Blissymbol learning as a tool for facilitating language and literacy development

In this study we investigated the learning of Blissymbols by 4 pre-schoolers with Down's syndrome over a period of 7 months. The results of the study suggest that the children did derive some benefits from the exposure to and the learning of Blissymbols. However, some key issues were identified that need to be considered in the use of Blissymbols for literacy and language learning. These include the number of symbols and time spent teaching these, the word classes of the words taught, the frequency of exposure to each word, children's familiarity with and interest in the themes used in teaching as well as visual complexity of the symbols. Results confirmed the complexity of the process of symbol learning for young children with disabilities. (South African Journal of Education: 2001 21(4): 339-343

Caregiver perceptions of children who have complex communication needs following a home-based intervention using augmentative and alternative communication in rural Kenya: an intervention note:Home-based intervention using AAC in rural Kenya

A high level of unmet communication need exists amongst children with developmental disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated preliminary evidence of the impact associated with a home-based, caregiver-implemented intervention employing AAC methods, with nine children in rural Kenya who have complex communication needs. The intervention used mainly locally-sourced low-tech materials, and was designed to make use of the child's strengths and the caregiver's natural expertise. A pretest-posttest design was used in the study. Data were gathered using an adapted version of the Communication Profile, which was based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to data from the first two sections of the Communication Profile-Adapted. Qualitative analysis was conducted on the final section. The data provided evidence of statistically significant positive changes in caregiver perceptions of communication at the levels of Body Structure and Function, and Activities for Communication. Also, analysis of the Participation for Communication section revealed some expansion to the children's social activities. The potential impact of the home-based intervention would benefit from investigation on a larger scale. Limitations of the study are discussed

Attention Performance in an Epidemiological Sample of Urban Children: The Role of Gender and Verbal Intelligence

We administered a comprehensive attentional battery to an epidemiologically defined sample of 435 first and second-grade children to assess the influence of gender and verbal intelligence on attention. The battery included three versions of the continuous performance test (CPT), two digit cancellation tasks, three subtests from the WISC-R, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. The results indicated that both gender and intelligence had an impact on attentional performance. Girls performed better than boys; they made fewer errors on the CPT and obtained higher scores on the digit cancellation task and the Coding subtest of the WISC-R. Children with higher verbal intelligence also performed better on the attentional tests, but this advantage was not observed across measures or levels of performance. For example, children with limited verbal skills performed significantly worse than their peers only in measures with high processing demands(the degraded CPT and the distraction version of the digit cancellation task)

Internet-based medical education: a realist review of what works, for whom and in what circumstances

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

An Exploratory study: Relationships between Trying on Clothing, Mood, Emotion, Personality and Clothing Preference

Purpose: the focus of this study was on exploring the application of psychological research methods (as yet not applied) in the fashion arena. The aim of this project was to quantify, formalise and explore the causal relationships between clothing style, preference, personality factors, emotions and mood with a view to better understand the psychological profile of the fashion consumer. Design Methodology/approach: using a uniformly composed sample of females, explorative, quantitative research was carried out. Two sets of questionnaires were administered to the sample to examine emotion, mood and personality before trying on a set of eight garments categorized according to style, and again after to examine emotion and mood while wearing each outfit. Photographs of them were taken wearing each of the outfits. They then ranked the eight outfits into order of preference. SPSS analysis identified relationships and preference indicators. Findings: the results indicated strong relationships between mood and significant relationships between three out of five personality factors and clothing style preference; mood was a significant predictor of preference, whilst personality was moderate. Research limitations/implications: the research methodology necessitated lengthy time commitments from the participants and therefore limited the sample size making generalization difficult. Based on the findings, the research requires further exploration of methods for practical application with a larger sample size. Practical implications: personality, emotion and mood were shown to be managed and reflected through clothing with implications for assistance in consumer clothing decisions, service training, and strategies for personal shoppers, market segmentation and design. Originality/value of the paper: the methodology derived from a combination of research methods coupled with actual wearing experience, previously not studied together. This is original and demonstrates how important this combination is to fully appreciate the psychological profile of the fashion consumer. Keywords: mood, emotion, personality, clothing preference Classification: Research pape

Die Tersaaklikheid Van Taalwetenskap Vir Spraakheelkunde

No abstract available

Transdisciplinary training on the web: an exploration

Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in transdisciplinary training and research as academics realise the need for re-thinking of the kind of scholarship or outcomes that are required to address the ever increasing complexity of issues. The implementation of this approach in training and research has, however, been less than satisfactory as staff face multiple challenges in relation to the development of cohesive transdisciplinary programs. This article deals with the concept of transdisciplinary training by discussing the application of the approach to the development of a multi-professional Masters course in early childhood intervention that is presented on the world wide web. Challenges and issues related to the training process are discussed and the importance of institutional support for the implementation of transdisciplinary teaching and research is highlighted. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.16(2) 2002: 193-19

The role of community nurses in the rehabilitation of people with severe disabilities

This article focuses on the importance of community nurses’ involvement in the identification and early referral and intervention of children and adults who have very little or no speech. The use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication strategies with nonspeaking children and adults are described in terms of the different kinds of systems that can be used as well as the general principles involved in working with people with severe disabilities. In conclusion, it is emphasized that close collaboration between community nurses and rehabilitation specialists is vital in ensuring that a difference is made in the lives of people with severe disabilities in this country

Die effek van prentgrootte en prentplasing op geheue van geskrewe woorde by kinders met min of geen voorgeletterdheidsvaardighede

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of picture size and placement on memory of written words by children with little or no pre-literacy skills. Forty preschoolers were selected as subjects. The subjects received training with written words using four different stimulus materials, namely words only, words combined with standard size pictures (line drawings), words combined with small pictures (line drawings), and enhanced words (small line drawings superimposed on the orthography). After a training period of four consecutive days, memory of written words was tested by word identification and recognition tasks. The results indicated superior performance for words only and enhanced word conditions, over those in which standard and small pictures were combined with words. These results correlate with those obtained by Blischak & McDaniel, where subjects did have pre-literacy skills. The clinical implication of the results is that recognition and recall of written words can be taught to the individual with little or no pre-literacy skills, but that certain stimulus materials better promote the memory of words. (South African Journal of Education: 2002 22(1): 40-46