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

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

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

Classifying Functioning of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: The Utility of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth

Observational cross-sectional study carried out in a pediatric neurodevelopment unit of a tertiary-care hospital. A sample of 355 children with median ((min.–max.) 1.0–17.3) years with intellectual disability (30.4% borderline, 43.1% mild, 19.7% moderate, 5.1% severe, and 1.7% profound disability) was seen over a period of 3 years. Based on clinical observation and psychological evaluation, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician selected ICF-CY body functions codes, and respective qualifiers, to effectively describe functioning of children. Based on evaluation reports, a psychologist and a special educator assigned the previously chosen ICF-CY body functions codes to 139 and 67 children, respectively. Inter-rater agreement was estimated using simple and weighted Cohen’s kappa coefficients and Gwet’s AC1 statistic and Gwet’s weighted kappa coefficient statistic. A set of eight ICF-CY codes was identified as efficiently describing impairments of body functions of children with intellectual disability: global mental functions b117 and b122; specific mental functions b147, b163, b164, and b167; and voice and speech functions b320 and b330. Results indicate a correspondence between the level of severity of qualifiers assigned to ICF-CY codes and the level of intellectual disability. Inter-rater agreement was variable among raters, with the best agreements found for qualifying intellectual functions (b117) and psychomotor functions (b122). A profile of eight ICF-CY codes effectively describes functioning of children with intellectual disability, providing an alternative to medically based classification, based on diagnoses with functionally based classification of children’s characteristics. The findings contribute to define a comprehensive set of codes to reliably record individual differences of functioning in this populationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

Developing Assessment pratice in Armenia

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Projecto da Avaliação Externa da Implementação do Decreto-Lei n.º 3/2008

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Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Primary Care Visits at Four Academic Institutions in the Carolinas

We aimed to determine how COVID-19 affected the number and type of pediatric primary care visits in April 2020, compared to April 2019, and which characteristics were associated with obtaining care in 2020. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients receiving care in April 2019 and April 2020 from four large, academic institutions across two states. The subjects were included if they were aged 0–18 years and were seen in a pediatric clinic in April 2019 or April 2020. We extracted the number of visits, visit type, and visit diagnosis; and the patient characteristics, including age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status. Logistic regression analysis identified characteristics associated with obtaining care in April 2020. We included 120,230 visits. Participants were 50% white and half had Medicaid. In 2020 there were significantly fewer visits for both well and acute visits with 42,670 visits in 2020 compared to 77,560 in 2019; 6616 were telehealth visits in 2020. Visits for chronic conditions were significantly decreased in 2020. Attending a visit in 2020 was more likely if the participant was black or Hispanic, younger, attending an acute visit, or had private insurance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric primary care decreased substantially for both well visits and follow-up of chronic conditions

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