Validating Kohler's Taxonomy of Transition Programming for adolescents with intellectual disability in the Chinese context.

BACKGROUND: School-to-work transition programmes play a crucial role in the achievement of post-secondary outcomes for young adults with intellectual disability (ID). Although special education in China has progressed in the last two decades, systematically planned transition education and services are not usually available for Chinese school leavers. AIMS: The present study aimed to validate Kohler's Taxonomy of Transition Programming (KTTP) in the Chinese context for adolescents with ID. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Five Chinese transition experts reviewed KTTP items, 14 Chinese transition teachers and 14 parents of adolescents with ID who would transition from school in the next 12 months were interviewed, and 329 transition teachers were surveyed. OUTCOME AND RESULTS: Most items in KTTP were found to be important and relevant to the Chinese context. Based on KTTP, a modified transition framework appropriate to the Chinese context was generated. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The Chinese transition framework may assist parents and professionals to better support adolescents with ID in China. Future validation checks of the framework will add confidence that the framework captures the essential components of effective transition practices appropriate in the Chinese context.

Tailoring communication supports for students with multiple and severe disability using a mentor-model approach: four case studies from classrooms in special schools.

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes four case studies of communication support for students with multiple and severe disability (MSD) in special school classrooms that used a mentor-model approach to the professional development of educational staff. METHODS: A range of observational and report instruments was used to measure student changes in communicative involvement and the views of teaching staff that engaged with them. RESULTS: Four case studies of the contextual features, student needs and specific support strategies utilized in this study in four special school classrooms highlight the challenges that are faced by teaching staff in improving and maintaining student communication outcomes, and the reasons for these challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The mentor-model approach to professional development for educators working with students with MSD holds promise as a general framework for intervention. Despite the inherent variability in student outcomes and the practical limitations in practice, educators reported that the approach was helpful.

Complex contextual influences on the communicative interactions of students with multiple and severe disabilities.

The aim of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions and experiences of supports and obstacles to engaging students with multiple and severe disabilities (MSD) in communicative interactions at school. Eleven teachers of students with MSD participated in two in-depth interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed for narrative structure and content themes. Inter-coder reliability for coding of content themes was 87.5%. Participants identified a broad range of factors, including: characteristics of individual students, attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of teachers and other staff, class structure, staffing, opportunities for collegiality, resources, funding, infrastructure, collaboration with speech-language pathologists, appropriate communication education for teachers, the role of government departments, and broader societal factors. The findings suggest that there are complex contextual influences on the communicative interactions of students with MSD. While inadequate systemic supports appear to contribute to low frequencies of communication, systemic factors can be structured so that students participate in activities and have opportunities for communication. Further research is required with teachers of students with MSD to substantiate these findings.

Where are teachers' voices? A research agenda to enhance the communicative interactions of students with multiple and severe disabilities at school.

PURPOSE: Despite the importance of communication for educational participation, researchers have observed low frequencies of communication between teachers and students with multiple and severe disabilities (MSD). Little is known about reasons for these low frequencies. This article explores the literature to develop a new research agenda for approaching this issue. METHOD: Selected studies were reviewed, including qualitative studies involving teachers of students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in mainstream classrooms. RESULTS: Teachers identified a broad range of issues that influence their ability to educate students who use AAC or demonstrate other significant communication needs. These factors include teachers' attitudes, perceptions and beliefs and broader contextual factors, such as administrative support at the institutional level. However, to date, there has been little research with teachers of students with MSD about factors influencing communication with their students. CONCLUSIONS: A broad range of potential factors may impact upon teachers' ability to communicate with their students. Further research involving teachers of students with MSD is needed to explore the range of potential factors influencing low frequencies of communication. This research may contribute to an understanding of how best to support teachers to enhance communication access for students with MSD in the classroom.

The impact of partner training on the communicative involvement of students with multiple and severe disability in special schools.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of a pilot program of staff development in communication support in the context of observed changes in student behaviour states and interactive abilities are reported. Participant reports about the impact of the program on their professional practices are included. METHOD: Six teachers and six teacher aides in special (segregated) schools were provided with a short, intensive training program designed to improve their communicative interactions with students with multiple and severe disability (MSD) in their classes. Behaviour state assessment was used for pre- and post-testing of six students. Teachers and aides completed self-report scales related to their communication skills, knowledge and concerns prior to and at the conclusion of the training program. RESULTS: While staff reported improved skills and knowledge, this was not reflected in improvements in the communicative interactions of the students as observed in their classrooms. CONCLUSIONS: The training provided may not have been sufficient to change well-established teaching and interaction processes. Further research using in-school collaborative mentors is planned.

Educational approaches for maximizing arousal in children with multiple and severe disability: new directions for research and practice in early childhood contexts.

This paper provides a review of several critical issues and directions for research and practice, centred on children with multiple and severe disability, with special attention to the recent study of individual behaviour states as a measure of arousal and involvement. It notes several areas for future research and discusses educational interventions designed to improve the engagement of children, focusing on the central role of early intervention and human ecologies in supporting the achievement of positive educational outcomes for this population.