Childrens ability to use a spoon facilitates increased independence during mealtimes and greater control over the pace and quantity of food intake. Children with multiple disabilities including visual impairment (MDVI) have significant communication, cognitive, and motor delays that put them at risk during mealtimes of choking, aspirating, overeating, or undereating when adults control childrens food intake. Therefore, for this group of learners, independent spoon use has important implications for health and self-determination. For this study, I used graduated guidance (GG) to teach spoon use to three children with MDVI in a pullout setting during afternoon snack at school. Efficacy of GG was tested using a multiple probe design across participants; however, a functional relation was not established. Results were analyzed visually, displayed as percentage of prompted and unprompted correct trials (i.e., bites of food) per session, and unprompted correct responses for each step of spoon use per session. All three students data at the step level showed a slow, gradual increase in independent spoon use above baseline levels, beginning 3-5 sessions after introduction of the intervention. Two students data at the trial level showed a positive trend change, beginning 9-17 sessions after introduction of the intervention. Student data at the step and trial level were highly variable, and students did not reach mastery criterion. Efficacy of GG and generalization of learning as well as implications for practice and future research are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-07112014-114234 |
| Date | 22 July 2014 |
| Creators | Ivy, Sarah Elizabeth |
| Contributors | Deborah D. Hatton, Joseph Wehby, Erik Carter, Amy Needham |
| Publisher | VANDERBILT |
| Source Sets | Vanderbilt University Theses |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-07112014-114234/ |
| Rights | restricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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