Development of a School Adaptation Program for Elementary School Students with Hearing Impairment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although new technology of assistive listening device leads many hard of hearing children to be mainstreamed in public school programs, many clinicians and teachers still wonder whether the children are able to understand all instruction, access educational materials, and have social skills in the school. The purpose of this study is to develop a school adaptation program (SAP) for the hearing-impaired children who attend public elementary school. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The theoretical framework of the SAP was a system model including microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem merged with Keller's ARCS theory. RESULTS: The SAP consisted of 10 sessions based on five categories (i.e., school life, activity in the class, relationship with friends, relationship with teacher, and school environments). For preliminary validity testing, the developed SAP was reviewed by sixteen elementary school teachers, using the evaluation questionnaire. The results of evaluation showed high average 3.60 (+/-0.52) points out of 4 while proving a reliable and valid school-based program. CONCLUSIONS: The SAP indicated that it may serve as a practical and substantive program for hearing-impaired children in the public school in order to help them achieve better academic support and social integrations.

The Environmental and Educational Management Effects of Atopic Dermatitis in a Seoul Elementary School / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to address a school-based program to properly manage atopic dermatitis in school children. METHODS: A modified Korean version of written questionnaires from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood was completed by the parents of 125 first-grade children. Skin prick tests (SPTs) for nine common inhalants and food allergens were performed. Air cleaners, HEPA vacuum cleaners, wet blackboards, and wet towels were used to clean the floor in the classroom. Students and their parents participated in school-based educational programs about atopic dermatitis. A follow-up questionnaire and SPTs were performed at 6 months after improving the classroom conditions. Indoor air quality was measured at the 3 months interval in July and September of the same year after the school-based program. RESULTS: The prevalence of "itchy eczema ever" and a "diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, within the last 12 months" was 26.4% and 12.0%, respectively. Eleven students (34.4%) showed positive results among 32 students who were examined with SPTs. All children who showed positive results were sensitized with house dust mites. After the environmental change, the prevalence of "itchy eczema within the last 6 months" and "diagnosis of atopic dermatitis within the last 6 months" was 14.7% and 7.8%, respectively. Skin reactivity assessed by mean wheal diameter decreased. Measured indoor air quality values improved in all classrooms by September. CONCLUSION: School-based environmental changes and educational programs including a partnership among home, school, society, and the public health care center could be applied to better manage atopic dermatitis in school children.