The problem of this study concerned the sociometric status of learning disability (LD) and normal children in the classroom. More specifically, the degree of cross choosing between LD and normal children was compared for three different teaching models.

It has been indicated through research and by personal testimony that although some barriers for inclusion for those with special needs have been broken down since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, one of the most significant barriers still remains - negative and often subtle attitudes. Positive attitudes toward individuals with special needs have been shown to facilitate inclusion while negative attitudes hinder inclusion. Since the ADA law exempted churches from the mandates for inclusion, many have found participating in churches a significant challenge. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitude measurement score of senior pastors as it relates to awareness of special needs populations, types of special education ministries in the churches, previous life experiences with persons with developmental disabilities, and the pastor's training through formal and informal courses of instruction related to developmental disabilities. The research explored potential factors which shape pastoral attitudes and result in either barriers or facilitators to intentional special needs ministries. Data was collected through an online survey format and the results were used in a statistical analysis to facilitate the answering of the research questions. The sample population for the research included the 1296 senior pastors of Southern Baptist churches in South Carolina who have published church and/or personal email addresses in the South Carolina Baptist Annual Report 2008. Through statistical analysis of the survey results, precedent literature review concepts concerning the value oflife experiences with individuals with developmental disabilities can have a positive impact on positive attitudes. The pastors overall had positive attitudes toward individuals with developmental disabilities, but most significantly in the realm of the behavioral domain. Strong statistically significant correlations could not be drawn between having a positive attitude toward individuals with special needs and special needs ministry among the pastor's surveys. There were definite trends which support the important roles of experience and education being made available to pastors in order to potentially bring positive changes concerning inclusion in local churches. Keywords: attitude measurement, special needs ministry, pastoral attitudes, individuals with developmental disabilities, church special education ministry

School-based speech-language therapists play a significant role in terms of education and rehabilitation in the lives of learners with multiple disabilities. Assessment forms a critical part of a speech-language therapist’s post description and is the cornerstone of any type of intervention. The assessment of learners with multiple disabilities poses as a great challenge to speech-language therapists. These challenges include a lack of guidelines, resources, appropriate standardized tests and the heterogeneity of the group of learners labelled as multiply disabled. This research project aimed at describing the methods of assessment that school-based speech-language therapists use when assessing learners with multiple disabilities. Additionally, these methods were compared to international best practice. The first phase of the study consisted of compiling a set of guidelines with the purpose of providing a framework for a proposed set of guidelines for the assessment of learners. These guidelines were based on the principles as recommended by the literature regarding best practice. Because a qualitative approach was adopted for this research project, the second phases consisted of data collection, utilising eight focus groups as well as document reviews. On average, each focus group consisted of two to four participants. The data was then analysed thematically and compared to a checklist. The results indicated that speech-language therapists encountered many obstacles when assessing learners with multiple disabilities. It was evident that the participating speech-language therapists assessed within a multidisciplinary team and that they used formal as well as informal methods of assessment with learners with multiple disabilities. Discrepancies were found between the collected data and the guidelines. The guidelines were then used to propose a way forward for speechlanguage therapists when assessing learners with multiple disabilities in schools in Gauteng.

Thesis advisor: Janet E. Helms / Research regarding the career exploration process for adults with reading disabilities and ADHD who participate in Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs is limited. Due to a lack of career development resources in ABE programs, adults with reading disabilities and ADHD do not always have the opportunity to engage in career exploration activities that might help them make satisfying career decisions. In career development theory, self-determination is the capacity to identify personal goals and is considered crucial to overcoming barriers and making meaningful career choices. In the present study, a model was proposed and tested that examined self-determination as a mediator of the hypothesized relationships between perceived career and educational barriers and career development outcomes. Adults with reading disabilities and ADHD from ABE programs (N = 83) completed a demographic questionnaire and screening measures intended to classify them according to type of disability (i.e., reading, ADHD, and combined reading and ADHD). They also completed measures of perceived educational and career barriers, components of self-determination, and career self-efficacy. Multivariate multiple regression analyses were used to investigate hypotheses derived from the proposed model. The results revealed that experiences of perceived educational barriers, but not career barriers, were related to low levels of career decision-making self-efficacy and self-determination; the competence component of self-determination was associated with higher levels of career decision-making self-efficacy. Overall, the results suggested that self-determination partially mediated the relationship between perceived educational barriers and career decision-making self-efficacy. The findings indicate that, for ABE adults with reading disabilities and ADHD, having a sense of one’s own expertise is important for overcoming barriers and feeling confident in making career decisions. Discussions included methodological limitations and implications for practice and research. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

A dissertation presented to The Department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development Faculty of Humanities University of Witwatersrand In fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Arts in Social Work March 2016 / Child disability has not been addressed holistically in Namibia. The absence of policies and programmes has exacerbated the challenges faced by primary caregivers and children with physical disabilities. There is paucity of literature on the experiences faced by the caregivers of children with physical disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of primary caregivers of children with physical disabilities in Hardap region, Namibia. The study population consisted of primary caregivers of children with physical disabilities from Hardap region and purposive sampling was used to select 20 participants. A qualitative research approach was used to collect data using a semi-structured interview schedule. The study was descriptive and exploratory in nature. The study was based on a case study of Hardap region, Namibia where it sought to bring an understanding of complex issues to add strength to what is already known through previous researches. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that participants played important roles in providing care as they were involved in feeding, carrying, turning and lifting of the children as well as taking the children for medical check-ups. The study also revealed that participants experienced challenges in the care continuum which included carrying the children around due to lack of special equipment, financial challenges and lack of psychosocial support from the family. The study also noted that the participants used religion as a means of coping for their wellbeing. The Government of Namibia needs to set policies on disability issues to ensure the wellbeing of the primary caregivers. The caregivers need training that will help them to improve the quality of care offered to children with physical disabilities as well as improve the psychosocial functioning of the primary caregivers. It is thus anticipated that the results of the study will help in designing interventions that will help the primary caregivers and reduce their burdens. The study will also contribute to knowledge on disability and caregiving

Articles regarding perceptual-motor deficiencies of adults are beginning to be published in the literature (Saunders and Barker, 1972). It seems that, even though many children are now being treated for this disorder at or before school-going age, many people had perceptual-motor problems years ago when there was no knowledge of the disorder or its treatment. More than likely, as children, these people were considered to be simply low in intelligence. Now, however, those children have grown up and, with the information we have, it is possible to ascertain from their symptoms, even as adults, that perceptual-motor problems exist. Once it can be established that such difficulties exist, measures can be taken to alleviate them. Saunders and Barker (1972) used a remedial reading technique to help their subjects learn to read, and psychotropic drugs to help them over their emotional problems related to the perceptual dysfunction. The drugs helped the adults, the remedial reading programme did not. This present study was concerned with improving perceptual-motor deficiencies in adults using a behaviour modification approach. A largo sample of adult subjects was available in the population of Malawian males, novices to the mining industry, who were to undergo a three-week training programme in preparation for work underground. Perceptual-motor testing and discussions with the mine personnel assured the author that most of these subjects did suffer from perceptual-motor problems.

Thesis advisor: Mary Jo Iozzio / Thesis advisor: Kenneth Himes / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Feng, Xiangjun. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-184). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

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Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries