D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / This study is concerned with the acquisition of language skills by the learning disabled child. A thorough literature survey was conducted, in which the acquisition of both the oral language and the written word were investigated. The survey reveals the importance of certain prerequisites for the mastering of language skills. The research also identifies the causes for and consequences of delay in language development. As a result of this survey, the importance of auditory perceptual skills in the acquisition of reading and spelling performances is emphasized in the design of a model for language acquisition. This survey was conducted to design a model for the acquisition of language skills, with special emphasis on auditory perception. Auditory perception skills are used as aids in the reading process to acquire the necessary skills to decode unfamiliar words in the text to be read. In the design of the model attention was given to the relevant and important matters as described in the literature, as well as to some didactical principles in the teaching of the learning disabled. The design of the model is based on the guidelines as deduced from the description as found in the literature, as well as the investigator's own empirical experience for a number of years in the teaching of identified learning disabled children in an aid class of the TED. This model was applied with great success on a group basis in an aid class at a primary school. It was also successfully applied on a great number of children in need of individual remedial teaching. The applicability and value of the model are verified by an ideographic survey conducted on the pupils in the aid class. A case study on six pupils is described in the thesis and the expected improvement in reading and spelling performance is verified.

Teachers in the field of autism education encounter multiple professional challenges in their roles as educators. Autism spectrum disorder presents with a broad range of symptoms, which places additional demands on the teacher expected to meet all the learners' needs. Insufficient teacher education and training, coupled with limited access to resources and a lack of support from the Department of Basic Education can lead to teachers feeling overwhelmed and powerless to adequately address work-related challenges. This study employed a participatory action research methodology and sought to identify challenges and develop solutions in the field of autism education. Furthermore, the goal of this study was to find ways of making use of existing resources to better meet the teachers' needs, as well as reconsidering the classroom environment in order to better meet the learners' needs. The cyclical nature of a participatory action research approach allowed the participants to renegotiate the research goals throughout the study. Data were generated through the use of open-ended group interviews, observation and written critical self-reflections. From the data, six themes emerged. First, the participants reported feeling empowered as a result of creating and sharing their personal reflections. Next, they identified the lack of support for teachers as a professional challenge. The participants also indicated that more flexible teaching strategies were required in the field of autism education. Another challenge was that teachers were uncertain of their legal rights within the field of ASD education. Poor communication between parents and teachers was identified as an important issue. Finally, it emerged that the classroom environment had a significant impact on the learners' behaviour. These findings led to the conclusion that teachers in the field of autism education should be supported and the challenges they face acknowledged and addressed by their employers as well as by the Department of Basic Education and the institutions responsible for educating and training new teachers. Finally, recommendations for possible solutions and further research were presented, based on the data generated during the study.

This thesis advances the proposition that learning disabled students' participation in kinesthetic or dance and mime performance activities provides an alternative expressive mode to the verbally oriented activities through which creativity has traditionally been examined and evaluated. Between February and May, 1989, I designed and carried out research project in an elementary school in Vancouver, B.C. A group of students, characterized as "learning disabled," participated under my direction in the design, rehearsal, and presentation of a performance of mime and movement to a narrated text developed mainly by the students. Techniques of participant observation and interview (as well as videotape recordings) were used to document both students' activities and the responses of students and their teachers The technique of cognitive mapping was used to analyze observations of the students in kinesthetic activities. Results of this case study have implications for theory and practice. Theoretical implications relate to conceptions o creativity derived from Maslow's description of "peak experiences" and from analyzing Weisberg's definition of creativity. An applied outcome of this research allows practical generalizations about the use, design, and implementation of programmed kinesthetic activities as a means of encouraging creativity among learning disabled students. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

A relationship between the perceptions of the Learning Assistance Teacher (LAT), the Classroom Teacher, the School Principal and the District Staff of the role of the LAT is examined through the use of a questionnaire employing a Likert-type scale. The study explored, described and attempted to compare the perceptions of these key observers in one school district in British Columbia. This study involved a comparative study method. Questionnaires were sent to key observers to obtain their perceptions of the role of the LAT within their school. The individuals represented two levels of district organizational structure - within school personnel and district personnel. The within school personnel could be further sub-divided into administrative and teaching personnel. The data were analyzed descriptively, a comparative analysis between the key observers was taken, the inter-group correlation for the key observers was examined, and the relative ranking of responses for the four groups was examined. It is argued that these findings can be attributed, in part, to the speculative conclusions in the following areas: 1. The consultation area of the LAT role is still a significant problem. 2. The out-of-school and within-school groups have differing perceptions. 3. The within-school personnel have highly correlated perceptions which may be due to the level of inservice training and/or written district policy and school objectives and goals for the LAT. 4. The increased level of education for the classroom teacher and LAT may have led to an increasing commonality of perception of the LAT role. 5. This district rates consultation and cooperative planning much higher than Dugoff, Ives and Shotel's (1985) research. This may be due to the increasing trend to service children with mild handicaps within the regular classroom. This district is moving toward total integration. Further research is needed to see to what extent the perceived role matches the actual role, what the desired or preferred role of the LAT is for these key observers, and what value the role has on learner outcomes. Possible pilot studies of other ways to meet students needs are suggested. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

A multidimensional study was conducted with learning disabled students to assess the effects of a social skills training program. Included were measures of self-concept, peer acceptance, and social competency as rated by parents and teachers. Forty-six intermediate grade children were evaluated prior to the program and after 13 weeks of either treatment, or no treatment. In addition, evaluation of the effect of different instructors was carried out. It was hypothesized that subjects would demonstrate significant (alpha=.05) increases in positive self-concept, peer acceptance, and ratings of social competency by parents and teachers. Support for this hypothesis was found for parent ratings. A secondary hypothesis was that there would be no significant difference at the .05 level between subjects receiving treatment or the placebo from Instructor A and those receiving treatment or the placebo from Instructor B. Partial confirmation was found on the parent and teacher ratings of social competency. The hypothesis was rejected for peer ratings and self-concept measures. Suggestions for practices in education include: (a) the expanding of social skills training throughout the elementary school by presenting it as a progressive skill building program, (b) ways to interest educators in teaching social behavior, (c) application of social skills assessment and training as a function of the counsellor or school psychologist's role, and (d) the practical logistics of setting up a social skills training program in an educational setting. Implications for future research suggest: (a) ways to refine the present study's design, (b) an examination of social behavior and peer acceptance in both the regular and special education class environments, and (c) the need for further understanding of the developmental stages in social competency. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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.

The Common Core Standards for Math (CCSM) require a fundamental shift in what is expected of students with and without disabilities. Computation and finding correct answers are no longer sufficient. Students need to articulate the basis of their understanding and extend it. Teachers of students with a mathematical learning disability (MLD) are challenged in meeting the immediate academic needs of their students as well as the expectations outlined by the new standards. Students identified as having MLD with a deficit in executive functioning (EF) are expected to utilize the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) to access the CCSM as their general education peers do. Yet, when the three main brain functions of EF (working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control) are considered, deficits in these areas hinder access to the SMP. A compromise in any one of these functions may inhibit the students’ ability to master the standards.   This study examined which of the 11 identified EF skills are perceived deficiencies of students with MLD and deficits in EF, as well as what tools and resources are needed to support and develop EF skills in relation to the SMP. The focus was on the SMP and their use by K-5 teachers who serve students with MLD, coupled with cognitive deficits in EF. A manual was created specifically for this study, which found that the perceived deficit areas did not always align with the actual need areas by users of the manual. Respondents consistently identified resources aligned with EF skills associated with behavioral skills as most necessary, though survey results identified cognitive skills as most required to access the SMP. From a practical teaching perspective, these results are not surprising, as research has shown that a strong classroom culture (which directly correlates to internalization and use of behavioral executive functioning skills) is necessary for learning to take place, regardless of content. Participants indicated that the manual’s skills and strategies were beneficial for both the target population and general education students. Recommendations to expand the target audience of the manual and develop a training companion were crucial next steps.

Bibliography: pages 252-280. / Special Education encompasses a wide field. It is an expensive form of education and is often criticized for its shortcomings. One part of Special Education is remedial teaching for children with learning disabilities. In order to provide good quality services, it is necessary to evaluate what is currently being offered and what is envisaged as desirable for the future. This study focusses on those two factors by examining the perceptions of remedial teaching as held by educators (principals, regular class teachers and remedial teachers themselves) in fifty-two schools of the Department of Education and Culture - House of Representatives (DEC-HR). Current service provisions and the desired role of the remedial teacher are thus examined to determine whether educators perceive these as adequate and desirable. A study of the literature was undertaken and guided by those insights a questionnaire was drawn up. This was distributed to educators and the information was verified and augmented by personal interviews with remedial educators. Three hundred and twenty questionnaires were distributed. The views of principals, regular class teachers and remedial teachers were surveyed in those primary schools served by a remedial teacher. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to arrive at both quantitative and qualitative assessments of the position of Remedial Services in the Department of Education (House of Representatives). The study revealed a strong correspondence between the three groups of educators regarding their perception of remedial services. The author endeavours to illustrate that the lack of consensus about criteria for definition and classification of Learning Disability and consequently Remedial Education, leads to confusion of the role(s) remedial teachers are expected to fulfil. This affects the provision of adequate and effective remedial services to pupils in need of such specialised educational facilities. Results from this study led the author to draw up a proposed structure for Specialised Education, in particular, Remedial Education, in a unitary Education System in South Africa.

An acquisition criterion, more commonly known as “mastery criterion” is an instructor-established standard of performance that may signal the acquisition of a novel skill or the conclusion of a phase of intervention. When teaching new behaviors, researchers and practitioners in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) apply some type of criterion for the learner to achieve. The purpose of the following studies was to evaluate the effects of acquisition criteria on skill acquisition in addition to other components of mastery such as response maintenance and stimulus generalization. In Experiment I (Wong et al., 2021), I conducted a systematic comparison of two applications of acquisition criteria. I selected four participants to teach 40 novel sight words using learn unit instruction. The participants were between the ages of 5 and 7 years old and diagnosed with developmental disabilities. I equated the target operants and quasi-randomly assigned 20 sight words in one acquisition criterion condition and 20 sight words in another acquisition criterion condition. In one condition, Set Analysis (SA), the acquisition criterion was applied to a set of four operants. The other condition, Operant Analysis (OA), applied acquisition criterion to individual operants. The level of accuracy and the replication of the accuracy remained the same across conditions, and more specifically, a 100% accuracy across one replication session was utilized under OA and SA. The results of skill acquisition showed that all four participants learned a greater number of sight words under the OA condition compared to the SA condition within the same time frame. Response maintenance results suggested that SA produced more durable responses for three out of four participants. In Experiment II, I extended the findings of Experiment I by addressing some limitations and systematically replicating the procedures. I increased the number of replications of the acquisition criterion from 1 replication to two replications. I selected four new participants and taught them sight words under the OA application of acquisition criterion and the SA application of acquisition criterion. Similar to the findings of Experiment 1, the skill acquisition results showed all participants learned a greater number of operants under OA compared to SA. The response maintenance results showed that all four participants responded with 100% accuracy to a similar or higher percentage of operants under the OA condition compared to the SA condition, suggesting that the added replication to the acquisition criterion may have improved the durability of responses during four-week follow-up sessions. The findings of both Experiment I and Experiment II contributed to the small but growing body of literature demonstrating the parametric effects of acquisition criteria. However, small sample sizes in the existing acquisition criteria research limit the external validity of the findings. Thus, I conducted a descriptive analysis of every skill acquisition article published in 2017 to 2019 in three peer-reviewed behavioral journals, in order to address this limitation. I reported the general characteristics of over 200 articles targeting skill acquisition. Additionally, our analysis targeted the effects of acquisition-criterion levels and frequency of replications on response maintenance results and generalization results. Ultimately, the results provide evidence that acquisition criteria play an important role in the mastery of novel behaviors, which have practical implications for ABA clinicians and researchers.