Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Preshool children from historically disadvantaged communities are often not stimulated or supported in their early childhood development. Therefore these children are often not school ready for formal education. In previous studies it is reported that the mother has an important role to play in the preschool development of her child. In a community where parents are struggling to survive, the question is if those parents are in a position to support their children. The purpose of this study is to ascertain how the preschool child perceives his social support systems. In a qualitative research design five year old children from a disadvantaged community on the West Coast took part in the study. Out of the study it appears that the preschool child visualizes one of their parents and in some cases a grandparent as their most important support system. The facts however are that the parents in this community due to a shortage of time, education and knowledge of how to stimulate their children, do not playa supporting role in their early childhood development. To support preschool children in this situation the parents as well as any other people involved should be made aware of their responsibilities in this regard. They should be equipped with the knowledge and competencies to enable them to support their preschool children. It is important that intervention strategies are directed not only at the parents but to all in whom the preschool children place their trust / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kleuters uit histories benadeelde gemeenskappe word dikwels nie genoeg in hul vroeë kinderontwikkeling gestimuleer en ondersteun nie. Dit het tot gevolg dat hierdie kinders nie gereed is vir die formele onderrigsituasie wanneer hulle moet skool toe gaan nie. Uit die literatuur het geblyk dat die ouer, veral die moeder 'n groot verantwoordelikheid het ten opsigte van haar kind se voorskoolse ontwikkeling. In 'n gemeenskap waar ouers in 'n stryd om oorlewing gewikkel is, ontstaan die vraag egter of die ouers in staat is om 'n ondersteuningsrol te vervul. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om vas te stel hoe die kleuter sy sosiale ondersteuningsisteme ervaar. In 'n kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp het vyfjarige kleuters uit 'n histories benadeelde gemeenskap aan die Weskus aan die ondersoek deelgeneem. Uit die ondersoek het geblyk dat die kleuters een van hulouers of in enkele gevalle 'n ouma as hul vernaamste ondersteuningsisteem visualiseer. Die feit is egter dat die ouers uit hierdie gemeenskap weens 'n tekort aan tyd, opvoeding en die kennis om hul kleuters te stimuleer nie werklik 'n ondersteuningsrol speel in hul kleuters se vroeë kinderontwikkeling nie. Om kleuters in hierdie situasie te ondersteun moet hulouers, maar ook enige ander persone wat betrokke is by die kleuter se ontwikkeling, bewus gemaak word van hul verantwoordelikheid en ook toegerus word met die kennis en vaardighede om dit te kan doen. Dit is belangrik dat intervensiestrategieë nie net op die ouer sal fokus nie, maar op alle ander persone in wie die kleuter vertroue het.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Research evidence indicates that hearing aids and auditory trainers worn by school children routinely malfunction. Ensuring properly functioning amplification is a preferred educational practice and is required by PL 94-142 regulations. Research was needed to determine if schools were complying with the regulations and recommended educational procedures. This study described and evaluated procedures used by educational agencies to monitor and maintain amplification units worn by hearing-impaired students. Two examiner-developed survey intruments were mailed to residential and public day school teachers and administrators to collect data and answer 11 research questions pertaining to: (1) monitoring and maintenance procedures, (2) relationships between demographic, personnel, and placement characteristics and preferred monitoring and maintenance practices, and (3) monitoring and maintenance practices compared with a model of preferred practice. Personnel were surveyed in one residential school for the deaf in each state and a stratified random sample of 200 public day schools. A total of 310 (63%) surveys were returned from 164 (65.6%) administrators and 146 (58.4%) teachers. Results indicated that the majority of programs had some system of monitoring and maintaining amplification units, but only 54.1% (73) performed daily checks of hearing aids and 58.3% (67) performed daily checks of auditory trainers. Teachers in 76.9% of the sample reported that electroacoustic analysis was available as one part of audiologic evaluation, but not usually scheduled on a routine basis. Teachers were responsible for monitoring activities in over 75% of programs, regardless of the educational model: self-contained, resource, or itinerant. Significant positive relationships were found between (1) program size and one preferred monitoring and maintenance variable, (2) full-time audiologist and three preferred variables, (3) residential school placement and four preferred variables, (4) inservice training and three preferred variables, (5) full-time audiologist and program size and (6) full-time audiologist and residential school placement. These and additional findings suggest that while some improvement in monitoring and maintenance practices has occurred since the implementation of PL 94-142, full compliance by employing preferred professional practices has not been achieved. Recommendations are made for improving personnel preparation, monitoring and maintenance practices, and research.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affects one in every 110 children. Medical and educational research have demonstrated that ASD children's social skills and adaptation can be much improved, provided that interventions are early and intensive enough. The advancement of computer technologies and their ubiquitous penetration in people's life make them widely available to support intensive sociocognitive rehabilitation. Additionally, computer interactions are a natural choice for people with autism who value lawful and "systematizing" tools. A number of computer-aided approaches have been developed, showing effectiveness and generalization, but little quantitative research was conducted to identify the critical factors of engaging and improving the child's interest and performance. This thesis designs an adaptive computer interaction system, called Ying, which detects learning patterns in children with ASD and explores the computer interactive possibilities. The system tailors its content based on periodic performance assessments that offer a more effective learning path for children with ASD. / by Jake Levi Petersen. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web. FboU

This study examined the policy letters and verbal testimony transcripts submitted by interest groups to the United States Department of Education (USDE) in response to the proposed regulations pertaining to the implementation of the 1997 reauthorization of P. L. 105-17, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Specifically, this study analyzed the emerging themes in the area of discipline. Responses were received from the following interest groups: (a) school administrators, (b) parents, (c) teachers, (d) state educational agencies (SEAs), (e) national educational organizations, and (f) members of the United States Congress. In addition to analyzing the emerging themes, the study compared these themes to ones found in the current literature and court cases.

Since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, a number of common problems have emerged. Primarily they involve the difficulties both experienced and created by public schools attempting to fulfill the federal mandate to provide students with disabilities an appropriate public education. The purpose of this study is to examine the process of inclusion as implemented by teachers of students with learning disabilities. This study is a qualitative research project. A grounded theory approach, used to derive constructs and laws directly from the immediate data collected, rather than from prior research and theory was utilized. Three regular classroom teachers were selected for detailed investigation. The investigation focused on the usability of the Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and how well the regular education teacher implemented the interventions and accommodations specified in the IEP for students with learning disabilities in their class. To enhance the validity and generalizability of the findings, several methods of data collection were used: researching student files, interviews and observations. Upon analysis of the data, various themes emerged. The themes were grouped into three areas of focus: general classroom teachers, the IEP, and administrative focus. The data obtained in this study are characteristic of previous research findings; teachers typically provide whole-class, undifferentiated instruction and offer minimal adaptations for students with learning disabilities, the IEPs consistently lack usability and the language used in the IEP is confusing. This study indicates that focusing on the IEP itself can make a significant impact. By specifically defining terms used in the IEP and by soliciting the input from previous teachers to document specific teaching strategies for a student with a learning disability the IEP will evolve into a tool to be used by subsequent teachers. It is not a sufficient strategy simply to return students with disabilities to unchanged mainstream programs. Teacher education programs need to focus on the increasing diversity of the student population and emphasize techniques in modifying and differentiating curriculum. The regular school programs need to be re-created so that they can meet more effectively the diverse and individual needs of all students. / Graduation date: 2002

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published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This study investigated how rural children with disabilities and their families in the Qwaqwa Region of the Free State province experience disability. The aim was to examine the various social, cultural, economic, and political factors that impact the lives of the children and their families. It also explored what support systems are available for the children and the families in this rural context. Seventeen children with disabilities and their families were selected through a process of purposive sampling from three areas in the region: Mabolela, Makgalaneng, and Bolata. Nine of the children are currently in primary schools, and eight do not have access to formal schooling. This was a qualitative study. The research method was the semi-structured interview. The main caregiver in each of the families was interviewed. Interviews were conducted in Sesotho and audio-taped. These were transcribed, and then translated into English. The findings in the study reveal that despite the fact that various legislation and policy documents in South Africa make special reference to the protection of the rights of rural children with disabilities, the rights of the children and families in this study continue to be violated. The study revealed the urgent need to address barriers to learning and development that these children are experiencing which are largely located in the system. Some of these are: poverty and underdevelopment; negative attitudes; lack of education and rehabilitation services, lack of access to information; inadequate social and psychological support; lack of community based and accessible support services; lack of access to information about disability; poor access to resources such as health care, and social welfare; lack of coordination between professional services and departments in the province. The study has implications for planning services to address the needs of children with disabilities and their families in this rural context. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 1999.