Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The inclusion policy which is currently being implemented according to White Paper 6 (July 2001) has raised many questions and debates. In South Africa at the moment there is a focus on the implementation of inclusion policies in primary schools. Although many studies have been conducted on Down syndrome, there seems to have been little focus on the adolescent. Specifically their experiences in the high school context appear to have received little attention. This paper focused on the experiences of an adolescent with Down syndrome who has been mainstreamed into a high school. The experiences are discussed within identified indicators of quality of life namely; peer relationships, experiences of academic, general school and extra-mural activities. In addition the effects of Down syndrome on areas such as adolescence, inclusion strategies, behaviour and social skills are also investigated. The findings of this paper were that of adolescents with Down syndrome can be successfully mainstreamed if their individual needs are catered for. These needs include opportunities to spend time with learners with the same abilities as their own. Satisfaction was experienced by the participant and her parents regarding her academic placement and scholastic achievements. A factor that played a role in her successful placement was the supportive environment she was in. Although satisfaction was experienced with regards to the process of inclusion there were parental concerns regarding her future independence.

Bibliography / Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The year 1994 is seen as a significant year in South Africa. The new democratic dispensation contributed to the education system, including higher education, by presenting it with new demands and challenges. Higher education institutions have been encouraged to include individuals representing groups that have been excluded on the grounds of age, gender and disabilities. Inclusive education is encouraged with the ultimate goal of attaining inclusion in society as a whole. Inclusion is the overarching concept that addresses the right to acceptance and belonging in society of all learners, adults, children with disabilities and people without disabilities. The primary aim of this study was to obtain an in-depth understanding of how students with disabilities adapt socially at Stellenbosch University. The study was based upon the assumption that it is important to hear the voices of students with disabilities before any recommendations in terms of involving students with disabilities in social opportunities can be made to the role players. The study was conducted by means of qualitative research, and the methods of data collection consisted of individual and focus group interviews as well as document analysis. The research findings can be described as follows: Students with disabilities experience both internal and external support and barrier factors and processes that impact on their social adaptation. Internal support and barrier factors and processes include emotional, behavioural, belief, personality and cognitive aspects. External support and barrier factors and processes include the support network, the faculty and department, the university at large and the social system. Four overarching themes emerged from the data of the participants: communication, attitude and awareness, inclusion and self-advocacy. The findings of the study have important implications for all role players. Recommendations are made with the aim of improving the campus climate so that an inclusive environment can be created together with an environment where all students at Stellenbosch University can adapt socially; enjoy equal opportunities and full participation, and where they experience no discrimination. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika word 1994 beskou as 'n waterskeidingsjaar. Die nuwe demokratiese bestel het daartoe bygedra dat die onderwyssektor, insluitend hoëronderwys, aan talle nuwe eise en uitdagings blootgestel is. Hoëronderwysinstansies is aangemoedig om groepe wat tradisioneel op grond van ras, ouderdom, geslag en gestremdheid uitgesluit was te ondersteun en te akkommodeer. Inklusiewe onderwys word aangemoedig met die uiteindelike doel dat inklusie in die samelewing bereik word. Inklusie is die oorkoepelende konsep wat alle leerders, volwassenes, kinders, mense met gestremdhede en mense sonder gestremdhede se reg tot aanvaarding en hulle gevoel dat hulle in die samelewing tuishoort ("have a sense of belonging") aanspreek. Die doel van die studie was om diepgaande kennis te verkry van studente met gestremdhede se ervarings van sosiale aanpassing aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die ondersoek is gebaseer op die aanname dat alhoewel daar voorstelle aan rolspelers gemaak kan word ten opsigte van strategieë om studente met gestremdhede meer by sosiale geleenthede op kampus te betrek, dit belangrik is om allereers na die stemme van die studente met gestremdhede self te luister. Die studie is aan die hand van 'n kwalitatiewe metodologie onderneem en data is hoofsaaklik deur middel van individuele en fokusgroeponderhoude asook dokumentanalise, gegenereer. Die navorsingsbevindinge het betekenisvolle insigte oor die ervarings van studente met gestremdhede se sosiale aanpassing opgelewer en kan soos volg opgesom word: Studente met gestremdhede ervaar beide interne en eksterne ondersteunings- en belemmerende faktore en prosesse wat 'n uitwerking het op hul sosiale aanpassing. Interne faktore en prosesse behels emosionele, gedrags-, oortuigings-, persoonlikheids- en kognitiewe aspekte. Eksterne faktore en prosesse sluit onder meer die ondersteuningsnetwerk, die fakulteite en departemente, die universiteit in die geheel, asook die sosiale stelsel in. Die vier oorkoepelende temas sluit kommunikasie, houdings en bewustheid, inklusie en self-voorspraak van die studente met gestremdhede se behoeftes in. Die bevindinge van die studie hou belangrike implikasies in vir alle rolspelers. Aanbevelings word gemaak met die doel om die kampusklimaat te verbeter sodat 'n ware inklusiewe omgewing geskep kan word – 'n omgewing waarin alle studente gelyke geleenthede en volle deelname kan geniet, geen diskriminasie ervaar nie en waar hulle ook as studente aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch sosiaal kan

School choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice environment in Florida today. Specifically, this investigation was limited to legislation in Florida between 1997 and 2014 and further limited to charter schools, home schooling, virtual education, and two choice options specific to Florida in which public dollars follow students to private schools, the Tax Credit and McKay Scholarship programs. These particular school choice options were chosen as the focus of this study because they change the where of education outside of tradit ional public schools. Other choice options such as magnet schools, inter-district choice, and intra-district choice simply move students among traditional public schools but keep them enrolled in traditional public schools. Ultimately the study hoped to provide a possible road map for the future of school choice policies in Florida. This study utilized a qualitative methodology utilizing document reviews and interviews. This study found that school choice policies in Florida have continued to expand and evolve over the years to increase the liberty available to families to choose the education of their children. This study also found that the Florida legislature has laid the groundwork for Florida school districts, through a focus on equality, to take advantage of a portfolio management model to increase student achievement. Although a focus on equality led to the enactment of various school choice options, some of these options have moved away from their original intent to financially benefit specific organizations and groups. Finally, as reported by Holme, Frankenberg, Diem, and Welton (2013), Florida's charter school, virtual education, and home education policies have been enacted as race-neutral policies that have no regard for diversity, which could lead to resegregation. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Syftet med föreliggande uppsats är att belysa frågan om förekomsten av musikterapeutisk kunskap och kompetens i olika skolformer i Sverige. Musikterapi kommer emellanåt till användning i musikundervisning med elever som har funktionsnedsättning, främst synes detta gälla då en musiklärare också är utbildad musikterapeut. Ett problem är vilka musikterapeutiska kunskaper och vilken kompetens som egentligen kan komma till användning i arbetet med elever med funktionsnedsättning i skolan. Ett annat problem är på vilka sätt lärare i musik ges möjlighet att ta del av musikterapeutiska kunskaper och kompetens i sin utbildning. Hypotesen som ligger till grund för föreliggande studie är att lärare i musik har behov av kunskap och kompetens om musikterapi i undervisning med elever med olika funktionsnedsättningar. Studien baseras på en kvantitativ enkätundersökning riktad till lärare i musik som undervisar elever med funktionsnedsättning. Studiens forskningsfrågor lyder: Hur stor andel av musiklärarna i undersökningen har någon form av musikterapeutisk utbildning? Hur många använder sig av någon form av insatser som kräver musikterapeutisk kunskap eller kompetens i sin undervisning? Och hur ofta sker detta i så fall? Hur ser lärarna på användning av musikterapi i skolan? Resultatet visade att lärarna ansåg att det behövs fler utbildade musiklärare med musikterapeutisk kompetens i alla skolformer för att ge elever ett nödvändigt stöd i utvecklingen. Lärarnas tankar om hur musikterapi och musikterapeutiska redskap kan komma till användning som en hälsofrämjande, utvecklande resurs i det pedagogiska arbetet i olika skolverksamheter och som en del av elevhälsa utgör en del av resultatet. Studiens slutsats är att det behövs en modell eller ett koncept för utarbetande och användning av musikterapeutisk kunskap och kompetens i musiklärarutbildning och i arbete med elever på skolor. / This study’s purpose is to illuminate issues about the use of music therapy at schools in Sweden. Music therapy occasionally comes into use during music education with students who have disabilities. Primarily this seems to apply when a music teacher is also a trained music therapist. One problem is which type of music therapeutic knowledge and competence can actually be used when working with students with disabilities in schools. Another problem is the way in which music teachers are given the opportunity, to take part in music therapeutic knowledge and skills during their education. The hypothesis that forms the basis of the present study, is that music teachers need knowledge and competence about music therapy when teaching students with different development disorders. The study is based on a quantitative questionnaire survey, aimed at music teachers who teach students with disabilities. The study's research questions read: How many of the music teachers in the survey have some sort of music therapy as part of their education? How many people use some form of intervention that requires music therapeutic knowledge or competence in their teaching? And how often does this happen? How do teachers see the use of music therapy in schools? The result showed that the teachers felt that more educated music teachers with music therapeutic competence were needed in all school forms to provide students with the necessary support in development. The teachers’ thoughts about how music therapy and music therapeutic tools can be used as a health-promoting, developing resource in the pedagogical work in different school activities and as part of student health are part of the result. The study's conclusion is that a model or a concept is needed for the preparation and use of music therapeutic knowledge and competence in music teachers training when working with students at schools.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-04T18:36:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sonia Nascimento de Paula.pdf: 824968 bytes, checksum: 84d7843a88871e8d7dfa18a1ba4c4882 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-27 / The aim of this research is to identify subjects that lead on its contents and the accessibility in libraries. These will be identified by the analysis of the curricular structure and graduation course description of Library Science. The main subjects discussed are: Science of Information and the access to the information, historical aspects of accessibility, legislation and the student with disabilities, essential attributions of the library and librarians during the services offered to the university community, and the access of the student with disabilities in the university library. It was selected two programs of accessibility in Brazilian universities. They are: Acessibility Program from the PUC-Campinas (ProAces) and the Laboratory de Acessibility from UNICAMP. This study discusses problems, limits as well solutions met that make easier the access of the information in the university library to the student with disabilities. It was used a deductive and comparative method and this research is defined as exploratory and descriptive, using the bibliographic findings and the research at institution Websites that offer graduation courses recognized and authorized by the National Council of Education (CNE). This research intends to conclude this work knowing the basis offered to the librarian in the professional formation that make easier his actions in an efficient way in accessible university libraries. It will be done a proposal of a subject named accessibility to the information in university libraries. / O prop?sito desta pesquisa foi fazer um levantamento nos cursos de gradua??o de biblioteconomia para identificar disciplinas que trabalhem em seus conte?dos a acessibilidade a bibliotecas, atrav?s da an?lise da matriz curricular e ementas dos cursos. A pesquisa teve como objetivo geral propor uma disciplina que ajude na forma??o do bibliotec?rio para o atendimento da pessoa com defici?ncia nas bibliotecas universit?rias. Temas abordados: a Ci?ncia da Informa??o e o acesso ? informa??o; aspectos hist?ricos da acessibilidade; legisla??o e a pessoa com defici?ncia; atribui??es dos bibliotec?rios nos servi?os prestados ? comunidade universit?ria; o acesso da pessoa com defici?ncia ? informa??o na biblioteca universit?ria. Dois programas de acessibilidade em bibliotecas universit?rias brasileiras foram analisados: Programa de Acessibilidade da PUC-Campinas (ProAces); Laborat?rio de Acessibilidade da UNICAMP (LAB), por serem refer?ncia na literatura da ?rea. A an?lise revelou barreiras e solu??es encontradas para facilitar o acesso ? informa??o do aluno com defici?ncia. O m?todo aplicado foi o comparativo dedutivo, tratando-se de pesquisa do tipo explorat?ria e descritiva, valendo-se da pesquisa bibliogr?fica e de pesquisa na Web (sites de Institui??es que oferecem cursos de gradua??o reconhecidos ou autorizados pelo Conselho Nacional de Educa??o (CNE). Ao concluir a pesquisa, apresenta-se a proposta de uma disciplina que envolva acessibilidade ? informa??o em bibliotecas universit?rias.

Four studies demonstrate student gains in Common Core Standards in English Language Arts for middle school students with significant disabilities.

We share the results from a year-long randomized control trial study targeting a comprehensive approach to teach grade aligned ELA via an App for middle school students with significant disabilities. Participants will learn about the embedded evidence-based practices that led to significant outcomes.

Effective practices in student data collection and implementation of data-based instructional decisions are needed for all educators, but are especially important when students have severe intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Although research in the area of data-based instructional decisions for students with severe disabilities shows benefits for using data, there is limited research to demonstrate teachers in applied settings can acquire the decision-making skills required. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how teachers from five states acquired a set of data-based decisions implementation guidelines through online professional development. Recommendations for practice and future research are included.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a modified system of least intrusive prompts on text-dependent listening comprehension for four middle-school-aged students with intellectual disability and autism during read-alouds of adapted grade-level biographies. A system of least intrusive prompts was modified by inserting a rule for answering questions and an opportunity to hear sections of the biography again. The procedure was evaluated via a multiple probe design across students. Outcomes indicate that all students improved listening comprehension after intervention and all students maintained high levels of correct responding 2 weeks after intervention. In addition, three students generalized skills to new biographies. The need for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Instruction in academic core content provides students with moderate to severe disabilities a full educational opportunity that promotes current and future options in the community and can complement acquisition of daily living skills. However, high school teachers face many challenges in balancing instructional priorities given the mission to ensure all students are college and career ready. This article describes methods for designing instruction that is relevant, meaningful, and addresses multiple priorities during academic core content instruction for high school students with moderate to severe disabilities.