This research focuses on the experiences of primary school teachers in providing learning support for learners with mild intellectual disabilities. In South Africa, most learners attend in mainstream schools. Mainstream schools are expected to support learners inclusively. However, most teachers seem challenged to address the learning needs such as those experienced by learners with mild intellectual disabilities. The research was conducted by means of interviews with selected participants over a period of approximately four months. Data was also obtained through the analysis of records such as learners‘ workbooks, test books, support forms used by teachers to record their observation and field notes which were reflected in a journal. Interviews and transcriptions were typed out verbatim. The research produced a number of key findings and concluded that many teachers lack sufficient training to identify and address barriers to learning, especially those with mild intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, the study revealed that support structures at participating research schools seem to be non-functional, and guidance and assistance from the Department of Education is minimal. The findings were used to propose recommendations that could be used by primary school teachers to support learners with mild intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Inclusive Education (IE) reflects the values, ethos, and culture of an education system committed to excellence by promoting education opportunities for all learners. IE is about building a more just society and ensuring the right to education for all learners regardless of their individual characteristics or difficulties (UNESCO: 2007). The kingdom of Swaziland has committed itself to high quality basic education which provides equal opportunities for all children and youth. This is evident in the Swaziland National Constitution (2006). To promote Education for All (EFA) as stated in the constitution, an IE Policy has been developed and a draft policy is in place. The programme has been operational since 2006. There are nine pilot schools and four teachers from each school who have been trained on how to handle pupils with disabilities. The programme will be rolled out to 608 primary schools by 2015. In this research, the goal was to investigate how a School Management Board responds to the challenges of managing an Inclusive School. This research is a qualitative interpretive case study based in one of the pilot schools in Mbabane in Swaziland. The study used document analysis, semi‐structured interviews and focus groups to collect data. The study revealed that the school has done much in accommodating IE as there are changes in management structures and approaches, organizational culture and operating procedures. On the other hand, there are still significant challenges such as a lack of knowledge of inclusion and negativity on the part of learners and parents. Other challenges include inadequate training for educators and lack of suitable infrastructure. The study concludes by recommending improved staff development programmes, infrastructure upgrades, acquiring appropriate teaching and learning resources and employing multidisciplinary personnel.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om die wesentfike behoefte aan alternatiewe tugmaatreels vir die leergeremde adolessent na te vors en riglyne vir altematiewe tugmaatreels op te stel. Die sensitiewe aangeleentheid van disstplinering en tug word nou grootliks aan die onderwysers se inisiatief oorgelaat, en dit terwyl onderwysers nie altyd voldoende onderle is in die nuwe benadering tot alternatiewe dissiplineringsmetodes nie. 'n Teoretiese ondersoek wat uitgevoer is, het die belangriKheid van die inagneming van die leergeremde .adolessent se unieke persoonlikheidstrekke by die toepassing van dissipline beklemtoon. 'n Ernpiriese ondersoek is met behulp van vraelyste uitgevoer by ses spesiale skole in die Gauteng..provinsie. Die empiriese navorsing het bevestig dat onderwysers by hierdie skole 'n behoefte het aan altematiewe tugmaatreels vir die leergeremde adolessent. Op grond van die literatuurstudie en die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek, is riglyne verskaf vir die opstel van alternatiewe tugmaatreels. / The aim of the study was to identify the need for alternative disciplinary measures for the learning disabled adolescent, and to formulate guidelines for the implementation thereof. At present, the sensitive issue of discipline and punishment is left to the discretion of the individual teacher, who may not always be fully conversant with the new approach to alternative disciplinary measures. A theoretical investigation emphasised the importance of the unique personatity traits of the learning diSabled adolescent that should be considered when disciplinary measures are applied. An empirical investigation was carried out by means of a questionnaire at six special schools in the Gauteng Province. The empirical study confirmed that teachers at these schools do need alternative disciplinary measures for the learning disabled adolescent Based on the literature study and the results of the empirical investigation, guidelines were formulated for alternative disciplinary measures for the learning disabled adolescent. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

Learners with Asperger's Syndrome are educated in inclusive education settings. As a result of the recent trend of `inclusion' all teachers may be required to educate all learners in their regular classrooms. This research attempted to explore the nature of Asperger's Syndrome as well as inclusive education in order to develop practical guidelines for teachers of learners with Asperger's Syndrome in regular schools. The interview responses of eight parents of learners with Asperger's Syndrome as well as the observation of these learners are reported. The results of the interviews and observations, were corroborated with the literature study in order to outline guidelines which would ensure that teachers will cater for the needs of these learners and support their inclusion in the inclusive settings successfully. Results of this study indicated that knowledge of Asperger's Syndrome and guidelines for accommodating the impairments of these learners is the first step towards successful inclusion. / Educational Studies / Thesis (M. Ed.)

This study sought to find out ways in which teachers can be supported to implement inclusive education at a primary school in the Kwaluseni district of Swaziland. The government of Swaziland introduced Free Primary Education ( F.P.E) also called mainstreaming. As per governments order, parents brought their learners for grade 1 and that was in 2010 January. That marked the beginning of the problem as teachers were not used to teaching disadvantaged learners in their classes but believed that such learners have to be transferred to specials schools of which the country only has four. The study is a case study using a qualitative approach. Purposive sampling was used in choosing the sample. The key informant were teachers from Kwaluseni primary school. For data collection a designed interview with semi structured and open ended items was used. Data was analysed using codes and there was a search for patterns of thinking or behaviour, words or phrases that appeared with regularity was the coding categories. A report was then written based on the findings. Then recommendations were stated. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Introdução: A criança com deficiência neuromotora apresenta uma série de limitações físicas que afetam suas habilidades funcionais, necessitando de atenção especial por parte de seus cuidadores familiares. O ato de cuidar implica a modificação das atividades diárias desses cuidadores, podendo levar à sobrecarga física e emocional, bem como influenciar a sua qualidade de vida (QV). Objetivo: Investigar as repercussões de uma intervenção de Fisioterapia e Psicologia sobre o nível de sobrecarga e QV, em familiares cuidadores de crianças com deficiência neuromotora. Método: Estudo de misto de intervenção com 32 cuidadores de crianças com deficiência, divididos em dois grupos: experimental (submetido à avaliação inicial de sobrecarga pela Burden Interview, qualidade de vida pelo Whoqol-Bref e entrevista; bem como a intervenção de Fisioterapia e Psicologia por um período de três meses, duas vezes por semana por uma hora) e controle (submetido apenas à avaliação inicial e final com os mesmos instrumentos). A análise quantitativa foi realizada com todos os cuidadores, através dos softwares STATA/SE 12.0 e Excel 2010, utilizandose dos testes estatísticos Qui-quadrado, exato de Fisher, Shapiro-Wilk, t Student, Mann-Whitney e Wilcoxon. A análise qualitativa foi realizada com cinco participantes submetidos à intervenção, a partir de uma análise de conteúdo temática das entrevistas, dividida em três fases: registro dos dados referentes às perguntas contidas na entrevista inicial e final; identificação dos temas mais frequentes nas falas dos participantes; interpretação dos relatos e confrontamento com a literatura. Resultados: Após a intervenção, a análise quantitativa não revelou diferença estatisticamente significante sobre o nível de sobrecarga dos cuidadores, mas quando comparados os dois grupos, foi evidenciada uma melhora significativa da percepção da QV no experimental, nos domínios físico (p=0,022), emocional (p=0,043) e social (p=0,004). Quando analisado o grupo experimental antes e depois da intervenção, observou-se redução significativa da percepção de QV no domínio físico (p=0,044) e manutenção ou melhora nos outros domínios. No grupo controle, houve uma redução significativa da percepção da QV em todos os domínios (p=0,021). Na análise qualitativa, as falas dos cuidadores revelou que a participação no programa ajudou na redução do estresse e da timidez, melhora da autoconfiança e da interação social, além de mais disposição para atividades físicas. Conclusão: Programas de intervenção interdisciplinar podem melhorar a percepção da QV de cuidadores e manter o nível de sobrecarga, o que ressalta a necessidade de assistência a essa população. Com esse programa interdisciplinar, foi possível perceber uma interação saudável das atividades de Fisioterapia e Psicologia, complementando-se através de atividades simples com os cuidadores, favorecendo a sua saúde física e emocional. / Introduction: A child with neuromotor deficiency shows a series of physical limitations which affect its functional abilities, needing so special attention from its family caregivers. The act of giving care implies modifications in the everyday activities of caregivers, a fact that may lead to physical and emotional overload, and also reverberate on their quality of life (QOL). Objective: To investigate the repercussions of an intervention of Physiotherapy and Psychology over the level of overload and QOL in family caregivers of children with neuromotor deficiency. Method: An intervention joint study with 32 caregivers of disabled children divided into two groups: experimental (subject to initial evaluation of overload by Burden Interview, QOL by Whoqol-Bref and interview; and also to the intervention of Physiotherapy and Psychology for a period of three months, twice a week during one hour) and control (subject only to initial and final evaluation with the same instruments). The quantitative analysis was conducted with all caregivers through the softwares STATA/SE 12.0 e Excel 2010, using statistical tests Qui-quadrado, exato de Fisher, Shapiro-Wilk, t Student, Mann-Whitney e Wilcoxon. Qualitative analysis was performed with five participants undergoing from a thematic content analysis of interviews, divided into three phases: registration of data related to the questions contained in the initial and final interview; identification of the most frequent themes in speeches of the participants; interpretation of reports and confrontation with literature. Results: After the intervention, the quantitative analysis revealed no statistically significant difference on the level of overload of caregivers, but when I compared the two groups was evidenced a significant improvement of the perception of QOL in experimental physical domains (p = 0.022), emotional (p = 0.043) and social (p = 0.004). In the analysis of the experimental group before and after the intervention, there was a significant reduction in perceived of QOL in the physical domain (p = 0.044) and maintenance or improvement in other areas. In the control group, there was a significant reduction of the perception of QOL in all areas (p = 0.021). In the qualitative analysis, the caregivers opinions showed that participation in the program helped with the reduction of stress and shyness, improvement of selfconfidence and social interaction, as well as more disposition for physical activities. Conclusion: Interdisciplinary intervention programs may improve the perception of caregivers QOL and maintain the level of overload, a fact that highlights the need of assistance to such population. With this interdisciplinary program, it was possible to realize a healthy interaction of Physiotherapy and psychology, complementing through simple activities with caregivers, promoting their physical and emotional health.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-16Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:56:53Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 frota_fds_me_araca.pdf: 829246 bytes, checksum: 5db38225d88fe229f93bc7908dc7f33a (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A criança portadora de necessidades especiais é aquela que apresenta desvios da normalidade de ordem física, mental, sensorial, comportamental ou de crescimento. A odontologia para o bebê se fundamentou em três princípios: educação, atenção precoce e determinação, reversão e controle dos fatores de risco, de forma a promover a saúde bucal. A atenção odontológica precoce para bebês portadores de necessidades especiais, se funde com a odontologia para bebês “normais”, pois não é o indivíduo e sim a condição de ser bebê é que deve ser considerada especial. O leite materno é considerado o melhor alimento para o recém-nascido, pois possui elementos essenciais ao crescimento físico, funcionamento imunológico e desenvolvimento psicológico das crianças, especialmente, ao longo do primeiro ano de vida, propiciando o desenvolvimento normal de todo o complexo craniofacial. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar e relacionar o tempo de aleitamento materno com a introdução de hábitos bucais, cárie precoce e ocorrência de maloclusão em crianças de 1 a 4 anos de idade, de ambos os gêneros, matriculadas e assistidas no Centro de Assistência Odontológica a Portadores de Necessidades Especiais, Unidade Auxiliar de Estrutura Complexa, na APAE de Araçatuba e na Bebê Clínica da Faculdade de Odontologia do Campus de Araçatuba, da Universidade Estadual Paulista “Julio de Mesquita Filho”. Utilizou-se um questionário, com perguntas pertinentes ao assunto, que foi respondido pelas respectivas mães e/ou cuidadores destes. E, para complementar foram realizados exames clínicos bucais nestas crianças, para análise de suas condições de saúde bucal. Para análise estatística foram aplicados testes de associação, Qui-quadrado ou Fisher, ao nível de significância a 5% e os resultados foram significativos quando... / The child with special needs is the one who presents physical, mental, sensorial, behavioral or growth normality deviations. Dentistry for babies has been based upon in three principles: education, early attention and determination, reversion and control of risk factors, in order to promote oral health. Early dental care for babies with special needs is joined to the dentistry for “normal” babies, because it is not the individual but the condition of being baby that must be considered as special. Maternal milk is considered to be the best nutriment for the new-born, because it has essential elements to the physical growth, immunological system and psychological development of children, especially along of the first year of life, allowing the normal development of the whole craniofacial complex. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and to relate time of breast feeding with the introduction o bad oral habits, early caries and the occurrence of malocclusion in children aging between 1 and 4 years, from both genders, registered and assisted at the Center of Dental Assistance to Patients with Special Needs (Centro de Assistência Odontológica a Portadores de Necessidades Especiais), Auxiliary Unity of Complex Structure (Unidade Auxiliar de Estrutura Complexa), APAE of Araçatuba and at the Baby Clinics (Bebê Clínica) from Araçatuba School of Dentistry of the Sao Paulo State University. A questionnaire was used, with questions related to this subject, which was answered by the babies’ respective mothers or carers. In order to complement the investigation, oral clinical exams were accomplished in these children for the analysis of their oral health condition. The data obtained were submitted to statistical analysis which included association tests, qui-squared or Fishers tests, at 5% significance level and the results... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below)

A história que permeia a deficiência está imbuída de significações ligadas a preconceito e exclusão que se fazem presentes na atualidade e dificultam que as mudanças políticas sejam transpostas para as atitudes sociais. Assim, crianças deficientes vivenciam dependência a terceiros, inclusão escolar prejudicada, discriminação, sentimento de incapacidade, e vulnerabilidade frente a falta de disposição de serviços públicos efetivos. Esse estudo pretendeu articular saúde e educação como aspectos indissociáveis da vida humana, e o objetivo foi compreender os processos de significação relacionados à inserção de escolares deficientes físicos na educação básica, a partir dos princípios da política de promoção da saúde. Trata-se de um estudo de abordagem qualitativa, fundamentado na abordagem histórico-cultural, no qual utilizamos entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação participante e diário de campo como recursos metodológicos. O trabalho de campo teve início após as devidas autorizações do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa com Seres Humanos e durou aproximadamente um ano. Ao final, quatro crianças, suas quatro mães e oito professores aceitaram participar da pesquisa, totalizando 16 sujeitos entrevistados e quatro contextos escolares observados. A análise temática indutiva proposta por Braun e Clarke (2007) foi empregada, sendo respeitado o percurso indicado por estas autoras. A construção dos dados acarretou na caracterização detalhada dos participantes e seus contextos socioculturais, bem como na produção de três temas, a saber: 1) Significações do conceito de deficiência e de deficiência física no processo de inclusão escolar; 2) Cadeira de rodas, dois lados da mesma moeda e 3) Escola inclusiva e promoção de saúde: uma perspectiva do modelo social da deficiência. Em suma, este estudo foi eficaz em alcançar seus objetivos propostos, apresentando importantes significações envolvidas no processo de inclusão do aluno deficiente físico. Esperamos que este trabalho contribua para a prática junto a estes escolares e inspire pesquisadores a investigarem a articulação da Educação Inclusiva com a Promoção da Saúde em seus diferentes estados, países e contextos, auxiliando profissionais que atuam na prática escolar e de saúde a lidarem com a temática / The history that permeates disability is imbued with meanings linked to prejudice and exclusion that are present today, making it difficult for political changes to be transposed into social attitudes. Disabled children may experience dependence on others, affected school inclusion, discrimination, feeling of incapacity, and vulnerability due to the lack provision of effective public services. This study intended to articulate health and education as inseparable aspects of human life. Our aim was to comprehend the signification processes related to the school inclusion of disabled children in basic education, based on the principles of the politics of health promotion. It is a qualitative study, based on the historical-cultural approach. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and field diary was used as methodological resources. The field work lasted approximately one year, and began after the authorizations of the Ethics Committee in Human Research. In the end, four children, their mothers and eight teachers accepted to participate, totaling 16 subjects interviewed and four school contexts observed. The inductive thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (2007) was employed, respecting the paths indicated by these authors. Data construction entailed the detailed participants characterization and their socio-cultural contexts, as well as the production of three themes, namely: 1) Significance of the concept of disability and physical disability in the school inclusion process; 2) Wheelchair, two sides of the same coin; 3) Inclusive School and Health Promotion: a perspective of the social model of disability. That pointing out that health promoters are also promoters of Inclusive Education. In short, this study was effective in achieving its proposed objectives, presenting important meanings involved in the process of disabled student\'s inclusion. We hope that this work will contribute to the practice among these students and will inspire researchers to investigate the articulation between Inclusive Education and Health Promotion in their different states, countries and contexts, helping professionals who act in school and health to deal with this issue

M. Ed. (Education Management) / Schools for Specialisted Education cater for pupils who suffer from a wide range of disabilities. At these schools the staff component is diverse in order to cater for all the needs of the pupils. Because of the diversity of staff members, which include teaching staff, therapists, nursing staff, hostel staff, administrative staff etcetera, special care must be taken to address the staff development needs of all staff members. The purpose of this study therefore had two main objectives, namely : (1) To do a survey and establish exactly what is being done in practice regarding staff development at schools for Cerebral Palsied and Learning Disabled. (2) To draw up guidelines to assist principals when planning their annual staff development and in-service training programme. It was found that very few schools for Specialised Education plan specifically for the needs of a diverse staff, but rather include topics that will interest most staff members as a group. Staff members also expressed the need to be included in the planning stages to ensure that their needs are addressed and that they are empowered to perform their tasks to the best of their ability. After a general overview of the essence of any staff development programme, more specific guidelines are given to assist principals of schools for Specialised Education and schools for Cerebral Palsied and Learning Disabled in particular.

M.A. (Psychology) / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is now recognised as the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, affecting children from their earliest infancy through school and into adult life. (Shaywitz and Shaywitz 1991). It is prevalent in both clinical and normal populations and consensus ofopinion seems to be that approximately 3% to 5% of the childhood population has ADHD.( Barkley 1990) The impact that this disorder has on the child and his immediate world cannot be underestimated, nor can the reciprocal basis to these behaviours be ignored. While the basic contention of this paper is that ADHD has a strong biological/hereditary basis to its development, nevertheless account must be taken ofthe impact of the child's behaviour on his surrounding world, and the impact again in turn ofthat world on the child's behaviour. In this reciprocal interaction between the child and the world, definitional problems arise wherein those diagnosed with ADHD do not consistently show hyperactivity.