Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2534. Adviser: Nancy B. Hertzog. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-131) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-103). Also available on the Internet.

The purpose of this study was to examine parents perceptions regarding four aspects of raising children with ADHD: (a) parent perceptions about their children and the school experience, (b) parent perceptions about their interactions with medical personnel, (c) parent perceptions regarding family and social issues, and (d) parent perceptions regarding their own experiences of raising a child with ADHD. This qualitative study used in-depth phenomenological interviews of seven parents of adolescents from three large metropolitan areas in the Southwest, Midwest, and East. The parameters for selection of participants included parents: (a) of adolescents (12-19) diagnosed with ADHD, (b) who were from different ethnic groups, (c) who demonstrated divergent socioeconomic status, (d) who were from various educational backgrounds, (e) with dissimilar work experiences, (f) who were male or female, and (g) who were from different areas of the country. Each participant had three audiotaped ninety-minute interviews. The transcriptions were analyzed from a thematic perspective and were presented based on the themes that emerged. Findings of parents perceptions were organized into: (a) family and medical issues, (b) parenting issues, and (c) school issues. There were similarities noted between participants and parents of disabled children in general and between participants and other parents of children with ADHD. Family issues included parents perceptions of: (a) the identification process, (b) family interactions, and (c) community interactions. Medical issues included parent perceptions of: (a) medical personnel, and (b) use of medication. Parenting issues included parent views of their: (a) frustrations, (b) feelings, (c) modification to family routines, and (d) fears for their child. Parent strategies included parent views of: (a) the academic strategies they used to help their child, (b) personal strategies they used to help themselves, and (c) attitudinal and cognitive strategies they used to adapt and to be successful in parenting children with ADHD. School issues included parent perceptions of: (a) school placement, transitions, and laws, and (b) their feelings, beliefs, and strategies when dealing with school personnel. Summaries and discussions were included at the end of each section. Conclusions and implications for research and practice were presented in the final chapter.

<p> Many students with Down syndrome now receive reading instruction in either inclusion-focused or skill-based instructional settings. There are, however, varied results in the level of reading skills that students with Down syndrome attain. The focus of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the reading skill acquisition of students with Down syndrome between those students placed for reading instruction by grade and those students placed in a developmentally appropriate classroom. The specific type of quantitative research design used was quantitative non-experimental because the study used archival data collected in previous testing for a different evaluation. This study analyzed the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD) of 136 elementary school students with Down syndrome. The study compared the reading scores of students with Down syndrome placed for reading instruction in a classroom by chronological age with scores of Down syndrome students placed in an a developmentally appropriate classroom. The research questions related to whether there was a significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome after receiving either grade-based or skill-based instruction. The hypotheses were tested using a <i>t</i> test. Based on the analysis, there was no significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome when their scores were grouped by the two types of instruction (grade-based versus skill-based) they receive after controlling for the student&rsquo;s demographic characteristic of grade level. The importance of this study can inform the educational community of the specific response to the question of the consequence of placement for reading instruction on reading acquisition. The findings provided from this research study will benefit future studies and classroom planning.</p><p>

<p> The influence of sign language comprehension on reading has been well-documented in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary-aged deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HOH) children and adults. There is limited research into the predictive nature of sign language comprehension on literacy outcomes in D/HOH children in preschool and early elementary school, however. This research addressed this gap by investigating group differences between D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign language alone and D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign supported spoken language on measures of American Sign Language (ASL) comprehension, sign supported English (SSE) comprehension, letter/word recognition, and reading comprehension. The relationship between ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension on word identification and reading comprehension was also examined. A longitudinal design was utilized and data analyzed with linear mixed models. Participants were D/HOH children 4-6-years-old at the beginning of the study and followed for two years. </p><p> Children who communicated primarily through sign language alone had significantly higher comprehension of ASL than children who communicated primarily through sign supported spoken language. There were no significant group differences in growth of ASL comprehension, however. There were no significant group differences in comprehension of SSE, letter/word recognition, passage comprehension or growth pattern in these skills. Both ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension predicted letter/word identification and passage comprehension final status whereas only SSE comprehension predicted growth pattern. When word identification was examined in addition to the language predictors, the random effects of the model could not be estimated so statistical inferences for the predictive utility of ASL comprehension on reading comprehension above SSE comprehension and word identification could not be drawn. </p><p> Implications for service delivery in early intervention, progress monitoring of language skills, instruction, and personnel preparation are discussed. Because of the significant variation in language development initial status, further research is recommended into sources of individual variation in language outcomes. Future longitudinal research is needed to examine the age range from early childhood through elementary school, include multiple measures of linguistic competence, and identify the influence of new hearing technology and language experience. Furthermore, intervention studies aimed at improving language development are warranted given its relationship with literacy.</p><p>

<p> This study examines the experiences of Spanish-speaking Latino/a parents in their attempts to obtain school-based speech and language services for their children; the impact of these experiences on parents; and parent perspectives on how school-based speech-language pathologists can co-create collaborative relationships. Through a detailed analysis of a focus group and individual interviews of 31 Spanish-speaking parents of children in the REAAD! (Reaching Educational Achievement and Development) Literacy Enrichment Program at a university in Los Angeles, California, this study provided a space for parents to share their experiences and offer insights regarding what shaped their experiences. Through the theoretical lens of dis/ability critical race theory (DisCrit), Latino critical race theory (LatCrit), and Yosso&rsquo;s community cultural wealth model, parents&rsquo; stories were collected, transcribed, and analyzed. Parents consistently expressed their hope for their children to have a better life than the one they had, one that was attainable through education. Unfortunately, in their quest for educational supports, parents were often met with systematic roadblocks that denied their children resources and supports. Parents in this study were keenly aware of the struggle to support their children in the face of deficit views of their family based on the intersection of their language, race, and ability levels. More often than not, parents utilized the assistance of sympathetic teachers and speech-language pathologists to obtain services for their children. For parents in the study, having a school professional who they believed demonstrated <i>coraz&oacute;n </i> (heart) made all the difference in their ability to advocate for their children.</p><p>

Orientador: Lucia Helena Reily / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T01:43:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_LeonardoAugustoCardosode_M.pdf: 1691080 bytes, checksum: b9b8a510ad90baa5d5838a1d51083b89 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Diversos estudos documentam a importância da música para a pessoa com deficiência visual como veículo para linguagem comunicativa. No Brasil ainda há poucos estudos sobre música e cegueira, embora haja uma forte tradição cristã de performance musical de cegos pedintes no mundo ocidental. Este estudo, de natureza qualitativa, pretende compreender quais as problemáticas enfrentadas por pessoas cegas que tenham atuação em música como atividade de lazer ou profissional quanto ao acesso à aprendizagem da música. Com base em seus relatos sobre a vivência e formação musical de pessoas cegas, o objetivo foi criar subsídios que possam nortear o preparo de professores de música que atuam com pessoas com deficiência visual. Os participantes do estudo foram adultos com cegueira congênita ou adquirida precocemente que atuam no campo da música profissionalmente ou por lazer. Por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, procurou-se conhecer suas vivências no campo da música: preferência musical, conhecimento formal em iniciação musical, instrumento ou canto, e interesse em realizar atividades relacionadas ao ensino musical. Os participantes foram indicados por profissionais que trabalham em instituições de Campinas e região que atendem a deficientes visuais e no Centro Cultural Louis Braille de Campinas. Os dados foram analisados por categorização e discutidos a partir da literatura e da realidade do cenário cultural atual. Os resultados apontam para a ausência da iniciação musical na escola e destacam a importância do incentivo da família, da comunidade, e o engajamento do próprio aluno com deficiência visual nos seus processos de formação musical / Abstract: Several studies present evidence on the importance of music in the lives of people with visual impairments as a means of expression and communication. In Brazil, there are still very few studies on music and blindness, despite the strong Christian tradition of musical performance of blind beggars in western cultures. This qualitative study aims to understand issues related to access to music and learning processes experienced by people with blindness for which music is a significant professional or leisure activity. Based on reports on musical experience and musical development by people who are blind, the objective of this study was to create guidelines that should contribute to prepare music teachers to work with people with visual impairments. The participants of the study were adults with congenital blindness or blindness acquired at an early age who work in the field of music professionally or as an important hobby. Using semi-structured interviews, we sought to understand their experiences in the field of music: their musical preferences, their formal understanding in music initiation, instrument or singing, and their interest in becoming involved in teaching music. The participants were indicated by professionals that work in institutions in Campinas and surrounding cities that work with people with visual impairments, as well as the Centro Cultural Louis Braille de Campinas. The data was analyzed according to categories and the discussion was based on the literature and discussed in light of current contexts. The results indicate the absence of music education in their schooling and highlight the importance of family and community incentive, and the commitment of the student with visual impairment in the process of music development / Mestrado / Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação / Mestre em Saúde, Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação

<p> Over the past two decades reported rates of autism have steadily risen. The current incidence is 1 in 68 children. While autism can be reliably diagnosed at 18 months in most children with the condition, specialized autism treatment rarely begins before a child&rsquo;s third or fourth birthday. As screening and diagnosis procedures improve so does the need for effective early interventions for autism. Researchers and professionals have expressed a growing concern over the need for effective early interventions for infants and toddlers with autism. At the same time, there is a dearth of qualitative research exploring the needs and experiences of parents with a very young child with autism. Employing a phenomenological framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of parents of a young child with autism receiving early special education services. Unstructured interviews and photo elicitation were used to generate rich, detailed descriptions of the phenomenon. Data analysis from photographic images and narrative dialogues illuminated six essential themes across participants: (a) parents as pioneers: forging the way for future families; (b) making the journey as a family; (c) navigating uncharted service systems; (d) overcoming challenges and obstacles; (e) resilience, ingenuity and hope; and (f) reflecting on the first three years and looking forward. Participants expressed that they felt this study gave them a &ldquo;voice&rdquo; in the research literature. This study is one of the first to investigate the lived experiences of parents as they seek and secure autism services for their child under five with autism.</p><p>

<p> This case study explored dog-assisted reading with three middle-school special education students in a self-contained alternative school. Data collection conducted over a 15-month period included observations, interviews, and artifacts. In this study, reading with therapy dogs and their handlers, helped three adolescent readers with their reading motivation, engagement, and literacy processes/behaviors. The students&rsquo; engagement with the dog, the role of the dog handler, and the role of the context all impacted students in different and multiple ways. </p><p> The students read to the dogs and liked engaging with them&mdash;this calmed and interested each student and created a purpose for reading. Concurrently, through the handler&rsquo;s vocabulary supports, questions, comments, and book choices, the students also became more attentive to their own reading performance. Students began to self-monitor, self-correct, and discuss stories. As the study transitioned from an office setting to the classroom, the dog and handler continued as reading partners, now with a growing audience of additional students and staff. Students talked and interacted with books in a way that bypassed reading level, behavior issues and computer-based comprehension questions, ultimately forming a community of readers. </p><p> Recommendations encourage school personnel to intentionally structure and integrate dog-assisted reading teams for literacy learning, with training sessions for handlers to learn how to engage with books, listen carefully to readers, and notice when students need additional support. Professional development can help classroom teams better integrate dog-assisted reading and literature-based instructional approaches. Importantly, providing a wide range of reading materials during dog-assisted time can support students to engage as readers in multiple ways.</p><p>

La présente thèse s'inscrit dans la continuité des études comparatives en éducation spéciale. Son but est d'examiner l'importance de la prise en compte des composantes multiaxiales (c'est-à-dire des composantes sensorielles, motrices, et cognitives y compris l'attention, ainsi que des fonctions exécutives, du langage, de la mémoire et du traitement visuospatial) et, plus spécifiquement, des composantes neurologiques structuro-fonctionnelles (chaque structure dans le cerveau joue un rôle particulier, mais parallèlement, sur le plan fonctionnel, ces mêmes structures concourent au fonctionnement harmonieux d'autres structures lors de certaines tâches) dans la conduité du diagnostic ainsi que dans l'arrête des plans d'intervention dans le cas des enfants avec autisme d'âge préscolaire. La thèse étudie cette question aux plans tant théorique que pratique et inclut, à cette fui, deux articles théoriques et trois articles de recherche appliquée de nature exploratoire, évaluative et explicative. Dans le premier article, théorique, l'auteur examine des études charnières qui explorent les enjeux définitionnels, mais également diagnostiques et étiologiques de l'autisme. Cet article donne à voir les défis encore actuels que représentent ces trois plans et explique l'importance, pour sortir de cette impasse, d'étudier l'autisme sous la lentille neurodéveloppementale. En prenant appui sur la thèse de Luria et les plus récents travaux en neurosciences, le second article théorique complète cette réflexion en décrivant les mécanismes neurostructuraux et neurofonctionnels anormaux qui affectent l'enfant avec autisme de manière spécifique durant la petite enfance. L'article précise en quoi ces mécanismes ont une incidence différente sur ses habiletés sensorimotrices, cognitives, langagières, émotives et sociales, et en quoi la nature même de l'incidence varie selon la période de développement ou ces mécanismes anormaux se manifestent. En combinant des méthodes qualitatives et quantitatives, le premier article de recherche appliquée examine les premières manifestations de l'autisme observées avant même que le diagnostic d'autisme n'ait été posé, par l'intermédiaire d'entrevues en profondeur menées auprès des parents de 5 enfants de 4-5 ans avec autisme. L'ensemble des manifestations repertoriées étant de nature sensorielle, dans le deuxième article de recherche, l'auteur s'attarde, à partir d'une grille descriptive des comportements, à préciser quelles manifestations neurosensorielles étaient apparentes chez les jeunes participants autistes par le passé, et lesquelles étaient toujours présentes au moment où a été effectuée cette recherche. Ce travail met en évidence des constantes ainsi que des variations associées à l'âge auquel sont apparues les manifestations. Le troisième et dernier article de recherche examine, à partir de deux outils standardisés (NEPSY et le PEP-R), quelles constantes et quelles variations existent dans les profils des cinq jeunes participants, en étudiant de manière spécifique leurs réponses aux mêmes situations d'évaluation (dans les domaines de la mémoire, des fonctions exécutives, du langage, de l'attention et des fonctions sensorimotrices). Les résultats de cette dernière étude permettent d'identifier quels déficits cognitifs sont communs à l'ensemble des cinq enfants avec autisme et quels deficits varient en fonction de l'étape du développement qui a été perturbée chez chaque individu. En résumé, cette thèse fait le point sur l'état actuel des connaissances en ce qui a trait aux troubles neurodéveloppementaux de l'enfant avec autisme et sur la manière dont les structures neurofonctionnelles, lorsqu'elles sont compromises à un stade critique de leur développement, peuvent (a) contribuer à expliquer certains comportements autistes typiques, caractéristiques de l'ensemble de la population autiste et, en même temps, (b) contribuer à montrer que, selon le stade de développement auquel a lieu l'atteinte neurofonctionnelle, certaines caractéristiques idiosyncrasiques peuvent apparaître. Cette thèse établit également l'importance des témoignages des parents qui gagnent à être reconnus comme experts concernant l'évolution du syndrome de leur enfant. Enfm, par sa réflexion approfondie sur la question du diagnostic d'autisme et sur la pertinence des critères de classification utilisés pour poser ce diagnostic, cette thèse souligne à la fois la difficulté du diagnostic et son caractère spécifique et idiosyncrasique.