The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a game-based app (Motion Math: Fraction) to help students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities (MLD) to gain fraction skills including comparison, estimation, and word problem solving in an after school program. The researcher used multiple baseline design by extending with follow-up phase to determine whether students retained the knowledge they learned while engaging with the app. Even though six students participated to the study, the researcher withdrew two of them and analyzed data came from four students. The result o the study showed that all of the students improved their fractions skills after engaging with Motion Math: Fraction and maintained the knowledge after no longer playing. The researcher presented recommendations for further studies, for implementation into classroom, and recommend for app developers to increase app efficiency for students who have different learning profiles, and needs variety learning materials while learning the content matters.

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics pertaining to emotional intelligence (EI) that parents and Foundation Phase teachers may use when supporting learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in an inclusive classroom setting. Teachers are facing various degrees of challenges due to the demands of a range of diverse needs attributable to the influx of learners with disabilities in the school system. Given the increase in the number of children diagnosed with ASD, research indicates that it is likely that teachers will encounter learners with ASD in their classes. Teachers are generally not trained to identify and cope with such a disability, as many requirements of these learners are beyond the services of a general school system. A multiple case study was conducted where the perspectives of a teacher and two parents were gained, in order to understand experiences with children with ASD from the participants' point of view. The primary aim of this study was therefore to provide both parents and teachers with listed characteristics of EI that they could utilise while supporting learners with ASD in households or the educational sphere. Findings illuminated the collective characteristics of learners with ASD, which include intense obsessions with a narrow range of subjects, repetitive routines, central coherence difficulties and problems with social-emotional functioning, communication and executive functioning. These indicators require specific responses from parents and teachers to effectively provide support to these learners. Qualities identified that relate to EI are patience, empathy, problem solving skills, working collaboratively with parents and being proactive. The main recommendation relates to specific training in EI skills, to prepare student teachers in supporting the growing number of learners with ASD in their classes. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

As the United States (U.S.) population continues to change and become racially/ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse, so does the population in public schools (Institute of Education Sciences, 2010). Additionally, the number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students has been overrepresented in the subgroup of students with learning disabilities (SLD) (Artiles & Ortiz, 2002; Kalynpur & Harry, 2012; Klingner & Harry, 2014). Therefore, there is a need to adapt the curriculum and pedagogy to teach the growing number of diverse students in public schools. The results of national assessments show that students of color have lagged behind their White counterparts in mathematics achievement over the years (Cortes, Goodman, & Nomi, 2013). Despite the push to remediate this problem, teachers continue to use ineffective teacher-led practices and the achievement gap persists across public schools (Williams, 2011). The use of cultural responsive teaching (CRT) among CLD students is promising (Santamaria, 2009). However, there is need to investigate the use of these practices in Algebra I courses with CLD students with SLD. The present 17-week pre-post study compared student achievement in Algebra I courses between two groups of CLD students with SLD (N=63). These groups were (a) 31 students who received CRT (treatment group) by teachers who received CRT training and (b) 32 students who received instruction by teachers who did not receive CRT training (control group). There are significant differences between the treatment and the control group on the CLD students with SLD Algebra I Mid-Year Assessment (MYA) and the students’ Mathematics Self-Efficacy scores (MSES). The teachers’ level of cultural consciousness had an insignificant covariance on the Algebra I MYA, yet the teachers’ observations and their cultural responsive self-assessment had a direct effect on the Algebra I MYA. Additionally, there was not significant interaction between MSES and TCS on the students’ Algebra I MYA. The results of the study suggest that the use of CRT is a promising practice to improve CLD students’ with SLD Algebra I achievement and perhaps close the math achievement gap.

Background: Research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be effective in the treatment and management of a variety of psychological and physical health conditions. Whilst under researched, there is growing evidence to support the use of MBIs with individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) who may require adaptation to existing MBIs as a result of cognitive or other impairments. Method: This research dossier describes the development of an 8-week mindfulness group for adults with IDs. Two mindfulness groups were delivered by community practitioners. Participants completed self-report measures of anxiety and depression pre-intervention, postintervention and at follow-up. Participants were interviewed for their experience of the group and assessed for their ability to understand and engage with the basic concepts of mindfulness. Results: Participants reported a decrease in anxiety post-intervention which continued to decrease at follow-up five weeks after the final session of the mindfulness group. Selfreported depression also decreased post-intervention, however there was a slight increase at follow-up although this remained lower than baseline. The decrease in self-reported depression from pre-intervention to post-intervention was statistically significant. Participants were able to engage with, understand, enjoy and benefit from the mindfulness group and appreciated having the opportunity to meet with similar people with similar experiences. Conclusion: Results indicate that the mindfulness group had some positive effect on selfreported anxiety and depression states. Participant feedback coupled with the researcher’s own reflections offer direction for further adaptations that could be made to the mindfulness group and support the need for further research in this area.

This thesis explores the use of adapted Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) with individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/D). DBT is a multi-modal psychological intervention that aims to increase skills in interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and mindfulness. It was initially developed for individuals who presented with parasuicidal behaviours, and is recommended for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This thesis is presented in five papers; a systematic literature review, three empirical papers (a, b &c), and a critical review and reflection of the research process. The systematic literature review provides a narrative review of published research regarding the adaptations and outcomes of DBT for individuals with ID/D. Seven studies were reviewed using the Evaluative Method for Determining Evidence Based Practice (EBP) (Reichow, 2011). The findings detail the adaptations, results and critical appraisal of the research to date. The empirical papers consider the outcomes of adults with ID/D who received adapted DBT in a community psychological therapies service. The papers present different methodologies, and combined produce a consilience of evidence regarding the suitability of DBT for this population. Paper 2a found significant reductions on measures of depression, anxiety and anger, and increased mindfulness skills amongst 18 participants following DBT. Paper 2b uses repertory grid technique to explore the psychological changes that occur following DBT for seven participants, and found overall changes in personal construing and improvements in self-esteem. Paper 2c considers the psychological changes that occur in further depth through the presentation of two case studies. The case studies consider the complexity and idiosyncrasy of the individuals and gives consideration to the use of repertory grids to identify implicative dilemmas as part of clinical assessments. The final paper provides a critical review with personal reflections of the thesis. The author considers the research and clinical implications of the study.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / To improve teacher-parent partnerships, continuous communication between all individuals is essential. The most effective form of communication between parents and a teacher is the parent feedback meeting. Therefore, this study aims to understand the content and organisation of Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversations and its influence on the process of collaboration. This study was motivated due to the need to better understand Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversations. It also aims to contribute to the gap in literature, as it is essential that teachers, therapists and psychologists understand these interactions and the role it plays in collaboration in attempt to effectively address barriers to learning within a LSEN school context. As this is the study of the interactions of a Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversation, it follows an interpretivist qualitative paradigm within an ethnomethodological research design. This enabled me to provide a detailed report and discussion on data that was captured within its natural setting. It also provided insight into the social nature of the activity and ultimately into the actions of the participants. Data was collected through a video-recoding of an annual Transdisciplinary Team parent feedback conversation. A verbatim transcription of this recording was analysed. Content Analysis provided an extensive analysis of the transcription to identify the conversational topics of discussion. Conversation Analysis provided a more in-depth analysis of the participants‘ conversational interactions.

Developing effective literacy skill has become an increasingly critical skill in today's information age. Students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) routinely lack these skills and are not being taught how to read effectively. The field of special education needs more comprehensive and specific information about how to most effectively teach reading skills to students with E/BD. When reading interventions are conducted using student with E/BD, the interventions are generally drawn from the LD field. The assumption is that the reading interventions that have worked with students with LD will work equally well with the E/BD population. This study performed a meta-analysis to examine whether reading interventions are equally effective on the E/BD and LD populations. In addition, it will examine whether the instruction mode (e. g., peer, self, or teacher directed), gender, or grade group affects the success of the intervention. The meta-analysis found that the reading interventions for both disability groups had high effect sizes. In addition, neither disability group, teaching method, gender, nor grades were predictive of the variance in the effect size. These results indicate that reading programs that have been designed for students with LD are also effective for students with E/BD and furthermore, reading programs can improve the academic achievement of students with behavioral disorders. Recommendations for teacher training and future research are given based on these results.

This was a mixed methods study designed to investigate the social skills use of adolescents with learning disabilities through an application of Albert Bandura's theory of reciprocal interaction. Data were collected through ranking surveys, observations, interviews, and school records. Three questions were investigated. The first question was to determine whether the language deficits of LD students contributed to their general decreased social competency. Through data from the Social Skills Rating System, the seventh grade participants were considered socially competent to some degree by self report, their teachers, and their parents. Factor analysis revealed students were the best predictors of their social skills use from all data sources. In ranking participants' social skills use, students and teachers were more strongly correlated than were students and parents, or teachers and parents. No relationship of any strength existed between the participants' cognitive ability and their social competence. A use of Bandura's determinants indicated that a relationship existed between some subtypes of learning disabilities and some types of social skills misuse. The participants diagnosed with reading disability, auditory processing disability, receptive/expressive language disability, or nonverbal learning disability all made the majority of their observed social skills errors in the environmental determinant of Bandura's triad of reciprocal interaction. The participants in the four subtypes experienced their information processing deficits in attending to environmental stimuli, or in attending to inappropriate environmental stimuli. The area of the subtype of information processing deficit aligned with the determinant in which the participants in that subtype's social errors were experienced. Bandura's triad of cognition, environment, and behavior was not equilateral because the balance did not exist between the three determinants in participants with learning disabilities.

Afrikaans: Ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde is ‘n verskynsel wat besonder algemeen voorkom en navorsers is dit eens dat die probleem veral by swart leerders kritieke afmetings aanneem. In die veranderende Suid-Afrika is een van die onderwysrealiteite dat 'n groot deel van die bevolking, vanweë verskeie faktore, steeds blootgestel word aan opvoedings- en omgewingsituasies wat nie bevorderlik is vir die optimale verwerkliking van die leerders se persoonsmoontlikhede nie, en tewens ook yan hierdie verwerklikingsgeleenthede weerhou. Die Tswanaleerders in die Mafikeng-area bevind hulle in ‘n opvoedingsituasie wat nie altyd vir optimale verwerkliking van hul persoonsmoontlikhede bevorderlik is nie. Een moontlike uitkoms van hierdie situasie is dan ook ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde. Daar is veral gefokus op die taalaspek, waar die Tswanaleerders eendersyds probleme ondervind met die 'taal' van wiskunde, en andersyds dat hulle nie in hul moedertaal nie, maar wet in Engels onderrig word. Die doeI van hierdie studie is onder meer die verkenning van die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area se ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde. Dit is gedoen deur die inskakeling van ‘n Diagnostiese Toets en ‘n Leerdersvraelys. Die kognitiewe en affektiewe fasette van die Tswanaleerder se prestasie in wiskunde is gemeet. Deur middel van assessering en evaluering is die huidige stand van die Tswanaleerder se prestasie in wiskunde onder die vergrootglas geplaas. 'n Remediëringstrategie wat spesifiek gerig is op die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area is saamgestel. Hierdie remediëringstrategie fokus op assessering en evaluering, deur gebruik te maak van die Diagnostiese Toets (Mafikeng-area) en die Leerdersvraelys. Daar is ook aangetoon in welke mate 'n wiskundeportefeulje in sodanige remedieringstrategie ingeskakel kan word. 'n Kontrolelys aan die hand waarvan wiskundefoute by die Tswanaleerder in die Mafikeng-area moontlik geidentifiseer kan word, is ook verskaf. 'n Bespreking van die diagnostiese ontleding van 'n Graad 4-groep se prestasie in die Diagnostiese Toets (Mafikeng-area) is ter iIIustrasie verskaf. Die voorgestelde remediëringstrategie is 'n potensiele hulpmiddel vir onderwysers/esse van die Tswanasprekende leerders in die Mafikeng-area om probleemareas in wiskunde te identifiseer en te hanteer. English: Inadequate achievement in mathematics frequently occurs especially amongst black learners where the problem is becoming critical. In a changing South Africa one of the realities in education is that a large part of the population, on account of various factors, is still being exposed to educational and environmental situations that do not promote the optimal realisation of the learners' personal potential, and also inhibit actualisation opportunities. The Tswana learners in the Mafikeng area find themselves in an educational situation that does not always promote optimal actualisation of their personal potential. One possible outcome of this situation is inadequate achievement in mathematics. Special attention was given to the language factor according to which learners experience problems with mathematical language on the one hand, and on the other, the problem that the learners are not being taught in their mother-tongue, but in English. The aim of this study is, inter alia, the exploration of the Tswana learner's inadequate achievement in mathemactis in the Mafikeng area. This was done by administering a Diagnostic Test and a Learner's Questionnaire. The cognitive and affective facets of the Tswana learner's achievement in mathematics was measured. The present state of the Tswana learners' achievement in mathematics was determined through assessment and evaluation. A remedial strategy specifically aimed at the Tswana learner in the Mafikeng area was devised. This strategy focused on assessment and evaluation by making use of the Diagnostic Test (Mafikeng area) and the Learner's Questionnaire. The relevant research also indicated to what extent a mathematics portfolio could be incorporated into such a remedial strategy. A check list according to which mathematical errors in the case of the Tswana learners in the Mafikeng area could possibly be identified was also compiled. A discussion of the diagnostic analysis of a Grade 4 group's achievement in the Diagnostic Test (Mafikeng area) is provided by way of illustration. The proposed remedial strategy is a potential aid for teachers of Tswana-speaking learners in the Mafikeng area to identify and deal with problem areas in mathematics. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted