Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Supervisor: Ruth G. McRoy. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

"Dyslexia is best described as a specific difficulty in learning, in one or more of reading, spelling and written language which may be accompanied by difficulty in number work, short term memory, sequencing auditory and/or visual perception, and motor skills." (British Dyslexia Association) This thesis aims to investigate the extent to which public libraries attempt to meet the needs of the dyslexic community. Libraries are key resource centres for reading and accessing the written language and should aim to meet the needs of their various user communities. Libraries should, therefore, be in the forefront in assisting users in overcoming this disability. Although much is written on the subject of dyslexia and most libraries have descriptive material on the subject, public libraries do not appear particularly proactive in providing material for use by dyslexic individuals. There is a tendency for dyslexia to be seen primarily as an educational issue. However, iflibraries are to continue to have a role in self improvement, literacy and life long learning, they should be addressing areas such as dyslexia. A survey of the literature revealed that little has been written in the professional literature about public library resource provision for dyslexic users. A questionnaire was sent 152 Public Library authorities in the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) to ascertain the range of services and initiatives offered to people with dyslexia. The results indicate that a modest number of authorities have dedicated collections for people with dyslexia as well as material on the subject aimed towards parents, teachers and carers. The findings suggest that although interest in the potential role of libraries in serving the needs of the dyslexic community is high, relatively little is being done to address the issue in a structured way. Library authorities with dedicated collections for people with dyslexia have been investigated as comparative case studies covering themes such as composition and funding of collections, involvement with other agencies, methods of communication, location and lessons learned. Other case studies explore user needs and actions undertaken by a specialist resource centre. Supporting studies include a survey of resources available from specialist publishers. The thesis concludes witl a summary of findings ancLrecommendations for public libraries on the way ahead in terms of best practice to meet. the needs of dyslexic individuals.

Supporting learners with a severe intellectual disability (SID) who come from diverse language backgrounds presents teachers with complex choices and decisions regarding the language(s) they use in their classrooms. Understanding teachers' perceptions in this matter can assist all role players, such as administrators and policy makers as well as auxiliary support personnel such as speech-language therapists, to support teachers in their decisions and practices. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of foundation phase teachers in schools for learners with SID, that have high linguistic diversity, about their language practices and choices. Specifically, the study aimed to: (i) describe the language(s) teachers use with the learners in their classrooms; (ii) to describe the factors that teachers take into account when deciding on which language(s) to use with their learners; and (iii) to explore teachers' beliefs and feelings about language practices and choices for learners with SID in their classes. / Mini Dissertation (MA AAC)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / MA (AAC) / Unrestricted

This study examines the coping process of families with children with special needs. The purpose of the study was to develop a detailed description of the coping process of families who appear to be coping well with children who have physical disabilities. A multiple-case study qualitative research design was selected to allow for the unique stories of each family to emerge as they illustrate the complex nature of the coping process. A contextual stress and coping theoretical framework guided the study. Participants were recruited from a preschool program that mainstreams children with special needs. A pool of ten potential participants was identified by a selection team consisting of six school staff members. Five families were selected and interviewed using the theoretical sampling procedure outlined in the grounded theory approach developed by Glaser and Strauss. Data analysis followed this same procedural model. The study revealed the ongoing coping process to be an iterative cycle of events, perceptions, behavior, and personal growth. This process was found to be influenced by the core concept of shared traumas as they are evidenced in the themes of initiation to special needs, boundary defining events and everyday reminders. An additional concept of the mastery process of the interaction between perceptual and behavioral components, included cognitive coping processes, faith, boundary definition and external systems management style. Finally, the phenomenon of personal growth and change in world view was observed. / Master of Science

Researchers have identified that parenting styles affect limit setting behaviors in childrearing practice. There are gaps in the research pertaining to examining patterns of limit setting for parents of preschoolers with special needs and the behavioral outcomes for these children. This study examined quantitatively whether parental perceptions influenced limit setting in parent child interactions. Belsky's process model outlining determinants of parenting, Baumrind's theory of parenting styles and socio-developmental theories of attachment and parental response style provided the theoretical framework for this study. 25 parents of preschoolers with IEPs and 4 special education teachers participated in the survey design study in a low socio-economic area of the South Bronx, New York. Parents were asked to complete a brief demographic questionnaire, The Parent-Child Relationship Inventory and Parent Rating scale of the BASC-2. Teachers for the children identified were also asked to complete the Teacher Rating scale of the BASC-2. . Data were analyzed using correlations, regression analysis, and multivariate analysis. Analysis revealed that none of the null hypotheses could be rejected. However, a correlational analysis did reveal a positive correlation between a report of less limit setting for parents and higher incidents aggression in children at home. In identifying factors that continue to influence parenting behaviors and the social emotional functioning of preschoolers with special needs, this study supports the need for continuity of education and intervention for parents of special needs preschoolers, especially within communities of lower SES.

No description available.

Abstract Proposal This thesis research proposition is to design a LEED platinum urban mixed-use special needs housing community. The analysis and subsequent design of this facility will take into account the many specific social and physical needs of the residents. The proposed outcome of this research is to suppose through intimate knowledge and understanding of the special needs community and the use of thoughtful design while paying special attention to subtle spatial relationships, it can be proven that architectural design can foster a positive environment for special needs residents and the community at large.The special needs community has largely been a marginalized shadow populace within the greater suburban context. In the United States, special needs children often grow up receiving some life skills training from their elementary though high school educations however, they tend to live at length with their aging parents long into adulthood. As these young adults mature, it frequently becomes increasingly difficult for parents to secure safe and affordable permanent housing solutions. Although there are a number of special needs communities nation-wide offering long term housing solutions, there is a much greater demand than that which is available. Coupled with financial growth potential limitations and bureaucratic red tape, many of these young adults struggle to find affordable group housing alternatives, especially those that can accommodate a myriad of physical, mental and emotional requirements unique to each individual. In low-income communities, the problem is only exacerbated. The goal of this thesis is to propose a mixed-use high density urban commercial housing complex which allocates self-operated retail spaces offering entrepreneurial opportunities for the residents. This proposition will foster independence and promote health with the ultimate goal of alleviating some of the usual stresses experienced by community caretakers. Thoughtful integration of green technologies will reduce the long-term running costs, thus mitigating the overall fiscal encumbrance. LEED certification will be paramount as it delivers guidance in sustainable design practices while simultaneously creating awareness to this critical need.

Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva erfarenheter hos grundskollärare i de senare skolåren som i sina klasser undervisar i olika ämnen, både elever som läser efter grundskolans läroplan, Lgr11 och elever som läser efter grundsärskolans läroplan 2011, utifrån olika kursplaner. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt perspektiv där interaktion och samspel med andra är viktiga förutsättningar för lärande.  Kvalitativa intervjuer med tre lärare genomfördes. Samtliga intervjuade lärare har erfarenhet av att undervisa i klasser med både grundskoleelever och grundsärskoleelever. I studien framkommer att lärarna försöker möta eleverna där de är i sitt lärande och ordna rätt anpassningar och rätt utmaningar som eleverna motiveras av. En bra planering och rätt anpassningar gör eleverna självständiga och delaktiga. Elevers olikheter, samarbetet och interaktionen med andra gör att eleverna utvecklas. Alla som deltar i undervisningen bidrar med sina tankar och åsikter genom språket. Styrkan med elevernas samarbete är att det utvecklar elevernas lärande. Genom samarbete får eleverna draghjälp och motiveras till ytterligare arbete när de utmanas av någon som kan lite mer.  Lärarna använder sig av scaffolding och artefakter för att nå elevernas närmaste utvecklingszon och utveckla lärandet. Resultatet i denna studie visar att den sociala- och didaktiska inkluderingen är tätt sammanvävda och den rumsliga inkluderingen bidrar till detta. / The purpose of this study is to describe teachers’ personal experiences about teaching based on different curriculum, Lgr 11 for compulsory school and curriculum for special compulsory school 2011, and different course syllabi. I have used qualitative interviews with three teachers from a secondary school, school year 7 -9. The teachers who participated all had experiences of teaching pupils from different curriculums. In this study I have used open formulated questions and the teachers shared their experiences regarding developing teaching strategies. This study is based on sociocultural theory. One result that can be seen is that the teachers try to meet the pupils in their learning process. They organize with individual adjustments, which motivates education in class together with others. The pupil’s social interaction is central. The teachers’ use artefacts and scaffolding to reach the zone of proximal development. A good planning for pupils and adjustments make pupils more independent and involved. Cooperation and social interaction with others lead to development. Everyone who participates in teaching contributes with their thoughts and aspects which develop learning. The results of this study show that the social- and didactic inclusion is closely interwoven and the spatial inclusion contributes to this.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Jordanian schools appears to be in a state of confusion. Numerous obstacles exist that hinder teachers from providing sufficient services for children with learning difficulties. This study investigates the current service provision for students with learning difficulties in Jordanian schools. Semi-structured interviews (N=31) with SEN teachers were conducted in two phases (23 and 8 respectively). Goffman (1963) was utilised as a theoretical framework, to interpret and understand the data, especially concerning that of social stigma. The analysis revealed that SEN teachers in Jordan faced various difficulties responding to the needs of their students with learning difficulties (LDs), which inevitably had a negative effect upon their performance. The results indicated that the difficulties arose from: parents who denied the disability of their children, classroom teachers who refused to cooperate with resource room teachers (responsible for teaching children with LDs), pre-service teachers who had little training in SEN, non-disabled peers who bullied their disabled peers, school administrators who had little understanding of the needs of children with LDs, and finally the Ministry of Education’s supervisors who were better equipped to support the educational needs of typically developing children. These negative attitudes are rooted strongly in local culture and seem to overlap with expressed religious values. Negative attitudes also varied among parents according to their socio-economic class and the type of school (public and private) their child attended. It appeared that the services provided in private schools were more in tune with the needs of children with LDs than those in public schools. Ultimately, I conclude that there is an urgent need for the reconstruction of services in Jordan to support children with LDs. Teacher training should be aimed specifically at equipping resource room teachers to cater effectively for students with LDs, and legislation should facilitate a shift of responsibility to the Jordanian Ministry of Education and away from the Ministry of Social Development. Most importantly, there is a need to facilitate a dialogue that seeks to amend attitudes towards disability in general and LDs in particular.

Foster children are already at a disadvantage given that they tend to live in a home without their parents. Social workers have direct interactions working with children with special needs, and through interviews with the workers, we aimed to understand whether or not the services available are able to meet foster children’s special needs. The research on special needs children in foster care is quite limited. The purpose of the study was to identify social workers’ perceptions of the needs of special needs foster children and their access to services. This study used qualitative interviews with open-ended questions to gather qualitative data from ten social worker participants. The researchers employed thematic analysis techniques to analyze the qualitative data. The themes that emerged from analyzing the data were social workers’ challenges in providing services to special needs foster children, social workers’ access to services, and the need for institutional support to effectively manage service delivery for special needs foster children. This study found that social workers face challenges in obtaining training for parents and social workers, navigating complex funding processes, managing inconsistent desires between parents and court officials, and dealing with the limited number of capable foster homes. The social workers interviewed identified different tactics that could be implemented in order to improve services for the special needs foster children through changes and improvements within the department. Understanding large-scale policy and practice issues, such as organizational change or resource management, can lead county agency social workers to advocate for the challenges of special needs children in child welfare.