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No description available.

Employment is an important goal for many individuals with disabilities. Research indicates that behavioral techniques are effective in increasing task completion of individuals with disabilities in vocational training settings. Yet, limited research has examined the use of self-monitoring for increasing task completion of adults with disabilities receiving vocational training for future employment. Furthermore, few studies have focused on promoting the maintenance of improved vocational task completion among this population. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to extend the literature by examining the impact of self-monitoring on independent correct vocational task completion of four adults with disabilities within a vocational training setting. The results indicated that across participants the levels of their target vocational task completion performance remained low during baseline, even with repeated exposure. During the intervention there was immediate level changes for all participants, three out of four reaching 3 or more consecutive sessions with 100%. During the maintenance follow-up their performance levels still remained higher than baseline with minor decline trends compared to intervention. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Since socialization deficits are the primary characteristic of autism spectrum disorder, attaining and maintaining employment in adulthood can prove to be problematic. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a nine-week program designed to teach workplace social skills to young adults with autism in a community setting. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze outcomes. Quantitative methods consisted of live observational behavioral coding. Qualitative measures used written intake and discharge reports, obtained from the program's coordinators, to analyze their perceptions of pre-intervention goals and post-intervention outcomes and remaining barriers related to social skills. Overall outcomes suggest the program does produce slight improvement in social skills for individuals with autism. Quantitative outcomes indicated specific improvements in engagement and quality of engagement when participants were in the presence of both coworkers and the public. Likewise, qualitative report comparisons indicated improvements in specific conversation skill areas. Based on this study's findings, schools and communities should encourage transition services to teach workplace social skills to young adults with autism in community-based settings. This type of learning experience may better prepare these young adults for successful future employment.

A descriptive study of the Escuela Cenpritec school was carried out between September 15, 1969 and November 15, 1969 in La Paz, Bolivia. All pertinent literature was reviewed and interviews were conducted with school and government personnel. A fine physical plant has been constructed that is well lighted and equipped. It is adequately protected by a perimeter wall and by the services of a night watchman. Classes were being conducted in the four areas of electricity, plumbing, masonry and carpentry. Few of the objectives set forth in the organizational documents were met. Classes in the construction trades were offered but subsequent employment of the graduate in his specialty was very low. Coordination of on-the-job training, or, for that matter, any other kind of construction training in the city by Cenpritec did not exist. Only one class in training for the rural worker was held and efforts to encourage his return to the rural areas were unsuccessful because job opportunities were better in the city. Training for the student was at the very basic level and no classes for specialists were ever held. Basic literacy courses did not materialize even though widespread illiteracy among the study body hindered efforts to teach the building trades. No classes in management and supervision training were held. Difficulties which surround the school were myriad. The initial feasibility study apparently was not accurate and was based upon subjective evaluation rather than statistical data. Many promises of support, financial aid and help were never fulfilled. The Board of Directors often failed to discharge its duty in the direction and administration of Cenpritec. The Peace Corps advisors failed to ensure total operation of the school in accordance with its legal documents. A breakdown in communications between USAID/Bolivia and the Peace Corps/Bolivia led to confusion regarding responsibility for the school, conditions necessary for continued financial aid, and extent of authority of the volunteer instructors. Inability or unwillingness of the Government of Bolivia to accept readily its financial responsibility for the school suggests that future funding may reach crisis proportions. A policy for the continued evaluation and observation of Cenpritec does not exist and the rapid exchange of American personnel in Bolivia has led to the responsibility for its operation being placed primarily in the hands of the Peace Corps volunteer instructors. Future successful operation of Cenpritec will depend upon a careful reassessment of its role with respect to the construction industry, a reactivation of the Board of Directors, a pledge of support from the Bolivian Government and a commitment by American officials for continued, long term supervision.

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Current laws stress the importance of using research-based practices to teach transition and vocational skills to students with disabilities. Some of the evidence-based practices include the use of videos to prompt students through a task. Much research has been done concerning the effectiveness of video prompts to teach daily living skills, academic skills and social skills. Transitional skills that have been taught often include simple, entry level skills such as watering plants, cooking soup in the microwave or setting a table. To date, there is little research regarding the use of video prompts to teach complex employment skills that can help students reach competitive employment. The current research attempts to study the effectiveness of video prompting using a multiple baseline ABA research design. Participants included two high school students with autism. Both students were taught how to use woodworking tools to make a key rack. Independent task completion and quality check scores were analyzed and graphed. Both students showed an increase in the number of skills they could perform independently and the overall quality of their work from baseline to intervention. One student was able to maintain the skills after the video prompts were moved. The other student showed a slight decrease in scores after the intervention was removed. Future studies should seek to replicate the study in order to determine a functional relationship between video prompting and independent vocational task completion.

Musik är en väsentlig del i identitetsskapandet för barn och unga världen över. Genom globaliseringen har musik, klädstilar och dylika centrala delar i uppbyggandet av jaget spridits världen över och kombinerats och inspirerats av varandra (Sernhede, 2006). Identitetsskapandet är en betydande del i huruvida ett aktivt medborgarskap tar form eller inte hos olika individer och grupper. Därav är identitetsskapandet en väsentlig del att bejaka vid undervisningen av medborgerlig bildning. Medborgare refererar till en person som reagerar på sin omgivning med medvetenhet om de sociala och politiska funktionerna i samhället (Hartsmar et al, 2013). Vad en medborgerlig bildning specifikt består av beror på vilka system, traditioner och värden som är förekommande där bildningen genomförs. Likheten med all medborgerlig bildning är att det syftar till en bildning som har målet att stärka medborgarnas förmåga att påverka samhällsutvecklingen positivt (ibid.)Ovanstående resonemang har lett mig till frågeställningarna "Hur används musik i skolor i Tanzania?", "Hur uttrycker sig lärare och elever gällande betydelsen av musikutbildning utifrån ett individ- och ett kollektivt perspektiv?" samt "Hur kan läroplanen appliceras på medborgerlig bildning för demokrati?". Anledningen till att just tanzaniska skolor står i fokus är det faktum att Tanzanias läroplan har ett ämne kallat vocational skills, där 12 ämnen ingår. Musik är ett av ämnena inom vocational skills som till störst del står för den medborgerliga bildningen i skolan. Enligt den svenska läroplanen ska medborgerlig bildning vara en del av samtliga ämnen, men skillnaden är att den tanzaniska läroplanen beskriver något mer specifikt hur det ska gå till - i synnerhet när det gäller musikundervisningen. Jag ansåg därför att det kunde vara intressant att undersöka musikens koppling till medborgerlig bildning i skolor i Tanzania. Detta har jag gjort genom en kvalitativ studie innehållande 15 intervjuer, varav tre personer var lärare och resterande elever i åldrarna 12 -14 år. Det visade sig i mitt resultat att musik ansågs vara en viktig del av identitetsskapandet och det framtida medborgarskapet, men även att detta är en möjlig väg för medborgerlig bildning, bland många andra.

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No description available.