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Editor's Choice : Instructional Methods that Foster the Reading Development of Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities
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Abstract: Educational legislation has made reading a priority for students with significant intellectual disabilities (ID) and associated speech, language, sensory, or physical impairments. Historically, reading instruction for students with significant ID has focused on sight word instruction, with limited exposure to other essential reading skills. This article focuses on the evidence-based instructional methods that effectively and efficiently foster the reading development of students with significant ID. The authors reviewed the literature from the past 20 years on reading interventions for students with significant ID. In spite of access and opportunity barriers that have inhibited the reading development of students with significant ID, a synthesis of the empirical research on reading instruction suggests that students with significant ID and associated disabilities can learn phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension skills with direct instruction. Implications for providing reading instruction that effectively promotes reading development are discussed and areas for future research are identified. Keywords: Intellectual disabilities, sight word instruction, reading instruction, speech and language impairment, physical impairments.Download Full Article |
Editor's Choice : Structural and Functional Neuroimaging of Restricted and Repetitive Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Abstract: A prominent symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder includes restricted and repetitive behaviours. This symptom has been divided into three subtypes: repetitive motor behaviour, insistence on sameness and circumscribed interests. In the past, the neural correlates of these behaviours have been largely understudied. More recently, neuroimaging studies have pointed to a number of neural networks that may underlay these behaviours. However, results from this work have been varied and remain difficult to integrate. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent neuroimaging studies on restricted and repetitive behaviours in autism, and to provide an organized framework that will permit a clearer understanding of the neural correlates of these behaviours. Using a developmental perspective, this review will identify that there are distinct and overlapping neural networks that are associated with repetitive motor behaviour, insistence on sameness and circumscribed interests. In addition, this review will identify a series of executive and affective function tasks that have proven efficacious in the study of repetitive behaviour. Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, neuroimaging, repetitive behaviour, repetitive motor behaviour, insistence on sameness, circumscribed interests.Download Full Article |
Editor's Choice : Speech and Language Issues in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome
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Abstract: Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder caused by the lack of the paternal contribution of Chromosome 15q11.2-q13.2 region.It is associated with global developmental delays, including speech and language delay.There is no information regarding the prevalence of apraxia of speech in this syndrome, despite the fact that it is often recognized clinically.In this study, we sought to investigate the prevalence of apraxia in children with PWS and speech and language delay. Methods: Thirty children with genetically confirmed PWS, ages 22 months to 9 years of age, were evaluated by a certified speech-language pathologist due to physician concerns about speech and language development.Children were assessed by a variety of tests based on their age. Results: Sixteen children had receptive language deficits and 18 had expressive language deficits.Fourteen of the thirty children (47%) had results on evaluation that were consistent with apraxia, of which 57% were male, and 71% (p<0.001) had deletion-type PWS. Conclusion: As expected, children with PWS who are referred for concerns about speech and language development are commonly found to have receptive and expressive language deficits.However, there was a high prevalence of apraxia in our patients, which has not previously been reported in this population.We recommend that children with PWS be evaluated for apraxia by a speech-language pathologist once their expressive language skills are developed enough for speech assessment.The diagnosis of apraxia will necessitate specific speech therapy techniques which may not otherwise be used for individuals with this syndrome, thus resulting in more severe and prolonged speech delays. Keywords: Prader-Willi syndrome, apraxia, speech delay.Download Full Article |
Editor's Choice : Unemployment Duration and Attitudes Towards Work among People Over 45 Years Old
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Abstract: The situation of global economic crisis and the rapid increase of the unemployment rate cause changes in people´s attitudes about the labor market. These changes, sometimes, are motivated by the influence of certain individual variables such as the duration of unemployment. The objective of this research is to analyze the mediator influence of unemployment duration in the attitudes towards work among unemployed people over 45 years old. The people who participate in the research are 161 unemployed that agreed voluntarily in taking part in the interview of attitudes towards work. The data took out from the interviews were analyzed with the statistical software ATLAS.ti 6.2. The results demonstrate that unemployment duration plays an important mediator role in the attitudes towards work when conditioning the job search behavior and favor the chances of finding a job. The conclusion is about practical suggestions and the continuity of research in this area. Keywords: Unemployment, attitudes towards work, unemployment duration, people over 45 years old, qualitative study.Download Full Article |
