Pre-Service Educator Preparation to Teach Children with Disabilities Through Service-Learning

The purpose of the multi-year study discussed in this article was to investigate the impact of pre-service educator participation in a community-based service-learning program for children with disabilities. Pre-service educators who were enrolled in either an adapted physical education or introduction to special education course participated in the Children’s Adaptive Physical Education Society!, a skill-development program for 35 children (ages 5-12) with developmental disabilities. Two measures—a modified regular education initiative survey and a reflective blog assignment—were administered to the participants to identify changes in their beliefs and attitudes toward teaching and including children with disabilities in their future classrooms. The results revealed statistically significant gains in their understanding, confidence, willingness, skill set, and educational satisfaction. Responses in the reflective blogs further supported the statistical findings, suggesting that a community-based learning program provides pre-service educators with sufficient experiences to positively and effectively change their beliefs and attitudes toward teaching and including children with disabilities in their future classrooms

Utilization of sensory information in intellectual disabilities

This investigation evaluated the use of sensory information in maintaining stability in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Individuals with mild intellectual disabilities (MID; n = 8), Down syndrome (DS; N = 8), and without intellectual disabilities (WID; n = 8) were evaluated with computerized posturography using the Sensory Organization Test (SOT). Outcomes included an equilibrium composite score, equilibrium scores on six sensory conditions, and sensory ratios for visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. Participants were tested with their eyes open or closed while the visual surround, force plate, or combination of both moved to measure influence of sensory information on stability. Based on the data analysis, individuals WID utilize sensory information to a greater extent than did individuals with MID or DS, indicating that sensory information for maintaining stability is deficient among these individuals. To amend this problem and facilitate learning in individuals with intellectual disabilities, practitioners should utilize techniques that maximize variable practice activities using sensory information in different contexts

Acute aerobic exercise and information processing: modulation of executive control in a random number generation task

International audienc

Acute aerobic exercise and information processing: energizing motor processes during a choice reaction time task

International audienc