New study unit teaches teens positive attitudes about people with developmental disabilities: On the inside

1991 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-78
Author(s):  
Ivana Tomić ◽  
Milena Nikolić

Introduction. Successful implementation of inclusive education, among other things, depends on the attitudes of the participants in the process itself. Although teachers are considered a key factor in the implementation of inclusion, the role of parents should not be neglected. Objective. The main goal of the paper was to examine the attitudes of parents of typically developing children towards the inclusion of children with disabilities, and to examine the impact of gender, level of education, place of residence, and age of the child on parents' attitudes. Parents' opinions on the impact of the type of developmental disabilities on their children's education were also examined. Methods. The research sample consisted of 293 parents of typically developing children from the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Parents' attitudes were examined by the Survey of Parents' Attitudes towards Inclusion (SPATI). Results. Parents of typically developing children expressed positive attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities. Their attitudes were not affected by gender, level of education, place of residence, and age of the child. They expressed the most positive attitude towards the inclusion of children with sensory impairments (hearing, vision) and children with moderate or mild intellectual disabilities, while their attitude towards the inclusion of children with severe developmental disabilities (autism, severe intellectual disabilities) was less positive. Conclusion. The results of the research indicate the need for further research on this issue and planning of appropriate programs aimed at developing positive attitudes towards inclusive education of students with all kinds of disabilities.


1979 ◽  
Vol 73 (10) ◽  
pp. 405-409
Author(s):  
Gary Hicks

Attitudes toward blindness and other developmental disabilities were measured in two groups: parents of blind children and a control group of parents whose children were unimpaired. Parents of blind children had more-positive attitudes toward blindness and other disabilities than did the control group.


1986 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lou Tomes ◽  
Dixie D. Sanger

A survey study examined the attitudes of interdisciplinary team members toward public school speech-language programs. Perceptions of clinicians' communication skills and of the clarity of team member roles were also explored. Relationships between educators' attitudes toward our services and various variables relating to professional interactions were investigated. A 64-item questionnaire was completed by 346 randomly selected respondents from a two-state area. Classroom teachers of grades kindergarten through 3, teachers of grades 4 through 6, elementary school principals, school psychologists, and learning disabilities teachers comprised five professional categories which were sampled randomly. Analysis of the results revealed that educators generally had positive attitudes toward our services; however, there was some confusion regarding team member roles and clinicians' ability to provide management suggestions. Implications for school clinicians were discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Rankovic ◽  
William M. Rabinowitz ◽  
Gregory L. Lof

The Audiokinetron is a device that processes music for earphone presentation to patients undergoing auditory integration training, a treatment for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Intensity levels produced by the Audiokinetron were measured under realistic listening conditions with a KEMAR manikin substituted for a patient. Average levels at the eardrum were 110 dB SPL when the device was adjusted to the highest setting employed by a local, trained AIT practitioner and 118 dB SPL at the maximum setting of the device. These levels are potentially harmful to hearing and warrant further safety studies of AIT instruments and protocols.


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 109-113
Author(s):  
Karen Copple ◽  
Rajinder Koul ◽  
Devender Banda ◽  
Ellen Frye

Abstract One of the instructional techniques reported in the literature to teach communication skills to persons with autism is video modeling (VM). VM is a form of observational learning that involves watching and imitating the desired target behavior(s) exhibited by the person on the videotape. VM has been used to teach a variety of social and communicative behaviors to persons with developmental disabilities such as autism. In this paper, we describe the VM technique and summarize the results of two single-subject experimental design studies that investigated the acquisition of spontaneous requesting skills using a speech generating device (SGD) by persons with autism following a VM intervention. The results of these two studies indicate that a VM treatment package that includes a SGD as one of its components can be effective in facilitating communication in individuals with autism who have little or no functional speech.


2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Short ◽  
Rachael Cooper Schindler ◽  
Rita Obeid ◽  
Maia M. Noeder ◽  
Laura E. Hlavaty ◽  
...  

Purpose Play is a critical aspect of children's development, and researchers have long argued that symbolic deficits in play may be diagnostic of developmental disabilities. This study examined whether deficits in play emerge as a function of developmental disabilities and whether our perceptions of play are colored by differences in language and behavioral presentations. Method Ninety-three children participated in this study (typically developing [TD]; n = 23, developmental language disorders [DLD]; n = 24, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]; n = 26, and autism spectrum disorder [ASD]; n = 20). Children were videotaped engaging in free-play. Children's symbolic play (imagination, organization, elaboration, and comfort) was scored under conditions of both audible language and no audible language to assess diagnostic group differences in play and whether audible language impacted raters' perception of play. Results Significant differences in play were evident across diagnostic groups. The presence of language did not alter play ratings for the TD group, but differences were found among the other diagnostic groups. When language was audible, children with DLD and ASD (but not ADHD) were scored poorly on play compared to their TD peers. When language was not audible, children with DLD were perceived to play better than when language was audible. Conversely, children with ADHD showed organizational deficits when language was not available to support their play. Finally, children with ASD demonstrated poor play performance regardless of whether language was audible or not. Conclusions Language affects our understanding of play skills in some young children. Parents, researchers, and clinicians must be careful not to underestimate or overestimate play based on language presentation. Differential skills in language have the potential to unduly influence our perceptions of play for children with developmental disabilities.


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