The pediatric audiology landscape changed dramatically with the advances in screening and diagnostic procedures, amplification possibilities and early identification outcomes. Pediatricians play a key role in this rapidly developing field. The aim of this study was to investigate Pediatricians’ knowledge and attitudes regarding the diagnosis and intervention of infants and children with a sensorineural hearing loss. A questionnaire was compiled to obtain the relevant empirical data. This was distributed to 257 pediatricians in the Gauteng Province. Of the 257 questionnaires only 47 could be utilised. According to the results obtained from the pediatricians it appears that the respondents possess adequate knowledge regarding the diagnosis and intervention of infants and children with sensorineural hearing loss. This is despite having received limited or no information and training on this subject. As is discussed in Chapter 4 it became evident that knowledge gaps were found to exist. The pediatrician is an important team member of the hearing intervention team. Their involvement is crucial and their referral can be the important stepping-stone for early identification and intervention. A lack of skills and proficient knowledge is a major constraint during the implementation of efficient primary health care services in developing countries. Throughout the results of this study, it is found that pediatricians have a need for additional information and training in the intervention process of infants and children with sensorineural hearing loss, therefore showing a positive attitude towards continuous education. This is based on the results found throughout the study, in terms of a void in certain areas surrounding effective intervention of hearing loss. The aim of the study was to highlight areas of uncertainty that the respondents might experience and to provide educational programmes in order to equip them with the relevant knowledge with regards to sensorineural hearing loss. The findings of this study would hopefully encourage future research and a more in-depth study regarding this topic. / Dissertation (M (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

In South Africa the idea of a peer helping service has gained impetus and is viewed as a viable option given the fact that there is a shortage of professional school-counsellors and complementary care-givers in the public school environment. This research emanated from an awareness that there was a need to develop an objective assessment tool regarding the identification of peer-counsellors. This instigated an investigation of the essential criteria, predominant characteristics and requirements of effective peer-counsellors. The primary focus of this research has been to develop a self-assessment instrument that will assist in the identification and selection of potential peer-counsellors. The self-assessment instrument proved to be a valuable tool in discriminating between good, average and weak peer-counsellors. Findings indicate that the self-assessment instrument should be used in conjunction with other modes of assessment such as the self-report data, teacher ratings and peer ratings. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

In South Africa the idea of a peer helping service has gained impetus and is viewed as a viable option given the fact that there is a shortage of professional school-counsellors and complementary care-givers in the public school environment. This research emanated from an awareness that there was a need to develop an objective assessment tool regarding the identification of peer-counsellors. This instigated an investigation of the essential criteria, predominant characteristics and requirements of effective peer-counsellors. The primary focus of this research has been to develop a self-assessment instrument that will assist in the identification and selection of potential peer-counsellors. The self-assessment instrument proved to be a valuable tool in discriminating between good, average and weak peer-counsellors. Findings indicate that the self-assessment instrument should be used in conjunction with other modes of assessment such as the self-report data, teacher ratings and peer ratings. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Les recours individuels directs devant la juridiction constitutionnelle sont marqués par une forte originalité. Leur originalité se caractérise tant par la possibilité qu’un individu puisse accéder sans intermédiaire au prétoire du juge constitutionnel, que par la diversité des actes contestables devant ce juge et par cet individu. Afin d’appréhender les diverses formes de recours individuel direct en Allemagne, Autriche, Belgique et Espagne, il convenait de mobiliser un instrument qui mette en évidence cette double spécificité d’études : le droit processuel. Celui-ci se définit en effet par l’ambition de traiter les divers contentieux de manière comparée, au-delà de leur nature particulière.Cette démarche comparative permet plus spécialement de relativiser le clivage droit privé/droit public : tandis que le droit processuel trouve habituellement son terrain d’élection dans le droit judiciaire privé, alors que le contentieux public est accaparé par la dimension du « procès fait à un acte », l’analyse des recours individuels directs permet d’appréhender pleinement le contentieux constitutionnel comme structure procédurale de protection des droits. Le droit processuel permet ainsi d’analyser les recours individuels directs comme forme entièrement développée de recours en protection des droit devant la juridiction constitutionnelle, forme qui n’existe pas en France : il permet une mise en perspective de notre culture juridique centrée sur la conformité juridique objective des actes. / Direct constitutional complaints before the Constitutional Court appear as a strongly original procedure. It is caracterized both by the possibility for an individual to have direct access to the Court and by the wide variety of the legal acts that can be challenged there. The analysis of the diverse forms of direct constitutional complaints in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Spain requires a conceptual framework that allows those two characteristics to stand out: processual law. Processual law can be defined by its ambition to consider various kinds of litigation in a comparative way beyond their specific nature. This comparative approach especially allows for a relativisation of the public law/private law distinction. In France, processual law is generally used in private litigation context, whereas public litigation is more focused on the “procès fait à un acte” dimension. By contrast, the analysis of direct constitutional complaints through processual law sheds a specific light on it as a procedural structure directed towards the protection of rights. In other words, direct constitutional complaints appear in this light as a fully developed form of procedure for the protection of rights, a form that does not exist in France. Our legal culture which is focused on the question of the objective legal conformity of acts is thus put into a new perspective.