Validating the UNICEF/Washington Group Child Functioning Module as a method for disaggregating Fiji’s Education Management Information System

© 2019 Dr. Beth SpruntDisability disaggregation of education management information systems (EMIS) is vital to inform policies and resourcing for disability-inclusive education and evaluate progress towards targets. The approach to disaggregation must use a valid and reliable method for identifying children with disabilities. The UNICEF/Washington Group Child Functioning Module (CFM) is recommended by the United Nations for identifying children with disabilities and has been recommended for disaggregating education program data by disability. In the context of an education sector support program in Fiji, this research aimed to validate a method for disaggregating Fiji’s EMIS by disability. A cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study was undertaken in which teacher and parent CFM responses for 472 primary-aged students were compared to reference standard clinical assessments in five domains: vision, hearing, musculoskeletal, speech and cognition. Receiver operating characteristic curves (depicting the trade-off between sensitivity and specificity) were constructed and optimal cut-off points and inter-rater reliability were assessed. Nested survey data on learning and support needs were analysed to explore whether combining CFM data on activity and participation data with data on environmental factors related to LSN (educational adjustments, assistive technology and personal assistance requirements) more accurately identifies children with disabilities. The study produced a range of novel findings. Diagnostic accuracy of parent observations related to seeing, walking and speaking was stronger than that of teachers, however teacher accuracy was very acceptable. Conversely, for cognitive domains teacher accuracy was far stronger than parents. The CFM domains seeing, hearing, walking and speaking showed “good” to “excellent” accuracy, however remembering and focusing attention showed only “fair” to “poor” accuracy. The domain learning was “good” with teachers as respondents, but only “fair” with parent respondents. As a whole, the CFM had “fair” accuracy (area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve: 0.763 parent responses, 0.786 teacher responses). Severe impairments were reported relatively evenly across CFM response categories “some difficulty”, “a lot of difficulty” and “cannot do at all”. If the cut-off level for identifying children with disabilities were “a lot of difficulty”, nearly 40% of children with moderate clinical impairments and 28% of children with severe impairments would miss out on services as they were reported as having “some difficulty”. On the other hand, the rates of false positives would be very high if the cut-off “some difficulty” were used. Combining data from the CFM with LSN data shows potential to increase the accuracy of domain-specific disability identification and, crucially, identification of children with disabilities amongst those reported as having “some difficulty” on the CFM. The CFM alone is not accurate enough for the purpose of disaggregating Fiji’s EMIS by disability. The choice of cut-off level and the mixture of severity of impairments reported across response categories are particular challenges for the CFM. Combining CFM data with data on educational adjustments, assistive technology and personal assistance requirements could improve disability identification accuracy. Follow-up verification visits are required to confirm funding eligibility due to inherent risks of tools based on self-report

Combining Child Functioning Data with Learning and Support Needs Data to Create Disability-Identification Algorithms in Fiji’s Education Management Information System

Disability disaggregation of Fiji’s Education Management Information System (FEMIS) is required to determine eligibility for inclusive education grants. Data from the UNICEF/Washington Group Child Functioning Module (CFM) alone is not accurate enough to identify disabilities for this purpose. This study explores whether combining activity and participation data from the CFM with data on environmental factors specific to learning and support needs (LSN) more accurately identifies children with disabilities. A survey on questions related to children’s LSN (personal assistance, adaptations to learning, or assessment and assistive technology) was administered to teachers within a broader diagnostic accuracy study. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to analyze relationships between functioning and LSN. While CFM data are useful in distinguishing between disability domains, LSN data are useful in strengthening the accuracy of disability severity data and, crucially, in identifying which children have disability amongst those reported as having some difficulty on the CFM. Combining activity and participation data from the CFM with environmental factors data through algorithms may increase the accuracy of domain-specific disability identification. Amongst children reported as having some difficulty on the CFM, those with disabilities are effectively identified through the addition of LSN data

Identifying disability-inclusive indicators currently employed to monitor and evaluate education in the Pacific island countries

Fourteen member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum have adopted The Pacific Education Development Framework as a means of improving quality of education across the region. Within this framework, special education and inclusive education are seen as priority areas that endorse a rights-based approach to education. Aligned with other Pacific regional advances for improving the measurement of the effectiveness of this Framework, is the development of a set of indicators to measure efforts towards disability-inclusive education specifically in the Pacific islands. The aim of this study is to identify existing measures that governments currently employ to report against education outcomes. Data were collected by written responses from relevant ministries in the 14 Pacific member countries to a set of questions specifically developed to address this aim. This paper provides an analysis of these surveys and discusses how these data are informing the development of the indicators to ensure the provision of quality education for children with disabilities in the Pacific islands

Promoting good policy for leadership and governance of health related rehabilitation: a realist synthesis

Background Good governance may result in strengthened performance of a health system. Coherent policies are essential for good health system governance. The overall aim of this research is to provide the best available scientific evidence on principles of good policy related leadership and governance of health related rehabilitation services in less resourced settings. This research was also conducted to support development of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines on health related rehabilitation. Methods An innovative study design was used, comprising two methods: a systematic search and realist synthesis of literature, and a Delphi survey of expert stakeholders to refine and triangulate findings from the realist synthesis. In accordance with Pawson and Tilley’s approach to realist synthesis, we identified context mechanism outcome pattern configurations (CMOCs) from the literature. Subsequently, these CMOCs were developed into statements for the Delphi survey, whereby 18 expert stakeholders refined these statements to achieve consensus on recommendations for policy related governance of health related rehabilitation. Results Several broad principles emerged throughout formulation of recommendations: participation of persons with disabilities in policy processes to improve programme responsiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and to strengthen service-user self-determination and satisfaction; collection of disaggregated disability statistics to support political momentum, decision-making of policymakers, evaluation, accountability, and equitable allocation of resources; explicit promotion in policies of access to services for all subgroups of persons with disabilities and service-users to support equitable and accessible services; robust inter-sectoral coordination to cultivate coherent mandates across governmental departments regarding service provision; and ‘institutionalizing’ programmes by aligning them with preexisting Ministerial models of healthcare to support programme sustainability. Conclusions Alongside national policymakers, our policy recommendations are relevant for several stakeholders, including service providers and service-users. This research aims to provide broad policy recommendations, rather than a strict formula, in acknowledgement of contextual diversity and complexity. Accordingly, our study proposes general principles regarding optimal policy related governance of health related rehabilitation in less resourced settings, which may be valuable across diverse health systems and contexts

Promoting good policy for leadership and governance of health related rehabilitation : a realist synthesis

CITATION: McVeigh, J., et al. 2016. Promoting good policy for leadership and governance of health related rehabilitation: a realist synthesis. Globalization and Health, 12:49, doi:10.1186/s12992-016-0182-8.The original publication is available at http://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.comENGLISH SUMMARY : Good governance may result in strengthened performance of a health system. Coherent policies are essential for good health system governance. The overall aim of this research is to provide the best available scientific evidence on principles of good policy related leadership and governance of health related rehabilitation services in less resourced settings. This research was also conducted to support development of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines on health related rehabilitation. Methods: An innovative study design was used, comprising two methods: a systematic search and realist synthesis of literature, and a Delphi survey of expert stakeholders to refine and triangulate findings from the realist synthesis. In accordance with Pawson and Tilley’s approach to realist synthesis, we identified context mechanism outcome pattern configurations (CMOCs) from the literature. Subsequently, these CMOCs were developed into statements for the Delphi survey, whereby 18 expert stakeholders refined these statements to achieve consensus on recommendations for policy related governance of health related rehabilitation. Results: Several broad principles emerged throughout formulation of recommendations: participation of persons with disabilities in policy processes to improve programme responsiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and to strengthen service-user self-determination and satisfaction; collection of disaggregated disability statistics to support political momentum, decision-making of policymakers, evaluation, accountability, and equitable allocation of resources; explicit promotion in policies of access to services for all subgroups of persons with disabilities and service-users to support equitable and accessible services; robust inter-sectoral coordination to cultivate coherent mandates across governmental departments regarding service provision; and ‘institutionalizing’ programmes by aligning them with preexisting Ministerial models of healthcare to support programme sustainability. Conclusions: Alongside national policymakers, our policy recommendations are relevant for several stakeholders, including service providers and service-users. This research aims to provide broad policy recommendations, rather than a strict formula, in acknowledgement of contextual diversity and complexity. Accordingly, our study proposes general principles regarding optimal policy related governance of health related rehabilitation in less resourced settings, which may be valuable across diverse health systems and contexts.http://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12992-016-0182-8Publisher's versio

Revista galega de educación

Defiende la nnecesidad de una alfabetización audiovisual que prepare al alumnado para conocer los códigos de este nuevo alfabeto y poder leer así los mensajes codificados por los distintos medios de comunicación. Presenta una propuesta didáctica sobre la creación de una fotonovela o fotomontaje junto a consideraciones sobre el desarrollo y la evaluación de la actividad.GaliciaBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 Planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Bangkit Lebih Kuat

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic throughout the world in 2020 prompted INOVASI, a partnership program between the Governments of Australia and Indonesia, together with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), to initiate a situation analysis study of Indonesian students\u27 basic literacy and numeracy learning, as well as the impact of the pandemic on learning. From this study, it was found that there is a gap between learning outcomes and what students should master according to national and international standards. A total of 18,370 early grade students from 612 schools participated in the study which was held in eleven INOVASI partner districts in the provinces of East Java, North Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. In addition, eight INOVASI non-partner districts from Jambi, Southeast Sulawesi, South Kalimantan and North Maluku were added. Exploring realities and facts based on data which are then dissected using an appropriate analytical knife, the writing team presents various presentations related to distance learning, vulnerable groups, and post-pandemic recovery that are worth paying attention to. Systematically structured to capture phenomena that occur in teaching and learning activities in schools in a concrete manner, this book provides clear direction for taking the necessary steps to optimize student learning recovery and design the implementation of the school curriculum in Indonesia. This is important because although loss of learning outcomes and learning gaps tend to still occur, this latest study also shows indications of learning recovery