Dissertations / Theses: 'Children with impairments'

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Lord, Richard. "Information-processing impairments in clumsy children." Thesis, University of York, 1987. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.375427.

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Lau, W. C., and Kerry Proctor-Williams. "Temperament Profiles of Children with Communication Impairments." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1835.

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Larkin, Rebecca F. "Spelling processes in children with language impairments and children with dyslexia." Thesis, University of York, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.719391.

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Cooley, Jamie A. "Symbolic Understanding of Children with Social Communication Impairments." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1313501692.

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Estil, Lise Beate. "Underlying deficits in motor and language impairments in children." Doctoral thesis, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sport Sciences Programme, 2002. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:no:ntnu:diva-474.

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Children who, for some reason, are inferior in performance to their peers in certain domains of development often experience the feeling of falling short. This applies to children who are poor in motor skills and/or in academic skills such as spoken and written language. Although a relatively small group of children is affected by such problems, the problems may have serious implications for those concerned. Some children seem to be affected in the motor domain only, while others seem to experience problems only with relation to spoken and/or written language. Still, the coincidence of motor and language/writing impairments in children is considerable, and too large to be fortuitous. It is believed that intervention and prevention programs will be more effective if based upon knowledge about underlying sources of the observed problems. The aim of the present thesis, therefore, is to do a theoretical and empirical investigation of putative underlying sources of language (including both oral language and reading) and motor impairments in children, from a neuropsychological perspective.

To that end, Chapter 1 provides a theoretical introduction to the theme motor/language impairment syndromes and presents different theoretic explanations that has been suggested in the literature, as to why such syndromes often co-occur. From a social scientific point of view, these syndromes may be regarded as indirectly linked mediated by social constraints such as, for example, self-esteem. However, from a neuropsychological perspective, language and motor impairments in children are regarded as directly related, due to a developmental lag or a deficit in the nervous system. That will be the main focus of the present thesis. From this perspective, several underlying neurological deficits that could account for language as well as motor impairments have been suggested. These are related to different neurological sites such as, for example, the cerebellum and the corpus callosum. Cerebellar explanations have been invoked to account for postural problems in language impaired children and dyslexics as well as temporal problems in both the motor and language domains. Bimanual co-ordination problems and other laterality problems observed in dyslexics, language impaired children as well as motor impaired children have been attributed to callosal dysfunction. A more recent theoretical explanation is the magnocellular theory, related to a certain kind of fast conducting nerve cells that bring information from the retina to the visual cortex. This theory was, originally, introduced as an explanatory factor of dyslexia, but was later suggested to play a role in motor impairment as well.

Chapter 2 reports an exploratory study using quantitative and qualitative methods in attempt to identify putative neurological deficiencies that may account for the co-occurrence of motor and cognitive (measured as psycholinguistic abilities) impairments in a sample (N = 15) of 6-10 years old (oral) language impaired children. A subgroup of n = 4 children that are week in both language and cognitive functions is identified. The cerebellar deficit hypothesis and the inter/intra-hemispheric deficit hypothesis are discussed as candidate explanations.

The inter- versus intra-hemispheric deficit hypothesis is further validated in Chapter 3. The same subgroup of four children as that identified in Chapter 2 is tested on two different movement tasks designed to measure inter- and intra- hemispheric functions. The results are discussed in the light of Liederman’s shielding model. This model emphasises the role of the corpus callosum in shielding information between the hemispheres, which is necessary in order to allow for independent processing. In Chapter 4 the focus shifts to motor co-ordination problems per se. A task that is particularly difficult for children with poor motor co-ordination, is that of catching a ball, a task imposed by severe spatial and temporal constraints. It is believed that information about where this task breaks down, at the spatial or temporal component, will provide clues as to what could be the underlying causes of the co-ordination problems. In order to separate out the temporal and spatial aspects of the catching task, two experiments are designed, one emphasising the reaching action (spatial orientation), the other emphasising the grasping action (imposed by temporal constraints). The performance of a sample (n = 8) of 10-11 year old children with poor motor skills is compared to that of an equal sized control group on these tasks. The temporal and spatial deficits discovered are discussed with relation to the distal and proximal proprioceptive systems as well as the visual system. The question whether the underlying problem is related to a visual or proprioceptive deficit, or to a combination of visual and proprioceptive deficits, is further explored in Chapter 5. Chapter 5 is written as a Research Note in extension of Chapter 4, using the same subjects. The groups are compared on two tests of proprioception, designed for the purpose of measuring inter-/ and intra hemispheric information processing (same tasks as those used in Chapter 3), and three different tests of visual perception, designed to measure magno- and parvocellular function. The results are discussed with relation to visual processing and maturation of the corpus callosum. In Chapter 6 the visual perceptual problems suggested in Chapters 4 and 5 are investigated with relation to both motor and reading impairment on an extended group of 10-11 year old children. Three groups of n = 8 children are selected from a larger sample (N = 102), one group which is motor impaired only, one which is both motor and language impaired, as well as a normal control group. These groups are compared on the same visual tests (with the exclusion of one) as those used in Chapter 5. Based on the results from the group comparisons and a correlation analyses, magno- and parvocellular involvement in both motor and reading tasks, as well as in motor and reading impairments, is discussed. Finally, Chapter 7 contains a summary and a general discussion that evaluates the theoretical positions presented in Chapter 1 in the light of the empirical studies reported in Chapters 2 – 6. Conclusions and suggestions for further studies are made.

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Peacey, Lindy Victoria. "Mothers' beliefs about their children with primary language impairments." Thesis, City University London, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.677471.

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Williams, A. Lynn, S. M. Camarata, Nancy J. Scherer, and P. Hoffman. "The Relationship between Speech and Language Impairments in Children." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1997. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2110.

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Novom, Rebekah I. "Self-esteem and Social Anxiety in Children with Communication Impairments." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2017. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/968.

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The proposed study will investigate how having a speech and/or language impairment, as well as age, affect children’s self-esteem and levels of social anxiety compared to children who have typical language development (TLD). This cross-sectional correlational study will examine approximately 160 participants between the ages of 5 to 10 who fall into one of four communication type groups: speech impairments (speech sound disorders and/or stuttering), language impairments (specific language impairment), speech and language impairments, or TLD. The participants’ self-esteem, levels of social anxiety, and attitudes about their communication ability will be measured via established scales. Participants will also be asked questions after viewing an animated video depicting dogs with communication impairments, in order to assess their awareness of their communication abilities. Participants with speech and language impairments are expected to have the lowest self-esteem and highest levels of social anxiety, while participants with TLD are expected to have the highest self-esteem and lowest levels of social anxiety. The older participants are expected to experience more problems than the younger participants. Lastly, it is expected that the relationship between the participants’ age, self-esteem, and social anxiety will be mediated by their awareness of their communication impairments, and moderated by their attitudes about their communication impairments. These findings will hopefully increase the knowledge that children experiencing communication impairments may need assistance to aid their psychosocial well-being.

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Spencer, Rebecca Ann. "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition Verbal short forms for children with visual impairments." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282247.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate WISC-III Verbal short forms for school-age children identified as visually impaired. The rationale for use of WISC-III Verbal short forms is to provide a time saving and technically sound measure for the screening and/or periodical re-evaluation of children with visual impairments who may require special education services. The total sample consisted of the WISC-III test scores of 78 children identified with the handicapping condition of either partial sightedness or legal blindness, who had been given the regularly administered Verbal subtests. The mean age level of the total sample was 11 years, 4 months. Three additional groups were obtained from the test records of the original data which included, children identified as either partially sighted or legally blind (n=62) who were given the regularly administered Verbal subtests and supplementary Digit Span subtest (referred to as the Digit Span group), and children identified as partially sighted (n=47), and legally blind (n=31), who were given only the regularly administered Verbal subtests. Ninety-seven percent of the data were obtained from existing test records, and the remaining data from the actual administration of the WISC-III Verbal subtests for the purpose of collecting data for the study. Children identified with the handicapping conditions of multiple disabilities or mental retardation were not included in the sample. For the total sample and additional groups, the mean Verbal IQ score and mean scaled score of the individual subtests fell in the average range. The WISC-III Verbal short form combinations were identified by utilizing the formulas of Tellegen and Briggs (1967) for determining the reliability and validity coefficients of short form combinations. High reliability and validity coefficients were obtained for all two-, three-, and four-subtest combinations of the total sample and additional groups. The study results suggest WISC-III Verbal short forms offer a time efficient and technically sound measure to be utilized in assessment of the verbal intellectual development of school-age children with visual impairments.

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DeMario, Norma C. Rex Evelyn J. "Career education competencies for elementary age students with visual impairments." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 1989. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p8918609.

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Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1989.
Title from title page screen, viewed September 30, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Evelyn Rex (chair), Lanny Morreau, John Brickell, Antoinette Heinze, Toni McCarty-Warren. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-108) and abstract. Also available in print.

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Griffiths, Carolyn Marie. "understandingf the needs of children and young people with neuromuscular impairments." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.529862.

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Lyons, R. "Identity and meaning-making in children with primary speech/language impairments." Thesis, University of the West of England, Bristol, 2014. http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/22840/.

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Primary speech and language impairment (PSLI) is a term used to describe children with a range of significant speech and language impairments, in the context of normal cognitive abilities. The aims of this thesis were firstly to explore identity construction in children with PSLI, and secondly to explore how these children made sense of their experiences. Narrative inquiry was used to conduct this study. The participants were 11 children aged 9-12 years-old, presenting with PSLI. The aim was to generate storied accounts of events and happenings in their lives using interviews, supplemented with visual methods. An innovative analytical framework was designed, drawing on a range of narrative analytical methods, including an analysis of verbal and nonverbal evaluation markers, cohesion markers, as well as an analysis of agency and identities presented in the children’s narratives. The key findings were four interrelated themes, which were conceptualised in a working model comprising facilitators and potential barriers to well-being and belonging. The four themes which contributed to well-being and belonging included: relationships; autonomy, agency, and competence; identities of belonging and difference; and hope and concern for the future. Facilitators of well-being and belonging were life events and experiences that the children evaluated in positive ways, whereas potential barriers were life events and experiences which they evaluated in negative ways. Although some children evaluated their experiences in mixed and sometimes contradictory ways, their evaluations were predominantly positive. This thesis contributes to the field in four ways. Firstly, it provides new insights into identity construction in children with PSLI. Secondly, it adds to understandings of ways in which children conceptualise communication impairment. Thirdly, it deepens understandings of the determinants of well-being and belonging in children with PSLI. Finally, this thesis highlights the value of narrative inquiry as a means for listening to the voices of children with communication impairments.

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Schorn-Beaudoin, Deanne. "Children with phonological impairments versus children with normal phonological development, do they differ on rhyming ability?" Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ31372.pdf.

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Charema, John. "Explaining the ways in which parents of children with hearing impairments access counseling services in Zimbabwe." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27848.

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The purpose of this study was to explain the ways in which parents of children with hearing impairments access counseling services. In order to focus attention on these issues, a research question and objectives were formulated: In what ways did parents of children with hearing impairments in Zimbabwe access counseling services during the period 1999 to 2000? Five distinct but related major issues, in relation to parents of children with hearing impairments accessing counseling services in Zimbabwe during the period 1999 to 2000 emerged. This came from observation of practice, personal experiences, and discussions with parents. The objectives of the study were thus formulated as follows: · to find out who counseled parents of children with hearing impairments. · to investigate whether parents who received or did not receive counseling were aware of organizations that offered guidance and counseling. · to find out parents’ perceptions on whether or not counseling helped them to accept and cope with their children. · to establish the qualifications of the counselors who counseled parents of children with hearing impairments. · to explore recommendations by parents on ways in which counseling can be made more accessible in Zimbabwe. A pilot study was conducted in which two questionnaires that covered the research question and the five objectives were constructed and refined. Subsequently a survey was carried out on a sample of 300 parents of children with hearing impairments and 28 counseling service organizations. The questionnaires sought to find out: who counseled parents of children with hearing impairments, their views about the counseling they received, whether they were able to accept and cope with their children after counseling and their views on how counseling could be made more accessible. The questionnaire to service organizations sought to establish the qualifications of their counselors, the needs of parents of children with hearing impairments and their views on what they thought could be done to help parents access counseling services. Female and male parents were compared in terms of their sources of counseling, acceptance and coping with children of different genders and different age groups. Quantitative data on organizations and parents’ responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative analysis was used to analyze data from open-ended questions collected from parents of children with hearing impairments. Results from the study indicate that the majority of the parents received counseling from special schools, followed by individuals, then hospitals, churches, registered counseling organizations and friends. Slightly more than half of the parents were aware of registered organizations that offer counseling services. Most parents believed that counseling helped them and were able to cope with their children after counseling. The majority of the counselors who counseled parents of children with hearing impairments were not qualified. Most parents indicated that they faced difficulties in communication, financial constraints, societal attitude, lack of transport and lack of skills to teach children basic living skills. Parents suggested the use of parent support groups, workshops and advertisements as means of making counseling services more accessible.
Thesis (PhD (Learning Support, Guidance and Counceling))--University of Pretoria, 2004.
Educational Psychology
unrestricted

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Schmitt, Ara J. Swerdlik Mark E. Wodrich David L. "The ability of theory based assessment to discriminate among children with brain impairments." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p3064501.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001.
Title from title page screen, viewed March 14, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Mark E. Swerdlik (chair), David L. Wodrich (co-chair), Valeri Farmer-Dougan, Alvin House. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [106]-117) and abstract. Also available in print.

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Carter, Deborah. "A study of mothers with long-term impairments and their young children." Thesis, London South Bank University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.618669.

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Chan, Man-kuen Sonia, and 陳文娟. "A comprehensive understanding of executive impairments in children with autism spectrum disorder." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/209702.

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Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by a triad of impairments in social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. For children with autism especially those with high functioning (HFA), it is common to discover from clinical observation and from care-givers’ report that there are uneven performance in their cognitive profile and also executive difficulties. In recent years, there were enormous amount of researches attempting to delineate the cognitive deficits and the executive impairments in autism. Executive Functions (EF) was a widely studied construct in autism. The vast pool of researches establishes various focuses of investigation, including: (1) the biological level; (2) the cognitive level; (3) the task performance level; and (4) the everyday functioning level. Each of them has its own significance, and contributes distinctly in delineating the executive impairments in ASD. Taking into account the complexity of the EF construct and the far-reaching impacts it imposing on our everyday functioning, a comprehensive approach encompassing different levels of investigation in one research design is suggested to investigate the performance and specific areas of impairment of children with HFA in respective levels; and to explore the possible relationships between the levels of investigations. Methods: Forty aged 12-15 children participated in the research, twenty with HFA and twenty typically developing controls (TD), matched by gender, age and IQ. In the first part of the study, the participants were administered four traditional EF tasks including: inhibition, working memory, flexibility and planning to examine EF in the cognitive level. In the second part, they completed a novel multitasking test, the Battersea Multitask Paradigm (BMP) to examine executive difficulties in the task performance level. Parent ratings of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were collected for further investigation of their executive difficulties in the daily functioning level. Results: The 3-levels of investigation demonstrated converged results in examining the executive ability of ASD. From the integrated analyses, more evidence was gained to speculate that the planning inefficiency of children with HFA was due to their inability to cognitively construct the plan rather than their ability to execute or implement the plan. In real-life situations, they have particular difficulties in time management, to prioritize multiple and interleaved tasks, and to coordinate intended actions for future goal attainment. Moreover, their cognitive inflexibility had a pattern of “get stuck” or perseverates on the same task till completion before moving onto the next task. Their inflexibility to switch seemed to be explained by the preference to follow a more structured kind of sequence or action, i.e. to persist and finish one task before moving to another one. They were actually excellent “rule follower”, might not be as rigid of not willing to change. Significant positive relationships were only observed between the EF measures and Multitask variables.
published_or_final_version
Educational Psychology
Doctoral
Doctor of Psychology

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Mansfield, Rebecca Cloward. "Outcomes of an Emotion Word Intervention for Children with Social Communication Impairments." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2013. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3848.

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Children with social communication disorders have been found to exhibit deficits in emotional intelligence, including the ability to identify emotions attributed to facial expressions. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the efficacy of a social communication intervention program designed to increase the accuracy of emotion based word use in three elementary school-aged participants with social communication disorders. The participants took part in a multiple-baseline, 20-session treatment including story enactment, journaling procedures, and supplementary activities. The story enactment portion of the intervention centered on Mercer Mayer's A Boy, A Dog, and A Frog (1967) wordless picture book series. Participants' emotion word productions were analyzed in six categories (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust) and valence accuracy was determined for all productions. Results proved variable, but each of the three participants demonstrated improvements in accuracy in at least two emotion categories that were not mastered prior to the onset of the intervention. In addition, two of the three participants increased in valence accuracy of emotion word productions between baseline and follow-up measures. Taken as a whole, the results suggest that this particular intervention program was effective in improving competency in select emotion categories for all three participants. Discussions of individual participant outcomes are included, as well as suggestions for further research.

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Gilmer, Kristin Rashelle. "Comparison of Prescribed versus Actual Gain for Children with Profound Hearing Impairments." PDXScholar, 1995. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/4975.

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The early selection and use of an appropriate amplification system may be the most important aspect in the aural! rehabilitation of children who are hearing impaired. The main goal guiding the selection of hearing aids for children is to maximize their residual hearing through amplification in order to facilitate speech and language development. Seewald, Ross, and Stelmachciwicz (1987) have developed a speech-spectrum based procedure for selecting hearing aid characteristics for children referred to as the Desired Sensation Level Procedure (DSL) approach. This is an objective method which has been developed specifically for use with young pre-verbal children. I The purpose of the present study was to determine how closely the previously fitted amplification systems of profoundly hearing-impaired children approximated the amplification targets that would be prescribed for their hearing losses by the DSL method. The data were used to examine the feasibility and appropriateness of the DSL method for prescribing amplification for children with profound hearing impairments. Twenty amplification systems worn by profoundly hearing-impaired children were electroacoustically evaluated to discover how closely they approximated the DSL fitting criteria. Hearing thresholds were obtained for each subject for the frequencies 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz using puretone audiometry. The DSL computer program was used to generate prescribed 2 cc. coupler targets at each frequency. The subjects' amplification systems were electroacoustically analyzed to determine the measured 2 cc. coupler response. Means and standard deviations were reported for prescribed and measured gain values at each frequency. Two-tailed t-tests were computed to determine if a difference exists between prescribed and measured gain. The tests were considered significant at the .05 level. A significant difference between the means was found at 2000 and 4000 Hz. Correlation coefficients were calculated at each frequency to determine if a predictable relationship between prescribed and measured gain existed. Correlation coefficients showed weak relationships between the two groups of data. These results showed the difficulty of meeting prescribed amplification targets, particularly in the high frequencies for children with profound hearing impairments.

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Lam, Yan Grace. "The relationship of pragmatic language deficits and cognitive impairments in high-functioning autism." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2003. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B43895700.

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Dempsey, Donna Jean Ala'i-Rosales Shahla S. "An experimental analysis of opportunity and communication response form in a child with autism and hearing impairments." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2007. http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-5188.

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Lam, Yan Grace, and 林茵. "The relationship of pragmatic language deficits and cognitive impairments in high-functioning autism." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B43895700.

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Kaat, Aaron J. "The Relationship between Reciprocal Social Impairments and Psychopathology in Children with Intellectual Disability." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1312985259.

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Encheff, Jenna L. "Kinematic Gait Analysis of Children with Neurological Impairments Pre and Post Hippotherapy Intervention." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1234725808.

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Murdoch, Heather Rosemary. "Repetitive behaviours in children with sensory impairments and multiple disabilities : a developmental approach." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.366173.

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Kan, Kam-sheung. "The development and evaluation of a music intervention program for children with hearing impairments in integrated preschools." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2005. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B35540394.

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Huang, Yuqi. "The Prevalence of Visual Impairments of the Prekindergarten Children in Georgia and Evaluation of Associated Risk Factors." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2008. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/iph_theses/53.

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Vision impairment is recognized as a global public health problem. Children are the most susceptible population to many of the vision diseases. Knowledge of the causes and prevalence of common types of visual impairments is important for planning of preventive health care services to ensure that the children receive proper eye care in a timely manner. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the prevalence of visual impairment and to identify associated risk factors among the prekindergarten children in Georgia. During August 2005 to May 2006, there were 30,115 prekindergarten children enrolled in the Prevent Blindness Georgia Children Vision Screening Program, and a total of 25,543 (84.8%) children received vision screening. A total of 1,345 (5.27%) children had visual impairments and were referred to take an eye exam. Over 80% of the children who were referred and received eye exams were found to have vision problems. Timely screening is one of the effective ways for early detection of vision problems among these children. This study showed there were significant differences in the screening rate between the children with high socioeconomic status and those with low socioeconomic status. Educational and promotion programs should focus on improving the knowledge of vision diseases and use of available preventive service, particularly by the community of low socioeconomic status.

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Zulch-Knouwds, Tanya-May. "Including learners with visual impairments in a Namibian mainstream secondary school." Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2060.

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Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The research problem of this study is how learners with visual impairments are included in a Namibian mainstream secondary school. This study is important since Namibia is new in the inclusion process of learners with visual impairments. This process was made a priority by the Ministry of Education in Namibia since a special school for the blind in Namibia only offers education up to Grade 10. With this study I aimed to analyse and describe how a group of learners with visual impairments were included in a mainstream secondary school. I therefore aimed to analyse the nature of support as well as the adaptations and accommodations made for the learners with visual impairments; and describe the culture and context of the school community using the opinions and experiences of the participants in the study. In order to obtain the opinions and experiences of the participants in a detailed, descriptive and in-depth manner, I designed a qualitative case study with a mainstream secondary school where the learners with visual impairments were integrated as the „bounded system‟. I purposefully selected the participants and used semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and the gathering of artefacts in order to obtain in-depth and rich data from multiple perspectives. From the research it was found that even though the learners with visual impairments are now physically integrated in the mainstream classes, they are not yet truly included. The teaching methods and materials are not adequately adapted for them and the physical environments within the classes and school grounds are also not yet truly accessible for them. The teachers are not adequately supported and trained, and the parents of most of the learners with visual impairments as well as the community are not involved in the learners‟ schooling. The school needs relevant resources as well as a change of attitudes – teachers and peers are often negative towards the learners with visual impairments and do not understand the rationale behind inclusive education. However, there are exceptions to this – the Grade 11 class of 2009 have accepted the learners with visual impairments in contrast to the classes before them. Finally, the policies that were developed by the country do not provide clear and practical guidelines of how to make inclusive education a reality in Namibia. I hope that the findings of this study will be of valuable use to the particular school and to the Ministry of Education with regard to the school‟s progress in the inclusion of the learners with visual impairments. Key Concepts: inclusion, disability, impairments, visual impairment, visual disability, blindness, and partially sighted.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingsprobleem van hierdie studie is hoe leerders met gesiggestremdhede ingesluit word in „n hoofstroom sekondêre skool in Namibië. Die navorsing is belangrik aangesien inklusiewe onderwys „n nuwe innovasie in Namibië is. Die insluitingvan leerders met gesiggestremdhede was „n prioriteit van die Ministerie van Onderwys, aangesien die skool vir blindes in Namibië (Windhoek) net onderrig verskaf van Graad 1 tot Graad 10. Die Graad 11 en 12 leerders moes dus vanaf 2006 ingesluit word in „n hoofstroom sekondêre skool. Met hierdie studie het ek beoog om die konsep van inklusie asook die beleidsdokumente aangaande inklusie in Namibië te analiseer; om die tipe asook die wyse van ondersteuning vir hierdie groep leerders met gesiggestremdhede te analiseer en beskryf; en om die kultuur en konteks van die skool te beskryf met behulp van die perspektiewe en ondervindinge van die deelnemers in my studie. Ek het„n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie ontwerp om „n ryk, digte beskrywing te verseker. Die deelnemers is doelbewus gekies ten einde in-diepte en spesifieke perspektiewe en ondervindinge te verkry. Die metodes wat gebruik is vir data-insameling sluit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, nie-deelnemende waarneming en dokumente-analise in. Hierdie studie het bevind dat alhoewel die leerders met gesiggestremdhede fisies in die hoofstroomklasse geïntegreer is, hul nog nie waarlik ingesluit word in die hoofstroomskool nie. Die onderrigmetodes word nie genoegsaam aangepas nie en die leerders benodig meer hulpbronne en toerusting om gehalte leer te verseker. Die onderwysers het nie voldoende opleiding om kinders met gesiggestremdhede te onderrig nie en die ouers van die leerders met gesigsgestremdheid en gemeenskap is nie genoeg betrokke by die skool en die leerders nie. Nie die klaskamers of die skoolgronde is toegangklik vir die leerders met gesiggestremdhede nie en die houdings van beide onderwysers en leerders is met enkele uitsonderings negatief teenoor die leerders met gesiggestremdhede. Ten slotte, die nasionale beleidsdokumente aangaande inklusie gee nie praktiese maniere hoe om inklusiewe onderwys „n werkliheid te maak nie. Ek hoop dat die bevindinge van hierdie studie van waarde sal wees vir die spesifieke skool asook vir die Ministerie van Onderwys in die ontwikkeling van inklusiewe onderwys. Sleutelkonsepte: Inklusie, gestremdheid, beperking, gesiggestremdheid, visuele beperking, blindheid, en swak sig.

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Richardson, Erin. "Reliability and Validity of the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test for Children with Hearing Impairments." TopSCHOLAR®, 1995. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/921.

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This researcher investigated the reliability and validity of the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT) for a hearing-impaired population. The subjects consisted of 15 hearing-impaired children between the ages of five and eight who are are enrolled in special education programs for the hearing-impaired. Three week test-retest reliability coefficients were moderate to high for all subtests (.65 to .89) and high for all scales and the total score (.88 to .96). Intracorrelations support the structure of the UNIT in that subtests demonstrated high correlations with the scale they were purported to represent. Concurrent validity was assessed with the Naglieri Draw-A-Person (DAP) during the first testing session. The UNIT and the DAP demonstrated correlations within the moderate to high range (.60 to .77) between the scales and total score of the UNIT and the three drawings and the total of the DAP. Results are discussed relevant to other measures utilized with hearing-impaired populations. The most important implication is that the UNIT appears to be a promising instrument for assessing intellectual abilities in children with hearing-impairments.

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Hinch, Melinda A. "A comparison of two oral language facilitation programs for kindergarten children with language impairments." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0008/MQ30957.pdf.

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Holligan, Christopher. "A cognitive analysis of reading, spelling and memory impairments in children with literacy disorders." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15476.

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The 11 experiments reported in this thesis are concerned with 3 main areas of investigation addressing cognitive processes in children with reading and spelling difficulties. These are 4 main experiments which utilise a variety of reading tasks designed to address the nature of the poor reader groups' approach to single word identification. Evidence of intact phonological reading strategies were found on certain reading tasks, but not on others. Thus support was found both for the hypothesis that poor readers can employ a non-lexical strategy effectively, and for the hypothesis that they are impaired at relying upon this strategy. Two experiments explore the poor readers spelling strategies in terms of their phonological demands. Phonemic segmentation difficulties were found and it was argued that such difficulties may be causally related to the spelling retardation. Four experiments also examined the memory codes used by these groups; evidence of normal phonological coding in working memory, but not longer-term recognition memory was found. Finally, 2 case studies were conducted dealing with reading, spelling and orthographic segmentation ability. Both cases were found to exhibit very clear signs of phonological impairments across a wide range of tasks, and were to different extents less capable than controls at orthographic segmentation. It is concluded that most poor readers suffer from a mild phonological deficit, and that a much smaller proportion have more severe phonological dysfunctions. However, whether such difficulties are detected will partly depend upon the nature of the task used to interrogate the efficiency of the underlying mechanisms.

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Wellman, Rachel Lipscomb. "Narrative Ability of Children with Speech and Language Deficits and its Potential to Predict Later Literacy Skills." Cleveland, Ohio : Case Western Reserve University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1238613706.

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Thesis (M.A.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2009
Title from PDF (viewed on 29 May 2009) Department of Communication Sciences Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references and appendices Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

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Lewis, Kelley, Kelly King, Melanie O'Brien, Kerry Proctor-Williams, and Danielle Py. "An Analysis of How Quickly and Efficaciously Children with Specific Language Impairments Learn Verbs Compared to Children with Typical Language Development." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2004. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1856.

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Speech-language pathologists are challenged with providing children with treatment that results in the greatest amount of improvement in the least amount of time. To aid in this challenge, we examined how quickly and efficaciously seven children with a specific language impairment (SLI) learned verbs compared to seven children with typical language (TL) development. Each child was taught the meaning and use of six nonsense verbs. Nonsense verbs were used to ensure that the target verbs had never been heard by any of the participants before the experiment and allowed us to control verb exposure. Each participant received up to four training sessions of 30-minutes each. During these sessions, the examiner utilized naturalistic conversational techniques and play activities with carefully selected sets of toys that corresponded to the meaning of the target words. The training sessions were ended when children demonstrated 100% accuracy in their understanding of the verbs and 50% accuracy in their production during a probe task. All sessions were audio-recorded and the experimenters and childs utterances were reliably coded. Analysis revealed that the two groups received the same input from the experimenter in terms of the number and type of exposures to the verbs. We examined the childrens nonsense verb productions for their rate and quality. Rate of verb acquisition was measured by counting: 1) the number of sessions required before the criteria for learning was met; 2) the number of exposures before childs first spontaneous production of each target verb; and 3) the number of exposures before childs first elicited production of each target verb. Quality of verb acquisition was measured by counting: 1) the number of alternative real verbs substituted for a nonsense verb and 2) the accuracy of transitive target verb usage. Although the results were not statistically significant for any of the measures tested, there was a trend for children with SLI to learn the target nonsense verbs more slowly but just as

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Öster, Anne-Marie. "Computer-based speech therapy using visual feedback with focus on children with profound hearing impairments." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Speech, Music and Hearing, TMH, 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4031.

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This thesis presents work in the area of computer-based speech therapy using different types of visual feedback to replace the auditory feedback channel. The study includes diagnostic assessment methods prior to therapy, type of therapy design, and type of visual feedback for different users during different stages of therapy for increasing the efficiency. The thesis focuses on individual computer-based speech therapy (CBST) for profoundly hearing-impaired children as well as for computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) for teaching and training the prosody of a second language. Children who are born with a profound hearing loss have no acoustic speech target to imi¬tate and compare their own production with. Therefore, they develop no spontaneous speech but have to learn speech through vision, tactile sensation and, if possible, residual hear¬ing. They have to rely on the limited visibility of phonetic features in learning oral speech and on orosensory-motor control in maintaining speech movements. These children constitute a heterogeneous group needing an individualized speech therapy. This is because their possibilities to communicate with speech depend not only on the amount of hearing, as measured by pure-tone audiometry, but also on the quality of the hearing sensa¬tion and the use the children through training are able to make of their functional hearing for speech. Adult second language learners, on the other hand, have difficulties in perceiving the phonetics and prosody of a second language through audition, not because of a hearing loss but because they are not able to hear new sound contrasts because of interference with their native language. The thesis presents an overview of reports made concerning speech communication and profound hearing impairment such as studies about residual hearing for speech processing, effects of speech input limitations on speech production, interaction between individual deviations and speech intelligibility, and speech assessment methods of phonetic realizations of phonological systems. Finally, through several clinical evaluation studies of three Swedish computer-based therapy systems, concerning functionality, efficiency, types of visual feedback, therapy design, and practical usability for different users, important recommendations are specified for future developments.

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Öster, Anne-Marie. "Computer-based speech therapy using visual feedback with focus on children with profound hearing impairments /." Stockholm, 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-4031.

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Bensch, Lisa S. "A comparative study of fears in middle-childhood South African children with and without visual impairments." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4501.

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Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The experience of fear is a normal phenomenon in the development of children. However, the often marginalised population of children with visual impairments, is one which has been neglected in past fear research. As far as could be ascertained, no research assessing the fears of children with visual impairments has been carried out the past 18 years, and studies within the South African context are non-existent. Previous research has suggested that children, who have a physical disability, are more prone to the development of a psychopathology than their non-disabled peers. It has also been suggested that, due to their physical limitations, children with visual impairments would express a higher prevalence of anxiety and fear. Therefore it is important to identify these children's fears, to enable those involved in their day-to-day lives to gain a greater understanding of their emotional world. The present study aimed to determine whether significant differences exist between the fear profiles of middle-childhood South African children with visual impairments when compared to their sighted counterparts. A differential research design was employed, and results were examined across the four independent variables of gender, age, culture, and vision. A total of 129 assenting children from three schools in the Western Cape participated in the present study, including 67 children with varying degrees of visual impairments, and 62 gender- and age-matched controls. All the children were administered a short biographical questionnaire and Burkhardt's (2007) child friendly South African Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-SA). The administration of these measures was adapted according to the children's degree of visual impairment. Results of the FSSC-SA indicated that the most feared item for the children with visual impairments was “Fire - getting burned”, while the children without visual impairments feared “Getting HIV” the most. The 10 most common fears related mainly to situations in which the possibility of danger and harm is present, with the majority of fears loading onto Factor I (fear of danger and death) of the FSSC-SA. Consistent with previous research, gender differences were apparent across number, level, and pattern of fear, with girls consistently being more fearful than boys. There was no significant relationship between age or culture and self-reported fear. In terms of the three sub-groups of visually impaired children, the children with severe visual impairment reported the highest number and level of fear. However, in general terms, the fear profiles of the two overall groups (children with and children without visual impairments) did not differ significantly, thus showing that the worlds, in which these children live, are not as different as was originally anticipated. In conclusion the present study's contributions as well as shortcomings are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vrees is 'n normale ervaring tydens die ontwikkeling van kinders, alhoewel die gemarginaliseerde populasie van kinders met visuele gestremdhede een is wat dikwels in navorsing oor vrees afgeskeep is. So ver as wat die navorser kon vasstel, is geen studies oor hierdie populasie die afgelope 18 jaar uitgevoer nie, en studies binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks bestaan glad nie. Vorige navorsing stel voor dat kinders met gestremdhede meer geneig is tot die ontwikkeling van psigopatologie as kinders sonder 'n gestremdheid in hul portuurgroep. Daar is ook voorgestel dat kinders met visuele gestremdhede as gevolg van hul fisieke beperkinge meer vrees en angs sal toon. Dit is dus belangrik om hierdie kinders se vrese te identifiseer, sodat die mense wat by hul alledaagse lewe betrokke is, 'n beter begrip vir hul emosionele wêreld kan hê. Die doel van die onderhawige studie was om vas te stel of daar beduidende verskille tussen die vreesprofiele van middelkinderjare-kinders met visuele gestremdhede bestaan in vergelyking met hul siende portuurs. Die studie het 'n differensiële navorsingsontwerp gevolg, en die resultate is bestudeer aan die hand van vier onafhanklike veranderlikes, naamlik geslag, ouderdom, kultuur en visie. 'n Totaal van 129 instemmende kinders van drie skole in die Wes-Kaap het deelgeneem aan die onderhawige studie. Die steekproef het 67 kinders met verskillende vlakke van visuele gestremdheid ingesluit, sowel as 62 kinders van vergelykbare ouderdom en geslag in die kontrolegroep. Die deelnemers moes 'n kort biografiese vraelys invul, sowel as Burkhardt (2007) se kindervriendelike Suid-Afrikaanse Vreesopnameskedule vir Kinders (FSSC-SA). Die toepassing van die meetinstrumente is aangepas volgens die kinders se graad van visuele gestremdheid. Resultate van die FSSC-SA het getoon dat kinders met visuele gestremdhede die meeste vrees getoon het vir “Vuur - om te verbrand”, terwyl die mees gevreesde item vir die kinders sonder visuele gestremdhede, die vrees “Om MIV op te doen” was. Die 10 algemeenste vrese het veral verband gehou met situasies waar daar 'n moontlikheid bestaan van gevaar of seerkry, en die meeste van hierdie items het meestal op Faktor I (vrees vir gevaar en die dood) gelaai. In ooreenstemming met vorige navorsing, het geslagsverskille duidelik geblyk ten opsigte van die aantal, vlak en patroon van vrees, met dogters wat konsekwent meer vrees as seuns vermeld het. Daar was geen beduidende verhouding tussen ouderdom of kultuur en self-gerapporteerde vrese nie. Ten opsigte van die drie subgroepe waarin die kinders met visuele gestremdhede ingedeel was, het die kinders met 'n ernstige visuele gestremdheid die hoogste aantal en vlakke van vrees gerapporteer. Oor die algemeen het die vreesprofiele van die twee oorhoofse groepe (kinders met en kinders sonder visuele gestremdhede) nie beduidend verskil nie, en dus blyk dit dat die wêrelde waarin hierdie twee groepe leef, nie so verskillend is as wat aanvanklik gedink is nie. Ten slotte, word die waarde en tekortkominge van die onderhawige studie bespreek, sowel as aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing voorgestel.

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37

Borgestig, Maria. "The impact of gaze-based assistive technology on daily activities in children with severe physical impairments." Doctoral thesis, Linköpings universitet, Hälsa, Aktivitet, Vård (HAV), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-123303.

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Aim: The aim of the thesis was to investigate the impact of gaze-based assistive technology on daily activities in children with severe physical impairments and without speech. The objectives were to develop and pilot a gaze-based assistive technology intervention (GAT intervention) at home and in school for these children and to understand its impact on daily activities as experienced by their parents. Methods: Study I was a pilot study in which the basic components that were developed for the intervention were evaluated for students with physical impairments. The study aimed at improving the use of computers as assistive technology (AT) in school. Based on the findings in Study I, the GAT intervention was developed. The GAT intervention aimed at implementing gaze-based AT in daily activities. It consisted of two parts; having access to gaze-based AT and having access to services from a multi professional communication team during nine to ten months. Studies II-IV concerned gazebased AT for children with severe physical impairments without speech who participated in the GAT intervention. The participants were ten children (ages 1-15) (Studies II, III), and their parents (Study IV). Studies II and III had longitudinal designs and children were followed during 15-20 months with repeated measurements before, after and at follow-up. In Study II children’s repertoire of computer activities, extent of use, and goal attainment with gaze-based AT was evaluated, as well as parents’ satisfaction with the AT and with services. In Study III children’s eye gaze performance when using gaze-based AT was examined. In Study IV, parents were interviewed twice with the aim of exploring their experiences of children’s gaze-based AT use in daily life. In Study IV a hermeneutical approach was used. Results: The findings of Study I showed that the basic components of intervention improved the use of computers in school. Study II showed an increased repertoire of computer activities with the gazebased AT, maintained use in daily activities for all at follow up, and that all children attained goals for gaze-based AT use in daily activities. Parents were satisfied with the gaze-based AT, and with the services in the GAT intervention. In study III, nine children improved in eye gaze performance over time when using the gaze-based AT in daily activities. Study IV revealed that children’s gaze-based AT usage in daily activities made a difference to parents since the children demonstrated agency, and showed their personality and competencies by using gaze-based AT, and for the parents this opened up infinite possibilities for the child to do and learn things. Overall, children’s gaze-based AT usage provided parents with hope of a future in which their children could develop and have influence in life. Conclusions: This thesis shows that these children with severe physical impairments and without speech acquired sufficient gaze control skills to use gaze-based AT for daily activities in the home and at school. The gaze-based AT had a positive impact on performing activities, for example, play activities and communication- and interaction-related activities. For the parents, children’s gaze-based AT usage made a difference since it shaped a hope of a better future for their children, where they can develop and gain influence in their future life. Furthermore, the children continued to perform daily activities with gaze-based AT over time. This finding suggests that key persons were provided with sufficient knowledge and skills to support children in maintained use of gaze-based AT after withdrawal of the services provided in the GAT intervention.

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Mboma, Sebastian Minongwa. "Exploration of community-based rehabilitation for children with neurological impairments following cerebral malaria in Blantyre, Malawi." University of the Western Cape, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/6901.

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Magister Public Health - MPH
Background: Cerebral malaria (CM) kills up to 25% of its patients and about one third of its survivors develop neurological impairments (NIs). With advancements in diagnostic and management techniques for CM, more children are likely to survive. The increase in the number of CM survivors may increase the prevalence of children with NIs. In Malawi, rehabilitation for children with NIs is mostly institution-based with erratic community-outreach services, resulting in poor long-term outcomes. To date, community-based rehabilitation (CBR), a comprehensive rehabilitation approach that also addresses socio-economic impact of NIs and may supplement institution-based rehabilitation services, has not been well explored and documented. Presented here are experiences and perceptions on CBR programmes for NIs following CM in Blantyre, Malawi.

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Dempsey, Donna Jean. "An experimental analysis of opportunity and communication response form in a child with autism and hearing impairments." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2007. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5188/.

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An alternating treatment design was used to systematically evaluate the communication response forms, picture exchange communication system (PECS) or sign language, selection for a child with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, profound hearing loss, and cochlear implants. The child had a limited pool of high preference items and very few functional skills. Key factors for this child included a structured environment that created a verbal community and contingent access to high preference items. No preference in communication response form was observed. The child successfully used four response forms to communicate: gestures, PECS, sign language, and vocalization. The results are discussed in terms of decision making factors in the selection of response forms.

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Kan, Kam-sheung, and 簡錦嫦. "The development and evaluation of a music intervention program for children with hearing impairments in integrated preschools." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B35540394.

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Nseibo, Job Kofi. "Exploring the experiences of children and youth with mobility impairments in four basic educational settings in Ghana." Doctoral thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34022.

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Education is a fundamental right for children all over the world. In Ghana, education for children with mobility impairments (MI) is one area that needs attention because little research has explored the experiences of these children and youth in basic educational settings. The research question that guided this research was: What are the educational experiences of children and youth with MI in education in Ghana? Understanding educational experiences of children and youth with MI will allow policymakers, the Ministry of Education, and educational researchers to develop educational support systems for children with MI. This is very important especially in the low-and-middle-income countries like Ghana where resources are limited. This study drew on three theoretical frameworks: Disability studies in education; Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory and post-colonial theory. These theoretical frameworks guided the exploration of the educational experiences of children and youth with MI in four basic school settings (mainstream, inclusive, rehabilitation and special schools) with consideration to the implementation of inclusive education in Ghana. The child development and learning processes were researched in terms of complex systemic interactions between children with MI and their environment, and the advancement of liberation and the colonial legacy of the study in context. Data were drawn from 20 children with MI, from four head teachers and from 20 parents of children with MI through in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. This study revealed inequities in the basic school curriculum within the four school settings. These inequities that existed in the school curriculum contributed to parents not achieving the expected results they had hoped for by sending their children to the rehabilitation centre and the special schools. This study also showed the inadequacy of the educational support systems (for example, student support teams, parents support teams, teacher support teams and education support teams) in the four educational settings. The study concludes that the absence of educational support systems contributed to the struggle that children with MI and their parents experienced during their children's educational trajectories. From the findings of this study, it is imperative to have further research to consider a general basic school curriculum to promote inclusivity in all four school settings. The study critically showed how the experiences of children and youth with MI were characterised by the inequity of basic school curriculum, negative attitude towards disability and the unavailability of an educational support system. This study also contributes towards the development of inclusive schooling practices in Ghana by providing a framework which promotes inclusion of children and youth with MI. The new knowledge not only adds to the limited literature on the educational experiences of children with MI, but also assists policymakers, stakeholders of education and researchers to promote practices that encourage inclusive education.

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Knoth, Sharon K. "Essential accommodations for students with sensory impairments : perceptions from the field." Virtual Press, 2006. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1354646.

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This thesis explored standardized assessment practices and analyzed accommodations commonly provided to address the unique needs of students with a sensory impairment. Current assessment practices in Indiana result in well below average scores on the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress - Plus (ISTEP+) and the Graduation Qualifying Examination (GQE) for students who have a sensory impairment. Using a mixed-method of qualitative and quantitative processes, the researcher postulated that if assessment processes were equitable for this population of students, their scores should approximate the normal distribution seen in the overall state totals for the total school population; albeit with a slightly lower trajectory. Reasoning being that the overall population of students with a sensory impairment spans from students with high ability to students with multiple disabilities. Through a literature review and meta-analysis on the topic of assessment, surveys and discussions with varied local experts, and interviews with state and national experts in the sensory areas represented, this study sought to establish a framework for accommodating this population of students on standardized assessments. Using descriptive analysis procedures, the various data sets brought forth 25 qualities or practices that the diverse experts agreed should be in place when assessing this population of students. The data reflected a high level of consensus among parents, teachers, state, and national experts regardless of region of state represented. The data also reflected consensus across sensory subgroups (blind, deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing/cochlear implant, and low vision). The research concluded with a modified confirmatory factor analysis of the 25 qualities with the state-dictated permissible accommodations published in the test guidance manual. This analysis revealed less than half of the perceived best practices were in place for the current state-mandated assessment system. Suggestions for improving accommodation options on future assessment procedures and the prospective for further research were offered.
Department of Special Education

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Marichal, Baráibar Sebastián. "Exploring through prototyping embodied interaction design developing systems for mathematics learning for children with visual impairments and without." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/669191.

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In the last decades new interaction paradigms have emerged: Tangible User Interfaces, ubiquitous computing, wearable devices, mixed- reality among others. Such paradigms extended the user interface beyond the keyboard and mouse, and physical interaction has gained importance. This transformation represents a challenge-opportunity for interaction and experience designers. As a consequence, design frameworks are incorporating embodied cognition theories, getting inspiration from phenomenology and aiming to integrate body, mind and technology. This interaction design perspective is known as embodied interaction. This dissertation aims to understand how to design and implement embodied interactive systems for mathematics learning for children, including sighted children and children with visual impairments (VIs). Thus, we might capitalize technological progress into actual opportunities to better support learning. In this context, the thesis explores the development of three interactive systems for mathematics learning and the evaluation of two of them. Through this prototyping approach we discuss design implications for embodied interaction systems in learning contexts, contributing with the generation of intermediate-level knowledge. Finally, we also confirm and extend previous research in this field.
En la últimas décadas han emergido nuevos paradigmas de interacción: Interfaces de Usuario Tangibles, computación ubicua, dispositivos “vestibles”, realidad mixta entre otros. Estos paradigmas han extendido la interfaz de usuario más allá del ratón y el teclado, provocando que la interacción física ganase trascendencia. Para los diseñadores de interacción y experiencia de usuario, esta transformación representa un desafío y oportunidad al mismo tiempo. Consecuentemente, los frameworks de diseño han estado virando hacia la incorporación de teorías inspiradas en fenomenología como la cognición encarnada, buscando la integración de cuerpo, mente y tecnología. A esta perspectiva de diseño de interacción se le ha llamado interacción encarnada ( embodied interaction) . Esta tesis busca comprender cómo diseñar sistemas de interacción encarnada para el aprendizaje de matemáticas tanto para niños videntes como para niños con discapacidad visual. Entonces, seríamos capaces de capitalizar el avance tecnológico en oportunidades concretas que apoyen el aprendizaje. En este contexto, esta tesis explora el desarrollo de tres sistemas interactivos para el aprendizaje de matemáticas y la evaluación de dos de ellos. A través del desarrollo de estos prototipos, discutimos implicaciones de diseño para sistemas de interacción encarnada en contextos de aprendizaje, contribuyendo a la generación de conocimiento intermedio ( intermediate-level knowledge ). Finalmente también confirmamos y extendemos trabajos previos de investigación en este campo.
Durant les darreres dècades han aparegut nous paradigmes d'interacció: interfícies d'usuari tangibles, computació ubiqua, "wearable devices" (dispositius vestibles), o la "mixed-reality" (realitat mixta), entre d'altres. Aquests paradigmes han estès la interfície d'usuari més enllà del teclat i el ratolí, i la interacció física ha guanyat importància. Aquesta transformació representa un repte/oportunitat pels dissenyadors d'interacció i d'experiència d'usuari. A conseqüència d'això els "frameworks" de disseny estan incorporant teories d'"embodied cognition" (cognició corporal), prenent inspiració de la fenomenologia amb l'objectiu d'integrar cos, ment i tecnologia. Aquesta perspectiva de disseny d'interacció es coneix com "embodied interaction". Aquesta dissertació té l'objectiu d'entendre com dissenyar i implementar sistemes d'"embodied interaction" per l'aprenentatge de matemàtiques dels infants, incloent tant nens amb capacitats visuals intactes com aquells amb discapacitats visuals. Per tant, podríem capitalitzar el progrés tecnològic convertint-lo en oportunitats reals per millorar el suport a l'aprenentagte. En aquest context, aquesta tesis explora el desenvolupament de tres sistemes interactius d'aprenentatge matemàtic i la evaluacióde dos d'ells. Mitjançant aquesta aproximació a travès del prototipatge discutirem les implicacions dels sistemes d'"embodied interaction" en contextos d'aprenentatge, contribuint amb la generació de coneixement de nivell intermedi. Finalment, també confirmem i estenem coneixement previ en aquest mateix camp.

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Claughton, Amy. "Special needs, special play? Examining the agency of children with impairments in play-based learning in a special school." Thesis, Federation University Australia, 2020. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/171942.

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Play is an inherent part of childhood, often cast as an innate behaviour of children. Over the years, play has been scrutinised by theorists, researchers and educators alike in their attempts to understand how children engage in play, the role of play in development and how to identify, define and measure play. For children with impairments, play is frequently subjected to surveillance and compared to that of children whose development is considered typical. This thesis interrogates the play-based learning experiences of five children who attended a special educational school in rural Victoria, Australia. It examines the experiences that these children had in play and how teacher actions and responses enabled and supported their engagement in play-based learning. The theoretical framework for this study draws on critical ethnography underpinned by disability studies. Disability studies recognises the social model of disability, in which disability is a social construction. Using this model, impairment is distinct and separate from disability. In this study, socially constructed barriers that confront children in their play are identified as being created by attitudes, structures and environments (Bishop et al., 1999). These barriers are overlaid by the psycho-emotional dimensions of disability (C. Thomas, 1999) in an effort to represent the experiences of children as shaped by the actions and responses of others. This thesis introduces a new analytic tool in the learning portal framework. The learning portal framework aims to provide a platform through which teacher actions and responses can be analysed to understand how children are enabled to access play-based learning. The findings of this study indicate that children with impairments play in complex and nuanced ways. They show purpose in their play, are able to self-initiate, and independently investigate play-based learning experiences. Adult actions and responses often enable children with impairments to engage in play by offering opportunities and pathways for exploration. Indirect adult facilitation in play supports children’s ability to act in play with individuality and determination.
Doctor of Philosophy

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McGahey, Holly Jannice. "Early Speech and Language Development: A Comparison of Typically Developing Children to Children with Cleft Palate." [Johnson City, Tenn. : East Tennessee State University], 2004. http://etd-submit.etsu.edu/etd/theses/available/etd-0429104-112749/unrestricted/McGahey051804f.pdf.

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Thesis (M.S.)--East Tennessee State University, 2004.
Title from electronic submission form. ETSU ETD database URN: etd-0429104-112749. Includes bibliographical references. Also available via Internet at the UMI web site.

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Nunez-Gaunaurd, Annabel. "Comparison of Impairments, Activity Limitations, Physical Activity, and Self-Efficacy among Healthy Weight, Overweight and Obese Minority Middle School Children." Scholarly Repository, 2011. http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/oa_dissertations/699.

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The feasibility and outcomes of a 12-week extracurricular family-based intervention led by physical therapists that was designed to increase physical activity (PA) in three Hispanic male middle-school children was examined. This intervention has limited feasibility and may increase physical activity levels for overweight Hispanic middle school children. In a second study, differences in motor proficiency, strength, endurance, and PA among healthy weight, overweight and obese children were examined, and correlations between BMI and physical impairments were explored. Obese children demonstrated impairments in motor proficiency, strength, and endurance when compared to healthy weight children. Among overweight children, higher BMI was associated with more physical impairments. Overweight children were less physically active than healthy weight children. A high proportion of children were not meeting daily step recommendations to maintain a healthy weight. Girls were less active than boys at this crucial stage of development. The findings of this study have important clinical relevance for physical therapists, who are uniquely qualified to assess these identified impairments and activity limitations that may limit a child’s ability to engage in greater levels of physical activity. This information lends support to the role of the physical therapist in addressing current public health recommendations related to the childhood obesity.

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Martin, Linique. "Analysing the spontaneous speech of children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)." University of the Western Cape, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5541.

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Magister Artium - MA
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a global problem that affects various communities. FASD denotes a pattern of abnormalities intermittently seen in children born to women who consume huge quantities of alcohol during pregnancy (Church & Kaltenbach, 1997). Church and Kaltenbach (1997) suggest that FAS may be one of the primary causes of hearing, speech and other language problems in children. The two main approaches used to determine the effects of FASD on language are standardised language test (using a statistical approach to test some or all four domains of language, namely, phonology, syntax, morphology and semantics) applied to close-ended questionnaire answers and, to some extent, narrative analysis (in the course of which researchers use wordless picture books to analyse narratives in order to determine the social-communicative characteristics of individuals with FASD). Although the use of standardized measures of language might be helpful to determine problematic areas in relation to the different language domains (Wyper & Rasmussen, 2011), they do not show the difficulty with social-communicative functions which these children might be facing (Coggins, Friet, & Morgan, 1998). On the other hand, while narrative analysis addresses an important level of language (discourse level), it does not foreground the inherently interactive nature of language use and the problems that may be associated with communicative interactions. These shortcomings, in turn, suggest possible limitations in the interventions intended to address the language needs of children with FASD. There is, therefore, a need for complementary approaches that offer a more rounded picture of language impairment in children with FASD. In this study, three approaches are used in identifying features of the speech of children with FASD against the backdrop of comparisons with features in the speech of normally developing children. Firstly, conversational analysis (applied to spontaneous, open-ended speech) is introduced as a means to determine the more social-interactive aspects of speech impairment in children with FASD. Secondly, measures of linguistic aspects of speech (the mean length of utterance, Index of Productive Syntax and the number of different word roots) designed specifically for spontaneous speech are employed (they are applied to the same spontaneous data as the conversational analysis data). Thirdly, the more traditional standardized language test measures applied to non-spontaneous speech are used (covering the four domains of syntax, phonology, semantics, and pragmatics). The study’s objectives are to (1) compare patterns in the interactive speech of FASD children and normally developing children; (2) explore the relationship between FASD children and normally developing children in relation to both spontaneous speech measures and standardized measures of language; and (3) compare the impact of the primary caregiver's level of education on testing through spontaneous measures versus standardised measures. Using data from 14 children in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, the study finds that, on the conversational analysis measures, children with FASD, in contrast to normally developing children, tend to obey fewer rules of turn-taking, to overlap less, to engage less in self-repair and to struggle with management and maintenance of topics. The study also finds that children whose scores on the standardized language tests (with non-spontaneous data) suggest they have no language difficulty, especially in terms of phonology, obtained scores in measures of spontaneous speech that indicated language difficulty. The study also found that the socio-economic status of caregivers was a credible explanation for certain features in the speech of children with FASD is very similar to features in the speech of normally developing children. This finding highlights the role of family setting in mitigating the effects of FASD.
National Research Foundation (NRF)

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Krumlinde, Sundholm Lena. "Aspects of hand function in children with unilateral impairments : caused by obstetric brachial plexus palsy or hemiplegic cerebral palsy /." Stockholm, 2002. http://diss.kib.ki.se/2002/91-7349-198-5.

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Masellis, Maria C. "Evidence for temporal processing deficits in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and language impairments on a dichotic listening task." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape11/PQDD_0007/MQ40662.pdf.

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Gan, Hock Chye. "Using multi-modal bio-digital technologies to support the assessment of cognitive abilities of children with physical and neurological impairments." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/15749.

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Current studies done using a learning test for children have problems as they only make evaluations of Physically and Neurologically Impaired (PNI) children who can succeed in the test and can be considered as a PASS/FAIL test. This pilot study takes a holistic view of cognitive testing of PNI children using a user-test-device triad model and provides a framework using non-PNI children and adults as controls. Comparisons using adapted off-the-shelf novel interfaces to the computer, in particular, an Electroencephalograph (EEG) head-set, an eye-tracker and a head-tracker and a common mouse were carried out. In addition, two novel multi-modal technologies were developed based on the use of brain-waves and eye-tracking as well as head-tracking technologies to support the study. The devices were used on three tests with increasing cognitive complexity. A self-developed measure based on success streaks (consecutive outcomes) was introduced to improve evaluations of PNI children. A theoretical model regarding a fit of ability to devices was initially setup and finally modified to fit the view of the empirical model that emerged from the outcomes of the study. Results suggest that while multi-modal technologies can address weaknesses of the individual component modes, a compromise is made between the user’s ability for multi-tasking between the modes and the benefits of a multi-modal device but the sample size is very small. Results also show children failing a test with a mouse but passing it subsequently when direct communication is used suggesting that a device can affect a test for children who are of a developing age. This study provides a framework for a more meaningful conversation between educational psychologists as well as other professionals and PNI parents because it provides more discrimination of outcomes in cognitive tests for PNI children. The framework provides a vehicle that addresses scientifically the concerns of parents and schools.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Children with impairments'

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