Lighting the way through the home: development of early braille literacy

Emergent braille literacy is the earliest phase of language development where children, from infancy, are exposed to 'direct, repeated and meaningful interactions with braille literacy materials and events' (Rex, Koenig, Wormsley, & Baker, 1995, p.10). Activities such as shared reading of tactile books, scribbling on the braille machine, joint engagement in nursery rhymes, songs and chants help infants acquire cognitive concepts and develop physical skills to engage in braille. The process leads to the early development of literacy concepts including speaking, listening,reading and writing, as a foundation for braille literacy (Drezek, 1999)

Over Diagnosed or Over Looked? The Effect of Age at Time of School Entry on Students Receiving Special Education Services

Nearly 14% of students in the United States receive special education services in public schools (NCES, 2017). Special education programs serve students with a wide range of developmental differences and vary considerably across schools and districts (National Research Council, 1997). Likelihood of identification for special education services also varies by gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Identifying sources of variation in special education identification, and in the placements of students once identified, has driven a wide body of work in multiple fields (e.g., Elder, Figlio, Imberman, & Persico, 2019; Hibel, Farkas, & Morgan, 2010; Skiba et al., 2006). Just as student demographics are associated with likelihood of special education placement, students who are younger than their peers when they start school are more likely to be identified with disabilities (Elder, 2010; Evans et. al, 2010; Layton et. al, 2018) and placed in special education (Dhuey, Figlio, Karbownik, & Roth, 2019; Dhuey & Lipscomb, 2010). Differences in special education identification and placement types may impact the outcomes of students who do or do not receive special education services and the school districts that operate these programs. This dissertation includes two stand-alone manuscripts on the relationship between age and special education identification and placement. In the first study, I used a regression discontinuity design using a statewide kindergarten entrance policy in Michigan to estimate the effect of being young for grade on the likelihood of receiving special education services in each elementary and middle school grade. I find that the youngest kindergarten enrollees were 3.3 percentage points (40%) more likely to be identified for special education in kindergarten than their oldest peers. I find no evidence of heterogeneity in the effect of school starting age by gender, race, or socioeconomic status, and no evidence of heterogeneity across school districts in Michigan. I also find exploratory evidence that these effects are driven by relative age comparisons rather than absolute age differences between students who start school a year apart in age. In the second study, I describe the disability classifications, service prescriptions, educational settings, and likelihood of special education exit for students who are placed in special education at different ages in the same grade. Within school, year, and grade of placement, I compare the special education characteristics of students who are in the youngest third, middle third, and oldest third of their cohort by age. I also estimate these differences with and without students who are older than expected for grade due to delayed school entry or grade repetition. I find that the younger students in kindergarten are more likely to be placed for milder impairments and to exit from services whereas the oldest students have more severe disability classifications and are less likely to exit into general education, particularly those who are older than expected for grade. The findings from this dissertation add new evidence that starting school at a younger age increases the likelihood a child receives special education services and that the types of placements students receive varies considerably within grade by age. They also motivate future research evaluating the impact of earlier identification for special education services. Finally, they have policy implications for the special education referral and evaluation process, kindergarten enrollment practices, and grade retention for students with disabilities.PHDEducational StudiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163221/1/akshapir_1.pd

Putting Families First: How the Opioid Epidemic is Affecting Children and Families, and the Child Welfare Policy Options to Address It

Abstract: Opioids and Child Welfare Across the country, placements in foster care are rising. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 273,539 children in the U.S. entered foster care. In 34 percent of those cases, parental drug abuse was one of the factors leading to the child’s removal from their family. Additionally, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that 400,000 births nationally are affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol and illicit drugs, which represents 10 percent of all live births. As the opioid epidemic continues, increasing numbers of children are at high risk for developmental and behavioral disorders because of their prenatal substance and alcohol exposure. In addition, children who remain at home may endure the challenges and trauma resulting from impaired caregiving due to parental substance use disorders (SUDs). This article explores the intersection of the opioid epidemic and child welfare, examining current research and publicly available data to discuss policy opportunities for better serving families affected by parental SUDs, including: ensuring health and safety for infants prenatally exposed to substances; appropriate identification, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental and behavioral needs; ensuring parents have access to outpatient treatment and services that can allow families to stay together when safe and appropriate; and ensuring sufficient access to inpatient treatment options that can serve parents and children together

Identification of Young Children with Visual Impairments Including Unique Characteristics and Factors Related to Responsive Services

In order to truly meet the unique learning needs of young children with blindness and visual impairment (BVI), it is critical to accurately define the population to create and implement quality and responsive support services. The current analysis utilized existing data gathered from the Babies Count database to examine the defining characteristics of a sample of 588 young children, aged birth to three, with BVI and then used these characteristics to predict the influence of potential barriers to early referral. This study also examined the multiple variables through descriptive statistics and then utilized a multiple regression procedure to determine which variable, or characteristic, contributed to or predicted the age of diagnosis of a vision condition that leads to BVI and the age of referral for specialized visual impairment services within the early intervention (EI) system for children with disabilities aged birth to three. The study found that the three most prevalent eye conditions were cortical visual impairment (CVI), optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH), and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Over 1/3 of the overall sample reported a visual diagnosis of cortical visual impairment. The sample was reported to have a range of visual abilities, with about 35% of the sample either meeting or functioning at the definition of blindness and the remaining with low vision or near normal visual function. In addition to visual abilities, over 80% of the sample were identified as having additional delays, with 1/3 of the sample with severe or profound disabilities. The sample was also found to have large EI support teams with over 40% of the sample reporting more than four EI services and 76% receiving monthly or bi-weekly visits from the specialized visual impairment provider. Young children with BVI were diagnosed with a visual condition at a mean age of 7.2 months and referred for specialized visual impairment services at a mean age of 9.5 months, with a mean delay of 5.2 months between diagnosis and referral. The variables of primary eye condition (CVI) and etiology (postnatal) were most predictive of later ages for diagnosis of a visual condition. The variables of state (New Mexico) and referral source (medical provider) were most predictive of early referral for specialized visual impairment services. The descriptive results of this analysis were compared to previous analysis of the Babies Count database by Hatton, Ivy, and Boyer (2013). The top three prevalent eye conditions were the same with CVI as most prevalent in both, but OHN as second and ROP as third in the current study. Both samples had high incidences of additional disabilities. The comparison and the similarities found can assist the field of early education for children with BVI to build a longitudinal perspective of the entire population of all ages of children with BVI. This study found that young children with BVI have diverse visual and developmental needs. Complexity found within the sample creates challenges in providing appropriate educational services, but also creates opportunities for partnerships and collaboration with other professionals who also provide EI and educational services to this unique population

Navigating the autism diagnostic system: Implications for earlier identification.

Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by repetitive, stereotyped behaviours and impairments in communication and socialization. The present research examined parents\u27 experiences during the course of obtaining an autism diagnosis for their children. Participants, who resided throughout Ontario, were recruited through the Autism Society of Ontario and the Summit Centre Preschool for Children with Autism. The questionnaire was designed for the present research and focused on parents\u27 initial concerns about their children\u27s development and attempts at seeking professional help. By parent report, the children were diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (N = 52), Asperger\u27s Disorder (N = 7) and PDD-NOS (N = 21). Results indicate that in 75% of cases, symptoms of autism were first identified by children\u27s mothers at 19.71 months of age on average. The average amount of time that had passed between the age at which parents initially became concerned about their children\u27s development and the age at the first appointment with a professional to address their concerns was 10.38 months. For the entire sample, the average age at diagnosis was 4.29 years of age and results of the research suggest that children are being diagnosed at younger ages over time. Child demographic variables (i.e., gender, ethnicity, birth order and socioeconomic status) did not significantly impact age at initial concern, the help-seeking delay and age at diagnosis. Parents believed that increasing medical doctors\u27 knowledge about autism, decreasing the amount of time on waiting lists and having more professionals available to assess and diagnose autism would make the autism diagnostic system more efficient. Implications of the results for facilitating earlier diagnosis are discussed.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .S665. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, page: 1517. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005

Including Children with Visual Impairments in the Early Childhood Classroom

The practice of inclusive education—or inclusion—within general education classrooms is becoming more prevalent within early childhood settings. To successfully deliver classroom curriculums, promote learner growth, and meet the goals of all students served within inclusive settings, teachers must have a basic understanding of the unique learning needs of all students, including those with visual impairments. Because students learn best when the teachers who educate them first understand their needs, this chapter is designed as a basic starting point for early childhood educators who have limited to no background in working with students who have visual impairments. The goal of this chapter is to give early childhood educators a basic understanding of visual impairments, questions to ask when serving children with vision loss, and to show how accessibility can be approached in a way that is meaningful to students with visual impairments

Comprehensive Services: Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care Research-Based Rationale

This rationale presents research on factors that put babies and toddlers at risk for unhealthy development and the benefits of comprehensive health, mental health, and family support services. It also examines how state policies can improve care for babies. As part of the Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project, this rationale supports the Policy Framework's recommendation to: Link necessary services for vulnerable babies and toddlers to child care settings