There are a greater number of inclusive postsecondary education (PSE) programs for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the U.S. than ever before. Consequently, there are a greater number of students with ID who now have the opportunity to participate in fully inclusive PSE programs with the intent of improving their transition outcomes related to employment, independent living, and quality of life. For students with ID to get the most out of these expanding PSE opportunities, it is imperative that they develop the personal competencies that will better prepare them to participate in such programs. The current study began the exploratory process of identifying, from a parent perspective, the personal competencies related to inclusive PSE readiness for students with intellectual disabilities in the broad categories of (a) the personal skills, (b) knowledge, and (c) attributes. This purpose was achieved by using a three-round Delphi survey, administered to a sample of parents of students with ID who have participated in one of the 44 federally funded Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSIDs). The first round of the survey generated 56 items that participants in Round Two then rated on a 7-point scale of importance related to preparing students with ID for participation in inclusive PSE. In the final round of the Delphi survey, participants were provided with the mean, standard deviation, and frequency distribution for each of the 56 items from Round Two and asked to rerate each item based on the additional information provided. In Round Three the expert panel of parents gained consensus on 33 items related to personal skills, knowledge, and attributes they deemed important for students with ID to develop in order to be prepared for an inclusive PSE program. Results of the study were discussed in the context of the literature related to personal competencies for college readiness for students with and without ID. Additionally, implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research were discussed.

Using a sequential mixed-method methodology, this dissertation study set out to understand the emic and etic perspectives of the knowledge encompassed in the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework and to develop fixed answer questions based on that knowledge. While there have been many studies examining ways to measure TPACK in in-service and pre-service teachers, very few have addressed measuring TPACK using fixed-answer questions. Through the use of the mixed-methods, a snapshot of the emic (inside) and etic (outside) perspectives on the TPACK framework was obtained. This study used a focus group with in-service teachers (emic perspective) and interviews with teacher educators (etic perspective) to understand the kind of knowledge attributed to the TPACK framework. Six themes were derived from the focus group and interviews, from which fixed-answer questions were developed. Those six themes included such issues as access to technology, the use of technology for solid teaching and learning purposes, and passive versus active learning when using technology. Following best practices, the eleven questions included a scenario that gave context to the questions asked and the answers provided. In-service teachers reviewed the items to assure that the language and context were appropriate to classroom practice. Four experts on the TPACK framework reviewed the items for face validity. Across the experts six of the eleven items were rated as valid. Although only the experts saw a small number of items as valid, this study indicates that this kind of measurement for the TPACK framework may be possible.

Current legislation regarding early intervention services has focused on the family unit, rather than the individual child, as the recipient of services. A model of family-centered care has been adopted and as a result, new models for service delivery have been developed. The present study examined family perspectives of the professional-paraprofessional partnership model, and assessed the ecological validity of this model as it relates to the basic principles of family-centered care. Families who participated in an early intervention program that utilized the professional-paraprofessional partnership model were interviewed upon program completion. Families reported receiving a wide range of child and family services, as well as assistance from their home visitor in accessing formal and informal resources within their community. Families recognized and positively responded to visitors who were flexible, supportive, and respectful of their family. A positive relationship was found between the number of family services received and ratings of the home visitor on variables of flexibility, support, and control. The majority of families described the home visiting service as the most helpful service they received. In addition, there were no differences in the services provided by professional and paraprofessional visitors, as reported by families. Overall, family reports indicated parent satisfaction with the professional-paraprofessional partnership model, and this model was found to meet the proposed family-centered objectives for early intervention services.

Adult siblings of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are often on the front lines of supporting their brothers and sisters with IDD through caregiving and guardianship roles after their parents pass away. However, these siblings are often uninformed or under informed about ways that they can support their brothers and sisters. This study had the following three purposes: to determine what adult siblings of adults with IDD know about guardianship and its alternatives; to explore how adult siblings view guardianship and its alternatives; and to explore what adult siblings think about their role of being a guardian or supported decision maker for their brother/sister with IDD. Ten adult siblings who had brothers and sisters with IDD were interviewed; their interviews were analyzed using a combination of grounded theory and directed analysis. This study found that siblings had a limited knowledge of guardianship and its alternatives, viewed guardianship as necessary, and desired to be involved in future planning and decision making supports with their brother or sister in adulthood. These findings have several implications for future research, as well as for schools and disability service agencies. For example, siblings’ limited knowledge about guardianship and its alternatives highlights the need for schools, disability agencies, and other disability organizations to better inform families about the full range of options available to support people with IDD in making decisions. Likewise, as the sibling participants were concerned about their brother and sister’s decision-making abilities, there is a need for better training of people with IDD to be able to make and express their choices in a variety of situations. Finally, as this study had a small sample size and the participants’ were all White, future research with more diverse and larger sample sizes is needed.

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Book Summary: Setting out to design a nursing simulation program or to improve one already in place? Drawing on the personal experiences of experts and pioneers in the field, Simulation Champions: Fostering Courage, Caring, and Connection offers the practical information needed to deal with the real challenges of creating or improving a simulation program, along with detailed information on the change management and leadership skills needed for success. Whether you are building a nursing simulation program from the ground up or are seeking to improve an existing program, you will find the information and tools you need to develop strategies for adoption, maintenance, and evaluation, including coverage of important considerations, such as physical space, budget, curriculum and human resources. Key Features Extensive coverage of leadership and management concepts critical to implementing a simulation program prepares you for potential challenges and pitfalls.Coverage of change management helps you understand specific issues you might face at your institution, along with strategies for addressing them. Ready-to-use online templates and forms help you implement key concepts and skills. INACSL Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM throughout the text help you ensure the program you develop meets current best practices. Simulation on a Shoestring feature offers creative ideas to save your program valuable dollars. Voice of Experience sections present personal narratives from Simulation Champion pioneers across the globe. Each describes a challenge encountered, how the challenge was met, and outcomes and lessons learned, as well as inspirational quotes or messages from them to you.

Asian international students (AIS) are becoming increasingly more populous in American universities each year. While AIS are enrolled in the same required classes as American students, it has been observed that frequent interaction between AIS and American students is rather uncommon. Due to obvious social hesitation between the two groups of students during classroom discussion, the study presented was initiated in order to unveil possible reasons for this social integration dilemma. Social Attractiveness, Perceived Homophily and Attributional Confidence scales were selected in order to determine possible factors contributing to this dilemma. In order to pursue explanations for the dormant socialization between the two groups of students during class, a survey was administered to a convenience sampling of 426 undergraduate students enrolled in upper-level courses at the University of Central Florida. Results indicated that passive classroom behavior was perceived as less socially desirable by American students. In fact, participants determined that students reflecting passive classroom behavior were less socially attractive, less similar, and less predictable than students that demonstrated active classroom behavior. Ethnicity factors did not play a key role in determining social appeal. These findings provide evidence that the social integration dilemma facing AIS and American students has much more to do with perceived social behavior and cultural differences regarding classroom behavior than with racial prejudice or ethnicity factors.

Introduction Patients with intestinal failure (IF) develop problems of malabsorption and malnutrition associated with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) became available to treat these patients since the 1970s. There is a paucity of qualitative research on patients’ experiences in the UK. The study aim was to generate theory that explains the experiences of adults living with HPN and complex medication regimens. Method The grounded theory methodology was used to explore the experiences and to generate theory about this health intervention. Twelve participants were interviewed. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The joint process of data collection and analysis followed the principles of constant comparative approach. Results The core categories of stoma care and HPN treatment were supported by the subcategories of maintaining stoma output, access to toilets, maintaining HPN infusion routine, access to technical help to set up HPN infusion, and general health changes. Strategy used to manage living with loss was demonstrated by the subcategory of maintaining daily activities and social interactions. Discussion The theory of living with loss suggests that patients with a stoma receiving HPN experience the sense of loss at home and in social situations. Opportunities for professional practice development are detailed along with implications for future research. Conclusions The findings resonate with the Kubler-Ross Model of the five stages of grief (Kubler-Ross, 1970). The theory of living with loss was generated by the use of the grounded theory methodology. This study identified opportunities for changes and improvement in clinical practice.