Case Study research was conducted to investigate how participation in the Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan (LDAS) Arrowsmith program affected the cognitive, academic, emotional, and interpersonal functioning of five students who attended this program for two to three years. Learning disabilities involve consistent cognitive processing and academic difficulties that are present in individuals who have average or higher functioning in other cognitive processing areas. The average adult with a learning disability has less education, lower employment success, and higher rates of emotional and interpersonal difficulties. The Arrowsmith program is a cognitive training program based on neuroplasticity that claims to reduce or remove cognitive functioning deficits in persons with learning disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students and one or both of their parents. Standardized test results and information from the school cumulative folders of the students were also reviewed. Four of the five students experienced large and significant increases in cognitive, academic, emotional, and/or interpersonal functioning following their participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program. One of the five students had much smaller gains in cognitive and academic functioning and experienced difficulties with emotional and interpersonal functioning following participation in the program. Several themes related to participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program are identified for the student, parent, school record perspectives and themes common to these perspectives are also identified. Possible reasons why the students had different outcomes following their participation in the LDAS Arrowsmith program are discussed. Recommendations for parents, school psychologists, teachers, schools/school divisions, the Arrowsmith program, and future research are given.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:ecommons.usask.ca:10388/ETD-2013-11-1268 |
| Date | 2013 November 1900 |
| Contributors | Claypool, Tim |
| Source Sets | University of Saskatchewan Library |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, thesis |
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