The research, on which this account is based, took place within the context of Blooming Acres, my home, and the learning community that I co-founded with my wife Sherri-Ann. In the first chapters, I tell the story of how I came to home-educate learners with complex special needs at my farm north of Toronto, Canada. I describe the neurological disorders that the children in my care are diagnosed with and map out the main literature that guides how I think about and practice education. The aim of this section is to paint a picture of the context in which the research takes place and describe my role in this community. The second section consists of my research with two of the children who lived and learned at Blooming Acres. This includes their stories as told by them, their parent(s), and the educators at Blooming Acres. As I juxtaposed the life experiences of these learners with each other, and wove together aspects of these stories, significant themes emerged relating to their academic and medical histories, as well as their social, extracurricular, and family life, and finally, their experience at Blooming Acres. I employed a life history methodology; one that honours the meaning and knowledge that exists in the storied lives of individuals. As I applied this methodology and engaged in the storied lives of these learners I learned more about what it is like to live and learn with neurological disorders. Four major themes emerged. The first, Pathology for Support / Support for Pathology, relates to learning issues, referral, assessment, diagnosis, medications and “school battles”. Second, Parent Stress includes behavioural issues, judgment, stressful calls from teachers and principals and school failure. Third, Oasis Teachers / Mentors is an expression of care, support, social competence, self-esteem and relationships. Finally, Strengths and Coping is a culmination of issues such as advocacy for support, strategies for success, identifying and coping with stress, understanding diagnosis and becoming well. These emergent themes are articulated within the context of neurology and school failure (risk) and the context of transformation and getting well (resilience). This work contributes to parenting, education, social work, disabilities, medical and risk / resiliency literature.

Some argue that we live in an “information age”; others claim that we live in a “knowledge society”. This research suggests we live in an era of adaptable and customizable widgets in which users are no longer passive receivers of ad hoc technological solutions, but active agents controlling the behaviour, content modalities, and multiple technological layers transforming the representation and interpretation of information. This study adopts a critical perspective and examines the meaning of access to information and the pertinence of customization. Specifically, it analyzes how the ISO standard AccessForAll (ISO/IEC 24751, 2008) conceptualizes the customization of e-learning environments. A qualitative approach and discourse analysis are used as a methodological strategy. The research analyzes responses to ten interviews conducted with a diverse group of participants. This foundation provides for a discussion about the challenges of customization design and recommendations for the future development of adaptive and flexible learning environments.

Some argue that we live in an “information age”; others claim that we live in a “knowledge society”. This research suggests we live in an era of adaptable and customizable widgets in which users are no longer passive receivers of ad hoc technological solutions, but active agents controlling the behaviour, content modalities, and multiple technological layers transforming the representation and interpretation of information. This study adopts a critical perspective and examines the meaning of access to information and the pertinence of customization. Specifically, it analyzes how the ISO standard AccessForAll (ISO/IEC 24751, 2008) conceptualizes the customization of e-learning environments. A qualitative approach and discourse analysis are used as a methodological strategy. The research analyzes responses to ten interviews conducted with a diverse group of participants. This foundation provides for a discussion about the challenges of customization design and recommendations for the future development of adaptive and flexible learning environments.

The transition to school marks an important developmental step for children and families. Coping and competence during such a transition begin long before the child enters the classroom and effects last for many years. Although children are born with the capacity to learn, it is the quality of relationships, particularly the relationship with the primary caregiver that shapes early learning experiences. This study examined the links between the attachment relationship between mother and child on the developing teacher-child relationship, the effects of the adult-child relationships on child outcomes and on children’s perspectives of their kindergarten experience. Contextual factors were considered in relation to adult-child relationships and child outcomes. Despite a robust literature on mother-child relationships and teacher-child relationships, no empirical studies have examined these relationships with parallel instruments and few studies include the children’s voices. For this study, participants included mothers and their kindergarten children (N= 74) and kindergarten teachers (N=7) from five schools that differed in linguistic and socio-economic profiles. Mothers and teachers completed a Q-Sort measure of child attachment security and dependency, and children participated in three early literacy tasks and a child interview. The lack of significant association between mother-child attachment quality and dependency and direct child literacy outcomes was a surprising finding. Nevertheless, child interviews revealed that children who were less secure and more dependent with their mothers expressed difficulties with the academic aspects of school. The quality of teacher-child relationships was positively related to children’s early literacy outcomes. These findings were interpreted in light of contextual factors as suggested by Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological theory. Adult reports of children’s attachment security and dependency were related to children’s participation in childcare or in a preschool program for more than 10 hours a week and to attendance in a private school that offered a full day preschool and kindergarten program. The implications of these findings point to the important role of high quality early childhood experiences that support attachment relationships with caregivers as children make the transition to school.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of a brief teacher training program in proactive classroom management (PCM), on both teacher and student outcomes. The teacher training program was conducted in a large, inner city public school and was designed as an efficient and cost-effective approach to assisting school personnel in the prevention of off-task and disruptive student behavior. Four groups of teachers (N=16) participated in a single, 4-hour workshop that focused on didactic and performance-based training of such PCM procedures as building rapport, priming for transitions, scaffolding for success, building child tolerance to classroom stressors and teaching replacement behaviours. The program was implemented using a multiple baseline design across groups of teachers. Data were collected through classroom observations of teacher skill implementation and student behaviour (two students in each classroom who presented with behavioural challenges were observed), as well as pre and post self-report rating scale measures of teacher attributions and perceptions and student behaviour. Visual and statistical analyses of group and overall teacher data revealed significant increases in the use of reinforcement and antecedent strategies, reported use of rewards as an intervention strategy, reported levels of confidence in their ability to manage student misbehaviour, and a shift in teachers’ views of student misbehaviour as being more temporary rather than chronic. Significant decreases in teacher reactive responses and reported levels of student inattention and overactivity were also demonstrated. With respect to students, visual and statistical analyses of group and overall data revealed increases in student on-task non-disruptive behaviour and reported levels of self-reliance. Student disruptive and off-task behaviour were significantly reduced. Despite several limitations, the results of the present study demonstrate that student problem behaviour can be efficiently and effectively managed in the classroom without the use of reactive strategies.

The transition to school marks an important developmental step for children and families. Coping and competence during such a transition begin long before the child enters the classroom and effects last for many years. Although children are born with the capacity to learn, it is the quality of relationships, particularly the relationship with the primary caregiver that shapes early learning experiences. This study examined the links between the attachment relationship between mother and child on the developing teacher-child relationship, the effects of the adult-child relationships on child outcomes and on children’s perspectives of their kindergarten experience. Contextual factors were considered in relation to adult-child relationships and child outcomes. Despite a robust literature on mother-child relationships and teacher-child relationships, no empirical studies have examined these relationships with parallel instruments and few studies include the children’s voices. For this study, participants included mothers and their kindergarten children (N= 74) and kindergarten teachers (N=7) from five schools that differed in linguistic and socio-economic profiles. Mothers and teachers completed a Q-Sort measure of child attachment security and dependency, and children participated in three early literacy tasks and a child interview. The lack of significant association between mother-child attachment quality and dependency and direct child literacy outcomes was a surprising finding. Nevertheless, child interviews revealed that children who were less secure and more dependent with their mothers expressed difficulties with the academic aspects of school. The quality of teacher-child relationships was positively related to children’s early literacy outcomes. These findings were interpreted in light of contextual factors as suggested by Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological theory. Adult reports of children’s attachment security and dependency were related to children’s participation in childcare or in a preschool program for more than 10 hours a week and to attendance in a private school that offered a full day preschool and kindergarten program. The implications of these findings point to the important role of high quality early childhood experiences that support attachment relationships with caregivers as children make the transition to school.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of a brief teacher training program in proactive classroom management (PCM), on both teacher and student outcomes. The teacher training program was conducted in a large, inner city public school and was designed as an efficient and cost-effective approach to assisting school personnel in the prevention of off-task and disruptive student behavior. Four groups of teachers (N=16) participated in a single, 4-hour workshop that focused on didactic and performance-based training of such PCM procedures as building rapport, priming for transitions, scaffolding for success, building child tolerance to classroom stressors and teaching replacement behaviours. The program was implemented using a multiple baseline design across groups of teachers. Data were collected through classroom observations of teacher skill implementation and student behaviour (two students in each classroom who presented with behavioural challenges were observed), as well as pre and post self-report rating scale measures of teacher attributions and perceptions and student behaviour. Visual and statistical analyses of group and overall teacher data revealed significant increases in the use of reinforcement and antecedent strategies, reported use of rewards as an intervention strategy, reported levels of confidence in their ability to manage student misbehaviour, and a shift in teachers’ views of student misbehaviour as being more temporary rather than chronic. Significant decreases in teacher reactive responses and reported levels of student inattention and overactivity were also demonstrated. With respect to students, visual and statistical analyses of group and overall data revealed increases in student on-task non-disruptive behaviour and reported levels of self-reliance. Student disruptive and off-task behaviour were significantly reduced. Despite several limitations, the results of the present study demonstrate that student problem behaviour can be efficiently and effectively managed in the classroom without the use of reactive strategies.

Simulation and Web-based Learning (WBL) are both educational approaches that are increasingly applied in medical education. However, little is known about how these two instructional approaches may be integrated to improve learning outcomes. A prospective three-arm experimental study of different WBL preparation materials was conducted. Thirty undergraduate medical students with no prior experience in central venous catheterization (CVC) were randomly assigned to one of three preparatory interventions: tradition reading materials (TM), observational practice (OP), or OP and educational networking (OPEN). Participants then completed a simulation-based training workshop in CVC and a delayed retention test. Performance was assessed by a task-specific checklist, global rating scale (GRS) and by measuring time to competency. Main findings reveal a significant linear trend across the TM, OP and OPEN groups in time to competency. This exploratory study demonstrates the potential utility of Web-based observational practice and collaborative learning for improving the efficiency of simulation-based training.

Simulation and Web-based Learning (WBL) are both educational approaches that are increasingly applied in medical education. However, little is known about how these two instructional approaches may be integrated to improve learning outcomes. A prospective three-arm experimental study of different WBL preparation materials was conducted. Thirty undergraduate medical students with no prior experience in central venous catheterization (CVC) were randomly assigned to one of three preparatory interventions: tradition reading materials (TM), observational practice (OP), or OP and educational networking (OPEN). Participants then completed a simulation-based training workshop in CVC and a delayed retention test. Performance was assessed by a task-specific checklist, global rating scale (GRS) and by measuring time to competency. Main findings reveal a significant linear trend across the TM, OP and OPEN groups in time to competency. This exploratory study demonstrates the potential utility of Web-based observational practice and collaborative learning for improving the efficiency of simulation-based training.

This study examined the impact of working memory deficits (WMD) on the academic achievement of adolescents with ADHD. Adolescents (n=79) aged 13 to 17 years with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD were subtyped into those with and without WMD based on impairment in at least two measures, and then compared on their academic achievement and clinical profile. Results indicated that adolescents with ADHD plus WMD (23%) manifest significantly lower academic achievement than those with adequate WM. By contrast, there were no group differences in psychiatric comorbidity, severity of ADHD symptoms and psychological adjustment. We also found a unique contribution of WM to academic achievement over and above that of other clinical features. These findings suggest that WMD compromise the educational attainment of a subgroup of individuals with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD should be screened for WMD to prevent academic failure and WM should be considered as a treatment target.