The large number of learning disabled children and dearth of appropriate professional resources in most communities have resulted in attempts, by concerned individuals and organizations, to develop community-centred summer programs for these children. This study presents a model for summer programs for learning disabled children that is based on the results of a pilot project designed for such a population. The pilot project provided a two month program for 120 children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. Each child was assigned to one of six groups designed to develop basic skills in the areas of audition, vision, language, attention, gross motor coordination or fine motor coordination. Group assignment was determined by the nature of each child's major disability. The project was designed and supervised by a professional consultant and two graduate students in the field of learning disabilities. Fifteen teenagers were trained to work directly with the children. The model is designed to accommodate 120 learning disabled children between the ages of 5 years 0 months and 8 years 6 months. One aim of the model summer program is to develop deficit basic skills by providing the children with success oriented, sequentially ordered experiences in all areas of sports, gymnastics, music, drama, and arts and crafts. A second aim is to include the children's parents as participant program observers in order to increase their understanding of learning disabilities and to acquaint them with methods of assisting their children at home. This suggested program makes use of the same type of personnel as did the pilot project. The model is designed to meet community-felt needs using the resources available in reality. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study utilized a mail questionnaire to survey the views of parents residing in Texas regarding the educational needs of their adolescent (ages 14-18) with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Of the 233 parents of adolescents who were reported by hospitals as recently acquitting a TBI (in 1997, 1998, or 1999) of any level severity, 79 (34%) parents responded from across the state. Surprisingly, over half (N=41) of the parents responded by indicating that their adolescent did not have a TBI. This would suggest that the attending medical professionals might not have informed the parents of the long-term effects of a mild TBI. Twenty-five parents responded to the survey and rated psychology-related and transition-related services as the most needed special education and related services for their adolescent. Services were received by 40% of the adolescents, many under categories other than TBI, and the services most frequently received as a result of the TBI were: individualized academic instruction, homebound educational services, and occupational therapy. Of the parents whose adolescent did not receive services, and occupational therapy. OF the parents whose adolescent did not receive services, 44% felt their adolescent had unmet educational needs. Parents rated the following factors as the most critical to their adolescents’ educational needs being met: level of communication between the parent and the school, the school’s flexibility with the adolescent’s rapidly changing abilities and educational needs, the sensitivity of the educator to changes int eh adolescent and family’s daily lives stemming from the TBI, the educator taking an active role in helping the child socially re-adjust, and level of communication among the educators. The findings of this study illuminate the parents’ view of special education and related service needs for adolescents with TBI. In 1990, TBI became recognized as a category under which students may be eligible to receive special education and related services as stated in the individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). However, this study’s findings reflect that, at least in the parents’ perspective, many adolescents still have unmet educational needs and the needed services are lacking. / text

In the past children and adolescents with emotional problems and/or documented evidence of brain damage have often been systematically omitted from samples used for research exploring the elusive topic of learning disabilities. Previous conceptualizations of LD and attempts to define the same may have been premature in forming these exclusionary criteria. The purpose of this study was to employ psycho-educational, neuropsychological and socio-behavioral (Conners Rating Scale) variables in determining if definable subtypes exist within a diverse population of LD and overtly brain-damaged subjects.The 95 subjects selected had been referred for neuropsychological assessment at a large Midwestern medical center. The mean age of the sample was 10.6 yrs.; mean FSIQ = 102. Medically confirmed brain damage was documented for 45% of the sample.Cluster analysis which included behavioral data revealed 4 interpretable clusters. The largest segment (51%) of learners functioned within normal limits on all measures but demonstrated relatively stronger nonverbal than verbal skills. The second group (20%) was within normal limits on all psycho-educational and behavioral measures but demonstrated marked sensory deficits. A third and much smaller group (9%) was distinguished by its younger average age, high percentage of documented brain damage (75%), and clinically elevated levels of inattentiveness. The fourth group (20%) demonstrated both the poorest VIQ and achievement scores as well as significant problems with hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and conduct disorder.For comparison a second cluster analysis based on only psycho-educational and neuropsychological variables was calculated and yielded 2 interpretable clusters. The first subtype was the younger of the 2 groups and demonstrated stronger language skills. The second subtype, the older of the two, showed stronger nonverbal skills. Neither subgroup demonstrated clinically elevated behavioral concerns. The inclusion of behavioral variables within the cluster analysis would thus seem to be an important component in subtyping of subjects with learning difficulties.In neither of the cluster solutions (including or excluding behavior) was a cluster formed consisting exclusively of either BD or LD subjects. Percentages of BD in the analysis which included behavior ranged from 36% of the subjects in Group 2 to 75% of the subjects in Group 3. These findings are supportive of those of Arffa et al. (1989) and contribute to the notion that parallels may exist in cerebral function and/or structure between the LD and BD classifications. / Department of Educational Psychology

This study surveyed school-based speech language pathologists regarding their expectations for children returning to school after suffering a traumatic brain injury. Limited literature exists discussing the coordination procedures that should occur between hospital and school personnel. The survey was developed based on the existing literature and was sent to school-based speech language pathologists in the state of Indiana. A total of 38% of the surveys were completed and returned. Results of the surveys found that many of the coordination procedures in the literature were not consistently being followed. Participants who reported having experience with this population in the schools seemed more aware of the procedures that should be followed, based on their answers to the survey questions. It can be concluded, based on the results of the surveys, that increased knowledge and experience of school personnel about the effects, implications, and needs of students with traumatic brain injury would benefit children returning to the school environment after sustaining this type of injury. / Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology

This study examines the effects of accuracy-only training and fluency training on retention of material learned. Two adolescent participants with traumatic brain injuries were taught to name 2 sets of lowercase Greek letters. Each of the 2 sets consisted of 7 letters. Practice and rate of reinforcement were controlled for in this study. Fluency trained letters showed higher retention (percent correct during retention checks) than the accuracy-only trained letters.