The purpose of the study was to assess programs, activities and facilities for physically handicapped students at Ball State University.Study participants included eighty-five individuals identified by University officials. Participants included fifty-six physically handicapped students, nine non-handicapped undergraduate students, ten administrators and ten faculty. Physically handicapped students were divided into seven disability groups including: (1) blind; (2) visually impaired; (3) deaf; (4) hearing impaired; (5) wheelchair confined; (6) limited ambulatory and (7) "other" disabilities.An interview assessment instrument was developed consisting of fifty items divided into five sections. Participants were interviewed for assessment of specific accommodations, general information, legislation, communication and attitudes concerning programs, activities and facilities for physically handicapped students at Ball State University. Fourteen trained interviewers conducted interviews with assigned participants.Physically handicapped students completed assessments from all five sections of the assessment instrument. Non-handicapped undergraduate students, administrators and faculty completed assessments from general information, legislation, communication and attitudes sections.Analyses of assessment data included-profile comparisons by number and percentage of participant responses. Response choices to assessment instrument items were: (1) a great degree; (2) moderate degree;(3) small degree; (4) none and (5) I don't know also collected from all study participants.The following summary of findings is based on analyses of assessment responses received from the study population.1. University transportation services were not as useful for handicapped students as non-handicapped students.2. Physical education facilities were not as useful for handicapped as for non-handicapped.3. Intramural sports provisions were not adequate for handicapped participation.4. Nobility impaired students reported difficulty with University door accommodations.5. Blind and visually impaired reported a greater need for brail and auditory information in public places at the University.6. Deaf and hearing impaired students reported a greater need for visual fire alarms and amplified telephones at the University.7. Wheelchair confined, limited ambulatory and "other" disability students reported little convenience in use of University parking facilities.8. Twenty of fifty-six handicapped students reported inconvenience in use of library card catalogs.9. Six wheelchair confined, one limited ambualtory, one blind, one visually impaired and three "other" disability students reported a need for more appropriate University Health Services.10. Handicapped students reported limited participation in social organizations and special interest groups.11. Twenty-two percent of the handicapped reported a greater need in consideration of handicapped for employment at the University.12. Limited ambulatory students reported a greater need for non-slip floors and surfaces at the University.13. All but five handicapped participants were not familiar with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.14. Participants reported that all institutions of higher education should be accessible to the handicapped.15. Non-handicapped persons reported that handicapped students had more personal adjustment problems than non-handicapped students.16. A greater number of handicapped than non-handicapped students reported that handicapped college graduates secure jobs as easily as non-handicapped college graduates.17. Thirty-six percent of the handicapped students had no information on which to base an opinion concerning career and vocational counseling services at Ball State University.18. Forty-seven percent of the handicapped students had no information on which to base an opinion concerning placement services at Ball State University.Study findings were dispersed to University officials for use in University accessibility development for the handicapped.

A growing body of opinion, research, and legislation [PL 98-524] implies that school psychological evaluations with adolescents and young adults should routinely include estimates of vocational interests and aptitude. Certainly all secondary level special education evaluations should include this important vocational component. Evidence suggests that the experience of career development among learning disabled young adults is particularly frustrating and difficult without early planning and exploration of options. This study examines the utility of traditionally available psychometric data in assisting the clinician make initial, exploratory estimates of vocational aptitude without referring the client for specialized testing. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised [WAIS-R], and General Aptitude Test Battery [GATB] scores were subjected to a multivariate, canonical correlation analysis to examine the overlap among constructs estimated by these sets of variables. The sample was composed of 148 learning disabled young adults enrolled in a state supported vocational rehabilitation program. Three significant canonical correlations were interpreted. The redundancy index showed that 34% of the variance in GATB aptitudes is explained by three linear combinations of WAIS-R subtest scaled scores, and that 31% of the WAIS-R subtest variance is predictable from three composites of GATB aptitude scores. Analysis of the structure correlations suggests that the first pair of canonical variates [Rc = .87] share a general intelligence, or verbal comprehension factor. A second pair [Rc= .73] share a perceptual and motor coordination construct. The third pair of canonical variates [Rc = .61] define a perceptual speed, or psychomotor construct that overlaps both the GATB and the WAIS-R set of test scores. There is evidence that GATB and WAIS-R estimate similar, but essentially independent dimensions of the same three psychoeducational constructs. WAIS-R may provide better estimates of fluid ability than GATB; and GATB may provide better estimates of crystallized ability than WAIS-R. Clinical implications for psychologists making exploratory estimates of vocational ability and aptitude from clinical profiles of WAIS-R scaled scores are discussed. Assessment issues with respect to the learning disabled young adult are also presented. [175 references] / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of principals toward educating handicapped students in the regular schools of Kuwait. The sample for this survey was composed of regular school principals in the State of Kuwait for the 1986-1987 school year. Of the 400 Principals, 229 principals were randomly selected. A 79.5% response was received. The survey instrument consisted of 40 statements to measure attitudes of individuals regarding acceptance of special education programs in regular school. A Likert-type scale was used to rate the perceived influence of each statement. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, t-test, analysis of variance, and chi-square were used to answer the study questions. The findings of the study indicated that 100 of the 182 principals identified positive attitudes toward serving handicapped students in the regular schools, there were no significant differences between male and female principals, but there were significant differences among principals at the three levels (elementary, intermediate, and secondary). / Ed. D.

Determining the costs of special education in public and nonpublic settings is an important undertaking necessary for policy formulation and implementation. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112) and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-142) require that all handicapped children receive a free, appropriate, publicly supported education. Further, P.L. 94-142 mandates: education in the least restrictive environment, a continuum of alternative placements, and that handicapped children in private schools be provided special education and related services at no cost to their parent(s) or guardian(s) provided that such children are referred or placed by the public agency. In the context of fiscal accountability, the issue of providing comparable services for the least amount of expenditure in special education has become a critical one. Local education agencies (LEAs) are continually faced with decisions of whether to pay for nonpublic placements of handicapped pupils or provide public placements often at the expense of starting new programs and services for a small number of pupils. To date, most LEAs have been unable to accurately analyze and compare these costs. This study developed a framework to be used for descriptive and comparative analysis of costs of public and nonpublic programs and services utilized for handicapped pupils. Borg's model of research and development procedures was used with modifications to include expert panel review at preliminary product development and product revision stages. The framework was tested in six LEAs within Virginia which represent county and city divisions in high, medium, and low population settings. Ten nonpublic day and residential programs utilized by the LEAs were selected for analysis. Analyzed public per-pupil costs by handicapping condition and environment were compared to the analyzed per-pupil costs to the LEA for nonpublic special education programs by handicapping condition and environment. The product of this study may assist LEAs in policy formulation and implementation concerning the placement of handicapped pupils. / Ed. D.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Philosophy

This study utilized a quality of life framework of psychosocial adaptation to explore relationships among college stress, functional limitations, coping strategies, and perceived social support in adjustment to college among first-year and second-year undergraduate students with disabilities, based on specific hypothesized relations. College adjustment outcomes included: life satisfaction, academic performance, and psychosocial-emotional adjustment to college. A nonprobability sample of 103 first-year and second-year undergraduate college students with disabilities participated in the study. Respondents were registered with an office of support services for students with disabilities at a public, four-year university, located in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Respondents were recruited by responding to an e-mail requesting participation in an online, web-based survey. Eight self-report measures included: (a) Participant Survey (developed by the researcher to collect socio-demographic information, (b) College Stress Inventory (CSI; Solberg, Hale, Villarreal, & Kavanagh, 1993), (c) Disability Functional Limitations Scale (DFLS) (developed by the researcher), (d) Brief COPE; Carver, 1997, (e) Social Support Appraisals-Revised (SSA-R) scale; Vaux et al., 1986), (f) Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), (g) Grade Point Average-Scale (GPA-S; adapted by the researcher from a self-reported grading scale), and (h) Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ; Baker & Siryk, 1999). Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational procedures. Bivariate analysis suggested that all predictor variables (i.e., college stress, functional limitations, engagement coping, and perceived social support) were significantly associated with student adjustment to college. Hierarchical multiple regression suggested mostly direct (i.e., main) effects for engagement coping and perceived social support. No interacting role for either engagement-type coping or perceived social support was suggested, except for the following: Engagement-type coping moderated the relationship between disability-related functional limitations (as measured by increased restrictions in the ability to perform daily routines, activities, and life roles) and adaptation to college, as measured by life satisfaction. Analyses of socio-demographic variables revealed significant associations between chronological age, gender, hours employed, and adjustment to college. Lastly, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed disengagement coping accounting for as much as 53% of the variance in adjustment scores. This result suggested disengagement coping adding significant predictive utility for adaptation-associated college adjustment. In light of these findings, counseling professionals may wish to consider the beneficial role of engagement coping in promoting optimal adjustment to college for lower-division undergraduate students with disabilities.

The problem of the study was the inadequate education of handicapped students in Nigeria. The primary purpose of the study was to develop a construct based on the United States models and research on special education, and to compare educational provisions for Nigerian students with the available educational opportunity for handicapped students. In order to achieve the stated objectives of the study, two methodological approaches were utilized: (1) Likert scale for opinion questionnaires, and (2) personal interviews. Both of these instruments included demographic information about the participants. The questionnaire was categorized into three areas (differences between educational opportunities for non-handicapped and handicapped students, formal learning opportunities for handicapped Nigerian students, and factors for being attentive or not being attentive to special education). The interview instrument focused on special education constraints, responsibility for special education provision, and improvement in education for the handicapped. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were reached. 1. Handicapped Nigerian students do not have equal educational opportunities, as compared to non-handicapped students. Therefore, equal instructional opportunities should be provided for handicapped and non-handicapped students. 2. The federal and state governments of Nigeria should be financially responsible for special education. Therefore, the administration of special education must be taken over from private organizations. 3. Lack of funds, personnel and specialists, equipment, and adequate facilities hinders education for the handicapped in Nigeria. In order to improve education for the handicapped, therefore, the following provisions should be made: (1) build more schools, (2) train more specialists, (3) make funds available for special education, (4) provide more facilities and equipment, (5) intensify efforts in early detection of handicaps in children, and (6) educate parents on the importance of special education.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Education, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1995. / The present research study evaluated an unresearched assessment battery used to determine student trainability at a multi-disability commercial college. The issues of validity - specifically criterion-related validity and content-related validity and dynamic assessment were the main focus of the study. Revisions to the assessment battery where necessary were recommended, Fifty-two students from the multi-disability college formed the sample population for establishing the criterion-related validity of the assessment battery. Students assessment results were correlated with the number of credits .hey obtained on course completion using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. This research established that useful inferences about student trainability could be made from the existing assessment battery scores. Establishing the content-related validity of the assessment battery was a two foid process. Firstly, course lecturers completed a self-administered questionnaire to determine what skills/ attributes were necessary for success in the four courses offered at the College. Secondly, a workshop was held with a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to determine what skills/ attributes were being tapped by the various sub-tests of the battery. It was established that twelve of the skills/attributes necessary for course success were not tapped on the existing assessment battery. Measures which tap these skills/attdbutes need to be included in the assessment battery so that its content validity can be established. Given the controversy relating to standardised/static testing it was important to research the relevance and usefulness of the introduction of a dynamic assessment component to the existing battery. Dynamic assessment would allow for learning potential to be tapped. Analyses of variance were conducted to determine the relationships between the variables - race, educational level and type of disability with performance on the assessment battery. The significant relationships between educational level and performance and type of disability and performance

A submitted thesis of Masters of Art in Social and Psychological Research, University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, 2017 / The career trajectory for persons with disabilities (PWDs) has largely been associated with decline and stagnation. Resilience and positive attributes have not been investigated related to graduates with disabilities (GWDs) successfully entering, adjusting to and further developing within the work environment. The aim of this study was to report on challenges, resilience and positive attributes amongst GWDs as a positive contributing factor to employment practices as well as policy. A participant sample of 6 employed GWDs (working age 26-45; 4 males and 2 females; 3 Black, 2 White and 1 Coloured) were individually interviewed. The participants’ disabilities consisted mainly of physical, hearing and visual impairments. The data was analysed using thematic and discourse analysis. Results show that despite the negative experiences encountered within the social and work environment, participants demonstrated resilience within their narratives and decision-making processes. A self-developed conceptual model of resilience and positive attributes was thus proposed to track this resilience. However, the resilience observed amongst participants did not fully reflect the existing definitions and theoretical frameworks around resilience. Critically re-examining these existing definitions and the theoretical framework showed new meanings can be derived with implications for policy and intervention. The fact that the majority of participants did not show awareness of or ownership of their resilience shows a missing key element – that they are not only making use of it, but they also do not even appear to realise its importance. / MT2018

This study, conducted in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding rural and township areas, is a critical exploration of the training of mid-level Community Based Rehabilitation workers with a specific focus on the ability of course participants to understand and address the oppression and empowerment of people with disabilities. The aim of the study was to develop a conceptual framework for curriculum construction of a midlevel Community Based Rehabilitation course, through examining a Community Based Rehabilitation course and the changes that were made to it. The study was conducted within a critical theory paradigm. The social model of disability and an understanding of disability as a form of oppression were the key constructs that guided the research. Participatory action research was used in the initial phase of the research, followed by a second phase that adopted a life history approach. The initial phase of the study consisted of one cycle of action research, beginning with a reflection on the existing curriculum. The action research cycle then moved through stages of planning changes to the curriculum, implementing the changes, observing the effects of the changes and reflecting again. Data collection comprised interviews with staff members, students and community rehabilitation facilitators who had previously completed the Community Based Rehabilitation course, as well as focus groups with people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. Several participatory rural appraisal techniques were also used with the students. The action research cycle raised further questions about how the life experiences of the students influenced their responses to the changed curriculum. This stimulated the development of the second phase of the research which used life history methodology, comprising in-depth interviews with four students. The study found that several changes occurred in the students’ attitudes and understanding as well as in some of the activities they undertook. Some students worked with rather than for people with disabilities, indicating a change in the power relationship with their clients. The students were able to analyse their own oppression and that of people with disabilities, unlike previous students. The students also engaged in social action for the rights of people with disabilities. These findings cannot be solely attributed to the changes in curriculum. However, they raise the possibility that Community Based Rehabilitation personnel can work to address the oppression of people with disabilities rather than focusing entirely on technical rehabilitation, which is a common approach in the literature. An analysis of the life histories revealed that those students identified as ‘activists’, more willingly engaged in social action during the Community Based Rehabilitation course than other students. This challenges the dominant discourse in the literature of Community Based Rehabilitation personnel as rehabilitation workers rather than activists. One key contribution of this thesis is to research methodology through its combination of life history methodology and action research in the study. A second is its proposed framework for curriculum construction that incorporates findings from the action research and the life histories. This framework, with its macroenvironment, organisational and student influences on the curriculum, contributes to the under-theorised field of Community Based Rehabilitation training. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu Natal, 2008.