The start of school is an important period in life. For some children, it is critical and affects their first time in school. It might have great importance for their learning and well-being. The aim of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of how different children face the school, based on the conditions that have been set for participation and learning, with special regard to literacy. Attention will be given to the start of school as an important transition in life, literacy activities, and special support in preschool-class and first grade. Both children and teacher perspectives are considered. The theoretical framework is a dynamic and interactional perspective.  This ethnographic study is inspired by the hermeneutic tradition. The empirical material has been collected through a case study at two schools, where two different groups of children have been observed from the latter part of preschool-class up until first grade. Furthermore, qualitative interviews have been held with special pedagogues at nine schools. The results show that the strive of teachers in preschool-class to create social security and ensuring close-knit group seem to have an impact on children during their entrance into school. Children appear well-prepared and comfortable in the school environment of first grade. Nevertheless, an organization that requires two transitions is inherently problematic, given the change in activities, roles and relations for children within one year. In terms of didactics, preschool-class and first-year class are weakly linked. There is no clear association between the reading and writing activities in the two forms of school, and there is no arena for teachers to develop a common ground for the didactic effort, a borderland. This can have consequences in terms of halting or interrupting children’s learning process.  A well-developed special-pedagogical work strategy and careful surveying is made of children’s learning processes. But, with the cautious attitude shown, the support of individual children is not put into process until the spring of their first school year or later. The issues of when and how special support should be offered are tied to different dilemmas.

Thesis (MHSc--Health Science) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2003. / Appendices A, B and C not included in e-thesis. Also held in print (173 leaves, 30 cm.) in Akoranga Theses Collection (T 317.14124 TUT)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-106).

OBJECTIVE: Within the U.S. population approximately 20 percent of individuals are diagnosed with some type of disability and another 12 percent are considered severely disabled. Many times special health care needs (SHCN) patients with one condition are burdened by more than one disability. A variety of conditions such as behavioral issues, developmental disorders, and cognitive, congenital or systemic diseases have been proven to increase the risk of oral heath disease in individuals with SHCN. These conditions may affect the ability to communicate and limit dexterity for proper oral health maintenance, which is why caregivers must become advocates for these patients to insure their oral health needs are met. By communicating effectively with caretakers, dentists will be able to establish a positive impact on patients to make dental visits easier and less traumatizing. Unfortunately studies have found that dental and hygiene students graduate without feeling adequately prepared to treat patients with SHCN. With the proper education and training, more dental students and future dentists will take on the challenges that are brought by these individuals to provide the best care possible. Establishing a strong support system could potentially decrease oral health disparity in SHCN patients and improve overall care. The goal of this study was to assess whether or not there was a positive impact on the oral health of SHCN individuals when caregivers and oral health professionals worked together in a team treatment effort to fight against oral disease. METHODS: Study used a systematic review approach of literature where a PICO question was formed and the article selection process included a review of title, abstract, and application of inclusions and exclusion criteria. Printed-text and online databases such as Pubmed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were used to conduct a review of literature where a total of 210 papers were collected. After selection process, only four papers were eligible for systematic review. Pre-determined questions were used to determine the how involved caregivers and oral health professionals were during each study followed by an assessment using a point system, which scored caregiver and oral health professionals involvement during intervention. RESULTS: Selected studies showed heterogeneity in study design and sample size but all used multidisciplinary approach, which included some degree of caregiver and oral hygiene provider (OHP) collaboration. Two out of the four studies totaled nearly perfect scores in both caregiver and oral health professional involvement, which resulted in a positive effect on oral health care of SHCN patients. Case reports that included an interdisciplinary team approach to oral care procedures on patients, showed the benefits of teamwork and how collaborative practice between dental and medical professionals increased successful patient outcomes. Results illustrated the significant role that caregiver’s play in the dental team and how their absence during intervention treatment significantly lowered study scores for the overall success of patient care. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrated that studies with a well-rounded dental team, which included caregivers, OHP, health care professionals accompanied by social support systems, saw the greatest success and improvements in oral health care of SHCN patients. Nevertheless, a dedicated dental team where most members were present did not guarantee intervention success if caregivers did not show a significant involvement. Caregivers alone could positively impact oral health care of a patient more than if OHP worked alone. In conclusion, we found that each member of a dental team had the ability to impact change to an almost equal degree. For this reason, it is important for caregivers, OHP, dental staff and health care professionals to work together, support one another and communicate effectively to decrease oral health disparities in SHCN patients.

The purpose of this survey was to find patterns in methods elementary general music teachers use to create a successful environment in the inclusive music classroom. Twenty-four participants completed the survey. The most frequently used accommodation and modification methods were considered a part of the participants' regular teaching practice. The participants also indicated they did not collaborate with other teachers very often, which conflicted with findings from other studies. Further research would benefit from a larger sample size to make results more generalizable.

Orientador: Sadao Omote / Banca: Anna Augusta Sampaio de Oliveira / Banca: Miguel Morion Chacon / Banca: Fátima Elisabeth Denari / Banca: Vera Lúcia Messias Capellini / Resumo: O presente trabalho apresenta uma análise das atitudes sociais de professores frente à inclusão educacional de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais nos primeiros e sextos anos do ensino fundamental. Participaram do estudo 57 professores da rede municipal de Duque de Caxias, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, divididos em três grupos: o G1 constituído por professores de uma escola regular, atualmente Centro de Referência em Educação Especial, o segundo grupo G2 composto por professores do 6º ano do Ensino Fundamental e o terceiro grupo G3, formado por professores do 1º ano do Ensino Fundamental. Os objetivos do estudo foram analisar as atitudes sociais de professores do ensino fundamental da rede pública de Duque de Caxias em relação aos alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, nos três grupos investigados, identificar relações entre as atitudes sociais de professores frente à inclusão de alunos com necessidades especiais e variáveis demográficas, tais como idade, tempo de lotação na rede pública, tempo de lotação na escola e se há diferenças de atitude entre professores dos grupos do 1º e 6º ano do ensino fundamental, que atuam em escolas da rede pública, e o grupo de professores que leciona na Escola Municipal RC - Centro de Referência. Para alcance dos objetivos foram aplicados dois instrumentos de coleta de dados, uma Ficha de Caracterização do Professor e a Escala ELASI (Escala Likert de Atitudes Sociais de Inclusão). Os resultados encontrados foram tratados por meio de testes estatísticos não paramétricos Mann- Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis. Os resultados mostraram diferenças significativas entre os grupos nas variáveis pesquisadas, sugerindo a necessidade da incorporação dos estudos sobre atitudes no processo de formação docente continuada e no contexto... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study presents an analysis of the social attitudes of teachers to the educational inclusion of students with educational special needs in first and the sixth years of basic education. 57 teachers of Duque de Caxias public education, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, had participated of the study. They were divided in three groups: the G1 group consisting of teachers of a regular school, currently Center of Reference in Special Education, the G2 group was composed by from 6º year of Basic Education. teachers and the third G3 group was formed by teachers from 1º year of Basic Education. The objectives of the study had been to analyze the social attitudes of teachers from the basic education of Duke of Caxias public education in relation to the students with special needs. There were in the three investigated groups, were identificated relations between the teacher's social attitudes front to the inclusion of students with special needs, such as age, time of capacity in the public education, time of capacity in the school and if it has differences of attitude between professors of the groups of 1º and 6º year of basic education, that acts in schools of the public net, and the group of teachers who work in the School Municipal RC- Reference in Special Education. For reach of the objectives, two instruments of collection of data had been applied, a Fiche of Characterization of Professo and Escala ELASI (Scale Likert de Social Atitudes of Inclusion). The joined results had been treated by means of distribution free statistical tests Mann- Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis. The results had shown significant differences between the groups in the 0 variable searched, suggesting the necessity of the incorporation of the studies on attitudes in the process of continued teaching formation and in the context of the public politics... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Introduction: Children with disabilities and other special needs present unique challenges for oral health professionals in the planning and execution of dental treatment. The oral health of children with special health care needs is influenced by various socio-demographic factors, including their living conditions and severity of the impairment. According to United States (US) Maternal and Child Health Bureau, special health care needs (SHCN) children are defined as “those who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally”. Aim and Objectives: The aim was to determine the oral health status of children with special needs. The objectives were to determine the prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease and oral mucosal lesions among children with special needs in Khartoum State aged 5 to 15 years old attending educational and rehabilitation institutions. Methodology: A descriptive cross–sectional study was carried out. Data were collected with a data capture sheet that was a modified WHO Oral Health Assessment Clinical Oral Examination Guideline. Demographic variables, dmft, periodontal disease and oral mucosal lesions were recorded. Results: The mean dmft /DMFT scores was 2.02/1.25. The DMFT score increased with age, girls showed higher score than boys and autistic children had the poorest oral health among other disabilities. More than two third of the examined sextants were healthy, less than quarter had bleeding (18.3%) and 5% calculus accumulation. Fissured tongue was the most frequent oral lesion found. Conclusion: Children with special needs in Khartoum State demonstrated a high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease and do not receive adequate dental care. There is an urgent need for both preventive and treatment programmes to improve the oral health of children with special needs.

Åtgärdsprogram ska upprättas i skolan för de elever som är i behov av särskilt stöd. I åtgärdsprogrammen ska åtgärder framskrivas på olika nivåer såsom individ, -grupp-och organisationsnivå. Det som framgår i forskningen är att åtgärder upprättas mest på individnivå och åtgärder på grupp-och organisationsnivå uteblir. Vidare visar forskningen att skolan sällan granskar sin egen verksamhet. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur tre speciallärare och tre specialpedagoger upprättar och resonerar kring åtgärdsprogram och hur de arbetar med särskilt stöd med tonvikt på grupp-och organisationsnivå. Detta är en kvalitativ studie som genomförts med datainsamlingsmetoden semistrukturerade intervjuer och för att analysera data har tematisk analys använts. De begrepp som användes i intervjuerna är särskilt stöd och åtgärdsprogram på nivåer som grupp-och organisationsnivå och utredning samt förebyggande insatser. I studien framkommer vilka svårigheter som de intervjuade speciallärarna och specialpedagogerna upplever i arbetet med åtgärdsprogram. Denna studie utgår ifrån relationellt perspektiv som innebär att elevens skolsvårigheter inte förläggs till individen utan problemen uppstår i samband med lärmiljön. Studiens resultat visar att särskilt stöd handlar mestadels om individinriktat stöd och att stödet ges ofta utanför klassens ram. Åtgärder på grupp-och organisationsnivå förekommer i mindre omfattning. Vidare visar resultatet att åtgärder på grupp-och organisationsnivå inte alltid dokumenteras i åtgärdsprogram. Vårdnadshavare och elever är inte så delaktiga i upprättandet av åtgärdsprogram.

For a mother raising a child with special health care needs (CSHCN), maintaining positive feelings of gratitude can become challenging because of the stress associated with caregiving, as well as the consequences of unmanaged stress, which include decreases in both physical and psychological health and well-being. Chronic, unmanaged stress has been associated with various health issues that can be severe and potentially life-threatening. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how mothers raising a CSHCN experience gratitude. A secondary purpose was to identify possible barriers to experiencing gratitude, which, when implemented as a coping style, may decrease the negative effects of daily stress and improve mental health. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions along with the transactional model of stress and coping provided an optimal conceptual framework for this study. The research questions were centered around the challenges and stressors unique to each mother, coping strategies, and gratitude. The ways in which the combination of factors contributed to quality of life among the mothers were examined specifically. Data from face-to-face interviews with 15 mothers were transcribed, coded, and thoroughly analyzed for themes. The primary themes that emerged were support from family and friends, feelings of gratitude, coping mechanisms, life satisfaction, gratitude for a flexible job, stress related to full dependency, high stress levels over the past 30 days, increased stress when describing the child, and a need to work on eating habits. Findings and recommendations from this study may contribute to positive social change and support the benefits of gratitude, especially in highly stressful situations.

I en skola för alla finns olika behov och elever med olika förmågor. Trots att det finns två skolformer i Sverige för att möta allas behov, så behövs det ibland extrainsatser för att specialläraren ska nå fram. Det finns verksamheter där människorna som arbetar där, har djur som samarbetspartner och där djuren fungerar som ett pedagogiskt stöd i kommunikationen mellan djur och människa. Genom detta självständiga arbete avses att vetenskapligt undersöka vad det är som sker i kommunikationen människa – djur som kan berika livsvärlden för människor, framförallt människor som reagerar på kravfyllda situationer. I studien undersöks, med hjälp av ett försök till en fenomenologisk ansats och semistrukturerade intervjuer, hur arbetet med människor i behov av särskilt stöd upplevs enligt de som i olika verksamheter arbetar med djur som samarbetspartner. Studien avser att studera de upplevelser som de som arbetar i dessa verksamheter har. Dessa upplevelser undersöktes tillsammans med vad forskare bidragit med redan på detta område i forskarvärlden. Resultatet visar att både hästar och hundar kan fungera som stöd vid läs och skrivundervisning. Djuren minskar stress för människan genom beröring. Slutsatsen är att djur har positiv effekt som pedagogiskt stöd, särskilt för personer som den traditionella skolmiljön inte fungerat som lärmiljö för. I kommunikationen mellan människa och djur uppstår en osynlig, ordlös kommunikation som är kravlös och skapar trygghet. Andra effekter är stärkt självkänsla och att naturupplevelser tillsammans med djuren hjälper människan tillbaka till sin sanna, ursprungliga natur i ett digitaliserat, stressande samhälle. / In a school there is different needs and students with different abilities. Even if there is two school forms in Sweden to meet the needs of everybody, sometimes extra measures is needed for the special needs teacher to get across. There are facilities where people who work there, have animals as co-workers and where the animals act as a pedagogical support in the communication between animal and human. The purpose of this degree project is to scientifically examine what is happening in the communication people and animal that can enrich the lifeworld for the people, especially people who react on situations filled with demands. In the study, it is examined, with an attempt to a phenomenological approach and the help of semi-structured interviews, how the work with people in need of special support.appears according to the people working in various facilities with animals as co-workers. The purpose of the study is to highlight those effects that those who work in these facilities have experienced. These experiences were examined together with what researchers have contributed with already in this field in the world of research. The result shows that both horses and dogs can be of help with the literacy teaching. Animals lower the stress level for humans through touch. The conclusion is that animals have a positive effect as a pedagogical support, especially for people that the traditional school environment didn´t work out as a lerning environment for. In the communication between people and animal an invisible, non-verbal communication emerge, that is undemanding and brings security. Other effects is strengthened self-confidence and that nature experiences together with the animals helps the human back to her true, primordial nature in a digitalized, stressful society.Sökord/