Evaluating implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in Portugal's special education law

This paper reports the results of a national two-year project, commissioned by the Portuguese Ministry of Education, to investigate the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) under Decree-Law 3/2008. The Decree-Law also introduced the principle that the documentation of students' functioning profiles should be the basis for eligibility decision-making – replacing the need of a diagnosis. Of specific interest was the study of the ICF implementation in the assessment, eligibility and intervention processes of students in need of specialised supports. To that end, the study was based on a document analysis of case records of 214 students. The analysis of functioning profiles showed that the ICF use promoted a functional approach in students' assessment. In addition, the use of the ICF contributed to the differentiation of eligible and non-eligible students based on their functioning profiles and addressed the most suitable educational interventions within the Individualised Education Plans.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in Portuguese Special Education Policy and Practice

In January 2008 with the introduction of the Decree-L aw n.º3/2008, Portugal became the first country implementing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, ICF (WHO, 2001) as a framework to be obligatorily used in special education system. This policy was responsible for the introduction of substantial changes among which the ICF implementation to support the assessment and eligibility processes represented the major challenge for educational professionals

School psychology in Portugal: practitioners’ characteristics and practices

Little empirical evidence is available on the professional characteristics and practices of school psychologists in Portugal. This study surveyed a total of 477 Portuguese school psychologists employed in public (80%) and private schools (20%). Portuguese school psychologists are described with regard to demographic, professional, and educational backgrounds, school settings, roles performed, and main target populations served. Evaluating and counseling regular education students, vocational guidance, and special education-related activities emerged as the most time-consuming professional practices. A professional practice primarily focused on students, mainly from the highest education levels, was also observed. Results are compared with findings of previous surveys and reviewed in the context of the current literature on the school psychologist’s role. Implications for the field are also provided.Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education, University of Minho, Braga, PortugalSchool Psychology Program, School of Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US

Portugal's special education law: implementing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in policy and practice

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was introduced in Portuguese education law as the compulsory system to guide eligibility policy and practice in special education. This paper describes the implementation of the ICF and its utility in the assessment process and eligibility determination of students for special education.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Psychometric Properties of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM).DesignCross-sectional study.SettingData were collected online and by telephone.ParticipantsConvenience and snowball sampling methods were used to survey caregivers of children (N=395, comprising children with [n=93] and without [n=302] developmental disabilities and delays) between the ages of 0 and 5 years (mean age ± SD, 35.33±20.29mo) and residing in North America.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresThe YC-PEM includes 3 participation scales and 1 environment scale. Each scale is assessed across 3 settings: home, daycare/preschool, and community. Data were analyzed to derive estimates of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity.ResultsInternal consistency ranged from .68 to .96 and .92 to .96 for the participation and environment scales, respectively. Test-retest reliability (2–4wk) ranged from .31 to .93 for participation scales and from .91 to .94 for the environment scale. One of 3 participation scales and the environment scale demonstrated significant group differences by disability status across all 3 settings, and all 4 scales discriminated between disability groups for the daycare/preschool setting. The participation scales exhibited small to moderate positive associations with functional performance scores.ConclusionsResults lend initial support for the use of the YC-PEM in research to assess the participation of young children with disabilities and delays in terms of (1) home, daycare/preschool, and community participation patterns; (2) perceived environmental supports and barriers to participation; and (3) activity-specific parent strategies to promote participation

Methods for Assessing Child and Family Outcomes in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

Although many concerns have been raised about methods of assessing outcomes in early childhood special education programs, professionals in the field are nevertheless faced with the need to select appropriate instruments for evaluating child and family outcomes as the result of intervention. A conference to address the current assessment needs of professionals was convened. This paper summarizes this conference, in which five prominent individuals in the field of early childhood special education gave specific recommendations for one child and one family outcome measure which would be applicable to a range of handicapped children between birth and age 5 being served in typical early intervention programs.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68510/2/10.1177_027112148600600202.pd

Participation of Children with Disabilities in Taiwan: The Gap between Independence and Frequency

BackgroundIndependence and frequency are two distinct dimensions of participation in daily life. The gap between independence and frequency may reflect the role of the environment on participation, but this distinction has not been fully explored.MethodsA total of 18,119 parents or primary caregivers of children with disabilities aged 6.0-17.9 years were interviewed in a cross-sectional nationwide survey with the Functioning Scale of the Disability Evaluation System - Child version (FUNDES-Child). A section consisting of 20 items measured the children’s daily participation in 4 environmental settings: home, neighborhood/community, school, and home/community. Higher independence and frequency restriction scores indicated greater limitation of participation in daily activities. Scores for independence, frequency and independence-frequency gaps were examined across ages along with trend analysis. ANOVA was used to compare the gaps across settings and diagnoses for children with mild levels of severity of impairment.FindingsA negative independence-frequency gap (restriction of frequency was greater than that of independence) was found for children with mild to severe levels of impairment. A positive gap (restriction of independence was greater than that of frequency) was found for children with profound levels of severity. The gaps became wider with age in most settings of children with mild impairment and different diagnoses. Widest negative gaps were found for the neighborhood/community settings than for the other three settings for children with mild to severe impairment.ConclusionsChildren’s participation and independence-frequency gaps depend not only on the severity of their impairments or diagnoses, but also on their age, the setting and the support provided by their environment. In Taiwan, more frequency restrictions than ability restrictions were found for children with mild to moderate severity, especially in the neighborhood/community setting, and increased with age. Further identification of environmental opportunities that positively impact frequency of participation is needed

Projecto da Avaliação Externa da Implementação do Decreto-Lei nº3/2008

O Decreto-Lei n.º 3/2008 introduz mudanças substantivas no modo de entender e responder aos alunos com deficiência e incapacidade, propondo mais um passo na direcção de um pensamento e de uma pragmática inclusiva. Um elemento central deste articulado foi a substituição da necessidade de um diagnóstico médico ou psicológico na elegibilidade de alunos para a Educação Especial, pela descrição de um perfil de funcionalidade baseado numa avaliação biopsicossocial mediada pela utilização da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF). Este projecto teve como objectivo a avaliação da implementação do Decreto-Lei n.º 3/2008, incidindo sobre quatro grandes questões: (1) utilização da CIF como referencial na descrição da funcionalidade dos alunos elegíveis e não elegíveis; (2) procedimentos de referenciação, de avaliação especializada e de elaboração do relatório técnico-pedagógico; (3) medidas educativas seleccionadas para os alunos elegíveis e não elegíveis; (4) recursos e apoios disponibilizados pela escola (disposições finais)