Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1991.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The last decade has witnessed a growing trend toward developing new ways in which human beings may benefit from the creative and non-exploitative use of animals. These animals, generally having some special or unique quality and often referred to as companion animals or pets, have demonstrated a therapeutical value for many persons far beyond the parameters of simple recreation.

Thesis M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of Limpopo / The research is a qualitative investigation into the challenges experienced by Students with Physical Disabilities (SWPD’s) at the University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus). The study uses Thematic Content Analysis as both a framework and a mode of data analysis in the study. Interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were used to investigate the phenomena. Themes found in the data of the present study indicated that disabled students generally find that there is inadequate physical infrastructure which compromises their physical access within the institution. The participants also had to deal with discrimination from peers and staff. Furthermore, participants reported that being provided with proper amenities such as laptops and wheelchairs would help them find the environment less challenging. Educating able-bodied staff and students was also seen as necessary in order to combat discrimination. The poor infrastructure at the university provides many challenges and barriers to the disabled being able to move freely which, at times, leads them to staying in their rooms thus increasing their isolation.

Due to the passage of Public Law 94-142 (1975), widespread attempts have been made to integrate children who have handicaps into settings with their nonhandicapped peers. Although integrated settings may provide the opportunity for social interaction to occur between children with and without handicaps, often interaction does not occur. In order to address the issue of how to best facilitate appropriate interactions in integrated settings, specialized programs such as the FMS buddy system (Quintero, Phelps, Striefel, & Killoran, 1987) have been developed to promote positive social interactions between children with and without handicaps. One important aspect programs such as the buddy system have not fully considered is the differential impact a nonhandicapped child could have on the level of social interaction of the child with handicaps. The impact the nonhandicapped buddy could make if constantly paired with the same child with handicaps may be different than the one a nonhandicapped child could make if paired, over time, in an alternating sequence with different children who have handicaps. In response to the question of possible differential impact, a single subject multiple baseline design was utilized to compare the effect constant buddies and rotating buddies had on the social interactions of 8 children who had handicaps. The intervention included training the buddies on how to interact with children who have handicaps and providing the opportunity for the children with and without handicaps to play together. Treatment effects were measured by direct observations of social interactions between the children with and without handicaps during free play and buddy sessions, sociometric measures, and attitude measures. Results indicated that pairing children who have handicaps with a nonhandicapped buddy increased social interactions between children with and without handicaps during buddy sessions. The level of interaction achieved during buddy sessions was not fully generalized to subsequent free play sessions. Buddies from constant dyads rated their playmates who had handicaps sociometrically higher than buddies from rotating dyads. Non handicapped children who served as buddies rated their buddy experience favorably. Suggestions for future research in this area are made.

Tutoring has been used as an instructional method for many years. Reviewers have made narrative conclusions that tutoring has many academic, social, and emotional benefits for the tutor and tutee. This study applied meta-analysis techniques to studies in which learning disabled, behaviorally disordered, or intellectually handicapped elementary and secondary school students were sed to tutor academic content material to handicapped tutees. It was found that the experimental subjects made greater gains on the academic material than the control groups. Gains on social/emotional measures were minimal. Various research design and tutoring intervention characteristics were examined for their influence on tutor and tutee performance.

The general aim of the thesis is to show how The Situational Language Intervention Programme (SLIP) was formulated in order to include the critical factors of: the cognitive abilities and linguistic characteristics of the intellectually handicapped; pragmatics, semantics and syntax and the four models of language acquisition; the criteria that guide language intervention programme development; the use of precise and systematic teaching methods that stimulate the use of language in the students' environment. The general objective of both SLIP and this thesis is to show how to increase moderately to severely intellectually handicapped adolescents' language-communication through the appropriate use of the forms of language applied to its functions in a specific range of situations. Chapter Two of the thesis is concerned with the cognitive abilities of intellectually handicapped people and the implications of intellectual handicap on communication and language development. In addition it discusses, stage by stage, the positive and negative markers of language acquisition. These markers illustrate to the teacher the signs of linguistic retardation at each stage of language learning. The contents of Chapter Three provide an outline of the four models of language acquisition, i.e. Pragmatic, Semantic/Cognitive, Psycholinguistic/Syntactic and Behavioural. Those models contribute to our understanding of how language develops and illustrate to us the complex nature of language acquisition. In addition, this discussion documents the past and current research viewpoints and draws our attention to the limitations that existing theories have in providing a "full�blown" model of language acquisition. Furthermore, Chapter Three is stating that the recent analysis of language-training for communication disordered and intellectually handicapped students has shown that a more balanced study of the semantic and pragmatic factors in language acquisition is emerging. This chapter is urging teachers to re-analyze, re-evaluate and modify their language intervention programmes by integrating the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic factors. Both the contents of Chapters Two and Three are demonstrating that it is necessary to address the theoretical viewpoint and academic findings both of which are important aspects of the role of the interventionist. They have to be addressed if the teacher is to make judgments concerning the efficacy of different models in attaining certain goals. Such factors govern the utilization and integration of certain approaches and procedures. The contents of Chapters Four and Five discuss how the language interventionist can lead the intellectually handicapped student into increased language usage and communicative competence. Chapter Four is concerned with the current critical issues and developments in: curriculum and programme design for the moderately/severely intellectually handicapped adolescent; criteria to guide programme development and direction of language intervention; direct instruction techniques; augmentative communication systems and their basic programme guidelines. Chapter Five outlines the framework of the Situational Language Intervention Programme (SLIP) which was designed and implemented by the author. The content and procedures utilized by SLIP are greatly influenced by the contents of Chapters Two, Three and Four. This influence is demonstrated in the discussion concerning SLIP's: aims and objectives; content and design decisions; selection of forms to be taught; sequencing; teaching procedures and methods of instruction. Chapter Five also discusses the implementation of SLIP.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 183-209). Also available in print.

<p><strong><p>Sammanfattning</p></strong></p><p>Syftet med vår uppsats är att med en komparativ ansats studera hur integrerings- och</p><p>normaliseringsmål uppnås för personer med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar inom den</p><p>dagliga verksamheten i Polen. Vi vill även se hur personalen upplever att de uppnår dessa</p><p>mål. Huvudmetoden för studien var kvalitativ intervju. I vår analys har vi valt att använda oss</p><p>av KASAM-teorin som kan förklara hur personalen på den dagliga verksamheten upplever att</p><p>integrerings- och normaliseringsmålen uppnås. Vi använder oss av begrepp som</p><p>empowerment, normalisering och integration. Vad som framkommer är att personalen</p><p>upplever att deras integrerings- och normaliseringsmål i verksamheten uppnås, men att det</p><p>finns brister som gör att man inte når ända fram. För att uppnå målen behövs mera resurser</p><p>och en annan syn på människor med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar.</p>

Graduation date: 2000