The present study evaluated the use of stimulus equivalence to train novel money relations with adults with developmental disabilities. Three programs from the PEAK Relational Training System: Equivalence Module (PEAK-E) were used: Reflexivity: Money, Symmetry: Money to Monetary Value and Equivalence: Monetary Exchange. The overall goal of the study was to evaluate how stimulus equivalence could help the subjects improve money skills, a socially significant behavior for all adults. The study used a multiple probe design across programs to evaluate skill acquisition following the train/test procedure for each program. Results demonstrated a significant increase in PEAK scores from baseline probes for two of the three programs for all subjects. Additionally, results showed that all subjects learned untrained skills. The results of this study demonstrated the value of stimulus equivalence for teaching money skills as well the efficacy of the PEAK-E training system to teach adults with developmental disabilities.

SPOP paired with multiple exemplar instruction has been shown to be effective with typically developing preschoolers in establishing the joint stimulus control required for the development of naming (Rosales et al., 2012). The purpose of the current investigation is to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the stimulus pairing observation procedure in establishing speaker and listener responses with children with developmental disabilities. Participants were presented with pairings of an auditory and visual stimulus. Testing was conducted after the instructional phase to assess if the participant could tact the item when presented with the picture as well as select the object from an array when given the name of the object. If the participants did not meet mastery criteria during posttests, a multiple exemplar procedure (MEI) was implemented to examine its efficacy in establishing the joint stimulus control of the speaker and listener responses. Following multiple exemplar instruction, testing was conducted. The results of the current investigation show that the SPOP in combination with MEI was effective in establishing both the listener and tact relations for all three participants.

Naturalistic behavioral interventions increase the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of child social communication skills among children with developmental delays (DD). Teaching Assistants (TAs) are ideal interventionists for delivering social communication interventions because of the significant amount of time they spend working directly with children with DD in the preschool classroom. However, professional development for TAs is often inadequate and there has been a limited amount of research in this area. In addition, TAs are often working with more than one child at a time with varying skill levels, but no research has been conducted on the use of strategies with more than one child at a time. The current single-case research study addresses gaps in the literature by answering the following questions: (1) Is there a functional relation between coaching TAs to use EMT and increases in TA’s fidelity of implementation of EMT with a child dyad?; (2) Is there a functional relation between TA’s use of EMT and increases in child social communication skills?; and (3) Are TAs able to generalize the use of EMT across students with varying social communication skills and goals? Results suggest coaching TAs contributes to increases in fidelity of implementation of EMT strategies and subsequent increases in child social communication skills. TAs were able to generalize the use of EMT across students.

Serving children with special health care needs (SHCN) or developmental disabilities (DD) and their families is an important public health issue (Healthy People, 2020). The prevalence of children with special health care needs or developmental disabilities is significant and increasing (Boyle et al., 2011). Caregivers of children with SHCN or DD and their families demand clinical and research attention given the potential range of health and well-being outcomes that are associated with their children’s developmental or medical complexity. The purpose of this dissertation study was to use a quantitative descriptive research design to examine the experiences of pediatric parenting stress and family support for a sample of caregivers of children representing diverse special health care needs or developmental disabilities. Data were collected at four agencies that provide a range of services to children with SHCN or DD and their families. The data for 167 caregiver participants were used for the preliminary and main statistical analyses. Statistical analyses including pearson product moment correlations, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, internal consistency reliability analyses, and factor analyses. Present study findings revealed that (a) the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP) and Family Support Scale (FSS) measures did not appear to be internally consistent for this study sample; (b) the existing PIP and FSS factor structures did not fit the present study data well; (c) the present study sample had higher levels of pediatric parenting stress and lower levels of family support overall as compared to previous study samples of caregivers for children with chronic conditions; (d) the current study sample’s experiences of pediatric parenting stress and family support differed significantly by several caregiver, child, and family correlates; and (e) the current study sample’s levels of pediatric parenting stress and family support had a positive, significant association. Study findings emphasized the potential roles of stress and support in the caregiving experiences for children with SHCN or DD. Recommendations for further study of this caregiving population and their families are discussed.

A prematuridade é considerada um fator de risco biológico para o desenvolvimento típico infantil. Este estudo foi delineado com o objetivo de comparar o desempenho de crianças nascidas prematuras (abaixo de 37 semanas gestacional) com crianças típicas de idade (acima de 38 semanas) entre quatro e cinco anos e onze meses quanto ao desempenho comunicativo e desempenho escolar. Após o cumprimento dos aspectos éticos, foram avaliadas 40 crianças prematuras (GE) e 40 crianças nascidas a termo com desenvolvimento típico (GC), pareadas quanto à idade cronológica, gênero, escolaridade e tipo de escola, 80 pais e 80 professores das respectivas crianças. Foi realizada entrevista com os responsáveis e aplicado o Inventário MacArthur de Desenvolvimento Comunicativo: Primeiras palavras e gestos, com os responsáveis e professores. Os professores responderam ao Protocolo de Avaliação do aluno. A avaliação foi composta, também por Observação do Comportamento Comunicativo; Teste de Vocabulário por Imagens Peabody, Teste de Linguagem Infantil ABFW Parte de Vocabulário e do Teste de Screening de Desenvolvimento Denver II. Os procedimentos de análise seguiram as normativas previstas nos manuais dos instrumentos. O tratamento estatístico constou de análise descritiva e aplicação dos seguintes testes: Teste t de Studant, Teste de Mann-Whitney, Teste Qui-Quadrado, com valores de significância p <0,005. Os resultados indicaram que na comparação entre GE e GC, quanto ao desempenho comunicativo houve diferença estatística significante. Na comparação entre GE e GC, quanto ao desempenho motor não houve diferença estatística significante. Quanto ao desempenho escolar foi verificado, pelos professores que as crianças prematuras apresentaram queixas relevantes de aprendizagem e comportamentais. Porém, o grupo de prematuros não se comportou de forma homogênea. Os resultados deste estudo podem reafirmar que a prematuridade pode interferir nas habilidades comunicativas e escolares. / Prematurity is considered a biological risk factor for the typical child development. This study was designed with the objective comparing the performance of children born prematurely (under 37 weeks) and typical of age (over 38 weeks) between four and five years eleven months, on the communicative performance and school performance. After meeting the ethical aspects were evaluated, 40 preterm and 40 term infants with typical development, matched for chronological age, gender, education and type of school, 80 parents and 80 children´s teachers were evaluated. An interview with their responsible and applied the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: First words and gestures, to caregivers and teachers. Teachers responded to the Protocol of student assessment. The evaluation was made also by Observation of Communicative Behavior, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Child Language ABFW - Part Vocabulary and the Denver II Development Screening Test. For the analysis procedures were followed the regulations set out in the manuals of each instrument. Statistical consist of application of different tests, such as \"t\" Test of Studant, Mann-Whitney Test and Chi- squared, with significance values p <0.005. The results indicated that the comparison between experimental and control groups, on the communicative performance was statistically significant difference. In the comparison between GE and GC as the motor performance was no statistically significant difference. In the school performance was verified by teachers that preterm children showed significant learning and behavioral complaints. However, the preterm group did not behave homogeneously. The results of this study can reaffirm that prematurity can interfere with communication performance.

Uppsatsen är en undersökning av hur rektorer för fem olika skolor ser på musikens användning inom träningsskolan. Studien syftar till att få en djupare förståelse av musikens betydelse i skolverksamheten och för eleverna. I kvalitativa, semistrukturerade, intervjuer har skolledare reflekterat kring musiken i verksamheten på den egna skolan. Med en hermeneutisk ansats har sedan materialet bearbetats och analyserats. Träningsskolans elever är en heterogen grupp med dels utvecklingsstörning dels ofta flera funktionshinder. Ofta har de ingen eller begränsad verbal förmåga och därför svårigheter att kommunicera med omgivningen. Studien visar att musiken används på ett flertal sätt i träningsskolans arbete inom samtliga ämnesområden, i såväl gruppverksamhet som individuellt. I de flesta skolorna finns musikpedagog och musikterapeut anställda, i någon form. I undersökningen framgår att musiken skapar glädje, stärker självförtroende och höjer självkänsla, ger sammanhang och gemenskap och fyller, enligt samtliga intervjupersoner, en övergripande viktig funktion – som ett alternativt kommunikationssätt. / The thesis is an investigation of how the principals of five schools look at music used in special school. The study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of music in school activities and for the pupils. In qualitative, semi- structured interviews, school leaders reflected on the use of music in their own schools. The material was then processed and analyzed with a hermeneutical approach. Special school pupils are a diverse group with both developmental disabilities and multiple physical disabilities. Often they have limited or no verbal skills and therefore difficulties to communicate with the environment. The study shows that music is used in several ways in the school in all subject areas, in group activities as well as individually. Most schools have a music teacher and/or music therapist employed. The study shows that music creates joy, strengthens self-confidence and raises self-esteem, provides coherence and community and fills, according to all the respondents, an overall important function - as an alternative means of communication.

Behavioral skills training (BST) has been proven effective in helping children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) acquire new skills. Little research had been done to evaluate the effect of BST on the acquisition of sport skills within this population, and no research exists in regards to using BST to teach dance skills to individuals with ASD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of BST for teaching dance steps to children diagnosed with ASD. This study used a multiple baseline across behaviors design. The dance movements that were targeted consisted of a tap step, a leap, and a turn. Skill acquisition was scored using a task analysis for each dance step to calculate percentage correct. This study found that the use of BST increased the percentage correct of each dance step from baseline levels in all three participants.

D.Cur. / The feeding of low birth weight babies remains a challenge. Mother's milk is deficient in protein, calcium, magnesium and phosphate. These elements need to be supplemented in order for the low birth weight baby to grow under optimal conditions. The objective of the study was to compare the growth of the low birth weight baby, who was only fed mothers milk, to the low birth weight babay who was fed mother's milk with a commercial fortifier, using mass, lenght and head circumference as a guide. The literature study has shown that there are different methods which can be used to compliment the deficiencies in mothers's milk, for example: premature milk formula, alternating mother's milk with premature milk formula, additional additives to mother's milk and commercial fortifiers. Previous research of mother's milk fortifiers has shown that the biochemistry has positvely influenced their growth. Six patients were used in the experimental group and received 25% mother's milk and 75% fortifier. The control group consisted of eight babies who only received mother's milk. All the babies met the criteria and reached the 1600 gram weight by the time the study was completed. The Mann Whitney U test was used to calculate the results. No significant statistical growth was seen in any of the areas tested. It was concluded that mother's milk should be fortified, despite the results of the study, as mother's milk is definitely deficient in certain nutrients. It is possible to use mother's milk fortifiers in a stronger consentration.

The purpose of this research was to explore how experienced Special Olympics (SO) coaches attempt to integrate the development of life skills into their coaching practice and how the coaches learned these strategies. Merriam’s (2009) basic interpretive qualitative approach was used to guide this research. Six experienced coaches from Ontario participated in this study. Data were collected through two sets of semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and document analysis. Data were analyzed both deductively and inductively using thematic analysis. Camiré, Trudel, and Forneris’s (2012) study on how high school coaches help athletes to develop life skills was used as a framework for life skill development strategies. The analysis uncovered that coaches use the following strategies: (a) having a coaching philosophy aimed at helping athletes to develop, (b) understanding athletes’ pre-existing makeup, (c) providing athletes with opportunities to show their skills, (d) modeling, (e) taking teachable moments, (f) using keywords, and (g) and volunteerism. Two inductive strategies were also found: (a) building strong coach-athlete relationships and (b) being stern and direct with athletes. Trudel, Culver, and Werthner’s 2013 chapter on coach learning was used to frame the learning pathways section of this study. Results from this portion of the study indicate that coaches learned through a variety of different means, including their experiences and through mediated and unmediated learning situations. As one of the first studies to explore the coach’s role in assisting Special Olympics athletes to develop life skills, we feel that this study makes a valuable contribution to the literature on coaching science, sport for people with disabilities, and athlete development. This study also highlights new areas for research that could further expand our knowledge of this topic.

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to investigate how self-identified gay or bisexual (GB) men with developmental disabilities managed their complex identities. Through various profiling strategies and snowball sampling techniques, seven such GB men volunteered. These key participants resided over a wide geographical area, from the coastal US to the southern part of British Columbia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each person, three of whom identified a caregiver as being a particularly important part of his "coming-out" process. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with these supporting participants, as well as a few other relevant professionals. Key participants' life stories were framed within several theories: namely; Goffman's (1963) stigma, Lave and Wengers' (1991) legitimate peripheral participation, disability theory, queer theory and Smith's (1987) institutional ethnography. Similarly, the supporting professionals' responses were analyzed. The results present rich kaleidoscopic narrative descriptions, and provide many implications for special education practice and queer activism. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate