The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of an experimental condition of failure on the subsequent motor performance of learning disabled students. A total of 123 subjects were assigned to one of three groups based on their specific subscale patterns. Group I consisted of those LD students whose Verbal IQ scores were significantly above their corresponding Performance IQ scores. Group II contained those LD students whose Performance IQs were significantly above their Verbal IQs. Group III was made up of learning disabled students whose Verbal and Performance IQ scores were statistically equivalent. All subjects were then assigned randomly to either an experimental or control condition. Following pretesting on a motor task, the experimental group received verbal feedback suggesting failure. The control subjects received no verbal feedback. The dependent measure was their posttest scores on an identical motor task.The significance of the difference between group means was determined using a two by three analysis of covariance. The research hypotheses predicted the high verbal groups to demonstrate a significant increase in their mean posttest scores, when compared to posttest scores of the high performance group, following failure experience. Statistical analysis of the data, however, did not support these assumptions. LD children, regardless of verbal ability, were found to be unmotivated by their failure. These findings were interpreted within the context of social learning theory and learned helplessness.A two item questionnaire was administered to the subjects following posttesting. Results suggested that those children receiving the failure condition perceived their pretest performance as significantly lower than the subjects in the control group. Furthermore, the failure group's reported perceptions of their effort on the final posttest was significantly above the claims made by the no feedback group despite a measured performance which did not significantly differ.Demographic information relative to educational and vocational levels of the parents was also collected. From this data it was determined that the average parent's occupation was skilled/unskilled labor. As a group, their total number of years in school did not exceed the eleventh grade. These findings suggested that current LD eligibility criteria are not being closely adhered to.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

The present study was an effort to empirically subtype children's learning disabilities. A review of the literature was presented with a focus on current and historical subtyping attempts. A cluster analysis was performed on 1144 school-age learning disabled children who had completed extensive neuropsychological, intellectual, and achievement measures. Four interpretable clusters emerged which were seen as (1) Verbal-Sequential-Arithmetic Deficits, (2) Motor Speed and Cognitive Flexibility Deficits, (3) Mixed Language/Perceptual Deficits, and a (4) No Deficit Subtype. Not only did these clusters indicate unique profiles for each subtype across the sample, but developmental differences were also apparent between all four clusters. The current investigation suggested the utility of an empirical-neuropsychological approach to subtyping children's learning disabilities, while also portraying the importance of neurodevelopmental considerations of subtypes. Future directions in research were discussed. / Department of Educational Psychology

Regular physical activity is significant for overall health and can reduce the risk of chronic disease and health related conditions. Individuals with central nervous system CNS lesions experience impairments that limit their participation in physical activity and reduce quality of life; therefore it is even more important to understand the relationship between the barriers and affordances to engaging in physical activity for this cohort. The current study has uniquely identified a population (n= 11) based on the common experience of spasticity in the lower limb resulting from an CNS lesion across multiple diagnostic categories and used the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model (ICF) (WHO, 2001) to characterize the impairments in body structure and functions, activities and contextual factors to better understand their influence on physical activity levels in this cohort. The findings showed that each individual experienced physical impairments for multiple body functions and structures comprising reduced ankle range of motion (M= 9.98 PlantarFlexion), spasticity as measured by the Ankle Plantar Flexor Tone Scale (middle ankle range resistance M= 1.56, stretch reflex M= 1.64) as well as some reports of pain on a Visual Analog Scale (Usual, M =1.10, and Worst pain, M= 1.64). On average the cohort presented with mild to moderate impairments in their mobility as measured by Timed Up and Go (M= 28.28 seconds), walking velocity (M= 74.94cm/sec Gaitrite mat) and falls (M= .91). Findings from both the Physical Survey for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD) and semi-structured interviews suggest that participation in physical activity was low across life roles including areas of work and employment, recreation and leisure, domestic life and selfcare. The physical component summary (PCS) scores of the Short-Form 36 Version 2 Quality of life Survey were lower than average norms (M=38.12, SD=7.53), while the mental components summary (MCS) scores were on par with average ranges (M=50.61, SD=10.02); however the overall MCS score was slightly higher than the trend reflected in the mental health sub-scores which ranged from between slightly below average to average. Clearly aligning with the ICF model, the volume and intensity of physical activity was hampered by physical impairments, fear of falling, cost of activities, poor weather, a lack of transportation, and cut backs to services as reported in the semi-structured interviews. However, the quantitative relationships between the domains of the ICF were less obvious. Through qualitative interviews the participants’ positive outlook toward participating in life roles was strongly expressed. Despite barriers, individuals were finding ways to be somewhat active and were motivated to do more and overcome their functional limitations. / Graduate

This research evaluates the process of providing an inclusive education in a market culture. It investigates the experiences of eight young people with learning difficulties and disabilities who are students in a further education college. As it applies a focus to one specific case study example, in order to generalise from the literature and two other sample colleges, it represents ethnographic methodology. This is appropriate for the purposes of the study, which are to explore the implications of such processes, within an institutional and organisational structure which is subject to significant changes and restraints. The period under examination is one in which provision for this group of learners is influenced by a multiplicity of factors, not always evident on surface examination. Consequently, a focused ethnographic case study allows for a level of detailed analysis which can illuminate the effects of organisational changes upon individual development. The context in which the case study is set includes the plethora of Further Education Funding Council documentation during the 1990s, the critiques offered by academics of a narrowly competence-based and outcomes-related system, and the implications for students with special educational needs in further education colleges of the recent Dearing Report (1996) and soon to be published Tomlinson Report (1996). The case study provides an illustration of issues raised in recent literature and is set within the broader framework of recent initiatives. Through the use of detailed evaluation of a sample of students progressing through the assessment process in one college, recommendations and reflections contribute original evidence of the influence of legislation on current practice. Using the model of further education, tensions between an inclusive ideology and the demands of a market economy are evaluated and the case-study evidence has application beyond this sector to other areas of educational developments.

No description available.

This investigation used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) to investigate patterns among student, family, and school characteristics, school outreach programs, and school-based family involvement for families of 5,670 students with disabilities ages 13 to 17 in a nationally representative sample. Consistent with prior research, several variables were linked to higher levels of family involvement, including age, disability, ethnicity, living in the same neighborhood, household income, household structure, head of household?s education level, support group participation, time in community, and school outreach programs. Although these variables were statistically significant, model estimates were small. School outreach program predictors included school size, urbanicity, and a lower principal evaluation of outreach efforts. This study makes a unique contribution to the research base by extending Newman?s investigation to include school outreach programs offered by schools as a possible predictor of school-based family involvement.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to identify and evaluate possible determinants of wellbeing and psychological adjustment in parents raising children with disabilities. Two studies drawing from the same sample of participants were conducted. Method: One-hundred and forty parents raising children with disabilities participated in this investigation. Participants completed a survey consisting of basic demographic characteristics of the parent, child-disability characteristics, parent problem solving ability, access to information and resources, environmental/social supports, appraisals of threat and growth, and measures of life satisfaction and physical/mental health. The purpose of study one was to evaluate possible determinants of parent wellbeing using a contextual model. The purpose of study two was to identify factors that predict depression risk status for parents raising children with disabilities. Results: Study one used structural equation modeling to test a hypothesized contextual model of parent wellbeing. Results of study one indicated strong model fit. In addition, after controlling for the contribution of parent demographic variables, the largest contributors to parent wellbeing were parent problem solving ability, access to resources, environmental/social supports, and parent appraisals of threat. Child functional impairment was not significantly associated with parent wellbeing. Study two found that 19 percent of participants were at risk for depression. Moreover, using tests of mean differences and hierarchical logistic regression, study two found that parents at-risk for depression were significantly more likely to report physical health problems, ineffective problem solving abilities, lower family satisfaction, and more appraisals of threat compared to parents not at-risk for depression. These factors combined to predict significantly depression risk status with the at-risk group being identified with 83.3 percent accuracy. Conclusion: Implications related to the importance of resources and environmental/social supports, appraisals of threat and growth, and problem solving abilities on the overall wellbeing and emotional health of parents raising children with disabilities are discussed.

People with disabilities have been marginalized and excluded from the mainstream of life, including leisure contexts (Datillo, 2002, Lord & Hutchinson, 1979, Schleien et al ., 1997). As a result, this causes major barriers to social inclusion (Bedini, 2000 ; Devine & Datillo, 2001; Devine, 2004). While inclusion may be appealing on theoretical and policy levels, it remains a confusing, complicated, and fragmented term (Shakir, 2005). The purpose of this study was to conduct a case study of an adventure therapy organization that delivers outdoor programs for people with disabilities . I specifically focused on an adaptive kayaking program offered to people with disabilities and interviewed or conducted focus groups with clients, staff, and volunteers (n=30) . I examined how they view the meanings and experiences of inclusion as well as the inclusion strategies employed by the organization. I also examined what contributes to the constraints to inclusion and ideas for improvement. The interviews were augmented by document analysis and participant observations. The meanings of inclusion that were voiced included : the integration of people with and without disabilities, treating people uniquely, participating in activities that able bodied people do, being with others like me, and inclusion is mutually understood. The clients' experiences with inclusion encompassed: enjoying friendships with others, experiencing barriers, benefiting from participating in the outdoors, and challenging oneself. The constraints that were evident were feeling belittled when receiving help, dealing with the limitations of disability, not including clients in decision making , over protectiveness from family, and liability in the outdoors. The strategies identified as fostering inclusion included: using the outdoors, the use of adaptations, encouraging clients to take responsibility, and convenient facilities. Promoting the adventure therapy program better, create additional choices for clients, and increasing opportunities for them to take responsibilities were identified as desired improvements. Exploring the various understandings of inclusion through the voices of people with disabilities within a recreation program is rare and contributes to the literature by identifying what the term means to them and how it can be implemented to increase the benefits derived. The implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are provided.

This study examines key factors that affect opportunities for employment of disabled people in Malaysia. Four factors are covered by the study; these are namely, the organisational commitment to employment of disabled people, attitude towards disabled workers, the organisational policies on disability, and the employment opportunities for the disabled people. The first three factors constitute the independent variables, and the last one, the dependent variable. For further understanding of these factors, the independent variables were each additionally split into related elements. The first variable - organisational commitment to employment of disabled people - consists of two elements: recruitment of disabled people, and employee training for disability-related issues. The second variable - attitude towards disabled workers - is composed of three elements: co-workers perception of disabled workers, managements perception of work attendance of disabled workers, and managements perception on the need for supervision. The third variable - organisational policy on disability - is composed of only one element which is the organisational policies on the employment of disabled people. Overall, these three independent variables significantly explain the variance in the dependent variable, i.e. employment opportunities for disabled persons. / The findings of this study show that the organisational commitment to the employment of disabled people is fairly favourable. This is indicated by a higher organisational commitment by companies that employ disabled workers; it is also shown by a higher emphasis for training employees towards disability issues. However, there is no significant difference in the recruitment of disabled workers between organisations that employ no disabled persons and those that employ disabled persons. / Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2007.