Showing papers in "The Journal of The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps in 1993"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conducted an in-depth study of an inclusive elementary school with the intent of characterizing its context and practices, and found that such detail was beneficial to the students.
Abstract: Qualitative research methods were used to conduct an in-depth study of an inclusive elementary school with the intent of characterizing its context and practices. It was reasoned that such detail w...
109 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated the effects of training preschool teachers to use environmental arrangement and milieu teaching in interactions with children using augmented communication systems, and found that three preschool teachers were trained to use the arrangement and the milieu for interaction with children.
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of training preschool teachers to use environmental arrangement and milieu teaching in interactions with children using augmented communication systems. Three te...
83 citations
TL;DR: Findings indicate that particular attention may need to be paid to the encouragement of initiating interactions and to helping young children without disabilities understand and respond to the idiosyncratic behaviors of peers with profound disabilities.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of spontaneous peer interactions in a full-inclusion preschool. Three children with profound disabilities were observed for a total of 480 min each in indoor and outdoor supervised play. Three children without disabilities were observed under the same conditions for comparison purposes. Results of the study showed variation in the behavior of the children with disabilities, but also showed that the children with disabilities had many opportunities to participate in peer social interactions and engaged in interactions comparable in length to those of their peers without disabilities. Findings also indicate that particular attention may need to be paid to the encouragement of initiating interactions and to helping young children without disabilities understand and respond to the idiosyncratic behaviors of peers with profound disabilities.
77 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present four case examples that illustrate various strategies used by agency personnel to promote job supports for employees with disabilities while minimizing the intrusion of the intrusion from the outside.
Abstract: This article presents four case examples that illustrate various strategies used by agency personnel to promote job supports for employees with disabilities while minimizing the intrusion of suppor...
59 citations
TL;DR: Many professional journals publish research reports of interventions for persons with developmental disabilities which traditionally have been expected to fulfill two quite different functions as mentioned in this paper, i.e., service-oriented and intervention-based.
Abstract: Many professional journals publish research reports of interventions for persons with developmental disabilities which traditionally have been expected to fulfill two quite different functions. Fir...
53 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that many students with severe and multiple disabilities demonstrate severe communication impairments and that efforts to improve communication in these students often embrace a "natural environment" or "milieu...
Abstract: Many students with severe and multiple disabilities demonstrate severe communication impairments. Efforts to improve communication in these students often embrace a “natural environment” or “milieu...
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a social guide model was used to teach staff of an apartment-based residential program to use a set of community network strategies to improve the social relationships of three women with disabilities.
Abstract: Staff members of community-based residential programs serving individuals with intellectual disabilities often have difficulty helping participants develop social relationships with community members. A “social guide model” taught staff of an apartment-based residential program to use a set of “community network strategies” to improve the social relationships of three women with disabilities. Results demonstrated a functional relationship between staff members' use of the strategies under the supervision of the social guide model and increases in the size of participants' social networks and the frequency with which they experienced social integration. The intervention also was associated with a higher weekly rate of introduction of new network members and a higher rate of socially integrated activities per network member per week. Gains generally were maintained during a follow-up period, with a regular staff member assuming the role of social guide.
35 citations
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33 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the feasibility of teaching persons with severe disabilities to self-instruct to promote acquisition, generalization, and maintenance across diverse skills is supported, and recommendations for implementing self-instructional programs are provided, and directions for future research are proposed.
Abstract: Community instruction for individuals with severe disabilities rarely incorporates programming for independence. This article reviews and analyzes investigations of the effects of self-instructional programs on increasing the independence of persons with moderate or severe mental retardation in integrated environments. The conceptual role of self-instruction in promoting behavior change is discussed and variations in self-instructional teaching approaches are analyzed. Overall, the feasibility of teaching persons with severe disabilities to self-instruct to promote acquisition, generalization, and maintenance across diverse skills is supported. Methodological issues related to investigations of self-instruction are discussed, recommendations for implementing self-instructional programs are provided, and directions for future research are proposed.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of general-case instruction on spontaneous and generalized requests for assistance by three adolescents with severe disabilities were assessed and the results support the efficacy of the general case approach in relation to using a single example to teach requests for help.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of general-case instruction on spontaneous and generalized requests for assistance by three adolescents with severe disabilities. The findings support the efficacy of the general-case approach in relation to using a single example to teach requests for help. The distinguishing aspect of the general-case phase was the variation in stimulus conditions that occurred across teaching opportunities. Results indicated that general-case instruction produced generalized requests for assistance with two of the three learners. The implications for using general-case procedures for teaching communicative interactions are discussed and future research areas are proposed.
32 citations
TL;DR: This investigation examined a means of evaluating and increasing meal-related choices in an adult education service setting by implementing a choice provision program implemented in each of four classrooms in which there was a lack of student choices during break periods relative to other classrooms.
Abstract: An area of concern regarding quality of life among people with severe disabilities is the amount of choice individuals make during their daily routine. This investigation examined a means of evaluating and increasing meal-related choices in an adult education service setting. A choice provision program was implemented in each of four classrooms in which there was a lack of student choices during break periods relative to other classrooms. The program included stepwise procedures for quantitatively evaluating choice making and systematically presenting choice opportunities along with a supervision component for assisting staff in providing such opportunities. The program was accompanied by increased choices in each classroom. Additionally, a social validity comparison indicated: (a) in four other settings serving people with severe disabilities there were minimal choices, especially when compared with choices reported by adults without disabilities; and (b) the increased choice making accompanying the prog...
TL;DR: Early childhood educators regard child-initiated, child-directed, teacher-supported play as the primary context in which young children learn, whereas special educators have relied more heavily on play as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Early childhood educators regard child-initiated, child-directed, teacher-supported play as the primary context in which young children learn, whereas special educators have relied more heavily on ...
TL;DR: In this article, the content and social validity of an educational planning tool named COACH (Choosing Options and Accommodations for Children) were explored through two studies, and the combined results of these studies provide initial validation that COACH is congruent with exemplary practice and offer consumer-based suggestions for its potential improvement.
Abstract: The content and social validity of an educational planning tool named COACH (Choosing Options and Accommodations for Children) were explored through two studies. Study 1 presents questionnaire feedback from six groups of experts (N = 78) in the field of deaf-blindness and multiple disabilities regarding the purpose, philosophy, content, process, and presentation of COACH. Study 2 presents social validation feedback from parents whose children are deaf-blind and have multiple disabilities regarding a set of valued life outcomes included in COACH. The combined results of these studies provide initial validation that COACH is congruent with exemplary practice and offer consumer-based suggestions for its potential improvement.
TL;DR: In this paper, a study was conducted to investigate a training strategy that allowed children with severe disabilities to choose and initiate activities when playing with chronologically age-appropriate peers with cognitively impaired children.
Abstract: A study was conducted to investigate a training strategy that allowed children with severe disabilities to choose and initiate activities when playing with chronologically age-appropriate peers wit...
TL;DR: A review of recent research on state behavior among children and youth with profound disabilities is presented in this paper, where a model depicting interactions of state with endogenous and exogenous variables is presented.
Abstract: A review is presented of recent research on state behavior among children and youth with profound disabilities. A model depicting interactions of state with endogenous and exogenous variables is pr...
TL;DR: In this article, the role of communication partners in enhancing communication with persons labeled severely disabled is examined, and three fundamental assumptions about the nature of communication are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research are considered.
Abstract: Among the most important philosophical shifts in our perspective on persons labeled severely disabled has been a change from an exclusive emphasis on remediation of deficit behavior to a positon of empowering and enabling persons with disabilities to participate in all aspects of everyday living. Fundamental to that shift is the reconsideration of the role of persons without obvious disabilities. In this paper introducing a special issue on communication, we examine the role of communication partners in enhancing communication with persons labeled severely disabled. Three fundamental assumptions about the nature of communication are discussed. The papers contained in the volume are reviewed briefly and recommendations for future research are considered.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the role of facilitators in the process of facilitated communication with six grade students in a general education setting and found that complex and detailed functions were performed by facilitators, including physical support, decision-making, and negotiating meaning during interactions.
Abstract: Qualitative research methods were used to investigate facilitated communication as it was implemented with two sixth-grade students in a general education setting. The areas of interest in this study focused on (a) the process of facilitated communication and (b) the role or roles facilitators played in this process. Participant observations occurred in a variety of school and community settings and interviews were conducted with students, their primary facilitators, and other involved teachers and teaching assistants.The findings revealed that a wide variety of physical accommodations were used to support students during the process of facilitated communication. It appeared that each student used a unique combination of support tailored to his or her individualized needs. Additionally, findings showed that complex and detailed functions were performed by facilitators. These functions included providing physical support, decision-making, and negotiating meaning during interactions. A brief discussion of t...
TL;DR: This paper implemented two procedures for the measurement of behavior state conditions of students with profound handicaps who spend a large portion of their school day in the state of sleep, daze, or drowse.
Abstract: This study implemented two procedures for the measurement of behavior state conditions of students with profound handicaps who spend a large portion of their school day in the state conditions of sleep, daze, or drowse. The purpose of the study was to determine if classroom measurement procedures of shorter duration would be as reliable as the longer duration research procedures. Both measurement procedures were implemented in four classrooms by observing six students who spent a large portion of their time asleep, dazed, or drowsed. The findings indicate that the more frequent measurements of shorter duration produced outcomes that were similar to the research procedures.
TL;DR: In this article, a study was conducted to identify factors associated with the integrated educational placement of students with severe disabilities, which included characteristics of the student, family, school program, and community.
Abstract: A study, using survey methodology, was conducted to identify factors associated with the integrated educational placement of students with severe disabilities. Questionnaires were completed by the families and teachers of 1,009 students from five participating states. The questionnaires were designed to measure 19 variables that integration literature suggests are predictive of integrated placement. Logistical regression procedures were utilized to determine the probability of integrated placement as a function of the identified variables, which included characteristics of the student, family, school program, and community. A stepwise procedure was employed to examine three theoretical models of variables associated with integrated placement, representing integration advocacy, socioeconomic status, and program/facilities characteristics. Additionally, a combined model was estimated using the strongest predictors from the three theoretical models. Factors identified within each of the models are discussed ...
TL;DR: In this article, a functional assessment identifying problem behavior as being related to teacher demands, reinforcement schedules based upon reward DRO, escape DRO and combined DRO were analyzed for their relative effectiveness in decreasing problem behavior across three tasks.
Abstract: During instruction, the occurrence per minute of problem behavior was studied across three students with severe disabilities. Following a functional assessment identifying problem behavior as being related to teacher demands, reinforcement schedules based upon reward DRO, escape DRO, and combined DRO were analyzed for their relative effectiveness in decreasing problem behavior across three tasks. The three DRO schedules were studied using an alternating treatments design with intervention by task Latin square counterbalancing. Reward DRO used contingent access to a preferred event following the omission of problem behavior as a positive reinforcer. Escape DRO allowed the termination of instruction contingent on the omission of problem behavior. Combined DRO employed both types of reinforcer functions used in the reward and escape DRO schedules. Reduction in the frequency of problem behavior was greatest for all three students using the combined DRO schedule.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that communication programming for individuals with severe disabilities often does not meet the requirements of best practices, and one reason for this is that a dominant psycholinguistic model, the Diction...
Abstract: Communication programming for individuals with severe disabilities often does not meet the requirements of best practices. One reason for this is that a dominant psycholinguistic model, the Diction...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a thorough review of the legal issues, including statutory and case law, and practical guidelines that will assist educators in their efforts to comply with federal statutes.
Abstract: Much of the research and material published on the extended school year (ESY) to date has failed to provide comprehensive and accurate information on determining eligibility and the need for ESY services for children with disabilities. Eligibility for ESY can be based on several criteria, including individual need, nature and severity of the disability, educational benefit, regression and recoupment, self-sufficiency and independence, and failing to meet short-term goals and objectives. An examination of the ESY case law history reveals that it is difficult to determine “judicially manageable standards” for the various categories of eligibility. Therefore, decisions regarding ESY are based on an assimilation of criteria, particularly when considering ESY for children with severe disabilities. This article provides a thorough (exhaustive) review of the legal issues, including statutory and case law, and practical guidelines that will assist educators in their efforts to comply with federal statutes.