokybės: pojūčių, jausmų suvokimo, atminties, mąstymo, motyvacijos pobūdžio bei valingu procesų būklės. Darbo objektas: protiškai atsilikusio vaiko emocinė raida didaktinio žaidimo metu, užtikrinus atitinkamas pedagoginės sąlygas. Darbo tikslas – išanalizuoti didaktinių žaidimų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This master thesis consists of two papers devoted to emotional development of the child during didactic games. The first paper investigates theoretical substantiation of the problem. It discusses the roles of didactic games in child’s emotional development. The article deals with the general construct of disability, and the use of the term intellectual disability. The second paper presents results of experimental work. Experiment passed in three stages: Ascertaining stage of experiment - have revealed a degree of emotional development of children leaning on a condition of empathy. Distribution of children in groups has been lead on the basis of allocated levels of empathy by V. Мegedev (1996). Forming stage – was used system of didactic games. Control stage lean on the same methods, as at the first stage. At this stage we seek to reveal influence didactic games on emotional development of the children. Results of an experimental research convince us of that, didactic games influence not only emotional development of children, but also on development of the person as a whole. Thus, under influence of a purposeful management in didactic games children with mental disabilities have an emotional progress more intensively.

Specialiosios olimpiados sporto programų tyrinėjime dėmesys dažniausiai buvo sutelktas į mokslinius tyrimus fizinio pajėgumo ir motorinių įgūdžių gerinimo, savivertės, socialinės kompetencijos ir savęs suvokimo srityse. Tyrimo tikslas: įvertinti Specialiosios olimpiados sportininkų dalyvavimo sporte motyvus ir motyvacijos tipą. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1) Nustatyti sutrikusio intelekto sportininkų dalyvavimo sportinėje veikloje motyvus; 2) Įvertinti sutrikusio intelekto sportininkų dalyvavimo Specialiojoje Olimpiadoje dominuojančią motyvacijos orientaciją; 3) Nustatyti dalyvavimo Specialiojoje Olimpiadoje motyvacijos orientaciją priklausomai nuo tiriamųjų intelekto sutrikimo laipsnio, sportavimo trukmės, sporto šakos ir atletų amžiaus. Buvo tiriami 64 (vaikinai) 13-32 metų amžiaus Specialiosios olimpiados atletai, turintys nežymų ir vidutinį intelekto sutrikimą. Sporto motyvacijai nustatyti naudota Vaizdinė motyvacijos skalė (Reid, Vallerand, Poulin, 2001). Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad Specialiosios olimpiados atletų, dalyvaujančių sporto programose, identifikuoto reguliavimo (išorinė motyvacija) ir vidinės motyvacijos lygis buvo reikšmingai didesnis negu išorinis reguliavimas (išorinė motyvacija) ir motyvacijos nebuvimas. Išorinis reguliavimo lygis buvo reikšmingai didesnis už motyvacijos nebuvimą. Dažniausiai sportavimą motyvuojantys veiksniai buvo sportavimo smagumas, naujų naudingų dalykų išmokimas, sporto įdomumas ir sporto kaip dalies savęs suvokimas. Nustatyta, kad... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Special Olympics (SO) sport programs participation is associated with improved physical fitness and motor skills as well as increased self-esteem, self-confidence, social competence and positive self-perceptions. The purpose of the study was to identify why individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) joined and continue to participate in SO program. We designed a study and directed our investigation to the following research goals: 1) to designate motives of SO athletes participation in Special Olympics; 2) to evaluate type of domination of motivation’ orientation of SO athletes participation in Special Olympics; 3) to evaluate differences of SO athletes participation in sport motives according to gender, age, duration of participation and level of intellectual disability. This study evaluated sport participation motives and types of motivation of 64 males SO athletes ages 13 to 32 years. Participants completed the modified pictorial motivation scale (Reid, Vallerand, Poulin, 2001). The data of the research showed that Special Olympics sport programs athletes’ motivational level of identified regulation and intrinsic motivation was significantly higher in compare to external regulation and amotivation. The data indicated that external regulation (external motivation) was higher in compare to amotivation (p<0.005). In summary, athlete participated in Special Olympics sport programs for their own enjoyment, for learning new skills, for being interested in sport; the... [to full text]

Introduktion: Personer med funktionsnedsättning betraktas ofta som vård och omsorgstagare och inte som medborgare med samma rättigheter som alla andra. Bemötandet mot personer med funktionsnedsättning beskrivs ofta vara bristfälligt och de tillfrågas sällan om vad de själva vill. Att ha ett arbete är en viktig del av livet och för personer som på grund av funktionsnedsättning ej klarar av arbete inom den öppna arbetsmarknaden, finns daglig verksamhet. Syfte: Att beskriva unga vuxna personer med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättnings erfarenheter och uppfattningar om bemötande och delaktighet, när det gäller övergång till samt första åren av daglig verksamhet. Metod: Data samlades in utifrån intervjuer med 14 personer med lindrig intellektuell funktionsnedsättning mellan 21 och 23 år och som befann sig inom olika typer av daglig verksamhet. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys användes för att analysera data. Resultat: Deltagarnas erfarenheter och uppfattningar om bemötande visade sig innehålla både bra och mindre bra aspekter. Delaktighet önskas men förutsättningarna är få. Den psykosociala arbetsmiljön framkom som betydelsefull för upplevelsen av sin dagliga verksamhet. I studien framkom också en oro inför framtiden hos flertalet deltagare. Konklusion: Deltagarna i denna studie uppgav att de vill bli lyssnade på utifrån den vuxna människan som de är. De vill bli bemötta och accepterade utifrån sin person och inte utifrån sin funktionsnedsättning. De vill vara delaktiga och behöver en tillåtande miljö för att få den möjligheten. Det framkommer att personer med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar har begränsade utvecklingsmöjligheter. / Introduction: People with disabilities are often regarded as nursing and care recipients and not as citizens with the same rights as everyone else. The way persons with disabilities are treated is often described as inadequate, and they are rarely consulted about what they want. Having a job is an important part of life and for those who, because of disability, cannot manage the work in the open labour market, there are daily activities. Purpose: To describe how young adults with mild intellectual disabilities experiences and perceive the way others treat them and how much say they have in the context of transition to, and the early years of, daily activities. Method: Data were collected from interviews with 14 people with mild intellectual disabilities between 21 and 23 years old who were in various types of daily activities. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The participants' experiences and perceptions of how they are treated were found to contain both good and less good aspects. Participation is considered desirable, but there are few opportunities to exercise it. The psychosocial work environment emerged as important for the experience of their daily activities. The study also revealed a feeling of uncertainty about the future in the majority of participants. Conclusion: Participants in this study stated that they want to be listened to as the adults they are. They want to be treated and accepted as a person and not based on their disabilities. They want to participate and require an accepting environment in order to have the opportunity. It appears that people with intellectual disabilities have limited opportunities for development.

In the Swedish debate concerning disability issues it has been shown, as in many other countries, that the concept ‘participation’ has been used in a very vague and obscure way. For example, at an ideological level the concept often refers to ‘accessibility’. Others claim that it should be understood as ‘social integration’ or ‘inclusion’. In the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO) participation means ‘involvement’ in a life situation. In the literature there are several ways to approach the concept of participation. Broadly, it is used to describe a characteristic within the individual or the result of an interplay. The general aim of this thesis is to illuminate different forms of participation within the municipal upper secondary special programme for pupils with intellectual disabilities (ID). The study contains two main parts. On the one hand a semantic analysis is made for the purpose of illuminating different conceptual forms of participation. On the other hand a field study is performed. This empirical study can be described as a hermeneutically influenced field study designed to interpret participative patterns in everyday school situations. Data have been collected during a period of one school year. Several methods have been used in order to capture different kinds of patterns in the pupils’ participation in a chosen upper secondary individual program for pupils with ID. These methods involve participant observation in everyday school situations (which was recorded in field notes), interviews with pupils, staff and administrators. Rather often it is implied that a higher extent of involvement leads to a higher (or better) form of participation. My study showed something else. Several examples demonstrated how groups of pupils within the special programme setting gave up their involvement in specific activities since they wanted to show their belonging to a different community outside the school. The analysis showed that involvement, as one form of participation, is highly related to other forms of participation (for example formal and informal belonging). In one sense these pupils had a conception of how to behave in order to be accepted outside the special programme setting. Therefore it is possible to talk about the pupils in terms of different worlds of belonging. For a specific group of pupils the formal belonging to the special programme was a threat towards their self-image, which seemed to derive from another alternative world — with other ideals than are usually associated with special programmes for pupils with ID.

Das übergeordnete Ziel der vorliegenden Dissertation ist eine Analyse eines Konzeptes der bewegten Schule hinsichtlich seiner Bedeutung, Eignung und Möglichkeiten der Übertragung für die Arbeit mit Schülern mit dem Förderschwerpunkt geistige Entwicklung vorzunehmen, da keine generelle Übertragbarkeit des allgemeinpädagogischen Konzeptes auf die Spezifika von Schülern mit diesem Förderschwerpunkt angezeigt ist. Dafür erfolgen als Teilzielstellungen eine Darstellung der Grundlagen des Konzeptes der bewegten Schule und der Pädagogik im Förderschwerpunkt geistige Entwicklung sowie eine Beschreibung der Bedeutung und Potenzen von Bewegung sowie des Konzeptes für Menschen mit (geistiger) Behinderung. Darüber hinaus wird der Umfang der Integration der Konzeptbereiche in die Schulpraxis erfasst, Umsetzungsprobleme identifiziert sowie die Eignung eingeschätzt. In Ableitung daraus wird eine Erarbeitung erforderlicher Modifikationen, Akzentuierungen und Ergänzungen der Ziele, Inhalte und Methoden des Konzeptes für den Förderschwerpunkt vorgenommen. Zur Untersuchung des Forschungsgegenstandes wurde auf Ebene der Hermeneutik eine Literatur- und Dokumentenanalyse sowie auf der Ebene der Empirik eine quantitative schriftliche Befragung mittels Fragebogen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der Forschungsarbeit zeigen, dass Bewegung im Allgemeinen und dem Konzept der bewegten Schule im Speziellen auch im Kontext des Förderschwerpunktes geistige Entwicklung eine besondere Bedeutung zuzuschreiben ist. Das Konzept ist grundsätzlich zur Anwendung in diesem Förderschwerpunkt geeignet, bedarf im Detail jedoch spezifischer didaktisch-methodischer Empfehlungen, die sich u. a. aus den Bedeutungsperspektiven von Bewegung für den Personenkreis, Grundlagen der Pädagogik im Förderschwerpunkt geistige Entwicklung und den konkret auftretenden Umsetzungsschwierigkeiten ergeben.

When we develop accounts of the good life we inevitably need to work with simplified images of human beings so as to limit the ideas our account must grapple with. Yet, in the process of this simplification we often exclude certain types of agents from having moral status because our image of humanity does not take their key features into account. The problems created by this type of simplification are very apparent when we consider how virtue ethics deals with the lives of people with Intellectual Disabilities. Since virtue ethics focuses on reason it very quickly excludes people with limited intellectual functioning from being moral agents who have access to the happy life. In this thesis I explore this problem of exclusion further and present a revised set of virtues based on the Capabilities Approach by Martha Nussbaum. By developing this new focus for virtue ethics I create a virtue-based approach to the good life that is not only more inclusive of agents with limited intellectual functioning but also represents a richer path to the good life for all agents.

Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Considering the myriad of risk factors causing nutritional deficiency, as well as the prevalence of malnutrition and feeding problems experienced by individuals with intellectual disability (ID), early detection and diagnosis of malnutrition in this population group is essential. Objectives: The main aim and objectives of the study were to determine the degree of malnutrition and body composition in individuals with ID living in a psychiatric hospital (North West Province, South Africa), to determine which degree of ID was more prone to malnutrition, to investigate the different risk factors for malnutrition in this group of individuals, and to use this data to adapt an existing screening tool used to facilitate the easier identification of malnutrition. Methodology: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study, with an analytical component, was conducted. The study consisted of two phases. During the first phase, measurements were taken of individuals with ID to determine body composition and nutritional status. During the second phase, said data, as well as other factors influencing the nutritional status of individuals with ID, were used to adapt an existing screening tool to allow for easier identification of malnutrition in the study population. The adapted screening tool was tested by nursing staff. Results: The anthropometric measurements of 244 individuals with ID were determined. The overall anthropometrical status indicated that half of the study population (52,1%, n=127) had a normal nutritional status, that 38,1% (n=93) was undernourished or at risk of becoming undernourished, and that 10,0% (n=24) was either at risk of becoming or was overnourished . Men were more prone to being undernourished or at risk of becoming undernourished (48,0%, n=73), compared to women (21,7%, n=20). Although no significant difference was found in anthropometrical status across the four severities of ID (Pearson Chi-square test (ρ=0,15)), individuals with mild ID were more likely to become obese (19,4%, n=6), and individuals with profound ID were more prone to being underweight (57,1%, n=8). It was found that 41,8% (n=102) of the total study population had a waist circumference (WC) above the normal values. A significant difference was found between increased WC and severity of ID (Pearson Chi-square test (ρ=0,00)). Other risk factors that can influence nutritional status in said population included medical conditions such as hypertension (13,0%, n=32) and epilepsy (EP) (46,0%, n=112), as well as polypharmacy (71,7%, n=175). An existing malnutrition screening tool for the population with ID was adapted by means of the addition of prevalent factors (WC measurements, presence of EP and use of medications), as well as through adaptation of the scoring system. Conclusion: Using anthropometric measurements and indices for body composition, a high prevalence of malnutrition was identified in the study population of individuals with ID. The adapted screening tool was more sensitive than the original tool in identifying individuals who were at risk of malnutrition, or who were already malnourished in this study population. The research undertaken in this respect can help health care professionals to be more aware of the interaction between the severity of ID and malnutrition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Wanneer daar gelet word op die magdom faktore wat voedingstekorte veroorsaak en op die voorkoms van wanvoeding en voedingsprobleme onder individue met intellektuele gestremdheid (IG), is dit duidelik dat vroegtydige waarneming en diagnose van wanvoeding noodsaaklik is. Doelwitte: Die hoofdoel en doelwitte van die studie was om die graad van wanvoeding sowel as die liggaamsamestelling van individue met IG te bepaal wat in ’n psigiatriese hospitaal (Noordwes Provinsie, Suid-Afrika) inwoon. Daar is bepaal watter graad van IG individue is meer geneig tot wanvoeding. Verskillende risiko faktore van wanvoeding in hierdie groep individue is ondersoek en die data is gebruik om ’n bestaande siftingshulpmiddel aan te pas om wanvoeding makliker te kan identifiseer. Metodologie: Die studie-ontwerp was ‘n dwarssnitwaarnemingstudie met ‘n analitiese komponent. Die studie het uit twee fases bestaan. Gedurende die eerste fase is antropometriese metings van individue met IG geneem om liggaamsamestelling en voedingstatus te bereken. Gedurende die tweede fase is hierdie data, sowel as ander risiko faktore wat die voedingstatus van individue beïnvloed, gebruik om ’n bestaande siftingshulpmiddel aan te pas wat die identifisering van wanvoeding in hierdie populasie kan vergemaklik. Verpleegpersoneel het die aangepaste siftingshulpmiddel uitgetoets. Resultate: Die antropometriese metings van 244 individue met IG is bepaal. Hulle algemene antropometriese status het aangedui dat die helfte van die studiepopulasie (52,1%, n=127) ’n normale voedingstatus gehad het; 38,1% (n=93) was ondervoed of het ’n risiko gehad vir ondervoeding en 10,0% (n=24) was reeds oorvoed of het ’n risiko gehad vir oorvoeding. Mans (48,0%, n=73) was meer geneig om ondervoed te wees of het ‘n groter risiko tot ondervoeding as vroue (21,7%, n=20). Daar was geen beduidende statistiese verskille in antropometriese status tussen die vier grade van IG nie (Pearson Chi-square-toets, p=0,15), alhoewel individue met matige IG ‘n groter neiging het tot obesiteit (19,35%, n=6), terwyl uitgesproke IG ’n groter neiging tot ondergewig gehad het (57,1%, n=8). Daar is bevind dat 41,8% (n=102) van die totale studiepopulasie ’n verhoogde middelomtrek gehad het. Daar was ʼn beduidende statistiese verskil tussen verhoogde middelomtrek en graad van IG (Pearson Chi-square-toets, p=0,00). Ander risiko faktore wat die voedingstatus van hierdie populasie kan beïnvloed sluit in mediese toestande soos hipertensie (13,0%, n=32) en epilepsie (46,0%, n=112), asook die gebruik van veelvuldige medikasie (71,7%, n=175). ’n Bestaande wanvoedingsiftingshulpmiddel vir die IG populasie is aangepas deur algemene faktore (middelomtrek, voorkoms van epilepsie en gebruik van veelvuldige medikasie) in te sluit en die puntestelsel aan te pas. Gevolgtrekking: Met behulp van antropometriese metings en liggaamsmassa indekse is ’n hoë voorkoms van wanvoeding in die studiepopulasie van individue met IG waargeneem. Die aangepaste siftingshulpmiddel was meer sensitief as die oorspronklike hulpmiddel om individue wat ’n risiko loop vir wanvoeding of wat reeds wangevoed is, te identifiseer in hierdie studie populasie. Hierdie navorsing kan help om gesondheidswerkers meer bewus te maak van die interaksie tussen die graad van IG en wanvoeding.