Digital technologies allow people with disabilities to participate independently in society in ways they never could before. The full realization of these new opportunities remains elusive, though, because working professionals in the information and communication technology (ICT) field rarely receive adequate training in how to make digital ICT accessible to people with disabilities. Adding accessibility to the university ICT curriculum can help create a critical mass of ICT professionals with accessibility awareness and expertise to finally realize the full accessibility potential of digital technologies. This dissertation provides a rich informational context from which ICT curriculum leaders can decide how to best infuse accessibility into their own curriculum.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South African schools teachers are currently being expected to make major changes in the way they understand teaching and learning in the process of adapting to an entirely new curriculum like Curriculum 2005 or Outcomes Based Education (Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker & Engelbrecht, 1999:70). Research asked the question about what the needs of teachers are towards support to facilitate the implementation of inclusive education in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A case study was conducted, the purpose being to inform support programmes for teachers. The target population included a selected primary school, the Mutondo Primary School in the Vuwani Area of the Limpopo Province. Participants included 20 voluntary teachers. A literature review was undertaken on the implementation of inclusive education in South Africa. It indicated that teachers showed negative and positive attitudes towards inclusive education in schools. It also showed that that teachers needed support to facilitate positive change in their attitudes toward inclusion in South Africa. Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker and Engelbrecht (1999:157) also emphasised that support was crucial for teachers as they felt that they did not have enough training in order to meet many challenges they come across. The aims of the study was to identify the need for a support programme towards inclusive education for teachers in the Vuwani Area of the Limpopo Province, to provide information to teachers on the implementation of inclusive education and to evaluate the needs for a support programme on the implementation of inclusive education in this area. Information was gathered at the hand of workshops with focus group interviews. The main themes that emerged from the data was the number of learners in a class, resources, the need for in-service training, a culture of respect and acceptance and a flexible curriculum. Findings suggested that a support programme could implement the policy of inclusive education more effectively when teachers' needs for training and support were being met. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika word dit tans van onderwysers verwag om groot veranderinge aan te bring in die wyse waarop hulle onderrig en leer om sodoende te kan aanpas by 'n nuwe kurrikulum soos Kurrikulum 2005 of Uitkomsgebasseerde Onderwys (Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker & Engelbrecht, 1999:70). Hierdie stuk navorsing vra die vraag oor die behoeftes van onderwysers ten opsigte ondersteuning om die implimentering van inklusiewe onderwys binne die Limpopo Provinsie van Suid-Afrika te fasiliteer. 'n Gevallestudie is onderneem met as doelom inligting te verskaf ten opsigte van 'n ondersteuningsprogram vir onderwysers. Die teikenbevolking het ingesluit 'n geselekteerde primêre skool in die Vuwani gebied van die Limpopo Provinsie, naamlik die Mutondo Primêre Skool. Deelnemers het 20 vrywillige onderwysers ingesluit. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem oor die implimentering van inklusiewe onderwys binne Suid-Afrika. Dit het getoon dat onderwysers beide positiewe en negatiewe houdings openbaar teenoor inklusiewe onderwys binne skole. Dit het verder aangetoon dat onderwysers ondersteuning benodig ten opsigte van die fasilitering van positiewe veranderings in hul houdings jeens inklusiewe onderwys in Suid-Afrika. Engelbrecht, Green, Naicker en Engelbrecht (1999: 157) beklemtoon dat ondersteuning uiters belangrik is vir onderwysers aangesien hulle voel dat hulle nie genoegsame opleiding het om nuwe uitdagings aan te spreek nie. Doelwitte binne hierdie studie het ingesluit die identifisering van die behoefte aan 'n ondersteuningsprogram vir onderwysers binne die Vuwani area van die Limpopo Provinsie, die deurgee van inligting aan onderwysers rakende inklusiewe onderwys en die evaluering van behoeftes vir 'n ondersteuningsprogram rakende die implimentering van inklusiewe onderwys in hierdie gebied. Data is ingesamel aan die hand van werkswinkels met fokusgroeponderhoude. Die hooftemas wat uit die navorsing na vore getree het, was die aantalleerders binne klasse, hulpmiddele, die behoefte van indiensopleiding, 'n kultuur van respek en aanvaarding en laastens 'n buigsame kurrikulum. In kort is bevind dat 'n ondersteuningsprogram die implimentering van inklusiewe onderwys kan vergemaklik.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an evaluation procedure designed to assist special educators improve their instruction. A single subject, multiple baseline across subjects design was used to test this evaluation procedure, the Special Educator Improvement Procedure (SEIP), with six teachers of self-contained special education students over a seven week period. The SEIP was composed of the following components: (1) presenting multiple videotaped samples of the subject's teaching performance to a team of evaluators, including the subject, the subject's supervisor, a peer and another educator chosen by the subject; (2) having the evaluation team assess the subject's instruction using the revised Teacher Performance Assessment Instruments (TPAI-R); (3) allowing the subject to compare his or her self assessment with the assessments of other evaluation team members; and (4) having team members make specific suggestions as to how the evaluatee might improve his or her instruction. Following the seventh week of the study, two independent observers used the TPAI-R to rate videotaped samples of the subjects' teaching. These ratings were used to test the prediction that subjects who participated in the SEIP would be ranked higher on the TPAI-R than would subjects who had not yet participated in the SEIP. However, the results of statistical analyses using Revusky's R(,n) statistic and Tukey's HSD procedure did not support this prediction. At the conclusion of the study, evaluation team members completed an experimenter developed questionnaire. An analysis of their responses supported the predictions that (1) the participants would rate the SEIP as being very beneficial for helping special educators improve their teaching and (2) the TPAI-R was a good instrument for assessing the adequacy of special educator's teaching, but failed to support the prediction that the participants would rate their participation in the SEIP feedback session as being very beneficial. It was concluded that the results of the study were inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of the SEIP in assisting special educators to improve their instruction. It was suggested that additional research be conducted using a revised version of the SEIP.

The effects of a training package (modeling, role-playing, and feedback) were evaluated using a multiple baseline across skill areas. Two trainers taught two teachers to use basic intervention skills that included components of both discrete trial teaching (DTT) and the Natural Language Paradigm (NLP). Training occurred in the context of one task. Generalization was assessed with two untrained tasks. Teachers' responses in the target task increased following training, as did appropriate responding from the child. Some generalization of the teaching skills occurred. Teachers were instructed to generalize acquired skills as a possible method to promote generalization. The results of these findings and implications for training of ABA providers are discussed.

Teachers providing treatment to children with autism are responsible for implementing numerous procedures. Teacher training has not been addressed extensively in the literature. This study employed a multiple baseline design to evaluate the effects of a training package incorporating modeling, roleplaying and feedback on teacher performance. Results indicated that the teacher implemented correct teaching episodes following training. Changes in teacher performance were only observed when the training package was applied to each setting and skill area. As a result of changes in teacher behavior, the child demonstrated an increase in the number of desired responses. Results are discussed in the context of generalization, training package components, cost-benefit of single-subject designs, and limitations of the study.

No description available.

The problem of this study is the effect of two training models on personnel who teach moderately and severely retarded children. The subjects of this study were sixty-two staff members who work with the moderately and severely retarded pupils in two large metropolitan school systems. Eighteen teachers, eighteen aides, and twenty-six volunteers participated in the study. Two observation instruments administered by trained observers were used as pre- and post-tests to measure the trainees' competencies in applying operant conditioning techniques in both group and one-to-one instructional situations. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare the effectiveness of an experiential model and a didactic model in preparing personnel to deliver cues and reinforcers when working with moderately and severely retarded children; (2) to compare the costs of equipment and supervisory personnel; and (3) to examine the relationship between the trainees' effectiveness of delivering cues and reinforcers to a group of moderately and severely retarded youngsters and the on-task behavior of those students. This report concludes that the trainees' self-evaluation of the training models indicated that they prefer simulated techniques and feedback, which denotes that the Experiential Model may foster certain kinds of incidental learning such as physical mannerisms and visual cues. The Experiential Model was superior in teaching trainees to cue in a one-to one teaching situation.

The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the effects of enhanced training and performance management methods for an autism coordinator who managed several paraprofessional therapists providing in-home behavior therapy for young children with autism. Intervention included task clarification, targeted skill development, and improved feedback from the coordinator to the therapists. Results showed that service delivery performance of in-home trainers increased and/or became more consistent after the intervention was implemented. The intervention provided the autism coordinator with an empirically validated training and feedback system that can be successfully utilized in a sporadically supervised environment.

"This paper is concerned with the various phases of the homebound program, including the problems and the progress. What is the relationship between the child and the members of his 'Team'? How does he compare with so-called normal children socially, emotionally, and educationally? What are his vocational possibilities? How are school materials, procedures, and methods geared to meet his needs? Why are recreation and the 'transition period' considered as two of the most significant phases of the homebound program? It is to be hoped that this paper will offer some aid to those most concerned, and will answer some of their many questions. It is not written to be used as a pattern nor for technical digestion, but only as a guidepost on the way to a more effective program for the homebound child"--Introduction. / "August, 1956." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts." / Advisor: M. B. Caldwell, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-97).

The importance of employment in our society is unmistakable. The financial outcome of employment allows us to provide for ourselves and others. Furthermore, our employment status, and the work in which we engage, play a part in defining our self-concept. For many people, however, sustained employment remains elusive. The unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is staggering, and the consequences of being without a job affects those who are unemployed, their families, and our society. There are many issues that directly challenge the employment status of people with disabilities. Some of these include funding for supported employment programs, employer bias, and the outcomes of our country's educational system. Another issue that affects the employment of individuals with disabilities is the manner in which they are prepared prior to employment and coached while on the job. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of performance feedback delivered via covert audio coaching on the job performance of supported employees. A multiple baseline design across participants and work tasks was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on the participants' work performance (accuracy and speed of task completion). The results demonstrated that the supported employees made substantial improvements on their accuracy and speed of completing the selected work tasks. The results also showed that the improvements maintained for 4-5 weeks following the removal of the intervention. / by Kyle D. Bennett. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.