Resources search

Academic Outcomes and Coping Mechanisms of Children using Cochlear Implants in Mainstream Schools in Kerala, India

GEORGE, A
JOY, J M
SREEKUMAR, S
2021

Expand view

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to understand the academic outcomes of children using cochlear implants in mainstream schools in Kerala, India and to explore the compensatory strategies used by them to overcome the difficultiesfaced in classrooms.

 

Method: Thirty-one children using cochlear implants who were attending first and second grades in mainstream schools, and their parents and teachers participated in the study. Teachers were asked to rate a questionnaire, “Teachers’ Perceptions of Academic Outcomes”, which consisted of five sections – oral comprehension, oral expression, reading, writing and mathematics. The performance of the children using cochlear implants was compared with the performance of typically hearing children in the class. The grades obtained in the previous examination were also used for the comparison. Information was collected regarding difficulties faced by the children inside the classroom and their strategies to overcome the challenges.

 

Results: The class teachers rated the performance of 71 % of these children as ‘above average’. Though the academic outcomes were found to be good on the questionnaire and classroom tests, most of the children with cochlear implantsfaced various difficulties and had used different compensatory strategies to give their optimum performance in the classroom.

 

Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of having mid- and long-term follow-ups with children using cochlear implants, even after mainstreaming. It is necessary to orient and train teachers about the needs of these children and to implement support strategies in mainstream schools.

Multilingualism and augmentative and alternative communication in South Africa – Exploring the views of persons with complex communication needs

TONSING, Kerstin M.
Van NIEKERK, Karin
SCHLUNZ, Georg
WILKEN, Ilana
2019

Expand view

Background: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can assist persons with complex communication needs to communicate competently with a variety of communication partners in a variety of contexts. However, AAC systems and intervention often do not take multilingual aspects into consideration.

 

Objective: This small-scale exploratory study had three aims, namely: (1) to describe the self-reported language skills of multilingual South African adults using AAC, (2) to describe the languages and communication modalities they used in interaction and (3) to obtain their views regarding access to various languages.

 

Methods: Twenty-seven adults using AAC were recruited via an empowerment programme, as well as an email list for persons interested in AAC, and provided responses to a questionnaire. To compensate for access and written language challenges, the questionnaire was administered with help and/or as a face-to-face interview where needed. Responses were analysed using mostly descriptive statistics.

 

Results: Participants generally could not express themselves in all the languages they understood and were regularly exposed to. Speech-generating devices specifically gave access almost exclusively to English. Participants expressed a desire to increase their expressive language repertoire, and mentioned both limitations of communication technology as well as their own literacy skills as barriers to overcome in this regard.

 

Conclusion: In order for multilingual South African adults using AAC to express themselves in multiple languages, appropriate AAC systems and interventions as well as literacy learning opportunities need to be developed and provided.

 

African Journal of Disability, Vol 8, 2019

Cognitive Constraints on the Simple View of Reading: A Longitudinal Study in Children With Intellectual Disabilities

VAN WINGERDEN, Evelien
SEGERS, Eliane
VAN BALKOM, Hans
VERHOEVEN, Ludo
2018

Expand view

The present article aimed to explore how the development of reading comprehension is affected when its cognitive basis is compromised. The simple view of reading was adopted as the theoretical framework. The study followed 76 children with mild intellectual disabilities (average IQ = 60.38, age 121 months) across a period of 3 years. The children were assessed for level of reading comprehension (outcome variable) and its precursors decoding and listening comprehension, in addition to linguistic skills (foundational literacy skills, rapid naming, phonological short-term memory, verbal working memory, vocabulary, and grammar) and non- linguistic skills (nonverbal reasoning and temporal processing). Reading comprehension was predicted by decoding and listening comprehension but also by foundational literacy skills and nonverbal reasoning. It is con- cluded that intellectual disabilities can affect the development of reading comprehension indirectly via linguistic skills but also directly via nonlinguis- tic nonverbal reasoning ability.

Early detection of communication delays with the PEDS tools in at-risk South African infants

LINDE, Jeannie van der
SWANEPOEL, De Wet
HANEKOM, Linique
LEMMER, Tasha
SCHOEMAN, Karla
GLASCOE, Frances P
VINCK Bart
2016

Expand view

Background: Prevalence of communication delays or disorders is increasing, possibly because of various environmental risk factors. Selection and implementation of effective screening tools are important to detect at-risk infants as early as possible. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), PEDS-Developmental Milestones and PEDS tools to detect communication delays in infants (6–12 months) in a South African primary healthcare context.

 

Method: A comparative study design evaluated the accuracy of the PEDS tools to detect communication delays, using an internationally accepted diagnostic assessment tool, the Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale (RITLS). A convenience sample of 201 infants was selected at primary healthcare clinics.

 

Results: Expressive and receptive language sensitivity scores were low across all three screens(ranging between 14% and 44%). The PEDS tools had high sensitivity (71%) and specificity (73%) ratings for the receptive and expressive language and socio-emotional domain in combination.

 

Conclusion: In the sample population, the PEDS tools did not accurately detect receptive and expressive language delays; however, communication delays in general were identified. Future research determining accuracy of the PEDS, PEDS-Developmental Milestones and PEDS tools for children aged 2–5 years in detecting communication delays should be prioritised.

Risks to Client Confidentiality when Communicating Health Information to Blind and Partially Sighted Persons

THURSTON, M
THURSTON, A
2013

Expand view

Purpose: This research was carried out to give a more accurate picture of the particular needs of the blind and partially sighted people living in Scotland. It explores the risks to client confidentiality if information is not provided in accessible formats.

 

Method: Data were gathered from a survey of 228 blind and partially sighted persons in 15 Health Authorities across Scotland. The survey reported NHS clients’ experiences of receiving health information in accessible reading formats.

 

Results: The data indicated that about 90% of blind and partially sighted persons did not receive communications from various NHS health departments in a format that they could read by themselves.

 

Conclusions: The implications for client privacy, confidentiality and the wider impact on life and healthcare have been highlighted. The implications for professional ethical medical practice and for public policy are discussed, and recommendations for improved practice are made.

Factors related to Recovery and Relapse in Persons with Stuttering Following Treatment: A Preliminary Study

ARYA, P
GEETHA, Y V
2013

Expand view

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate and compare factors related to recovery and relapse outcomes after treatment, among adults with stuttering.

 

Method: The participants were 24 adults who underwent fluency therapy and reported for follow-up 6 months after cessation of treatment. Pre, immediate post and 6-months post-treatment follow-up evaluations were done using stuttering severity instrument SSI-3. On the basis of total scores and severity obtained, participants were then grouped as either recovered or relapsed persons with stuttering. A questionnaire was administered to obtain their ratings for the different domains of factors that contributed to treatment outcomes.

 

Results: A significant difference was found between both the groups with respect to factors contributing to recovery and relapse. The four domains which were found to be more responsible for treatment outcomes in persons with stuttering were: individual related, therapy related, environment related, and behaviour and personality related factors.

 

Conclusion: The study was conducted with fewer participants, and it is possible that there could be many other pre-treatment and post-treatment factors such as attitude, anxiety, and speech naturalness which may influence the treatment outcomes in persons with stuttering. Future research should include these other factors.

E-bulletin