Sample records for effects special study

  1. Effective Special Teacher Characteristics: Perceptions of Preschool Special Educators in Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soulis, Spiridon-Georgios

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate six characteristics of effective special pre-school teachers, similar to those used in the relevant literature. The study participants were all special teachers (n = 226), serving in Greek state and community pre-primary educational institutions (i.e. kindergartens and day nurseries) for children with…

  2. Effects of physician-owned specialized facilities in health care: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Trybou, Jeroen; De Regge, Melissa; Gemmel, Paul; Duyck, Philippe; Annemans, Lieven

    2014-12-01

    Multiple studies have investigated physician-owned specialized facilities (specialized hospitals and ambulatory surgery centres). However, the evidence is fragmented and the literature lacks cohesion. To provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of physician-owned specialized facilities by synthesizing the findings of published empirical studies. Two reviewers independently researched relevant studies using a standardized search strategy. The Institute of Medicine's quality framework (safe, effective, equitable, efficient, patient-centred, and accessible care) was applied in order to evaluate the performance of such facilities. In addition, the impact on the performance of full-service general hospitals was assessed. Forty-six studies were included in the systematic review. Overall, the quality of the included studies was satisfactory. Our results show that little evidence exists to confirm the advantages attributed to physician-owned specialized facilities, and their impact on full-service general hospitals remains limited. Although data is available on a wide variety of effects, the evidence base is surprisingly thin. There is no compelling evidence available demonstrating the added value of physician-owned specialized facilities in terms of quality or cost of the delivered care. More research is necessary on the relative merits of physician-owned specialized facilities. In addition, their corresponding impact on full-service general hospitals remains unclear. The development of physician-owned specialized facilities should thus be monitored carefully. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Validating an Observation Protocol to Measure Special Education Teacher Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Evelyn S.; Semmelroth, Carrie L.

    2015-01-01

    This study used Kane's (2013) Interpretation/Use Argument (IUA) to measure validity on the Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers (RESET) observation tool. The RESET observation tool is designed to evaluate special education teacher effectiveness using evidence-based instructional practices as the basis for evaluation. In alignment with…

  4. Evolutionary ecology of specialization: insights from phylogenetic analysis

    PubMed Central

    Vamosi, Jana C.; Armbruster, W. Scott; Renner, Susanne S.

    2014-01-01

    In this Special feature, we assemble studies that illustrate phylogenetic approaches to studying salient questions regarding the effect of specialization on lineage diversification. The studies use an array of techniques involving a wide-ranging collection of biological systems (plants, butterflies, fish and amphibians are all represented). Their results reveal that macroevolutionary examination of specialization provides insight into the patterns of trade-offs in specialized systems; in particular, the genetic mechanisms of trade-offs appear to extend to very different aspects of life history in different groups. In turn, because a species may be a specialist from one perspective and a generalist in others, these trade-offs influence whether we perceive specialization to have effects on the evolutionary success of a lineage when we examine specialization only along a single axis. Finally, how geographical range influences speciation and extinction of specialist lineages remains a question offering much potential for further insight. PMID:25274367

  5. Effective Practice in Inclusive and Special Needs Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buli-Holmberg, Jorun; Jeyaprathaban, Sujathamalini

    2016-01-01

    The present study attempts to evaluate the effective teaching practice for children with special learning needs. The research question framed in the present study for investigation is which practice will be effective in different inclusive classroom settings and what are the factors that contribute for effective practices? Qualitative research was…

  6. The Effect of Badges on the Engagement of Students with Special Educational Needs: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sitra, Ourania; Katsigiannakis, Vangelis; Karagiannidis, Charalampos; Mavropoulou, Sofia

    2017-01-01

    This paper addresses the perceived benefits from gamification in the context of special education. It presents the findings of a study evaluating the effects of a specific gamification element (badges) on the engagement of five students with special learning needs, through online courses developed on the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS).…

  7. A Qualitative Case Study of Expert Special Educators Effectively Negotiating Their Job Demands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortogero, Shawna P.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative case study explored how three expert secondary special education teachers in Hawaii constructed their perceived roles and successfully negotiated their job demands. There is a strong connection between role problems and special education teachers leaving the profession. The special education teacher shortage has a direct impact on…

  8. 12 CFR 611.1211 - Special requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... Institution Status § 611.1211 Special requirements. (a) Special assessments, analyses, studies, and rulings... assessments, analyses, or studies, or to request rulings, including, but not limited to: (1) Assessments of fair value; (2) Analyses and rulings on tax implications; and (3) Studies of the effect of your...

  9. 12 CFR 611.1211 - Special requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Institution Status § 611.1211 Special requirements. (a) Special assessments, analyses, studies, and rulings... assessments, analyses, or studies, or to request rulings, including, but not limited to: (1) Assessments of fair value; (2) Analyses and rulings on tax implications; and (3) Studies of the effect of your...

  10. The Multicolored Patchwork Portraiture of an Effective Veteran High School Special Education Teacher Amidst the Tempest of the High Stakes Testing Movement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bicehouse, Vaughn L.

    2010-01-01

    This single-subject study used the art and science of portraiture to illuminate a veteran special education teacher who is meeting the needs of her students with disabilities. This qualitative study was not done for the purposes of generalization but rather to show how this remarkable and effective special educator acts as an inspirational…

  11. What Do Employers Ask for in Advertisements for Special Education Positions?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephenson, Jennifer; Carter, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Although qualified special educators are more likely to provide effective teaching for students with disabilities and special education needs, it seems many teachers in special education and support positions are not qualified for this role. The study reported here provided analysis of 219 job advertisements for special education positions in…

  12. Effects of Cooperative Translation on Chinese EFL Student Levels of Interest and Self-Efficacy in Specialized English Translation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Xianmin; Guo, Xiaoshan; Yu, Shengquan

    2016-01-01

    Translation instruction is very important in specialized English teaching activities. The effectiveness of current specialized English translation instruction (SETI) in mainland China, however, is unclear because university students have become less interested in, and less confident when doing, English translation. This study investigated the…

  13. The relationship between hospital specialization and hospital efficiency: do different measures of specialization lead to different results?

    PubMed

    Lindlbauer, Ivonne; Schreyögg, Jonas

    2014-12-01

    This study investigated the relationship between hospital specialization and technical efficiency using different measures of specialization, including two novel approaches based on patient volumes rather than patient proportions. It was motivated by the observation that most studies to date have quantified hospital specialization using information about hospital patients grouped into different categories based on their diagnosis, and in doing so have used proportions-thus indirectly assuming that these categories are dependent on one other. In order to account for the diversification of organizations and the idea that hospitals can be specialized in terms of professional expertise or technical equipment within a given diagnosis category, we developed our two specialization measures based on patient volume in each category. Using a one-step stochastic frontier approach on randomly selected data from the annual reports of 1,239 acute care German hospitals for the years 2000 through 2010, we estimated the relationship of inefficiency to exogenous variables, such as specialization. The results show that specialization as quantified by our novel measures has effects on efficiency that are the opposite of those obtained using earlier measures of specialization. These results underscore the importance of always providing an exact definition of specialization when studying its effects. Additionally, a Monte Carlo simulation based on three scenarios is provided to facilitate the choice of a specialization measure for further analysis.

  14. Do preschool special education services make a difference in kindergarten reading and mathematics skills?: A propensity score weighting analysis.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Amanda L; Field, Samuel

    2013-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the average treatment effect of preschool special education services on children's kindergarten academic skills. Using data from a nationally representative sample of United States children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, we examined the effectiveness of preschool special education services by comparing reading and math outcomes for children who received special education services at preschool-age to a propensity-score-weighted sample of children who did not receive these services. Results indicated that the receipt of these special education services had a statistically significant moderate negative effect on children's kindergarten skills in both reading (d=-0.21) and mathematics (d=-0.29). These findings have implications for the implementation and evaluation of services for young children experiencing developmental delays or disabilities. Copyright © 2012 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effects of teacher assistance teams on special education referrals in elementary schools.

    PubMed

    Short, R J; Talley, R C

    1996-12-01

    School-based problem-solving teams recently have received much attention as a possible support for children who are at risk for school failure and for over-referral to special education. However, no controlled studies of the effects of such teams on numbers of referrals for special education or for proportion of appropriate referrals for special education have been conducted. The lack of adequate research concerning school-based problem-solving teams, coupled with the widespread promotion of their use, suggests that further study of such teams is important. In this study, we investigated the effect of one team model, Teacher Assistance Teams, on special education referrals in elementary schools of a large urban district. To address limitations of previous research, schools with such teams were compared with those without across several years of implementation. Analysis yielded a significant decrease in referrals in both groups of schools but no significant differences between groups. These findings may be explained by the context in which both groups of schools functioned.

  16. A systematic review of the impact of volume of surgery and specialization on patient outcome.

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, M M; Dagash, H; Pierro, A

    2007-02-01

    Volume of surgery and specialization may affect patient outcome. Articles examining the effects of one or more of three variables (hospital volume of surgery, surgeon volume and specialization) on outcome (measured by length of hospital stay, mortality and complication rate) were analysed. Reviews, opinion articles and observational studies were excluded. The methodological quality of each study was assessed, a correlation between the variables analysed and the outcome accepted if it was significant. The search identified 55,391 articles published between 1957 and 2002; 1075 were relevant to the study, of which 163 (9,904,850 patients) fulfilled the entry criteria. These 163 examined 42 different surgical procedures, spanning 13 surgical specialities. None were randomized and 40 investigated more than one variable. Hospital volume was reported in 127 studies; high-volume hospitals had significantly better outcomes in 74.2 per cent of studies, but this effect was limited in prospective studies (40 per cent). Surgeon volume was reported in 58 studies; high-volume surgeons had significantly better outcomes in 74 per cent of studies. Specialization was reported in 22 studies; specialist surgeons had significantly better outcomes than general surgeons in 91 per cent of studies. The benefit of high surgeon volume and specialization varied in magnitude between specialities. High surgeon volume and specialization are associated with improved patient outcome, while high hospital volume is of limited benefit. Copyright (c) 2007 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.

  17. The Tip of the Iceberg: The Preparation of Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuehn, Jill

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological study sought to understand how beginning special education teachers experience the relationship between their teacher training and their actual teaching practice. Effective and insufficient aspects of the teacher training programs of special education teachers were explored. Thirteen special education teachers…

  18. Cost-effectiveness and Budget Impact of Specialized Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Synthesis of the Evidence.

    PubMed

    Wetzelaer, Pim; Lokkerbo, Joran; Arntz, Arnoud; van Aselt, Thea; Smit, Filip; Evers, Silvia

    2017-12-01

    Specialized outpatient psychotherapy for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is expected to reduce their use of other health care resources. It is currently unknown to what extent the costs of providing these interventions can be expected to be offset by a reduction in other health care costs in the Netherlands. To establish the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of specialized outpatient psychotherapy, the estimated incremental costs are synthesized with the estimated incremental effects. We have developed a method for the synthesis of all relevant evidence on clinical effectiveness as well as health care resource use. The aim of this article is to present a method for the synthesis of evidence for cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis with a specific application to specialized outpatient psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder in the Netherlands. A systematic search of the English-language literature is performed to retrieve evidence on the clinical effectiveness and the health care resource use following 12 months of specialized outpatient psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. The available evidence is used as an input for a model-based economic evaluation. Simulated patient-level data are used to provide overall estimates of the incremental costs and incremental effects, which serve to assess the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of specialized outpatient psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder in the Netherlands. The results indicate that specialized outpatient psychotherapy for BPD can be considered cost-effective and that its scaling up to Dutch national level would require an investment of 2.367 million (95% C.I.: 1,717,000 - 3,272,000) per 1,000 additional patients with BPD. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the robustness of our findings in light of several uncertain components and assumptions in our calculations, but also their sensitivity to the choice of included studies based on the comparator condition and the assumption of high intervention costs. We present a method for the synthesis of evidence from different types of studies in a way that respects the uncertainty surrounding those findings. Limitations of the study pertain to the inclusion of findings from studies with suboptimal designs, the transferability of research findings, and uncertainty regarding the time horizon considered. More research is needed on the sensitivity of our findings to the choice of included studies based on the comparator condition. THE results suggest that the provision of specialized outpatient psychotherapy for BPD leads to a reduction in other health care resource use. Overall, the results are promising and encourage future studies on aspects that are currently still uncertain. The results may support policy makers in deciding whether or not to allocate health care budget for the provision of specialized outpatient psychotherapy for patients with BPD in the Netherlands. The results provide important directions for future research. This includes the need for future studies to make a comparison between specialized outpatient psychotherapy and treatment as usual and to have longer follow-up time.

  19. A numerical study on the influence of slope and curvature on smoke flow in special section tunnel with natural ventilation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Wenzhou; Zhou, Xianping; Liu, Zhigang; Liu, Ya; Liu, Wanfu; Hong, Li

    2017-09-01

    In this study, a special section tunnel model was established by using FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator). The influences of lope and curvature on smoke flow under natural ventilation have been studied. The results showed that under the condition of natural ventilation, the slope has some influences on the smoke flow in special section tunnel. The smoke spreading speed is accelerated along the upstream direction and decrease along the downstream direction due to buoyancy effect of slope. The steeper the tunnel, the more obvious the buoyancy effect. The curvature has little effect on the flow of flue gas.

  20. Race and Special Educational Needs in the 1990s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diniz, Fernando Almeida

    1999-01-01

    Discussion of effects of "institutionalized racism" on the education of black and minority children with special educational needs in the United Kingdom focuses on a Scottish study which raised issues concerning: racism in special education research; over and under representation in special education; equitable assessment, curriculum and…

  1. Course Delivery: Keystones of Effective Special Education Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vernon-Dotson, Lisa J.; Floyd, Loury O.; Dukes, Charles; Darling, Sharon M.

    2014-01-01

    In this review of the literature, the authors examined studies investigating course delivery methods for preparing special education teachers. Ultimately, 17 studies were reviewed using a constant comparative qualitative method of analysis. This analysis led to the emergence of five themes: (a) established needs, (b) effectiveness, (c) logistics,…

  2. Characteristics of Effective Secondary Vocational Education Programs for Special Populations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Marie A.; And Others

    A study examined the characteristics of effective secondary vocational education programs for a variety of special needs populations (disabled, disadvantaged, and limited English proficient individuals; single parents; and persons enrolled in programs to eliminate sex bias and sex stereotyping). The following eight states were studied: California,…

  3. [Study on spectrum analysis of X-ray based on rotational mass effect in special relativity].

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhi-Qiang; Xie, Quan; Xiao, Qing-Quan

    2010-04-01

    Based on special relativity, the formation mechanism of characteristic X-ray has been studied, and the influence of rotational mass effect on X-ray spectrum has been given. A calculation formula of the X-ray wavelength based upon special relativity was derived. Error analysis was carried out systematically for the calculation values of characteristic wavelength, and the rules of relative error were obtained. It is shown that the values of the calculation are very close to the experimental values, and the effect of rotational mass effect on the characteristic wavelength becomes more evident as the atomic number increases. The result of the study has some reference meaning for the spectrum analysis of characteristic X-ray in application.

  4. A Test of the Reciprocal-Effects Model of Academic Achievement and Academic Self-Concept in Regular Classes and Special Classes for the Gifted

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preckel, Franzis; Schmidt, Isabelle; Stumpf, Eva; Motschenbacher, Monika; Vogl, Katharina; Schneider, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    According to the reciprocal-effects model (REM), prior academic self-concept (ASC) has a positive effect on subsequent achievement beyond what can be explained in terms of prior achievement and vice versa. The present study investigated the REM for students studying in special classes for the gifted compared to students studying in regular…

  5. Effects of an Adapted Physical Education Teaching Model on Special Educator Teaching Approaches for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laughlin, Michael K.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a training package, which consisted of the Flex Grid Teaching Model along with adapted physical education consultation, on special education teacher instruction of functional motor skill acquisition instruction to secondary students with low incidence disabilities. Special education teachers…

  6. The effect of inclusion classrooms on the science achievement of general education students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dodd, Matthew Robert

    General education and Special Education students from three high schools in Rutherford County were sampled to determine the effect on their academic achievement on the Tennessee Biology I Gateway Exam in Inclusion classrooms. Each student's predicted and actual Gateway Exam scores from the academic year 2006--2007 were used to determine the effect the student's classroom had on his academic achievement. Independent variables used in the study were gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic level, grade point average, type of classroom (general or Inclusion), and type student (General Education or Special Education). The statistical tests used in this study were a t-test and a Mann--Whitney U Test. From this study, the effect of the Inclusion classroom on general education students was not significant statistically. Although the Inclusion classroom allows the special education student to succeed in the classroom, the effect on general education students is negligible. This study also provided statistical data that the Inclusion classroom did not improve the special education students' academic performances on the Gateway Exam. Students in a general education classroom with a GPA above 3.000 and those from a household without a low socioeconomic status performed at a statistically different level in this study.

  7. Averting Current and Future Special Education Faculty Shortages: Policy Implications and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Jane E.; Hardman, Michael L.

    2012-01-01

    The federal government plays an indispensable role in preparing special education personnel to become teacher educators in higher education. The 2011 Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment study documents a continued supply-demand imbalance of special education faculty. It also documents effectiveness and impact of the Office of Special…

  8. “No level up!”: no effects of video game specialization and expertise on cognitive performance

    PubMed Central

    Gobet, Fernand; Johnston, Stephen J.; Ferrufino, Gabriella; Johnston, Matthew; Jones, Michael B.; Molyneux, Antonia; Terzis, Argyrios; Weeden, Luke

    2014-01-01

    Previous research into the effects of action video gaming on cognition has suggested that long term exposure to this type of game might lead to an enhancement of cognitive skills that transfer to non-gaming cognitive tasks. However, these results have been controversial. The aim of the current study was to test the presence of positive cognitive transfer from action video games to two cognitive tasks. More specifically, this study investigated the effects that participants' expertise and genre specialization have on cognitive improvements in one task unrelated to video gaming (a flanker task) and one related task (change detection task with both control and genre-specific images). This study was unique in three ways. Firstly, it analyzed a continuum of expertise levels, which has yet to be investigated in research into the cognitive benefits of video gaming. Secondly, it explored genre-specific skill developments on these tasks by comparing Action and Strategy video game players (VGPs). Thirdly, it used a very tight experiment design, including the experimenter being blind to expertise level and genre specialization of the participant. Ninety-two university students aged between 18 and 30 (M = 21.25) were recruited through opportunistic sampling and were grouped by video game specialization and expertise level. While the results of the flanker task were consistent with previous research (i.e., effect of congruence), there was no effect of expertise, and the action gamers failed to outperform the strategy gamers. Additionally, contrary to expectation, there was no interaction between genre specialization and image type in the change detection task, again demonstrating no expertise effect. The lack of effects for game specialization and expertise goes against previous research on the positive effects of action video gaming on other cognitive tasks. PMID:25506330

  9. "No level up!": no effects of video game specialization and expertise on cognitive performance.

    PubMed

    Gobet, Fernand; Johnston, Stephen J; Ferrufino, Gabriella; Johnston, Matthew; Jones, Michael B; Molyneux, Antonia; Terzis, Argyrios; Weeden, Luke

    2014-01-01

    Previous research into the effects of action video gaming on cognition has suggested that long term exposure to this type of game might lead to an enhancement of cognitive skills that transfer to non-gaming cognitive tasks. However, these results have been controversial. The aim of the current study was to test the presence of positive cognitive transfer from action video games to two cognitive tasks. More specifically, this study investigated the effects that participants' expertise and genre specialization have on cognitive improvements in one task unrelated to video gaming (a flanker task) and one related task (change detection task with both control and genre-specific images). This study was unique in three ways. Firstly, it analyzed a continuum of expertise levels, which has yet to be investigated in research into the cognitive benefits of video gaming. Secondly, it explored genre-specific skill developments on these tasks by comparing Action and Strategy video game players (VGPs). Thirdly, it used a very tight experiment design, including the experimenter being blind to expertise level and genre specialization of the participant. Ninety-two university students aged between 18 and 30 (M = 21.25) were recruited through opportunistic sampling and were grouped by video game specialization and expertise level. While the results of the flanker task were consistent with previous research (i.e., effect of congruence), there was no effect of expertise, and the action gamers failed to outperform the strategy gamers. Additionally, contrary to expectation, there was no interaction between genre specialization and image type in the change detection task, again demonstrating no expertise effect. The lack of effects for game specialization and expertise goes against previous research on the positive effects of action video gaming on other cognitive tasks.

  10. Social Studies and the Disabled Reader. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hickey, M. Gail; Braun, Patty

    As a result of federal legislation, the effects of mainstreaming of special needs students are being felt now more than ever. Regular classroom teachers are responsible for much of the instruction for special needs students, even though they may lack necessary training in effective teaching techniques. Teachers of social studies may feel…

  11. The Effects of Group Art Therapy on Mothers of Children with Special Educational Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Sau-Lai; Peng, Maria Sau-Chi

    2017-01-01

    In this study we explored the effects of group art therapy on the emotional well-being and parental empathy of mothers of children with special educational needs. Eleven mothers of children who were diagnosed with at least 1 kind of special educational need participated in a 16-week program. We hypothesized that the art therapy group would help…

  12. Segregation, Integration, Inclusion and Effective Provision: A Case Study of Perspectives from Special Educational Needs Children, Parents and Teachers in Bangalore India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elton-Chalcraft, Sally; Cammack, Paul J.; Harrison, Liz

    2016-01-01

    Educating special educational needs (SEN) children in special schools is the norm in India but there is a growing trend towards inclusive practice. Perspectives were sought from children, their parents and teachers in Bangalore, India to investigate perceptions of effective provision for SEN children using an interpretative approach to provide…

  13. The Effectiveness of Using a Content Acquisition Podcast to Teach Phonological Awareness, Phonemic Awareness, and Phonics to Preservice Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlisle, Abigail A.; Thomas, Cathy Newman; McCathren, Rebecca B.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using a content acquisition podcast (CAP) to teach phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics (PA) to preservice special education teachers. Fifty undergraduate preservice special education teachers over 2 years were randomly assigned to either the CAP group or a comparison group…

  14. Effective Strategies for District Leadership to Create Successful Inclusion Models: Special Education Directors and School Reform in Context of Least Restrictive Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bublitz, Gregory

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative mixed methods study explored how Special Education Directors transformed and maintained a successful inclusion model throughout their district. The study identified leadership strategies and inclusive behaviors utilized by Special Education Directors who have successfully transformed their district into inclusive school districts.…

  15. The Impact of Teacher Related Factors on the Academic Achievement of 8th Grade Special Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker Lewis, Shanique

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher-related factors on the academic achievement of 8th grade special education students. Specifically, this study examines effect of the teacher related factors of instructional technique, teacher specialization, teaching experience, teacher certification, and teacher attitudes toward…

  16. A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effects of Special Education Services

    PubMed Central

    Morgan, Paul L.; Frisco, Michelle; Farkas, George; Hibel, Jacob

    2013-01-01

    We sought to quantify the effectiveness of special education services as naturally delivered in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examined whether children receiving special education services displayed (a) greater reading or mathematics skills, (b) more frequent learning-related behaviors, or (c) less frequent externalizing or internalizing problem behaviors than closely matched peers not receiving such services. To do so, we used propensity score matching techniques to analyze data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal—Study Kindergarten Cohort, 1998–1999, a large scale, nationally representative sample of U.S. schoolchildren. Collectively, results indicate that receipt of special education services has either a negative or statistically non-significant impact on children’s learning or behavior. However, special education services do yield a small, positive effect on children’s learning-related behaviors. PMID:23606759

  17. A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effects of Special Education Services.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Paul L; Frisco, Michelle; Farkas, George; Hibel, Jacob

    2010-02-01

    We sought to quantify the effectiveness of special education services as naturally delivered in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examined whether children receiving special education services displayed (a) greater reading or mathematics skills, (b) more frequent learning-related behaviors, or (c) less frequent externalizing or internalizing problem behaviors than closely matched peers not receiving such services. To do so, we used propensity score matching techniques to analyze data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal-Study Kindergarten Cohort, 1998-1999, a large scale, nationally representative sample of U.S. schoolchildren. Collectively, results indicate that receipt of special education services has either a negative or statistically non-significant impact on children's learning or behavior. However, special education services do yield a small, positive effect on children's learning-related behaviors.

  18. Contrasting Effects of Land Use Intensity and Exotic Host Plants on the Specialization of Interactions in Plant-Herbivore Networks

    PubMed Central

    de Araújo, Walter Santos; Vieira, Marcos Costa; Lewinsohn, Thomas M.; Almeida-Neto, Mário

    2015-01-01

    Human land use tends to decrease the diversity of native plant species and facilitate the invasion and establishment of exotic ones. Such changes in land use and plant community composition usually have negative impacts on the assemblages of native herbivorous insects. Highly specialized herbivores are expected to be especially sensitive to land use intensification and the presence of exotic plant species because they are neither capable of consuming alternative plant species of the native flora nor exotic plant species. Therefore, higher levels of land use intensity might reduce the proportion of highly specialized herbivores, which ultimately would lead to changes in the specialization of interactions in plant-herbivore networks. This study investigates the community-wide effects of land use intensity on the degree of specialization of 72 plant-herbivore networks, including effects mediated by the increase in the proportion of exotic plant species. Contrary to our expectation, the net effect of land use intensity on network specialization was positive. However, this positive effect of land use intensity was partially canceled by an opposite effect of the proportion of exotic plant species on network specialization. When we analyzed networks composed exclusively of endophagous herbivores separately from those composed exclusively of exophagous herbivores, we found that only endophages showed a consistent change in network specialization at higher land use levels. Altogether, these results indicate that land use intensity is an important ecological driver of network specialization, by way of reducing the local host range of herbivore guilds with highly specialized feeding habits. However, because the effect of land use intensity is offset by an opposite effect owing to the proportion of exotic host species, the net effect of land use in a given herbivore assemblage will likely depend on the extent of the replacement of native host species with exotic ones. PMID:25565141

  19. Contrasting effects of land use intensity and exotic host plants on the specialization of interactions in plant-herbivore networks.

    PubMed

    de Araújo, Walter Santos; Vieira, Marcos Costa; Lewinsohn, Thomas M; Almeida-Neto, Mário

    2015-01-01

    Human land use tends to decrease the diversity of native plant species and facilitate the invasion and establishment of exotic ones. Such changes in land use and plant community composition usually have negative impacts on the assemblages of native herbivorous insects. Highly specialized herbivores are expected to be especially sensitive to land use intensification and the presence of exotic plant species because they are neither capable of consuming alternative plant species of the native flora nor exotic plant species. Therefore, higher levels of land use intensity might reduce the proportion of highly specialized herbivores, which ultimately would lead to changes in the specialization of interactions in plant-herbivore networks. This study investigates the community-wide effects of land use intensity on the degree of specialization of 72 plant-herbivore networks, including effects mediated by the increase in the proportion of exotic plant species. Contrary to our expectation, the net effect of land use intensity on network specialization was positive. However, this positive effect of land use intensity was partially canceled by an opposite effect of the proportion of exotic plant species on network specialization. When we analyzed networks composed exclusively of endophagous herbivores separately from those composed exclusively of exophagous herbivores, we found that only endophages showed a consistent change in network specialization at higher land use levels. Altogether, these results indicate that land use intensity is an important ecological driver of network specialization, by way of reducing the local host range of herbivore guilds with highly specialized feeding habits. However, because the effect of land use intensity is offset by an opposite effect owing to the proportion of exotic host species, the net effect of land use in a given herbivore assemblage will likely depend on the extent of the replacement of native host species with exotic ones.

  20. Optimal order policy in response to announced price increase for deteriorating items with limited special order quantity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ouyang, Liang-Yuh; Wu, Kun-Shan; Yang, Chih-Te; Yen, Hsiu-Feng

    2016-02-01

    When a supplier announces an impending price increase due to take effect at a certain time in the future, it is important for each retailer to decide whether to purchase additional stock to take advantage of the present lower price. This study explores the possible effects of price increases on a retailer's replenishment policy when the special order quantity is limited and the rate of deterioration of the goods is assumed to be constant. The two situations discussed in this study are as follows: (1) when the special order time coincides with the retailer's replenishment time and (2) when the special order time occurs during the retailer's sales period. By analysing the total cost savings between special and regular orders during the depletion time of the special order quantity, the optimal order policy for each situation can be determined. We provide several numerical examples to illustrate the theories in practice. Additionally, we conduct a sensitivity analysis on the optimal solution with respect to the main parameters.

  1. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Special Education Programming for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using a Daily Report Card

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabiano, Gregory A.; Vujnovic, Rebecca K.; Pelham, William E.; Waschbusch, Daniel A.; Massetti, Greta M.; Pariseau, Meaghan E.; Naylor, Justin; Yu, Jihnhee; Robins, Melissa; Carnefix, Tarah; Greiner, Andrew R.; Volker, Martin

    2010-01-01

    Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) make up a considerable proportion of students who receive special education services in schools. The present study aimed to enhance the outcomes of students with ADHD in special education settings by using a daily report card (DRC). Thirty-three children with ADHD in special education…

  2. Examining the Effectiveness of the Corrective Reading Program for Special Education and Non-Special Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCutcheon, Catherine A.

    2013-01-01

    The traditional classroom educational approach has been unsuccessful in helping special education and non-special education students who are not proficient readers. The problem addressed in this study was that a large number of American children are experiencing difficulty learning to read. One possible way to help students learn to read is…

  3. The Effects of a Special Olympics Unified Sports Soccer Training Program on Anthropometry, Physical Fitness and Skilled Performance in Special Olympics Soccer Athletes and Non-Disabled Partners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baran, Funda; Aktop, Abdurrahman; Ozer, Dilara; Nalbant, Sibel; Aglamis, Ece; Barak, Sharon; Hutzler, Yeshayahu

    2013-01-01

    The study investigated the effects of a Special Olympics (SO) Unified Sport (UNS) soccer program on anthropometry, physical fitness and soccer skills of male youth athletes with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) who participated in a training group (TRG) and in a comparison group (CG) without specific training. Youth with ID (WID) were…

  4. Modeling the relationship between the environment and human experiences.

    PubMed

    Vink, P; Bazley, C; Jacobs, K

    2016-08-12

    Within this special issue, different aspects of the environment are studied: aspects that are distant from the human body, close to the body and touching the human body. Consequently, different human senses are involved in these studies as well as the different consequences and effects on the brain and human behaviour. This special issue also highlights many remaining questions about the effects and relationships between environments and human beings and the need for more studies and research. In particular, future studies are needed that address long-term effects and the effects of the combinations of elements which provide comfort or discomfort.

  5. The Effect of Instruction on Teacher Perceptions of Competence When Including Students with Special Needs in Music Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammel, Alice M.; Gerrity, Kevin W.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of professional development instruction on teacher perceptions of competence when including students with special needs in music classrooms. Subjects for the study were in-service music educators (N = 43) enrolled in an online graduate-level course specifically created to address the skills and…

  6. Effects of the Leadership Roles of Administrators Who Work at Special Education Schools upon Organizational Climate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Üstün, Ahmet

    2017-01-01

    This research aims to determine the effects of the leadership roles of administrators who work at special education schools upon organizational climate. This research has been conducted using the case study technique, which is a kind of qualitative research approach. The study group of this research consists of four administrators including three…

  7. Do Preschool Special Education Services Make a Difference in Kindergarten Reading and Mathematics Skills?: A Propensity Score Weighting Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Amanda L.; Field, Samuel

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the average treatment effect of preschool special education services on children's kindergarten academic skills. Using data from a nationally representative sample of United States children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Birth Cohort, we examined the effectiveness of preschool…

  8. The Effects of Special Training and Field Experiences upon Preservice Teachers' Level of Comfort with Multicultural Music Teaching Situations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barry, Nancy H.

    This paper reports on a study examining preservice teachers' level of comfort in working with students and colleagues of a different race, and exploring the effects of special training and field experience on their level of comfort with multicultural situations. The study involved 55 predominantly white preservice teachers enrolled in 2 different…

  9. Beyond Talking about Books: Implications of the Reading Comprehension Instruction and Pedagogical Beliefs of a Special Educator Perceived as Effective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feiker Hollenbeck, Amy R.

    2013-01-01

    This investigation extends the study of the reading comprehension practices used with students with learning disabilities (LD) via a case study, exploring the beliefs and practices in reading comprehension of "Wendy," a cross-categorical special educator nominated as effective in her work with sixth-grade students. Wendy's practices serve as a…

  10. Effects of an Equine Assisted Activities Program on Youth with Emotional Disturbance: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stebbins, Tira

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated the effects of a 10-week Equine Assisted Activities (EAA) program on special education students (aged 9 to 15) identified as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) who were enrolled in an alternative school. A control group of special education students receiving treatment-as-usual was included. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children,…

  11. Spatial effects, sampling errors, and task specialization in the honey bee.

    PubMed

    Johnson, B R

    2010-05-01

    Task allocation patterns should depend on the spatial distribution of work within the nest, variation in task demand, and the movement patterns of workers, however, relatively little research has focused on these topics. This study uses a spatially explicit agent based model to determine whether such factors alone can generate biases in task performance at the individual level in the honey bees, Apis mellifera. Specialization (bias in task performance) is shown to result from strong sampling error due to localized task demand, relatively slow moving workers relative to nest size, and strong spatial variation in task demand. To date, specialization has been primarily interpreted with the response threshold concept, which is focused on intrinsic (typically genotypic) differences between workers. Response threshold variation and sampling error due to spatial effects are not mutually exclusive, however, and this study suggests that both contribute to patterns of task bias at the individual level. While spatial effects are strong enough to explain some documented cases of specialization; they are relatively short term and not explanatory for long term cases of specialization. In general, this study suggests that the spatial layout of tasks and fluctuations in their demand must be explicitly controlled for in studies focused on identifying genotypic specialists.

  12. Effective Practices in High Performing Districts Serving Students in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huberman, Mette; Navo, Matt; Parrish, Tom

    2012-01-01

    Through a rigorous selection process based on special education performance over four years, this study identified eight unified districts in California that showed unusually strong academic performance for their special education population compared to similar districts in the state. Researchers conducted interviews with these districts' special…

  13. Quality Special Education Programs: The Role of Transformational Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clinton, Demi

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether or not a relationship existed between principals who demonstrate transformational leadership traits and six different quality practices in their special education program. Effective principals must know and understand special education laws, practices, and current issues, but evidence…

  14. Using Lesson Study to Prepare Preservice Special Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Carly A.; Benedict, Amber E.; Kim, So Yeon; Tandy, Jacob

    2018-01-01

    Learning to teach students with disabilities is challenging. Preservice special educators must develop critical knowledge of content as well as skill for enacting evidence-based practices effectively. Preservice special educators need increased opportunities to learn core knowledge coupled with a mechanism to support them in situating their newly…

  15. Effect of Guided Collaboration on General and Special Educators' Perceptions of Collaboration and Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laine, Sandra

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of a guided collaboration approach during professional learning community meetings (PLC's) on the perceptions of general and special educators as well as the effect on student performance as measured by benchmark evaluation. A mixed methodology approach was used to collect data through surveys, weekly…

  16. Effects of Training in Functional Behavior Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dukes, Charles; Rosenberg, Howard; Brady, Michael

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of training special education teachers in the process of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and subsequent development of recommendations to promote behavior change. An original evaluation instrument was developed that included measures of special education teachers' knowledge of…

  17. Effects of Early Childhood Education on Children with Hearing Impairments in Special Schools in Kiambu, Murang'A and Nyeri Counties, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loise W., Chege; Wamocho, Franciscah I.; Orodho, John Aluko

    2014-01-01

    This study sought to find out the effects of Early Childhood Education on children with hearing impairment (HI). Vigotsky's theory of cognitive development guided the study. Descriptive survey method was used. Target population included children with HI between ages 3-6 years and their parents, teachers, head teachers all from special schools in…

  18. Effect of Exposure to Special Olympic Games on Attitudes of Volunteers towards Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Chunxiao; Wang, Chee Keng John

    2013-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of volunteering for Special Olympics Games (SOG) on the attitudes of volunteers towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Method: A repeated measures design with 3-week follow-up was used. There were 100 volunteers recruited for the study and 90 of them completed the…

  19. Effects of Mathematics Computer Games on Special Education Students' Multiplicative Reasoning Ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bakker, Marjoke; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja; Robitzsch, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of a teacher-delivered intervention with online mathematics mini-games on special education students' multiplicative reasoning ability (multiplication and division). The games involved declarative, procedural, as well as conceptual knowledge of multiplicative relations, and were accompanied with teacher-led lessons…

  20. The Effectiveness of Special Education Teacher Evaluation Processes: Perspectives from Elementary Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glowacki, Heather; Hackmann, Donald G.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined perceptions of Illinois public elementary school principals regarding the effectiveness of their school districts' evaluation systems for special education teachers in promoting professional development and job performance accountability. Using an online questionnaire, 330 of the state's 1,551 elementary principals responded to…

  1. The Effects of Special Education Support on Young Australian School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dempsey, Ian; Valentine, Megan; Colyvas, Kim

    2016-01-01

    Determining the effectiveness of many special education interventions is most difficult because of the practical and ethical limitations associated with assigning participants to a control or non-treated group. Using Longitudinal Study of Australian Children data, this article utilised eight different propensity score analysis methods to determine…

  2. Variable-intercept panel model for deformation zoning of a super-high arch dam.

    PubMed

    Shi, Zhongwen; Gu, Chongshi; Qin, Dong

    2016-01-01

    This study determines dam deformation similarity indexes based on an analysis of deformation zoning features and panel data clustering theory, with comprehensive consideration to the actual deformation law of super-high arch dams and the spatial-temporal features of dam deformation. Measurement methods of these indexes are studied. Based on the established deformation similarity criteria, the principle used to determine the number of dam deformation zones is constructed through entropy weight method. This study proposes the deformation zoning method for super-high arch dams and the implementation steps, analyzes the effect of special influencing factors of different dam zones on the deformation, introduces dummy variables that represent the special effect of dam deformation, and establishes a variable-intercept panel model for deformation zoning of super-high arch dams. Based on different patterns of the special effect in the variable-intercept panel model, two panel analysis models were established to monitor fixed and random effects of dam deformation. Hausman test method of model selection and model effectiveness assessment method are discussed. Finally, the effectiveness of established models is verified through a case study.

  3. Educator Perspectives of Special Service Implementation in a Rural School System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Picone, John

    2010-01-01

    In many rural school districts in a midwestern U.S. state, special education service implementation conflicts with initiatives to improve and maintain an effective school-wide educational environment. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate how differences in levels of teacher training in special education affected the…

  4. Special Educators' Perceptions on Effective Preparation and Practice for Student Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liese, Aerial Anne

    2018-01-01

    Alternative school settings are success prospects for students at risk of school failure. However, research on the daily experiences of the special educators in alternate school settings tasked with educating the at-risk population, is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was (a) to recognize the perceptions of special educators…

  5. An Investigation into Pre-Service Special Education Teachers' Mathematical Skills, Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Methodology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hinton, Vanessa; Flores, Margaret; Burton, Megan; Curtis, Rebecca

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate future special education teachers' preparation for effectively teaching mathematics. During the last semester of their program, pre-service special education teachers completed elementary level mathematics computation and problem solving assessments, a mathematics efficacy beliefs survey,…

  6. Below the Surface of Special Education Administrator Turnover

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meeks, Amy

    2016-01-01

    The field of special education administration has experienced a shortage of high quality special education leadership candidates for several decades. If school districts are to effectively address the turnover of educational leaders, they must know what is happening that affects turnover of their leadership team. The intent of this study was to…

  7. Case Studies in Special Education: A Social Justice Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Tera, Ed.; Barber, Catherine R., Ed.

    2017-01-01

    Special education law and practice have undergone profound transformation over the past 50 years. Students with disabilities are now more likely to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible; however, the ideals of the law have not always been manifested in effective practice. Although special education…

  8. The Effects of CATTS' Feedback in a Preservice Special Education Teacher Training Program. Final Report 53.32.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Semmel, Melvyn I.; And Others

    The effects of Computer-Assisted Teacher Training System (CATTS) feedback in a preservice special education teacher training program are discussed. It is explained that a series of studies were conducted to test the efficacy of CATTS feedback in effecting teacher trainees' acquisition and performance of specific teaching skills. Chapter 1 presents…

  9. Identifying emerging trends for implementing learning technology in special education: a state-of-the-art review of selected articles published in 2008-2012.

    PubMed

    Liu, Gi-Zen; Wu, No-Wei; Chen, Yi-Wen

    2013-10-01

    As electronic learning (e-learning) becomes increasingly popular in education worldwide, learning technology (LT) has been applied in various learning environments and activities to promote meaningful, efficient, and effective learning. LT has also been adopted by researchers and teacher-practitioners in the field of special education, but as yet little review-based research has been published. This review research thus carefully examined the trends of LT implementations in special education, providing a comprehensive analysis of 26 studies published in indexed journals in the past five years (2008-2012). Two research questions were addressed: (a) What are the major research aims, methodologies, and outcomes in these studies of implementing LT in the field of special education? and (b) What types of LT are mainly used with special education students, and for what kinds of students? Major findings include that examining the learning effectiveness of LT using was the most common research purpose (75%); researchers primarily relied on experimental studies (46%, 12 studies), followed by interviews and questionnaires (19%, 5 studies). Moreover, the most common use of LT was computer-assisted technology (such as web-based mentoring, educational computer games, laptop computers) in special education; studies investigating the use of LT with mentally disabled students were more than those with physically disabled ones. It is expected that the findings of this work and their implications will serve as valuable references with regard to the use of LT with special education students. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A structural model of family empowerment for families of children with special needs.

    PubMed

    Han, Kuem Sun; Yang, Yunkyung; Hong, Yeong Seon

    2018-03-01

    To explain and predict family empowerment in families of children with special needs. Family empowerment of families of children with special needs can be explained using the Double ABCX model. Although constant stressors such as parenting stress and family demands can have negative effects on family empowerment, family resources and parenting efficacy can mediate the negative effect through effective coping strategies. A cross-sectional research design was employed. A survey was conducted with 240 parents of children with special needs. Upon exclusion of four responses deemed inadequate to the statistics process, 236 responses were selected for the analysis. Based on the items used in the previous research, we used the scale of family demands 38, the scale of parenting stress 24, the scale of parenting efficacy 37, the scale of pattern of organisation 30, the scale of communication process 16 and the scale of family empowerment 32. In families of children with special needs, parenting stress had a negative effect on parenting efficacy and family resources, namely, pattern of organisation and communication process. Family needs had a positive effect on parenting efficacy. Parenting stress and family demands influenced family empowerment through parenting efficacy and family resources (pattern of organisation and communication process), while parenting efficacy contributed to family empowerment. This study empirically analysed the usefulness of the Double ABCX model in predicting family empowerment. Family resource factors (organisation pattern and communication process) and perception or judgement factors (such as parenting efficacy) were found to mediate the negative impact of various stressors experienced by families of children with special needs. The study findings suggest that clinical practice and management should focus on providing efficient intervention methods to lower stress in families of children with special needs. Reinforcing factors contributing to family empowerment, such as parenting efficacy, organisation pattern and communication process, will alleviate families' stress, resulting in a positive educational and developmental impact on children with special needs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Educational psychology and the effectiveness of inclusive education/mainstreaming.

    PubMed

    Lindsay, Geoff

    2007-03-01

    Inclusive education/mainstreaming is a key policy objective for the education of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. This paper reviews the literature on the effectiveness of inclusive education/mainstreaming. The focus is on evidence for effects in terms of child outcomes with examination also of evidence on processes that support effectiveness. The review covers a range of SEN and children from pre-school to the end of compulsory education. Following an historical review of evidence on inclusive education/mainstreaming, the core of the paper is a detailed examination of all the papers published in eight journals from the field of special education published 2001-2005 (N=1373): Journal of Special Education, Exceptional Children, Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Remedial and Special Education, British Journal of Special Education, European Journal of Special Needs Education, and the International Journal of Inclusive Education. The derived categories were: comparative studies of outcomes: other outcome studies; non-comparative qualitative studies including non-experimental case studies; teacher practice and development; teacher attitudes; and the use of teaching assistants. Only 14 papers (1.0%) were identified as comparative outcome studies of children with some form of SEN. Measures used varied but included social as well as educational outcomes. Other papers included qualitative studies of inclusive practice, some of which used a non-comparative case study design while others were based on respondent's judgements, or explored process factors including teacher attitudes and the use of teaching assistants. Inclusive education/mainstreaming has been promoted on two bases: the rights of children to be included in mainstream education and the proposition that inclusive education is more effective. This review focuses on the latter issue. The evidence from this review does not provide a clear endorsement for the positive effects of inclusion. There is a lack of evidence from appropriate studies and, where evidence does exist, the balance was only marginally positive. It is argued that the policy has been driven by a concern for children's rights. The important task now is to research more thoroughly the mediators and moderators that support the optimal education for children with SEN and disabilities and, as a consequence, develop an evidence-based approach to these children's education.

  12. Effective Communication in a Culture of Learning: K-2 and Specialized Educators Communicating Effectively Regarding Students' Academic Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Medina-Castellano, Latesha D.

    2014-01-01

    This dissertation describes an action research study that was designed to improve the communication channels among K-2 and specialized educators in a specific learning culture regarding the learning needs of students. The action research intervention plan included professional online workshops, telecommunication conferences, and recorded…

  13. Predictors of College Retention and Performance between Regular and Special Admissions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Johyun

    2015-01-01

    This predictive correlational research study examined the effect of cognitive, demographic, and socioeconomic variables as predictors of regular and special admission students' first-year GPA and retention among a sample of 7,045 students. Findings indicated high school GPA and ACT scores were the two most effective predictors of regular and…

  14. Stories of Hope and Decline: Interest Group Effectiveness in National Special Education Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Itkonen, Tiina

    2009-01-01

    This study analyzes parent and professional organizations' effectiveness in national special education policy from 1975 to the present. Of specific interest are the relationships between groups' policy victories, how groups construct their political messages, and organizational characteristics. The research is significant in that it is one of the…

  15. Effectiveness of Special Nursery Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reed, Phil; Osborne, Lisa A.; Corness, Mark

    2010-01-01

    The effectiveness of three local authority early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) was studied. Thirty-three children (2:6 to 4:0 years old) received one of three early teaching interventions: a 1:1 home-based programme, and two different forms of special nursery placement. Measures from the…

  16. Special Olympics in Korea and its application as a regular curriculum in the Korean special schools for social rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kihong

    2015-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to apply Special Olympics (SO) movement and its curricula events to the social rehabilitation of the students with intellectual disabilities in Korean special school. SO is the sport organization for the people with intellectual disabilities enjoyed by the athletes more than 4.4 million in 170 countries. The role of SO has been expanded and its value was increased in effecting social change and promoting social contact between the people with intellectual disabilities and the individuals without disabilities. Many researchers proved the effects of SO program for the individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically and mentally appropriately fit to the society, therefore, those programs could be the educational resources in Korean special school.

  17. Special Olympics in Korea and its application as a regular curriculum in the Korean special schools for social rehabilitation

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Kihong

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to apply Special Olympics (SO) movement and its curricula events to the social rehabilitation of the students with intellectual disabilities in Korean special school. SO is the sport organization for the people with intellectual disabilities enjoyed by the athletes more than 4.4 million in 170 countries. The role of SO has been expanded and its value was increased in effecting social change and promoting social contact between the people with intellectual disabilities and the individuals without disabilities. Many researchers proved the effects of SO program for the individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically and mentally appropriately fit to the society, therefore, those programs could be the educational resources in Korean special school. PMID:26331131

  18. Special Education Program Standards Study. Commonwealth of Virginia. Final Technical Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keith, Timothy Z.; And Others

    This federally funded study investigated Virginia special education program standards, focusing on local applications of the standards for class size and class mix and the effect of varying class size and class mix on student outcomes. The study concentrated on students with educable mental retardation, severe emotional disturbance, and specific…

  19. An Investigation of Social Support and Burnout among Special Education Teachers in the United Arab Emirates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bataineh, Osamah; Alsagheer, Ahmed

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed at investigating which source of social support (supervisors, colleagues, friends, spouse, or family) would be most effective in reducing burnout among special education teachers. A sample of 300 special education teachers (50 males and 250 females) completed Burnout and Sources of Social Support questionnaires. Pearson…

  20. Effects of Schools Attuned on Special Education Referrals for African American Boys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez, Andrea B.

    2010-01-01

    This study compared the number of special education referrals for African American boys before and after the implementation of the training program, "Schools Attuned". The purpose of the research was to ascertain if the number of special education referrals for African American boys generated in schools with teachers trained in "Schools Attuned"…

  1. A Historical Analysis of Post-Genocide Rwandan Special Education: Lessons Derived and Future Directions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nyarambi, Arnold

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this postcolonial historical study was to investigate the following: prevalence and nature of disabilities, programs, and services of special education in Rwanda before and after the 1994 genocide; and the utility, effectiveness, and importation of western-based special education models, programs, and services in Rwanda; and lastly…

  2. Preservice Special Educators' Perceptions of Collaboration and Co-Teaching during University Fieldwork: Implications for Personnel Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ricci, Leila Ansari; Zetlin, Andrea; Osipova, Anna V.

    2017-01-01

    Special education teachers today must demonstrate effective skills in collaboration and often engage in co-teaching with general education colleagues to meet the needs of students with disabilities. In this study, we describe a university-based early fieldwork in which university students seeking teaching licensure in special education taught…

  3. Differences in Beginning Special Education Teachers: The Influence of Personal Attributes, Preparation, and School Environment on Classroom Reading Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bishop, Anne G.; Brownell, Mary T.; Klingner, Janette K.; Leko, Melinda M.; Galman, Sally A. C.

    2010-01-01

    Little research exists to help us understand why some beginning special education teachers of reading engage in more effective classroom practices than others. Factors that may influence these differences include personal attributes, preparation, and school environment. This mixed-methods study examined beginning special education teachers (N =…

  4. The Impact of the Flynn Effect on LD Diagnoses in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanaya, Tomoe; Ceci, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    Because of the Flynn effect, IQ scores rise as a test norm ages but drop on the introduction of a newly revised test norm. The purpose of the current study was to determine the impact of the Flynn effect on learning disability (LD) diagnoses, the most prevalent special education diagnosis in the United States. Using a longitudinal sample of 875…

  5. Effect of assistive technology in a public school setting.

    PubMed

    Watson, Anne H; Ito, Max; Smith, Roger O; Andersen, Lori T

    2010-01-01

    The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires assistive technology (AT) be considered at the yearly individualized education program (IEP) meeting of every student in special education. IDEA also directs that AT be implemented on the basis of peer-reviewed literature despite a paucity of research on AT's effectiveness in the public schools. This repeated-measures quasi-experimental study explored AT's effect in a public school special education setting. Participants (N=13) were a heterogeneous group of students in 1 school system who had newly provided AT to address academic and communication goals in one school year. Results suggest that relative to other interventions, AT provided by a multidisciplinary team may have a significant effect on IEP goal improvement (t[12] = 5.54, p= .00) for students in special education (F[2] = 9.35, p= .00), which may support AT's use in special education by occupational therapists as directed by IDEA.

  6. Special issue : pedestrian injuries:

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-03-13

    This special issue focuses on effective ways to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries. Pedestrians represent the second largest group of motor vehicle deaths, second only to passenger vehicle occupant deaths. This study examines some of the most effe...

  7. Teacher Motivation and Retention in High School Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Matthew Daniel

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the best motivational tools for recruiting high-quality high school special education teachers; and to identify effective techniques and strategies to facilitate those individuals' experiencing career longevity within the profession. This study also sought to highlight the specific issues that actively…

  8. Wessex Studies in Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Robin, Ed.

    1981-01-01

    Ten papers focus on aspects of special education in Britain, Canada and Sweden. "The Meaning of Handicap" by J. Bicknell presents a dynamic view of handicaps and discusses the effects of others' reactions to the disabled child. M. Cooley ("A Study of Parental Response to Pre-School Provision for Handicapped Children") reviews a…

  9. Special Report on Ingested Inorganic Arsenic: Skin Cancer; Nutritional Essentiality (Sab Review Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

    A technical panel of EPA's Risk Assessment Forum has studied three special issues regarding certain health effects, particularly skin cancer, associated with arsenic ingestion: (1) the validity of the Taiwan study and its use for dose-response assessment in the U.S. population, (...

  10. Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on special education in school-aged children.

    PubMed

    Levine, Todd P; Liu, Jing; Das, Abhik; Lester, Barry; Lagasse, Linda; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta S; Bauer, Charles R; Higgins, Rosemary

    2008-07-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on special education at age 7 with adjustment for covariates. As part of the prospective, longitudinal, multisite study of children with prenatal cocaine exposure (Maternal Lifestyle Study), school records were reviewed for 943 children at 7 years to determine involvement in special education outcomes: (1) individualized education plan; (2) special education conditions; (3) support services; (4) special education classes; and (5) speech and language services. Logistic regression was used to examine the effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on these outcomes with environmental, maternal, and infant medical variables as covariates, as well as with and without low child IQ. Complete data for each analysis model were available for 737 to 916 children. When controlling for covariates including low child IQ, prenatal cocaine exposure had a significant effect on individualized education plan. When low child IQ was not included in the model, prenatal cocaine exposure had a significant effect on support services. Male gender, low birth weight, white race, and low child IQ also predicted individualized education plan. Low birth weight and low child IQ were significant in all models. White race was also significant in speech and language services. Other covariate effects were model specific. When included in the models, low child IQ accounted for more of the variance and changed the significance of other covariates. Prenatal cocaine exposure increased the likelihood of receiving an individualized education plan and support services, with adjustment for covariates. Low birth weight and low child IQ increased the likelihood of all outcomes. The finding that white children were more likely to get an individualized education plan and speech and language services could indicate a greater advantage in getting educational resources for this population.

  11. The Effects of Specialization and Sex on Anterior Y-Balance Performance in High School Athletes

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Madeline M.; Trapp, Jessica L.; Post, Eric G.; Trigsted, Stephanie M.; McGuine, Timothy A.; Brooks, M. Alison; Bell, David R.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Sport specialization and movement asymmetry have been separately discussed as potential risk factors for lower extremity injury. Early specialization may lead to the development of movement asymmetries that can predispose an athlete to injury, but this has not been thoroughly examined. Hypothesis: Athletes rated as specialized would exhibit greater between-limb anterior reach asymmetry and decreased anterior reach distance on the Y-balance test (YBT) as compared with nonspecialized high school athletes, and these differences would not be dependent on sex. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Two hundred ninety-five athletes (117 male, 178 female; mean age, 15.6 ± 1.2 years) from 2 local high schools participating in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis responded to a questionnaire regarding sport specialization status and performed trials of the YBT during preseason testing. Specialization was categorized according to 3 previously utilized specialization classification methods (single/multisport, 3-point scale, and 6-point scale), and interactions between specialization and sex with Y-balance performance were calculated using 2-way analyses of variance. Results: Single-sport male athletes displayed greater anterior reach asymmetry than other interaction groups. A consistent main effect was observed for sex, with men displaying greater anterior asymmetry and decreased anterior reach distance than women. However, the interaction effects of specialization and sex on anterior Y-balance performance varied based on the classification method used. Conclusion: Single-sport male athletes displayed greater anterior reach asymmetry on the YBT than multisport and female athletes. Specialization classification method is important because the 6- and 3-point scales may not accurately identify balance abnormalities. Male athletes performed worse than female athletes on both of the Y-balance tasks. Clinical Relevance: Clinicians should be aware that single-sport male athletes may display deficits in dynamic balance, potentially increasing their risk of injury. PMID:28447871

  12. The Effect of School Counselors' Domain Specialization on Seniors' Milestone Completion and College Access Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bond, Nancy J.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of senior high school counselors' domain specializations--academic, advanced education, career, and personal/social--from two urban high schools, on alphabetically assigned graduating seniors' with low, mid-range, and high Grade Point Averages documented college and career readiness milestone…

  13. Coping with Challenging Behaviours of Children with Autism: Effectiveness of Brief Training Workshop for Frontline Staff in Special Education Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ling, C. Y. M.; Mak, W. W. S.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The present study examined the effectiveness of three staff training elements: psychoeducation (PE) on autism, introduction of functional behavioural analysis (FBA) and emotional management (EM), on the reaction of challenging behaviours for frontline staff towards children with autism in Hong Kong special education settings. Methods:…

  14. The Effects of Systematic Implementation of Music on Behavior and Performance of the Special Needs Student.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coyne, Nancy M.; Dwyer, Mary L.; Kennedy, Marianne; Petter, Nancy M.

    This action research project investigated the effects of music on the behavior and performance of students (ages 3-21) with multiple disabilities, mental retardation, or severe mental retardation in four self-contained special education classrooms. The teacher researchers involved in the study made no assumptions with regard to the outcomes. It…

  15. Effects of Fixed-Time Reinforcement Delivered by Teachers for Reducing Problem Behavior in Special Education Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomlin, Michelle; Reed, Phil

    2012-01-01

    The effects of fixed-time (FT) reinforcement schedules on the disruptive behavior of 4 students in special education classrooms were studied. Attention provided on FT schedules in the context of a multiple-baseline design across participants substantially decreased all students' challenging behavior. Disruptive behavior was maintained at levels…

  16. Improving Preservice Teachers' Perspectives on Family Involvement in Teaching Children with Special Needs: Guest Speaker versus Video

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Eun-Joo; Vail, Cynthia

    2011-01-01

    This study examines preservice teachers' perspectives on family involvement in special education and effective teaching methods for delivering family-involvement content. Eighty-three preservice teachers provided data on pre- and postadministrations of a questionnaire. The effectiveness of two methods, a video and a guest speaker, in delivering…

  17. The Effects of Mentor Instruction on Teaching Visual Supports to Novice, Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mrstik, Samantha L.; Vasquez, Eleazar; Pearl, Cynthia

    2018-01-01

    The use of mentor teachers to sustain the longevity of a novice special education teacher is not a new tactic nor is the use of a mentor teacher's guidance in professional development for novice teachers. This study examines a new method of mentor teachers conducting professional development sessions for novice special educators through the use of…

  18. Educator and Administrator Perceptions of the Impact of No Child Left Behind on Special Populations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vannest, Kimberly J.; Mahadevan, Lakshmi; Mason, Benjamin A.; Temple-Harvey, Kimberly K.

    2009-01-01

    No Child Left Behind (NCLB) seeks to address the inequality in schools and to correct achievement disparities prevalent in education, but little is known of NCLB's effect on students in special education. This study assesses the impact of NCLB on special education by asking educators, administrators, and staff who serve students in special…

  19. Key Informant Interviews with Coordinators of Special Events Conducted to Increase Cancer Screening in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Escoffery, Cam; Rodgers, Kirsten; Kegler, Michelle C.; Haardörfer, Regine; Howard, David; Roland, Katherine B.; Wilson, Katherine M.; Castro, Georgina; Rodriguez, Juan

    2014-01-01

    Special events such as health fairs, cultural festivals and charity runs are commonly employed in the community to increase cancer screening; however, little is known about their effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to assess the activities, screening outcomes, barriers and recommendations of special events to increase breast, cervical and…

  20. Comparative Outcomes of Two Instructional Models for Students with Learning Disabilities: Inclusion with Co-Teaching and Solo-Taught Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tremblay, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    We compared two instructional models (co-teaching inclusion and solo-taught special education) for students with learning disabilities (LD) with regard to their effect on academic achievement and class attendance. Twelve inclusive classes (experimental group) and 13 special education classes (control group) participated in the study. In grade 1,…

  1. The physiological costs of prey switching reinforce foraging specialization.

    PubMed

    Hooker, Oliver E; Van Leeuwen, Travis E; Adams, Colin E

    2017-05-01

    Sympatric speciation is thought to be strongly linked to resource specialization with alternative resource use acting as a fundamental agent driving divergence. However, sympatric speciation through niche expansion is dependent on foraging specialization being consistent over space and time. Standard metabolic rate is the minimal maintenance metabolic rate of an ectotherm in a post-absorptive and inactive state and can constitute a significant portion of an animal's energy budget; thus, standard metabolic rate and growth rate are two measures frequently used as an indication of the physiological performance of individuals. Physiological adaptations to a specific diet may increase the efficiency with which it is utilized, but may have an increased cost associated with switching diets, which may result in a reduced standard metabolic rate and growth rate. In this study, we use the diet specialization often seen in polymorphic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) populations to study the effects of different prey on standard metabolic rate and growth rate as well as the effects that early prey specialization may have on the ability to process other prey types efficiently. We found a significant effect of prey type on standard metabolic rate and growth rate. Furthermore, we found evidence of diet specialization with all fish maintaining a standard metabolic rate and growth rate lower than expected when fed on a diet different to which they were raised, possibly due to a maladaptation in digestion of alternative prey items. Our results show that early diet specialization may be reinforced by the elevated costs of prey switching, thus promoting the process of resource specialization during the incipient stages of sympatric divergence. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

  2. The Effects of, Lined Paper, Prompting, Tracing, Rewards, and Fading to Increase Handwriting Performance and Legibility with Two Preschool Special Education Students Diagnosed with Developmental Delays, and Fine Motor Deficits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Erin; McLaughlin, T. F.; Neyman, Jennifer; Rinaldi, Lisa

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to examine the effects of tracing and fading prompts to improve the handwriting of two preschoolers both diagnosed as Developmentally Delayed (DD) and one of whom had fine motor goals. The study took place in a self-contained special education public preschool classroom located in the Pacific Northwest. The results showed…

  3. Wisconsin study on the impact of OSOW vehicles on complex bridges.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-03-31

    Special purpose freight vehicles, which may weigh six times the normal legal limit, request special government permits for travel : along selected highway routes. It is difficult for transportation agencies to determine the effects of these vehicles ...

  4. A Professional Development on Autism Spectrum Disorders for Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, LaShunda

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of a 2-day professional development for special education teachers of students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The professional development included general knowledge of ASDs and teaching strategies that could be used in the classroom to assist children with ASDs. This study also ascertained teachers'…

  5. Testing a Model of Special Educators' Intent to Stay in Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, Lawrence H.; Billingsley, Bonnie S.

    1994-01-01

    This study used path analysis to examine the effects of work-related factors--including principal support, stress, role problems, job satisfaction, and commitment--on 542 Virginia special educators' expressions of intent to stay in teaching. The study concluded that these work-related variables should be included in strategies for retaining…

  6. 75 FR 65503 - Odessa Subarea Special Study; Adams, Franklin, Grant, and Lincoln Counties, Washington INT-DES 10-54

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-25

    ... Draft EIS for the Odessa Subarea Special Study. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is a... associated economic and other effects, Congress has funded Reclamation to investigate this problem. Ecology... (HB 2860) that directs Ecology to aggressively pursue development of water benefiting both instream...

  7. Parent Involvement in 3rd Grade Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Batt, Christine

    2011-01-01

    The focus of this study was to investigate how parent involvement impacts student motivation in third grade special education. The study was conducted at Allen Elementary in Genoa, Ohio during the spring of 2011. After reviewing recent literature, it acknowledges the importance of parent participation on student academic education, the effects of…

  8. Challenging Behaviour: Principals' Experience of Stress and Perception of the Effects of Challenging Behaviour on Staff in Special Schools in Ireland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Aine; Carey, Sean; McCarthy, Siobhan; Coyle, Ciaran

    2007-01-01

    This paper examines the sources of stress and the effects of managing challenging behaviour on principals of special schools in Ireland, including schools for pupils with an intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability and physical and sensory disability, and children of traveller families. In this study principals…

  9. The Effects of Secondary Special Education Preparation in Reading: Research to Inform State Policy in a New Era

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knackstedt, Kimberly M.; Leko, Melinda M.; Siuty, Molly Baustien

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the authors present findings from a survey of 577 secondary special educators in a large Midwestern state regarding their reading pre-service and in-service teacher preparation and its effect on teachers' sense of preparedness for teaching reading to adolescents with disabilities. Six models were fitted using multinomial logistic…

  10. The Effects of Linear and Modified Linear Programed Materials on the Achievement of Slow Learners in Tenth Grade BSCS Special Materials Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moody, John Charles

    Assessed were the effects of linear and modified linear programed materials on the achievement of slow learners in tenth grade Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) Special Materials biology. Two hundred and six students were randomly placed into four programed materials formats: linear programed materials, modified linear program with…

  11. The Quality and Effects of Secondary Transition Plans on Special Education Graduates' Postsecondary Outcomes and Their Effects on Secondary Transition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Vickie

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not the implementation of special education graduates' secondary transition plans by a team of supporters such as teachers, parents, administrators, and postsecondary mentors were well-constructed and in alignment with the graduates' high school curriculum and intended postsecondary goals, as…

  12. Prospective Teachers' Comprehension Levels of Special Relativity Theory and the Effect of Writing for Learning on Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yildiz, Ali

    2012-01-01

    In the present study, the comprehension levels of special relativity theory in prospective teachers who take the Introduction to Modern Physics lesson in the faculty of education science teaching department and the effect of writing for learning on their achievement is researched. In the research, a control group pre-test post-test…

  13. Special effects used in creating 3D animated scenes-part 1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Avramescu, A. M.

    2015-11-01

    In present, with the help of computer, we can create special effects that look so real that we almost don't perceive them as being different. These special effects are somehow hard to differentiate from the real elements like those on the screen. With the increasingly accesible 3D field that has more and more areas of application, the 3D technology goes easily from architecture to product designing. Real like 3D animations are used as means of learning, for multimedia presentations of big global corporations, for special effects and even for virtual actors in movies. Technology, as part of the movie art, is considered a prerequisite but the cinematography is the first art that had to wait for the correct intersection of technological development, innovation and human vision in order to attain full achievement. Increasingly more often, the majority of industries is using 3D sequences (three dimensional). 3D represented graphics, commercials and special effects from movies are all designed in 3D. The key for attaining real visual effects is to successfully combine various distinct elements: characters, objects, images and video scenes; like all these elements represent a whole that works in perfect harmony. This article aims to exhibit a game design from these days. Considering the advanced technology and futuristic vision of designers, nowadays we have different and multifarious game models. Special effects are decisively contributing in the creation of a realistic three-dimensional scene. These effects are essential for transmitting the emotional state of the scene. Creating the special effects is a work of finesse in order to achieve high quality scenes. Special effects can be used to get the attention of the onlooker on an object from a scene. Out of the conducted study, the best-selling game of the year 2010 was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This way, the article aims for the presented scene to be similar with many locations from this type of games, more precisely, a place from the Middle East, a very popular subject among game developers.

  14. Key Influences on Special Education Teachers' Intentions to Leave: The Effects of Administrative Support and Teacher Team Efficacy in a Mediational Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conley, Sharon; You, Sukkyung

    2017-01-01

    The subject of special education teachers' intentions to leave has been a longstanding concern of researchers and practitioners. This paper reports on a study that examined the workplace predictors of teachers' intentions to leave for a nationally representative USA sample of 2,060 secondary school special education teachers (with students aged…

  15. The Relationship between the Level of Special Education Instructional Support Segments and the Academic Achievement of Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, MaryKay Buchko

    2012-01-01

    Researchers have extensively studied the effects of placement on academic and behavioral interventions for students with disabilities and have found varying results. A correlational research design was used to determine if there was a relationship between the level of special education support (amount of time spent with special education support)…

  16. Study on cold forming of special fasteners using finite element method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsia, Shao-Yi; Chou, Yu-Tuan; Yang, Chun-Chieh

    2013-12-01

    The cold forming plays an important role in the field of fasteners. It can be extended to the automotive industry, construction, aerospace and 3C products. This study used Deform-3D analysis software to investigate the effect of the preforms for standard hex nuts. The effective stress, effective strain, velocity field and other information could be obtained from the numerical simulation. The outcome was verified with the physical phenomena and experiments. Furthermore, the analytical process can also be used to explore the forming technology of the special shaped nuts. When comparing to the standard hex nuts during the different stages, the optimized cold forming parameters could be extracted from the simulation and adopted to improve the performance of manufacturing for the special shaped nuts. The results can help the multi-pass processing factory to establish a cold forming capacity in the development of new products. Consequence, the ability of self-design and self-manufacture for special shaped fasteners in Taiwan would be increased widely to enhance the international competition of domestic industries.

  17. Individual and hospital-specific factors influencing medical graduates' time to medical specialization.

    PubMed

    Johannessen, Karl-Arne; Hagen, Terje P

    2013-11-01

    Previous studies of gender differences in relation to medical specialization have focused more on social variables than hospital-specific factors. In a multivariate analysis with extended Cox regression, we used register data for socio-demographic variables (gender, family and having a child born during the study period) together with hospital-specific variables (the amount of supervision available, efficiency pressure and the type of teaching hospital) to study the concurrent effect of these variables on specialty qualification among all 2474 Norwegian residents who began specialization in 1999-2001. We followed the residents until 2010. A lower proportion of women qualified for a specialty in the study period (67.9% compared with 78.7% of men, p < 0.001), and they took on average six months longer than men did to complete the specialization qualification (p < 0.01). Fewer women than men entered specialties providing emergency services and those with longer working hours, and women worked shorter hours than men in all specialties. Hospital factors were significant predictors for the timely attainment of specialization: working at university hospitals (regional) or central hospitals was associated with a reduction in the time taken to complete the specialization, whereas an increased patient load and less supervision had the opposite effect. Multivariate analysis showed that the smaller proportion of women who qualified for a specialty was explained principally by childbirth and by the number of children aged under 18 years. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A Comparison of Burnout among Honors, Regular Education, and Special Education K-8 Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharpe, Christopher

    2017-01-01

    This study employed a quantitative, ex-post facto non-experimental design to examine the effect of whether teaching honors, regular, or special education classes in either an elementary or middle school setting influenced the experience of teacher burnout. Participants included 69 teachers from two counties in a Southern state. The study survey…

  19. [Experience of the development special medical technical laboratory for studies of effects caused by potent electromagnetic radiation in biologic objects].

    PubMed

    Gorodetsky, B N; Kalyada, T V; Petrov, S V

    2015-01-01

    This article covers topics of creating special medical technical laboratory for medial and biologic studies concerning influence of potent high-frequency elecromagnetic radiation on various biologic objects. The authors gave example of such laboratory, described its construction features, purpose and main characteristics of the included devices.

  20. Could Sport Specialization Influence Fitness and Health of Adults with Mental Retardation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guidetti, Laura; Franciosi, Emanuele; Gallotta, Maria Chiara; Emerenziani, Gian Pietro; Baldari, Carlo

    2010-01-01

    Although several studies showed the positive effects of exercise and physical activity on health and well-being for individuals with ID, there is a lack of information about the influence of sport specialization on fitness and health components. Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess: (a) physical fitness of athletes with intellectual…

  1. Using a Core Vocabulary Intervention to Improve Communication of Students Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riccelli-Sherman, Angela

    2017-01-01

    This study measured the impact of core vocabulary selection and core vocabulary use on overall communication effectiveness and literacy. In this study, 30 kindergarten special education students, both male and female, who were enrolled in the Developmental Kindergarten program (a self-contained special education classroom) and Inclusive…

  2. Attitudes of Parents towards Inclusive Education: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Boer, Anke; Pijl, Sip Jan; Minnaert, Alexander

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this study is to review literature about parents' attitudes towards inclusive education. Special attention is paid to parents' attitudes and to the effect of these on the social participation of children with special needs in regular schools. A review of the literature resulted in 10 studies showing that the majority of parents hold…

  3. The Perception of Special Education Teachers Regarding the Effects of NCLB and IDEA on the Academic Achievement of Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westlove, Michael W.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate and determine how special education teachers perceived the effectiveness and impact of NCLB and IDEA on the academic achievement of high school students with disabilities. The purpose of the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA)…

  4. The Effect of Classical Music on Painting Quality and Classroom Behaviour for Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities in Special Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waugh, Russell F.; Riddoch, Jane V.

    2007-01-01

    There are few studies measuring the effects on painting quality of playing background classical music at special schools. Primary students with severe intellectual disabilities (N=24) were taught abstract painting in a two-part method. The first part involved a Pictorial Only method and the second, immediately following it, involved a Pictorial…

  5. Special Education Teacher Knowledge of Literacy: An Analysis of Two Preparation Programs' Effectiveness in Increasing Subject-Matter Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    James, Susanne M.

    2011-01-01

    Special educators' knowledge of reading concepts are not only influenced by their understanding of the subject matter, but also by an amalgam of content and pedagogy that enables teachers to integrate this information to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities. This study documented the conceptual knowledge that special education…

  6. The Effects of Specialization and Sex on Anterior Y-Balance Performance in High School Athletes.

    PubMed

    Miller, Madeline M; Trapp, Jessica L; Post, Eric G; Trigsted, Stephanie M; McGuine, Timothy A; Brooks, M Alison; Bell, David R

    Sport specialization and movement asymmetry have been separately discussed as potential risk factors for lower extremity injury. Early specialization may lead to the development of movement asymmetries that can predispose an athlete to injury, but this has not been thoroughly examined. Athletes rated as specialized would exhibit greater between-limb anterior reach asymmetry and decreased anterior reach distance on the Y-balance test (YBT) as compared with nonspecialized high school athletes, and these differences would not be dependent on sex. Cross-sectional study. Level 3. Two hundred ninety-five athletes (117 male, 178 female; mean age, 15.6 ± 1.2 years) from 2 local high schools participating in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis responded to a questionnaire regarding sport specialization status and performed trials of the YBT during preseason testing. Specialization was categorized according to 3 previously utilized specialization classification methods (single/multisport, 3-point scale, and 6-point scale), and interactions between specialization and sex with Y-balance performance were calculated using 2-way analyses of variance. Single-sport male athletes displayed greater anterior reach asymmetry than other interaction groups. A consistent main effect was observed for sex, with men displaying greater anterior asymmetry and decreased anterior reach distance than women. However, the interaction effects of specialization and sex on anterior Y-balance performance varied based on the classification method used. Single-sport male athletes displayed greater anterior reach asymmetry on the YBT than multisport and female athletes. Specialization classification method is important because the 6- and 3-point scales may not accurately identify balance abnormalities. Male athletes performed worse than female athletes on both of the Y-balance tasks. Clinicians should be aware that single-sport male athletes may display deficits in dynamic balance, potentially increasing their risk of injury.

  7. High school teachers' perspectives on effective approaches for teaching biology to students with special needs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kos, Agnieszka

    The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 15 high school teachers in a Midwestern school district. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding procedures in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Essential model components included skills and training for teachers, classroom management strategies, teaching strategies, and student skills. The emergent substantive theory indicated that that teacher preparation and acquired skills greatly influence the effectiveness of inclusion implementation. Key findings also indicated the importance of using of a variety of instructional strategies and classroom management strategies that address students' special needs and their learning styles. This study contributes to social change by providing a model for teaching students and effectively implementing inclusion in regular science classrooms. Following further study, this model may be used to support teacher professional development and improve teaching practices that in turn may improve science literacy supported by the national educational reforms.

  8. 29 CFR 520.409 - When will authority to pay apprentices special minimum wages become effective and what is the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... wages become effective and what is the special minimum wage rate? 520.409 Section 520.409 Labor... apprentices special minimum wages become effective and what is the special minimum wage rate? (a) An... Division. (b) The wage rate specified by the apprenticeship program becomes the special minimum wage rate...

  9. Parent education programmes for special health care needs children: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Alun C; Liang, Rachel P-T; Frydenberg, Erica; Higgins, Rosemary O; Murphy, Barbara M

    2016-06-01

    The aim of this review was to examine parent education programmes for families with children with special health care needs, to better design interventions focusing on the psychosocial aspects of living with a child's chronic condition. Studies of familial coping with children with special health care needs indicate high levels of parenting stress, with families with children with special health care needs at risk of major psychological and social disturbances and financial strain. Despite increased knowledge of the factors affecting children with special health care needs themselves, evidence for the effectiveness of preventative and treatment interventions in the form of parent education programmes remains limited. Systematic review using PRISMA guidelines. Multi database Boolean searches in EBSCO Discovery Services using the search terms 'complex/special health care needs children', 'child/pediatric/congenital heart disease', 'chronic illness (including diabetes, cancer and cystic fibrosis)', 'family coping', 'siblings' AND 'parenting/family support programs' were conducted. Analysis of 13 included studies showed evidence for the effectiveness of both mixed-health condition and condition-specific parenting programmes delivered in a variety of modes. Three common core intervention approaches were: use of narrative therapy enabling families to tell their own stories, thus facilitating emotional processing and (co-) construction of meaning; a focus on strengthening protective factors such as enhancing parents' skills in communication, and behavioural management and provision of psycho-education to deepen parents' understanding of their child's condition and associated developmental challenges. Irrespective of the type of outcome measures used in the studies, the review showed that there were positive gains and improvements across a range of areas of family functioning such as mental health, parenting, communication and problem-solving skills postprogramme. Identification of what programme characteristics enhance functioning for families with children with special health care needs should encourage the design of effective interventions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. 42 CFR 93.50 - Special terms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special terms. 93.50 Section 93.50 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH...

  11. 42 CFR 93.50 - Special terms.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Special terms. 93.50 Section 93.50 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH...

  12. The Effects of a Growth Mindset Intervention on Self-Efficacy and Motivation of Adolescent Special Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhew, Emily A.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a growth intervention would improve adolescent special education students' self-efficacy and motivation. The research was conducted in a middle school in the Northeast from January 2016 to June 2016. The convenience sample for this study comprised of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students…

  13. A Research Study on Special College Counseling for Non-White and Disadvantaged Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Sodonia M.

    The first follow-up study of the Special College Counseling Program had four objectives: (1) to show specifically what has happened to graduates in three high schools in the district in one year; (2) to show specifically what has happened to graduates in all high schools in the district in one year; (3) to evaluate counseling effectiveness by…

  14. Effects of a Special Olympics Unified Sports Soccer Program on Psycho-Social Attributes of Youth with and without Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozer, D.; Baran, F.; Aktop, A.; Nalbant, S.; Aglamis, E.; Hutzler, Y.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a Special Olympics (SO) Unified Sports (UNS) soccer program on psycho-social attributes of youth with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Participants were 76 male youth with (n = 38) and without (n = 38) ID. Participants with ID were randomly allocated into a SO athletes group (n…

  15. Optical phase plates as a creative medium for special effects in images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaoulov, Vesselin I.; Meyer, Catherine; Argotti, Yann; Rolland, Jannick P.

    2001-12-01

    A new paradigm and methods for special effects in images were recently proposed by artist and movie producer Steven Hylen. Based on these methods, images resembling painting may be formed using optical phase plates. The role of the mathematical and optical properties of the phase plates is studied in the development of these new art forms. Results of custom software as well as ASAP simulations are presented.

  16. Impact of a transposon insertion in phzF2 on the specialized metabolite production and interkingdom interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Phelan, Vanessa V; Moree, Wilna J; Aguilar, Julieta; Cornett, Dale S; Koumoutsi, Alexandra; Noble, Suzanne M; Pogliano, Kit; Guerrero, Carlos A; Dorrestein, Pieter C

    2014-05-01

    In microbiology, gene disruption and subsequent experiments often center on phenotypic changes caused by one class of specialized metabolites (quorum sensors, virulence factors, or natural products), disregarding global downstream metabolic effects. With the recent development of mass spectrometry-based methods and technologies for microbial metabolomics investigations, it is now possible to visualize global production of diverse classes of microbial specialized metabolites simultaneously. Using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) applied to the analysis of microbiology experiments, we can observe the effects of mutations, knockouts, insertions, and complementation on the interactive metabolome. In this study, a combination of IMS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to visualize the impact on specialized metabolite production of a transposon insertion into a Pseudomonas aeruginosa phenazine biosynthetic gene, phzF2. The disruption of phenazine biosynthesis led to broad changes in specialized metabolite production, including loss of pyoverdine production. This shift in specialized metabolite production significantly alters the metabolic outcome of an interaction with Aspergillus fumigatus by influencing triacetylfusarinine production.

  17. Impact of a Transposon Insertion in phzF2 on the Specialized Metabolite Production and Interkingdom Interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    Phelan, Vanessa V.; Moree, Wilna J.; Aguilar, Julieta; Cornett, Dale S.; Koumoutsi, Alexandra; Noble, Suzanne M.; Pogliano, Kit; Guerrero, Carlos A.

    2014-01-01

    In microbiology, gene disruption and subsequent experiments often center on phenotypic changes caused by one class of specialized metabolites (quorum sensors, virulence factors, or natural products), disregarding global downstream metabolic effects. With the recent development of mass spectrometry-based methods and technologies for microbial metabolomics investigations, it is now possible to visualize global production of diverse classes of microbial specialized metabolites simultaneously. Using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) applied to the analysis of microbiology experiments, we can observe the effects of mutations, knockouts, insertions, and complementation on the interactive metabolome. In this study, a combination of IMS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to visualize the impact on specialized metabolite production of a transposon insertion into a Pseudomonas aeruginosa phenazine biosynthetic gene, phzF2. The disruption of phenazine biosynthesis led to broad changes in specialized metabolite production, including loss of pyoverdine production. This shift in specialized metabolite production significantly alters the metabolic outcome of an interaction with Aspergillus fumigatus by influencing triacetylfusarinine production. PMID:24532776

  18. The Effect of Special Teaching Methods Class on the Level of Teachers' Self-Efficacy Perception of Pre-Service Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gökdag Baltaoglu, Meltem

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the change in the level of teachers' self-efficacy perception of primary school Social Studies pre-service teachers who take the special teaching methods class. Single group pretest-posttest model from pre-experimental patterns was applied in the research. The study group of the research consisted of 59…

  19. FDA working to ensure the safety of medical devices used in the pediatric population.

    PubMed

    Flack, Marilyn Neder; Gross, Thomas P; Reid, Joy Samuels; Mills, Thalia T; Francis, Jacqueline

    2012-12-01

    Special initiatives exist in FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical products used in the vulnerable pediatric population. This article focuses on the special programs, projects, and special studies implemented by CDRH to ensure this safety and effectiveness in devices used in pediatric patients throughout the devices' total product life-cycles. Pediatricians play a major role in keeping medical devices safe for use in children by reporting device problems to FDA. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. The Technique of Special Effects in Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilkie, Bernard

    Television, with its special need for movement and continuous shooting, often demands different special effects techniques from those used in films. This book covers the techniques used to create special effects for television which meet these requirements and which also require less time and money than many film techniques. Included are…

  1. Cultivating a Community of Effective Special Education Teachers: Local Special Education Administrators' Roles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bettini, Elizabeth; Benedict, Amber; Thomas, Rachel; Kimerling, Jenna; Choi, Nari; McLeskey, James

    2017-01-01

    Evidence of the powerful impact teachers have on student achievement has led to an intensive focus on cultivating effective teachers, including special education teachers (SETs). Local special education administrators (LSEAs) share responsibility for cultivating effective SETs throughout their districts. However, the roles LSEAs play in this…

  2. Mindfulness training effects for parents and educators of children with special needs.

    PubMed

    Benn, Rita; Akiva, Tom; Arel, Sari; Roeser, Robert W

    2012-09-01

    Parents and teachers of children with special needs face unique social-emotional challenges in carrying out their caregiving roles. Stress associated with these roles impacts parents' and special educators' health and well-being, as well as the quality of their parenting and teaching. No rigorous studies have assessed whether mindfulness training (MT) might be an effective strategy to reduce stress and cultivate well-being and positive caregiving in these adults. This randomized controlled study assessed the efficacy of a 5-week MT program for parents and educators of children with special needs. Participants receiving MT showed significant reductions in stress and anxiety and increased mindfulness, self-compassion, and personal growth at program completion and at 2 months follow-up in contrast to waiting-list controls. Relational competence also showed significant positive changes, with medium-to-large effect sizes noted on measures of empathic concern and forgiveness. MT significantly influenced caregiving competence specific to teaching. Mindfulness changes at program completion mediated outcomes at follow-up, suggesting its importance in maintaining emotional balance and facilitating well-being in parents and teachers of children with developmental challenges. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  3. Nutritional status among older residents with dementia in open versus special care units in municipal nursing homes: an observational study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Undernutrition is widespread among institutionalised elderly, and people suffering from dementia are at particularly high risk. Many elderly with dementia live in open units or in special care units in nursing homes. It is not known whether special care units have an effect on the nutritional status of the residents. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the nutritional status of residents with dementia in both open units and in special care units. Methods Among Oslo’s 29 municipal nursing homes, 21 participated with 358 residents with dementia or cognitive impairment, of which 46% lived in special care units. Nutritional status was assessed using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and anthropometry. Results We found no differences (p > 0.05) in risk of undernutrition, body mass index, mid-upper arm muscle circumference or triceps skinfold thickness between residents in open units and those in special care units. Residents in special care units were significantly younger and stronger when measured with a hand-grip test. Conclusions We found no difference in nutritional status between nursing home residents with dementia/cognitive impairment in open units versus in special care units. PMID:23496975

  4. Small scale homelike special care units and traditional special care units: effects on cognition in dementia; a longitudinal controlled intervention study.

    PubMed

    Kok, Jeroen S; van Heuvelen, Marieke J G; Berg, Ina J; Scherder, Erik J A

    2016-02-16

    Evidence shows that living in small scale homelike Special Care Units (SCU) has positive effects on behavioural and psychological symptoms of patients with dementia. Effects on cognitive functioning in relation to care facilities, however, are scarcely investigated. The purpose of this study is to gain more insight into the effects of living in small scale homelike Special Care Units, compared to regular SCU's, on the course of cognitive functioning in dementia. A group of 67 patients with dementia who moved from a regular SCU to a small scale homelike SCU and a group of 48 patients with dementia who stayed in a regular SCU participated in the study. Cognitive and behavioural functioning was assessed by means of a neuropsychological test battery and observation scales one month before (baseline), as well as 3 (post) and 6 months (follow-up) after relocation. Comparing the post and follow-up measurement with the baseline measurement, no significant differences on separate measures of cognitive functioning between both groups were found. Additional analyses, however, on 'domain clusters' revealed that global cognitive functioning of the small scale homelike SCU group showed significantly less cognitive decline three months after the transfer (p < 0.05). Effect sizes (95% CI) show a tendency for better aspects of cognition in favour of the homelike small scaled SCU group, i.e., visual memory, picture recognition, cognitive decline as observed by representatives and the clustered domains episodic memory and global cognitive functioning. While there is no significant longitudinal effect on the progression of cognitive decline comparing small scaled homelike SCU's with regular SCU's for patients with dementia, analyses on the domain clusters and effect sizes cautiously suggest differences in favour of the small scaled homelike SCU for different aspects of cognition.

  5. Management of patients with Alzheimer's disease in long-term care facilities.

    PubMed

    Maas, M

    1988-03-01

    The care of residents with AD in long-term care facilities presents a number of challenges to nursing staff. The institutionalized person with AD displays a number of behaviors that are difficult to manage on traditional, integrated nursing units. In these units, behaviors such as wandering and falling are often managed by chemical and physical restraints. Multiple, complex stimuli, common on integrated units, contribute to the confusion and disorientation experienced by residents with AD. An alternative setting, the special-care unit designed specifically to meet the needs of residents with AD, has been described. Special-care units modify the environment of the traditional nursing unit to promote the safety of demented residents. The units are an attempt to reduce or control the amount of sensory stimulation in order to prevent catastrophic behaviors in the residents and maximize patient functioning. Staff on special-care units are selected specifically for their commitment to the unique care demands required by residents with AD. Ordinarily, staff in long-term care settings need specialized education to provide this care. A research project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a special-care unit was also described. This research is valuable to residents with AD, their families, managers, and policy makers of long-term care institutions concerned with the effective use of resources. Considerable costs are involved in the construction and staffing of special-care units. However, the potential costs and threats to quality of care associated with care of residents with AD on traditional units make it imperative to evaluate the effectiveness of special-care units. With the increasing number of persons expected to develop AD, nurses, managers of long-term care facilities, and policy makers are faced with the difficult prospect of determining the most effective means of caring for these residents. Because there have been no definitive, comprehensive studies of special care units, there is an absence of empiric support for the many proposed advantages. Few studies have used systematic measurement techniques or measures with established reliability and validity. Given the growing number of elderly persons in the United States and the expected growth in the number of nursing home residents with AD, it is important to establish the value of special treatment units for residents with AD.

  6. The Development and Validation of a Special Education Intelligent Administration Support Program. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Utah State Univ., Logan. Center for Persons with Disabilities.

    This project studied the effects of implementing a computerized management information system developed for special education administrators. The Intelligent Administration Support Program (IASP), an expert system and database program, assisted in information acquisition and analysis pertaining to the district's quality of decisions and procedures…

  7. The Effect of Special Education Coursework upon the Preparation of Preservice Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powers, P. J.

    The free appropriate public education (FAPE) of handicapped learners in the least restrictive environment as well as the Regular Education Initiative (REI) have resulted in many states requiring introductory level special education coursework for all preservice teacher education. This study was conducted to determine if minimally required…

  8. 42 CFR 93.318 - Notifying ORI of special circumstances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Notifying ORI of special circumstances. 93.318 Section 93.318 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

  9. 42 CFR 93.318 - Notifying ORI of special circumstances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Notifying ORI of special circumstances. 93.318 Section 93.318 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

  10. 42 CFR 93.318 - Notifying ORI of special circumstances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Notifying ORI of special circumstances. 93.318 Section 93.318 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

  11. 42 CFR 93.318 - Notifying ORI of special circumstances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Notifying ORI of special circumstances. 93.318 Section 93.318 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

  12. 42 CFR 93.318 - Notifying ORI of special circumstances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Notifying ORI of special circumstances. 93.318 Section 93.318 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

  13. Beginning Special Education Teachers: At Risk for Attrition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karge, Belinda Dunnick; Freiberg, Melissa R.

    Recognizing the importance of early experience to job satisfaction and commitment, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of support from administration on the induction and retention of 457 beginning public school, special education teachers. Secondary analysis techniques were applied to information derived from the 1987-88 cross…

  14. "A Step Above the Rest..." Specialized Middle Level Preparation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giebelhaus, Carmen R.

    Teachers who had received a specialized preparation for middle level teaching were studied to determine the effectiveness of such a preparation program and to help form a knowledge base from which teacher education institutions could document, design, and implement middle level preparation programs. The paper reviews the literature investigating…

  15. Cost Effectiveness of Alternative Route Special Education Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sindelar, Paul T.; Dewey, James F.; Rosenberg, Michael S.; Corbett, Nancy L.; Denslow, David; Lotfinia, Babik

    2012-01-01

    In this study, the authors estimated costs of alternative route preparation to provide states a basis for allocating training funds to maximize production. Thirty-one special education alternative route program directors were interviewed and completed cost tables. Two hundred and twenty-four program graduates were also surveyed. The authors…

  16. Training and Resource Needs of Teachers Who Provide HIV Education to Special Population Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sawyer, Richard J.; Blake, Susan; Ledsky, Rebecca; Goodenow, Carol; Evans, Doug

    2004-01-01

    This study identified substantial training and resource needs for special education (SPED), transitional bilingual education/ English as a Second Language (TBE/ESL), and general education (GENED) HIV education teachers relative to providing appropriate, effective HIV education to students with disabilities (SWD) and language minority/Limited…

  17. How Expert Special Educators Effectively Negotiate Their Job Demands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortogero, Shawna P.; Black, Rhonda S.; Cook, Bryan G.

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative case study explored how three expert secondary special education teachers in Hawaii successfully negotiated their job demands. Purposeful sampling was used to select one secondary school on the Leeward coast of Oahu. We used reputational-case sampling to select participants that fit Dreyfus and Dreyfus' (1980) expert theoretical…

  18. Effectiveness of a multimodal inpatient treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa in comparison with adults: an analysis of a specialized inpatient setting : treatment of adolescent and adult anorexics.

    PubMed

    Naab, Silke; Schlegl, Sandra; Korte, Alexander; Heuser, Joerg; Fumi, Markus; Fichter, Manfred; Cuntz, Ulrich; Voderholzer, Ulrich

    2013-06-01

    There is evidence for an increased prevalence and an earlier onset of anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescents. Early specialized treatment may improve prognosis and decrease the risk of a chronic course. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of a multimodal inpatient treatment for adolescent AN patients treated in a highly specialized eating disorder unit for adults. 177 adolescents and 1,064 adult patients were included. The evaluation focused on eating behavior, depressive symptoms and general psychopathology. All measured variables decreased significantly in both groups during inpatient treatment. No differences were found concerning weight gain, improvement of global eating disorder symptomatology as well as depressive symptoms. However, adults showed a higher psychological distress and in this regard also a greater improvement. Results indicate that treating adolescent AN patients in a highly specialized eating disorder unit for adults can be an effective treatment setting for these patients.

  19. Specialization in and within sexual offending in England and Wales.

    PubMed

    Howard, Philip D; Barnett, Georgia D; Mann, Ruth E

    2014-06-01

    Existing evidence suggests that offenders tend not to specialize in sexual offending in general but that there is some specialization in particular types of sexual offending. This study examined the sexual histories and reoffending of a large, national data set of offenders convicted of a sexual offense and managed in England and Wales by the National Offender Management Service (N = 14,804). The study found that specialization in sexual offending compared to nonsexual offending was most evident for offenders with convictions for accessing indecent images. We also found considerable evidence of specialization within sexual offending, most notably for noncontact offenders, especially again indecent images offenders. Crossover between sexual offense types was very rare for those with contact adult offenses and for noncontact offenders although those with child contact offenses sometimes crossed over to indecent images reoffending. If specialization within sexual offending exists, the use of single risk assessment instruments to predict all types of sexual recidivism may be less effective than previously assumed. A comparison of different prediction models indicated that some items presently used in one-size-fits-all risk tools to predict any sexual reoffending only effectively predict certain subtypes of sexual offending. Statistically there appear to be some potential benefits to creating specialist risk predictors for different subtypes of offending, but further work is needed to justify the implementation demands that would be caused by abandoning one-size-fits-all tools.

  20. The Role of Special Education Administrators in Addressing Contextual Factors When Implementing Comprehensive School Reform in Response to the Mandate of the No Child Left behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darensbourg, Kennith Houston

    2011-01-01

    This study is designed to identify the effective implementation practices that special education administrators enact to alleviate the negative and enforce the positive effects of contextual factors when implementing comprehensive school reform. Two research questions were designed to address this issue. Research Question One sought to identify…

  1. Effects of the Copy, Cover, and Compare Procedure on the Math and Spelling Performance of a High School Student with Behavioral Disorder: A Case Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cieslar, Whitney; McLaughlin, T. F.; Derby, K. Mark

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the copy, cover, and compare (CCC) procedure on improving the mathematics and spelling performance of a freshman attending a high school special education class. The participant was a 16-year-old high school student enrolled in special education classes for 3 periods of the school day. Math…

  2. Vocational and Special Education. Program Review. A Study Conducted on Behalf of the State of Alaska Department of Education--Dr. Marshall Lind, Commissioner.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martini and Associates, Ltd., Anchorage, AK.

    The State of Alaska Department of Education, through management consultants, conducted a study in eight selected school districts to ascertain the following: (1) effectiveness of vocational education programs offered at the secondary level, (2) adequacy of special education services provided to exceptional children at all levels, and (3)…

  3. The Challenges of Implementing Group Work in Primary School Classrooms and Including Pupils with Special Educational Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baines, Ed; Blatchford, Peter; Webster, Rob

    2015-01-01

    Findings from two studies are discussed in relation to the experiences and challenges faced by teachers trying to implement effective group work in schools and classrooms and to reflect on the lessons learnt about how to involve pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The first study reports on UK primary school teachers' experiences of…

  4. Implementation of Co-Teaching Approach in an Inclusive Classroom: Overview of the Challenges, Readiness, and Role of Special Education Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamdan, Abdul Rahim; Anuar, Muhammad Khairul; Khan, Aqeel

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the relationship aspect of the challenge, readiness, and the role of special education teacher (SET) in implementing common approaches in inclusive classrooms. Experiences as a moderator were used to see the effect of the co-teaching component. This study used a sampling method that involved 240…

  5. Computer Aided Self-Instruction Training with Impulsive Deaf Students and Learning Disabled Students: A Study on Teaching Reflective Thought. Education and Technology Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Donald S.; And Others

    Two studies examined the effectiveness of self-instruction training via a specially developed computer program to modify the impulsive problem-solving behavior of 16 deaf and 10 learning disabled (aphasic) adolescents attending two special residential schools in Canada. In the control condition, students learned the Apple LOGO computing language…

  6. Effective Transitional Plan from Secondary Education to Employment for Individuals with Learning Disabilities: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheong, Loh Sau; Yahya, Sharifah Zainiyah Syed

    2013-01-01

    One of the major goals in the education and training of individuals with special needs is to prepare them for independence. However, in the Malaysian context, parents who have special adolescents are in doubt as to what would be the future of their children soon after they have finished the vocational training. This case study explores the…

  7. A systematic review of special events to promote breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening in the United States.

    PubMed

    Escoffery, Cam; Rodgers, Kirsten C; Kegler, Michelle C; Haardörfer, Regine; Howard, David H; Liang, Shuting; Pinsker, Erika; Roland, Katherine B; Allen, Jennifer D; Ory, Marcia G; Bastani, Roshan; Fernandez, Maria E; Risendal, Betsy C; Byrd, Theresa L; Coronado, Gloria D

    2014-03-24

    Special events are common community-based strategies for health promotion. This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review on the impact of special events to promote breast, cervical or colorectal cancer education and screening. Articles in English that focused on special events involving breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer conducted in the U.S. and published between January 1990 and December 2011 were identified from seven databases: Ovid, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstract, Cochrane Libraries, and EconLit. Study inclusion and data extraction were independently validated by two researchers. Of the 20 articles selected for screening out of 1,409, ten articles on special events reported outcome data. Five types of special events were found: health fairs, parties, cultural events, special days, and plays. Many focused on breast cancer only, or in combination with other cancers. Reach ranged from 50-1732 participants. All special events used at least one evidence-based strategy suggested by the Community Guide to Preventive Services, such as small media, one-on-one education, and reducing structural barriers. For cancer screening as an outcome of the events, mammography screening rates ranged from 4.8% to 88%, Pap testing was 3.9%, and clinical breast exams ranged from 9.1% to 100%. For colorectal screening, FOBT ranged from 29.4% to 76%, and sigmoidoscopy was 100% at one event. Outcome measures included intentions to get screened, scheduled appointments, uptake of clinical exams, and participation in cancer screening. Special events found in the review varied and used evidence-based strategies. Screening data suggest that some special events can lead to increases in cancer screening, especially if they provide onsite screening services. However, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that special events are effective in increasing cancer screening. The heterogeneity of populations served, event activities, outcome variables assessed, and the reliance on self-report to measure screening limit conclusions. This study highlights the need for further research to determine the effectiveness of special events to increase cancer screening.

  8. Emotions and hemispheric specialization.

    PubMed

    Kyle, N L

    1988-09-01

    Studies of lateralization and specialization of brain function have increased our understanding of emotional processes in the brain. It has been said that the way in which we understand the emotional interrelatedness of brain layers and segments may have important effects on human society. Earlier studies of brain function, especially of limbic effects, suggested a dichotomous state of affairs between the phylogenetically older brain and the newer cortical areas--between affect and cognition. Such concepts are considered here in the light of specialization studies. From the beginning hemispheric laterality research has implicated emotionality and emotional pathology. It also appears that some limbic functions may be mediated in a lateralized fashion. Neuropsychologists have directed much work toward localization of function from its earliest stage; since the 1960s an emphasis has been on "mapping" of cortical functions in terms of psychopathologic disabilities. Various disability groups have been studied in this way, and it may be concluded that neuropsychologic measures are sensitive to changes in cerebral functioning and may have effective lateralizing and localizing ability under specified conditions. Studies of limbic effects in the brain emphasize their importance in emotional behavior but also their interrelatedness with other structures, for example, the frontal and temporal lobes, and particularly the right hemisphere. Studies of commissurotomy (split-brain) patients tend to bear out these relationships. In split-brain subjects the marked reduction in affective verbal and nonverbal behavior reflects the interruption of transcallosal impulses that normally permit emotional infusion of cortical structures to take place. These effects include verbal, visual, and auditory patterns that mediate the ability to decode complex nonverbal patterns and may result in a reduction of "inner speech," that is, symbollexia. They may further lead to a condition of "functional commissurotomy" in psychiatric patients with presumably intact brains. It would also appear that lateralization may be variable in terms of inhibitory and facilitative effects; emotional factors may play a part in this variability in some clinical cases in which functional or reactive features predominate, for example, in alexithymia. Ideas of hemispheric specialization have been extended to other areas of individual and social behavior. Creative ability has been understood by some authors to be a product of the relatively dynamic relationships existing between specialized areas of the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

  9. Prey diversity effects on ecosystem functioning depend on consumer identity and prey composition.

    PubMed

    Wohlgemuth, Daniel; Filip, Joanna; Hillebrand, Helmut; Moorthi, Stefanie D

    2017-07-01

    Consumer diversity effects on ecosystem functioning are highly context dependent and are determined by consumer specialization and other consumer and prey specific traits such as growth and grazing rates. Despite complex reciprocal interactions between consumers and their prey, few experimental studies have focused on prey diversity effects on consumer dynamics and trophic transfer. In microbial microcosms, we investigated effects of algal prey diversity (one, two and four species) on the production, evenness and grazing rates of 4 ciliate consumers, differing in grazing preferences and rates. Prey diversity increased prey biovolume in the absence of consumers and had opposing effects on different consumers, depending on their specialization and their preferred prey. Consumers profited from prey mixtures compared to monocultures of non-preferred prey, but responded negatively if preferred prey species were offered together with other species. Prey diversity increased consumer evenness by preventing dominance of specific consumers, demonstrating that the loss of prey species may have cascading effects resulting in reduced consumer diversity. Our study emphasizes that not only the degree of specialization but also the selectivity for certain prey species within the dietary niche may alter the consequences of changing prey diversity in a food web context.

  10. Escalator Design Features Evaluation

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-05-01

    This study provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of several special design features associated with escalators in rail transit systems. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of three escalator design features: (1) mat ope...

  11. Preface: Special Topic on Nuclear Quantum Effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tuckerman, Mark; Ceperley, David

    2018-03-01

    Although the observable universe strictly obeys the laws of quantum mechanics, in many instances, a classical description that either ignores quantum effects entirely or accounts for them at a very crude level is sufficient to describe a wide variety of phenomena. However, when this approximation breaks down, as is often the case for processes involving light nuclei, a full quantum treatment becomes indispensable. This Special Topic in The Journal of Chemical Physics showcases recent advances in our understanding of nuclear quantum effects in condensed phases as well as novel algorithmic developments and applications that have enhanced the capability to study these effects.

  12. Preface: Special Topic on Nuclear Quantum Effects.

    PubMed

    Tuckerman, Mark; Ceperley, David

    2018-03-14

    Although the observable universe strictly obeys the laws of quantum mechanics, in many instances, a classical description that either ignores quantum effects entirely or accounts for them at a very crude level is sufficient to describe a wide variety of phenomena. However, when this approximation breaks down, as is often the case for processes involving light nuclei, a full quantum treatment becomes indispensable. This Special Topic in The Journal of Chemical Physics showcases recent advances in our understanding of nuclear quantum effects in condensed phases as well as novel algorithmic developments and applications that have enhanced the capability to study these effects.

  13. A comparison of the effects of a special gynaecological garment and music in reducing the anxiety related to gynaecological examination.

    PubMed

    Kocabaş, Pembegül; Khorshid, Leyla

    2012-03-01

    To investigate the effect of a special gynaecological garment and music plus the special gynaecological garment on reducing the state anxiety related to gynaecological examination. Gynaecological examination is one of the most common anxiety-producing medical procedures and causes embarrassment and discomfort. Few studies have focused on the effect of a gynaecological garment on anxiety associated with gynaecological examinations. The patients were allocated to one of three groups, one control and two experimental. While the patients in the control group were subjected to the normal outpatient procedure, the patients in the first experimental group were dressed in a special gynaecological garment. In the control group, gynaecological examinations were performed with a traditional one-piece drape. In addition to wearing the special gynaecological garment, the women in the garment + music group listened to music during the gynaecological examination. The State Anxiety Inventory Form was applied to the patients in all three groups before and after gynaecological examination. The state anxiety level after gynaecological examination in patients in the control group was found to be higher, but it was found to be lower in patients in both the first experimental group (garment) and the second experimental group (garment + music). The state anxiety level was found to be more reduced in the experimental groups than in the control group. The state anxiety level after gynaecological examination was found to be higher in single patients in the second experimental group. The special gynaecological garments are effective in reducing the state anxiety associated with gynaecological examination. It should be taken into consideration that women perceived state anxiety during the gynaecological examinations. To allay anxiety associated with gynaecological examination in women, a special garment may be considered. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Impacts of the Boston prekindergarten program on the school readiness of young children with special needs.

    PubMed

    Weiland, Christina

    2016-11-01

    Theory and empirical work suggest inclusion preschool improves the school readiness of young children with special needs, but only 2 studies of the model have used rigorous designs that could identify causality. The present study examined the impacts of the Boston Public prekindergarten program-which combined proven language, literacy, and mathematics curricula with coaching-on the language, literacy, mathematics, executive function, and emotional skills of young children with special needs (N = 242). Children with special needs benefitted from the program in all examined domains. Effects were on par with or surpassed those of their typically developing peers. Results are discussed in the context of their relevance for policy, practice, and theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Perceptions and Attitudes of General and Special Education Teachers toward Collaborative Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Garletta

    2017-01-01

    In a Georgia middle school, general and special education teachers expressed concerns about the challenges of working collaboratively in the inclusive classroom. Effective teacher collaboration is pivotal to ensure academic success of all students. The purpose of this qualitative bounded instrumental case study was to explore middle school…

  16. A Parent-to-Parent Program in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Kae

    2018-01-01

    Parent-to-parent programs provide emotional and informational support to parents of children with special needs by matching trained and experienced parents with parents needing support. This study examined the implementation and effects of a Parent-to-Parent Program in Taiwan that supported 3 families of youngsters with special needs. Based on the…

  17. Reshaping the Role of a Special Educator into a Collaborative Learning Specialist

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Jennifer L.

    2016-01-01

    This article investigates the practices of effective collaboration and co-teaching among Special and General Educators as it relates to the social justice concept of inclusion. Data was gathered through interviews, faculty surveys, student surveys, and personal journal reflections. The study explores the key components to reshaping the role of a…

  18. Predictors of Sociometric Status for Low Socioeconomic Status Elementary Mainstreamed Students with and without Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baydik, Berrin; Bakkaloglu, Hatice

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to compare the sociometric status of low socioeconomic status elementary school students with and without special needs and investigate the effects of different variables (gender, age, physical appearance, social skills, behavior problems, and academic competence) on students' sociometric status. Elementary…

  19. Practicing Collaboration: What We Learn from a Cohort that Functions Well

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ross, Dorene D.; Stafford, Lynn; Church-Pupke, Penny; Bondy, Elizabeth

    2006-01-01

    Students in the Unified Elementary/Special Education Program at the University of Florida are organized into cohort groups, a common recommendation within the special education teacher education literature. Although highly effective in some instances, the literature also documents numerous problems in the use of cohorts. The current study was…

  20. Analysis of Student Loan Special Rate Allowances and Servicing Costs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Technology Management, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

    This document addresses two separate, though related aspects of the operation of the Guaranteed Student Loan Program (GSLP): (1) the mechanism for setting the special rate allowance (SRA); and (2) the effect of the operating requirements of the program on lender servicing costs. The study develops recommendations for improving both aspects of the…

  1. Implementing an Intervention in Special Education to Promote Social Skills in an Inclusive Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puckett, Kathleen; Mathur, Sarup R.; Zamora, Roxanne

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the effects of instruction, delivered in a special education classroom, to improve classroom behaviors and support the emergence of social skills in an inclusive classroom for two fourth grade male students with behavioral concerns. The intervention consisted of peer mentoring, interactive social narratives, video modeling and…

  2. Misconceptions about Traumatic Brain Injury among Students Preparing to Be Special Education Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hux, Karen; Bush, Erin; Evans, Kelli; Simanek, Gina

    2013-01-01

    The researchers performed a survey study to determine the effectiveness of collegiate programmes in dispelling common misconceptions about traumatic brain injury (TBI) while preparing undergraduate and graduate students for special education (SpEd) careers. Respondents included 136 undergraduate and 147 graduate SpEd students in their final…

  3. No Child Left Behind and Its Effect on Recruiting and Retaining Special Education Teachers in Rural South Carolina School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Deborah S.

    2010-01-01

    The study examined the No Child Left Behind Act as it relates to the recruiting and retention of special education teachers in rural school districts. The focus of the research was to examine those factors that have influenced teachers to leave the profession or to seek employment in more urban school districts. Data for the study were collected…

  4. Introduction to the Special Issue: Challenges and Solutions to Implementing Effective Reading Intervention in Schools.

    PubMed

    Foorman, Barbara

    2016-12-01

    This special issue focuses on challenges and solutions to implementing effective reading intervention in schools in the United States. Researchers often develop interventions that prove effective in efficacy studies but then show no impact when implemented at scale in public school settings. The authors of the intervention studies presented here describe a number of common implementation problems stemming from research in primary grades, middle grades, and high schools. Solutions to these implementation problems include establishing researcher-practitioner partnerships to address the systems-level challenges, suggestions for how to obtain buy-in from teachers, and recommendations for reforming preservice and in-service teacher education. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. [Atmospheric pollution and cardiovascular damage].

    PubMed

    Román, Oscar; Prieto, María José; Mancilla, Pedro

    2004-06-01

    The damaging effect of atmospheric pollution with particulate matter and toxic gases on the respiratory system and its effect in the incidence and severity of respiratory diseases, is well known. A similar effect on the cardiovascular system is currently under investigation. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the inhalation of particulate matter can increase cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, specially ischemic heart disease. The damage would be mediated by alterations in the autonomic nervous system, inflammation, infections and free radicals. In human studies, environmental pollution is associated with alterations in cardiac frequency variability and blood pressure and with changes in ventricular repolarization. Experimentally, an enhancement of ischemia, due to coronary obstruction, has been demonstrated. The study of the toxic effects of environmental pollution over the cardiovascular system, is an open field, specially in Chile, were the big cities have serious contamination problems.

  6. Research of Acoustic Properties of Materials with the Purpose of Their Use at Design of Special Noise Protective Clothes for Oil and Gas Industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drofa, E. A.; Lipilina, E. Yu

    2018-01-01

    The article is devoted to the substantiation of the choice of a rational package of materials, which has the greatest noise-protective properties when designing special clothes with reference to the oil and gas industry. Studies were conducted to assess the factors that have the most significant effect on the noise-protective properties of clothing. Conclusions are made about the possibility of using the developed technique for studying the noise-protective properties of materials in selecting rational packages of materials for the production of special clothes with high noise-protective properties.

  7. Effectiveness of acupuncture, special dressings and simple, low-adherence dressings for healing venous leg ulcers in primary healthcare: study protocol for a cluster-randomized open-labeled trial

    PubMed Central

    Vas, Jorge; Modesto, Manuela; Mendez, Camila; Perea-Milla, Emilio; Aguilar, Inmaculada; Carrasco-Lozano, Jesus Manuel; Faus, Vicente; Martos, Francisco

    2008-01-01

    Background Venous leg ulcers constitute a chronic recurring complaint that affects 1.0–1.3% of the adult population at some time in life, and which corresponds to approximately 75% of all chronic ulcers of the leg. Multilayer compression bandaging is, at present, the only treatment that has been proved to be effective in treating this type of ulcer. There is no consensus, however, about the dressings that may be applied, beneath the compression, to promote the healing of this type of ulcer, as there does not seem to be any added benefit from using special dressings rather than simple, low-adherence ones. As well as analgesia, acupuncture provokes peripheral vasodilation, in skin and muscles – which has been demonstrated both experimentally and in clinical practice – probably due to the axon reflex, among other mechanisms. The aim of the present study is to measure the effectiveness and cost of compression treatment for venous leg ulcers combined with special dressings, in comparison with low-adherence ones and acupuncture. Methods/design Cluster-randomized open-labeled trial, at 15 primary healthcare clinics in the Sevilla-Sur Healthcare District, with a control group treated with compression bandaging and low-adherence dressings; the experiment will consist, on the one hand, of the compression treatment applied in combination with special dressings (Treatment 1), and on the other, the compression treatment applied in association with low-adherence dressings, together with acupuncture (Treatment 2). Discussion The results will be measured and recorded in terms of the median time elapsed until complete healing of the ulcer, and the rate of complete healing at 3 months after beginning the treatment. An economic analysis will also be made. This study, carried out in the context of real clinical practice, will provide information for decision-taking concerning the effectiveness of special dressings. Moreover, for the first time a high-quality study will evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the process of healing venous leg ulcers. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN26438275. PMID:18547419

  8. Factors that affect general practice as a choice of medical speciality: implications for policy development.

    PubMed

    Vohra, Amit; Ladyshewsky, Richard; Trumble, Stephen

    2017-11-28

    Objective This article critically appraises the range of personal, professional and social factors that affect the choice of speciality across medical students, prevocational doctors, general practice registrars and general practitioners. Methods This qualitative study applied constructs from the fields of decision theory and career theory to better understand the complex nature of choosing a speciality. In all, 47 in-depth interviews were conducted with participants at different stages of their career cycle. The data was codified and analysed using NVivo to identify key factors that influenced speciality choice. Results The research identified 77 individual findings influencing general practice as a choice of medical speciality. These were distilled into a matrix to show that factors such as money, prestige and peer interaction did not have a compelling effect, whereas clinical and academic role models, flexibility, work-life balance, scope of practice, connection with patients, training environment and practical opportunities did. Conclusion The findings indicate that the decision in relation to the choice of medical speciality is a complex cognitive process that is undertaken within a personal, social and professional context particular to each individual. What is known about the topic? Current literature aims to quantify changes in attitudes towards choice of speciality or the effect of particular variables in isolation while ignoring the complexity of this decision process and how the numerous variables compare with each other. What does this paper add? The present study is the first intergenerational research on this topic in the Australian context and the paper dismisses the role of prestige and remuneration as key drivers of choice in picking general practice as a speciality, noting that money is merely a 'hygiene factor'. What are the implications for policy makers? A policy framework outlining 10 key principles is presented to assist policy makers seeking to affect workforce outcomes by applying policy levers to influence doctors' choice of speciality.

  9. Using Evidence-Centered Design to Create a Special Educator Observation System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Evelyn S.; Crawford, Angela R.; Moylan, Laura A.; Zheng, Yuzhu

    2018-01-01

    The Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) framework was used to create a special education teacher observation system, Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers (RESET). Extensive reviews of research informed the domain analysis and modeling stages, and led to the conceptual framework in which effective special education teaching is…

  10. Effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance and rainfall on the specialization of ant-plant mutualistic networks in the Caatinga, a Brazilian dry forest.

    PubMed

    Câmara, Talita; Leal, Inara R; Blüthgen, Nico; Oliveira, Fernanda M P; Queiroz, Rubens T de; Arnan, Xavier

    2018-03-05

    Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change might negatively affect the ecosystem services provided by mutualistic networks. However, the effects of such forces remain poorly characterized. They may be especially important in dry forests, which (1) experience chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CADs) as human populations exploit forest resources, and (2) are predicted to face a 22% decline in rainfall under climate change. In this study, we investigated the separate and combined effects of CADs and rainfall levels on the specialization of mutualistic networks in the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest typical of north-eastern Brazil. More specifically, we examined interactions between plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and ants. We analysed whether differences in network specialization could arise from environmentally mediated variation in the species composition, namely via the replacement of specialist by generalist species. We characterized these ant-plant networks in 15 plots (20 × 20 m) that varied in CAD intensity and mean annual rainfall. We quantified CAD intensity by calculating three indices related to the main sources of disturbance in the Caatinga: livestock grazing (LG), wood extraction (WE) and miscellaneous resource use (MU). We determined the degree of ant-plant network specialization using four metrics: generality, vulnerability, interaction evenness and H 2 '. Our results indicate that CADs differentially influenced network specialization: we observed positive, negative, and neutral responses along LG, MU and WE gradients, respectively. The pattern was most pronounced with LG. Rainfall also shaped network specialization, markedly increasing it. While LG and rainfall were associated with changes in network species composition, this trend was not related to the degree of species specialization. This result suggests that shifts in network specialization might be related to changes in species behaviour, not species composition. Our study highlights the vulnerability of such dry forest ant-plant networks to climate change. Moreover, dry forests experience highly heterogeneous anthropogenic disturbances, creating a geographic mosaic of selective forces that may shape the co-evolution of interactions between ants and EFN-bearing plants. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2018 British Ecological Society.

  11. Effects of Special Use Airspace on Economic Benefits of Direct Flights

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Datta, Koushik; Barrington, Craig; Foster, John D. (Technical Monitor)

    1996-01-01

    A methodology for estimating the economic effects of Special Use Airspace (SUA) on direct route flights is presented in this paper. The methodology is based on evaluating operating costs of aircraft and analyzing the different ground-track distances traveled by flights under different air traffic scenarios. Using this methodology the following objectives are evaluated: optimistic bias of studies that assume accessible SUAs the maximum economic benefit of dynamic use of SUAs and the marginal economic benefit of the dynamic use of individual SUAs.

  12. A Qualitative Study Examining the Exclusive Use of Primary Literature in a Special Topics Biology Course: Improving Conceptions about the Nature of Science and Boosting Confidence in Approaching Original Scientific Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, B. Elijah; Wiles, Jason R.

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study explores the experiences of six students enrolled in a special topics biology class that exclusively used primary literature as course material. Nature of science (NOS) conceptions have been linked to students' attitudes toward scientific subjects, but there has been little research specifically exploring the effects of…

  13. The Effectiveness of Interventions to Increase Parent Involvement in Special Education: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldman, Samantha E.; Burke, Meghan M.

    2017-01-01

    Although parent involvement is required by special education law and is important for all students, the literature synthesizing studies on parent involvement has focused on the general education parent population, often without addressing students with disabilities. The purpose of this review was to descriptively synthesize the literature on…

  14. Effects of Working Memory Training on Reading in Children with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dahlin, Karin I. E.

    2011-01-01

    This study examines the relationship between working memory and reading achievement in 57 Swedish primary-school children with special needs. First, it was examined whether children's working memory could be enhanced by a cognitive training program, and how the training outcomes would relate to their reading development. Next, it was explored how…

  15. Impact of the Good Behavior Game on Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopman, Juliette A. B.; van Lier, Pol A. C.; van der Ende, Jan; Struiksma, Chris; Wubbels, Theo; Verhulst, Frank C.; Maras, Athanasios; Breeman, Linda D.; Tick, Nouchka T.

    2018-01-01

    This study tested effects of a program that offers teachers universal classroom management strategies, on teachers' burnout symptoms and self-efficacy, and their teaching behaviors. Data were collected from 147 teachers (mean age = 38.4 years, SD = 10.8) in 15 special secondary education schools for students with emotional and behavioral problems,…

  16. Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Patient Education Programmes in the Management of Osteoarthritis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Health Education Journal, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines and recommendations on patient education programmes of any type, targeted specially to individuals with OA and which were designed to improve the clinical effectiveness of managing OA. Methods: The Ottawa Methods Group contacted specialized organizations that focus on management for…

  17. Training Pre-Service Special Education Teachers to Facilitate Meaningful Parent Participation in IEPs Using Simulated Meetings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holdren, Natalie Robin O'Connor

    2017-01-01

    The current study sought to establish whether simulated Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings using scenarios and actors may serve as an effective tool for assessing and improving pre-service special education teachers' ability to facilitate parent participation in legally correct IEP meetings with the introduction of a training…

  18. The Utilization and Effectiveness of CETA Title I Special Grants to Governors. Summary Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MDC, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC.

    Based upon a research project by a private nonprofit organization, this report provides a general analysis of findings from onsite studies in nine States of CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) Special Grants to Governors (Rhode Island, New Jersey, West Virginia, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Texas, California, Washington). The report…

  19. Can Specialized After-School Programs Impact Delinquent Behavior among African American Youth?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Narviar Cathcart

    This study examined the effect of a specialized after-school program, the Services to Youth Program (STYP), as one method of preventing the reoccurrence of criminal activity among delinquent youth. Seven African American youth who actively participated in the structured, curriculum-based after-school program were compared with a matched group of…

  20. A Comparison of Large Lecture, Fully Online, and Hybrid Sections of Introduction to Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'brien, Chris; Hartshorne, Richard; Beattie, John; Jordan, Luann

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluated the effectiveness of flexible learning options at a university serving multiple geographic areas (including remote and rural areas) and age groups by teaching an introduction to special education course to three large groups of pre-teacher education majors using three modes of instruction. The university offered sections as…

  1. The Effectiveness of Special Education Programs for ELs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Veronica

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to investigate the services and supports that EL students with special needs receive. It is a goal of this study also to determine which students achieve higher CST scores on the English Language Arts section, based on the supports that they receive and the programs in which they are placed. The researcher utilized…

  2. Hemispheric Specialization for Language According to Grapho-Phonemic Transformation and Gender. A Divided Visual Field Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cousin, Emilie; Perrone, Marcela; Baciu, Monica

    2009-01-01

    This behavioral study aimed at assessing the effect of two variables on the degree of hemispheric specialization for language. One of them was the "grapho-phonemic translation (transformation)" (letter-sound mapping) and the other was the participants' "gender". The experiment was conducted with healthy volunteers. A divided visual field procedure…

  3. Teaching Experiences of Students with Special Educational Needs in Co-Taught and Non-Co-Taught Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strogilos, Vasilis; Avramidis, Elias

    2016-01-01

    Co-teaching has gained considerable interest as a service delivery model for promoting the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream classrooms. This study examines whether co-teaching has an effect on the teaching experiences of 12 students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 10 students with intellectual…

  4. The Relationship between Reading Instructional Strategies Used for Students with a Disability and Their Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Theresa

    2012-01-01

    This research study is dedicated to the importance of teaching students with disabilities to comprehend text through effective instructional strategies. As a former special education teacher and current special education the researcher has observed firsthand how an individual's ability to comprehend texts impacts their success. The focus of…

  5. Program Development and Outcomes Assessment of Social Emotional Curriculum Utilized with High School Special Education Population

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wedam, Allison

    2012-01-01

    The present study will assess the effectiveness of a social emotional learning curriculum implemented in a Midwestern high school with special education students. The specific social emotional curriculum utilized at this particular school was organized and delivered by the school psychologists at the high school, based on the Strong Teens…

  6. Special Educators and Data Recording: What's Delayed Recording Got to Do With It?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jasper, Andrea D.; Taber Doughty, Teresa

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the effects of delayed recording on the accuracy of data recorded by special educators serving students with high- or low-incidence disabilities. A multi-element design was used to compare the accuracy of data recorded across three conditions: (a) immediately after a student's target behavior occurred, (b) immediately after the…

  7. eCoaching to Enhance Special Educator Practice and Child Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coogle, Christan Grygas; Ottley, Jennifer R.; Storie, Sloan; Rahn, Naomi L.; Burt, Amy Kurowski

    2017-01-01

    Research suggests that there is a gap in what we know is best practice and what is taking place in inclusive early childhood classrooms for children identified with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this single-case design study was to examine the effect of eCoaching on (a) a preschool special educator's use of embedded learning…

  8. Mind the Gap: Destabilizing Dominant Discourses and Beliefs about Learning Disabilities in a Bachelor of Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iannacci, Luigi; Graham, Bente

    2010-01-01

    This study explores teacher candidates' understandings of children with special needs and learning disabilities; the effect of a special education course supporting a tutoring practicum; and how curricula can critically deconstruct and disrupt dominant, inequitable notions and practices. Data were collected through initial and end-of-course…

  9. AN EXPERIMENTAL CURRICULUM FOR YOUNG MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN. TC SERIES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CONNOR, FRANCES P.; TALBOT, MABEL E.

    THIS CURRICULUM REPORT IS A DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN, TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF ITS DEVELOPMENT IN EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES IN NEW YORK CITY. THE EXPERIMENTAL CURRICULUM WAS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE OF A RESEARCH PROJECT TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF GROUP EXPERIENCE UPON YOUNG…

  10. [Special mechanisms for reducing life span of cells and organisms, initiated by some weak external signals].

    PubMed

    Bychkovskaia, I B; Fedortseva, R F

    2014-01-01

    The study presents the results of many-years research conducted using biological objects of different organization level. It demonstrates special species-nonspecific form of weak external signals negative effect to cells life expectancy reduction caused by program damage of cells populations. This effect is detected after weak radiation, radio-chemical and thermal influences. It leads to faster extinction of postmitotic populations which can be a reason for life expectancy reduction of multicellular organisms. A possibility of such effect inheritance in the asexual and sexual reproduction is shown. Epigenetic mechanisms of this phenomenon are assumed.

  11. Exotic quantum effects in the laboratory?

    PubMed

    Schützhold, Ralf

    2008-08-28

    This article provides a brief (non-exhaustive) review of some recent developments regarding the theoretical and possibly experimental study of 'exotic' quantum effects in the laboratory with special emphasis on cosmological particle creation, Hawking radiation and the Unruh effect.

  12. Effect of exposure to Special Olympic Games on attitudes of volunteers towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

    PubMed

    Li, Chunxiao; Wang, Chee Keng John

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of volunteering for Special Olympics Games (SOG) on the attitudes of volunteers towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. A repeated measures design with 3-week follow-up was used. There were 100 volunteers recruited for the study and 90 of them completed the study. It was revealed that a 1-week exposure to the SOG improved volunteers' attitudes towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities significantly (P = 0.016). Females had more positive attitudes than males at all three time points of measures. The interaction effect of gender was not significant. A 1-week exposure to the SOG can enhance volunteers' positive attitudes towards inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and this effect can maintain for up to a month. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. A rational-emotive stress management intervention for reducing job burnout and dysfunctional distress among special education teachers: An effect study.

    PubMed

    Ugwoke, Samuel C; Eseadi, Chiedu; Onuigbo, Liziana N; Aye, Eucharia N; Akaneme, Immaculata N; Oboegbulem, Angie I; Ezenwaji, Ifeyinwa O; Nwobi, Anthonia U; Nwaubani, Okechukwu O; Ezegbe, Bernedeth N; Ede, Moses O; Orji, Chibueze T; Onuoha, Joseph C; Onu, Eucharia A; Okeke, Francisca; Agu, Patricia; Omeje, Joachim C; Omeke, Faith; Ugwu, Romanus; Arumede, Florence; Eneh, Annastasia

    2018-04-01

    Job-related burnout and distress are adverse stress responses which affect individuals in their occupational environment. This study aimed at investigating the effect of a rational-emotive stress management program on job burnout and dysfunctional distress among special education teachers in Nigeria. A pretest-posttest randomized control group design was used. The participants in the study were 54 special education teachers. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Participants were allocated to either the treatment group (n = 28 [59.1%]) or the waitlist control group (n = 26 [48.1%]), respectively. A rational-emotive stress management manual was used to deliver the intervention. We statistically analyzed the data collected at three-time points with repeated-measures analysis of variance. At baseline, the job-related burnout symptoms and distress scores of participants were high. However, an intention-to-treat analysis showed that the rational-emotive stress management intervention program was efficacious in reducing the levels of job-related burnout symptoms and dysfunctional distress among participants assigned to the treatment group, compared to a waitlisted group at post-treatment and follow-up meetings. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of a rational-emotive stress management intervention in reducing the level of job-related burnout and distress in a sample of special education teachers in Nigeria. Occupational health counsellors and other clinicians with sufficient knowledge of rational-emotive behavior therapy framework are urged to employ this approach in assisting other employees in managing job burnout symptoms, and distress.

  14. Special-effect edit detection using VideoTrails: a comparison with existing techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kobla, Vikrant; DeMenthon, Daniel; Doermann, David S.

    1998-12-01

    Video segmentation plays an integral role in many multimedia applications, such as digital libraries, content management systems, and various other video browsing, indexing, and retrieval systems. Many algorithms for segmentation of video have appeared within the past few years. Most of these algorithms perform well on cuts, but yield poor performance on gradual transitions or special effects edits. A complete video segmentation system must also achieve good performance on special effect edit detection. In this paper, we discuss the performance of our Video Trails-based algorithms, with other existing special effect edit-detection algorithms within the literature. Results from experiments testing for the ability to detect edits from TV programs, ranging from commercials to news magazine programs, including diverse special effect edits, which we have introduced.

  15. Hospital-Based Comprehensive Care Programs for Children With Special Health Care Needs

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, Eyal; Jovcevska, Vesna; Kuo, Dennis Z.; Mahant, Sanjay

    2014-01-01

    Objective To examine the effectiveness of hospital-based comprehensive care programs in improving the quality of care for children with special health care needs. Data Sources A systematic review was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts SocioFile, and Web of Science. Study Selection Evaluations of comprehensive care programs for categorical (those with single disease) and noncategorical groups of children with special health care needs were included. Selected articles were reviewed independently by 2 raters. Data Extraction Models of care focused on comprehensive care based at least partially in a hospital setting. The main outcome measures were the proportions of studies demonstrating improvement in the Institute of Medicine’s quality-of-care domains (effectiveness of care, efficiency of care, patient or family centeredness, patient safety, timeliness of care, and equity of care). Data Synthesis Thirty-three unique programs were included, 13 (39%) of which were randomized controlled trials. Improved outcomes most commonly reported were efficiency of care (64% [49 of 76 outcomes]), effectiveness of care (60% [57 of 95 outcomes]), and patient or family centeredness (53% [10 of 19 outcomes). Outcomes less commonly evaluated were patient safety (9% [3 of 33 programs]), timeliness of care (6% [2 of 33 programs]), and equity of care (0%). Randomized controlled trials occurred more frequently in studies evaluating categorical vs noncategorical disease populations (11 of 17 [65%] vs 2 of 16 [17%], P = .008). Conclusions Although positive, the evidence supporting comprehensive hospital-based programs for children with special health care needs is restricted primarily to nonexperimental studies of children with categorical diseases and is limited by inadequate outcome measures. Additional high-quality evidence with appropriate comparative groups and broad outcomes is necessary to justify continued development and growth of programs for broad groups of children with special health care needs. PMID:21646589

  16. A Triarchic Model for Teaching "Introduction to Special Education": Case Studies, Content Acquisition Podcasts, and Effective Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, Michael J.; Newton, Jennier R.; Haines, Shana J.; Walther-Thomas, Christine S.; Kellems, Ryan O.

    2012-01-01

    Those who teach introductory level courses in special education to preservice teacher candidates often face a paradox in terms of whether to use limited instructional time to either focus on characteristics of students with disabilities or emphasize evidence-based practices (EBPs). The issue of limited instructional time is also an issue in other…

  17. An Analysis of the Relationship of the Emotional Intelligence of Special Education Teachers and Special Education Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clemmer Hickman, Akweta Eschella Jureia

    2017-01-01

    For this study Bar-On's (1997) definition of emotional intelligence (EI) was used. "Emotional Intelligence" is defined as a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and…

  18. Impact of North Carolina's Early Childhood Initiatives on Special Education Placements in Third Grade

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muschkin, Clara G.; Ladd, Helen F.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the community-wide effects of investments in two early childhood initiatives in North Carolina (Smart Start and More at Four) on the likelihood of a student being placed into special education. We take advantage of variation across North Carolina counties and years in the timing of the introduction and funding levels of the two…

  19. Teaching Challenged-Based Curriculum in a Statistics Classroom: The Effect on Motivation Orientation for Regular and Special Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wimpey, Amanda Dickard

    2010-01-01

    Because the high school statistics curriculum is often teacher centered and lacking in innovativeness, students tend to struggle academically in statistics courses, particularly those students who are served by special education. This problem has been linked to a student's motivation to learn. The purpose of this study was to investigate the…

  20. Is the Court-Appointed Special Advocate Program Effective? A Longitudinal Analysis of Time Involvement and Case Outcomes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Patrick

    1996-01-01

    Describes the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program for child welfare proceedings. Examines the current literature regarding the impact of CASA across the nation and discusses the findings and implications of an empirical study that evaluated a CASA program in terms of placement outcomes in a major U.S. city. (MOK)

  1. Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on the Perception of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction among Special Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Catherine; Joussemet, Mireille; Taylor, Geneviève; Lacourse, Eric

    2018-01-01

    Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have been increasingly implemented in schools to foster better emotional regulation skills for students with special education needs such as learning disabilities (LDs). This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of a MBI on the need satisfaction of elementary students with severe LDs. A prospective…

  2. Preventive dental health care experiences of preschool-age children with special health care needs.

    PubMed

    Huebner, Colleen E; Chi, Donald L; Masterson, Erin; Milgrom, Peter

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the preventive dental health care experiences of young children with special needs and determined the feasibility of conducting clinical dental examinations at a community-based early intervention services center. Study methods included 90 parent interviews and dental examinations of their preschool-age children. Thirteen percent of the children received optimal preventive care, defined as twice daily tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste and two preventive dental visits in the prior 12 months; 37% experienced care that fell short in both areas. Optimal care was more common among children of parents who reported tooth brushing was not a struggle and those with a personal dentist. Parents' opinion of the study experience was generally positive. Few children with special needs receive effective preventive care early, when primary prevention could be achieved. Barriers to optimal care could be readily addressed by the dental community in coordination with early intervention providers. © 2014 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Health and well-being in midlife parents of children with special health needs.

    PubMed

    Smith, Amy M; Grzywacz, Joseph G

    2014-09-01

    The objectives of this study were to delineate variation in mental and physical health outcomes over a 10-year period among parents with a child with special health needs as compared to parents of a typically developing child; and evaluate the possible protective effects of parental perceived control and social support. The sample consisted of 646 parents from the longitudinal Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. Nearly one-quarter of the sample (n = 128; 22.3%) reported having a child with a special health care need. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that parents of a child with special care needs reported poorer self-rated mental health, greater depressive symptoms, and more restrictions in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Parents of a child with special health care needs had greater increases in depressive symptoms over time and greater declines in instrumental activities of daily living than parents of typically developing children. Perceived control was a robust predictor of all health outcomes over time. The added stressors of parenting a child with special health needs may undermine the long-term health of parents. Behavioral interventions and clinical practices that facilitate parental perceived control may enable resilience and better health.

  4. Evaluation of the quality of foods for special diets produced in a school catering facility within a HACCP-based approach: a case study.

    PubMed

    Petruzzelli, Annalisa; Foglini, Martina; Paolini, Francesca; Framboas, Marisa; Serena Altissimi, M; Naceur Haouet, M; Mangili, Piermario; Osimani, Andrea; Clementi, Francesca; Cenci, Telemaco; Tonucci, Franco

    2014-01-01

    A study was carried out to verify the appropriateness of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan adopted in a school catering facility. To that end, the microbiological quality of foods, the correct implementation of special diets (lactose- and gluten-free) and the nutritional value of foods were assessed. Thirty-six samples of lactose-free and 87 samples of gluten-free special diet food preparations were subjected to microbiological, chemical, and nutritional analyses. The data collected demonstrate the effectiveness of the HACCP plan in reducing the occurrence of microbial and chemical (lactose and gluten) cross-contamination. The data obtained from the nutritional analyses showed that the dietary intake provided by the meals under study was satisfactory.

  5. Acidolysis small molecular phenolic ether used as accelerator in photosensitive diazonaphthaquinone systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Haihua; Zou, Yingquan

    2006-03-01

    The photosensitive compounds in the photosensitive coatings of positive PS plates are the diazonaphthaquinone derivatives. Some acidolysis small molecular phenolic ethers, which were synthesized by some special polyhydroxyl phenols with vinyl ethyl ether, are added in the positive diazonaphthaquinone photosensitive composition to improve its sensitivity, composed with photo-acid-generators. The effects to the photosensitivity, anti-alkali property, anti-isopropyl alcohol property, dot resolution and line resolution of the coatings are studied with different additive percent of the special phenolic ethers. In the conventional photosensitive diazonaphthaquinone systems for positive PS plates, the photosensitivity is improved without negative effects to resolution, anti-alkali and anti-isopropyl alcohol properties when added about 5% of the special acidolysis phenolic ethers, EAAE or DPHE, composed with photo-acid-generators.

  6. Mentoring Clinical-Year Medical Students: Factors Contributing to Effective Mentoring

    PubMed Central

    Fallatah, Hind I; Soo Park, Yoon; Farsi, Jamila; Tekian, Ara

    2018-01-01

    Theory: Academic mentoring is an effective method of enhancing undergraduate medical student academic performance, research productivity, career planning, and overall satisfaction. Hypotheses: This study investigates the relationship between mentor characteristics and mentee academic performance, with an emphasis on identifying students who need special support. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among fourth-year medical students at King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Medicine undertaking the clinical skills module (CSM) rotation. Mentors included senior and junior faculty members from the Department of Internal Medicine and the Department of Family Medicine. King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Medicine assigned 1 mentor for every 10 medical students. We organized our mentoring program in the following format: (1) an initial group meeting (mentor with all 10 medical students) and (2) subsequent one-on-one meetings (mentor with each mentee alone). We assessed mentor characteristics, student academic performance and satisfaction, and the rate of mentees referred for special support. Results: A total of 184 students completed the CSM rotation. Among these, 90 students responded to the preprogram survey, with 83% reporting that mentoring was important to them. Group meetings and one-on-one meetings were attended by 60% and 49% of all students, respectively. The most frequent type of support required by the participating students was psychological support (12% of mentees). Participation in the mentoring program had no significant effect on student academic performance. Mentor seniority (P = .024) and motivation (P = .002) were significantly associated with the rate of student referral for special support. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that academic mentoring can be effective in enhancing student outcomes and promoting special support for students. Moreover, mentor and mentee motivation were found to be essential elements of a successful mentoring program. PMID:29497707

  7. Environmental contaminant studies by the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heinz, G.H.; Hill, E.F.; Stickel, W.H.; Stickel, L.F.; Kenaga, E.E.

    1979-01-01

    Evaluation of the effects of environmental contaminants on wildlife is geared to interpreting events in the field, especially population effects, and both field and laboratory studies are planned for this purpose; procedures are adapted to specific problems and therefore do not include strict protocols or routine testing. Field evaluations include measurements of cholinesterase inhibition in brain or blood, search for dead or disabled animals, study of nesting success of birds, and general ecological observations. Residue analyses are used in evaluating organochlorine chemicals; samples may include whole bodies for determining level of exposure, brains for mortality diagnosis, whole blood for certain special studies, and eggs to help in evaluation of possible reproductive effects. Bird counts, singing-male census counts, small mammal trapping, and cage-in-field tests have proven to be ineffective or misleading and are not considered suitable for field evaluations under most circumstances. Usefulness of simulated field trials is limited to very special situations. Experimental studies that help predict and interpret field effects include determinations of lethal diagnostic levels, comparative lethal dietary toxicity tests, tests of secondary poisoning, measurement of residue loss rates, measurement of blood enzymes, tests of behavioral effects, and studies of reproductive effects.

  8. Teaching Young Children with Special Needs and Their Peers to Play Board Games: Effects of a Least to Most Prompting Procedure to Increase Independent Performance.

    PubMed

    Davis-Temple, Janet; Jung, Sunhwa; Sainato, Diane M

    2014-05-01

    We investigated the effects of a least to most prompting procedure on the performance of board game steps and game-related on-task behavior of young children with special needs and their typically developing peers. This study was conducted employing a concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. After teaching the board game steps using a systematic prompting strategy, the participants demonstrated increases in the performance of board game steps and game-related on-task behavior. In addition, the participants maintained high levels of performance and game-related on-task behavior during post-game training. The effects of teaching board games using prompting strategies, implications for practice, and areas for future study are presented.

  9. Effect of computer-aided instruction versus traditional modes on student PT's learning musculoskeletal special tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ford, Gregory Scott

    2007-12-01

    Title. Effect of computer-aided instruction versus traditional modes on student PT's learning musculoskeletal special tests. Problem. Lack of quantitative evidence to support the use of computer-aided instruction (CAI) in PT education for both the cognitive and psychomotor domains and lack of qualitative support as to an understanding why CAI may or may not be effective. Design. 3 group single-blind pre-test, immediate post-test, final post-test repeated measures with qualitative survey for the CAI group. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to CAI, live demonstration or textbook learning groups. Three novel special tests were instructed. Analysis of performance on written and practical examinations was conducted across the 3 repeated measures. A qualitative survey was completed by the CAI group post intervention. Results. CAI is equally as effective as live demonstration and textbook learning of musculoskeletal special tests in the cognitive domain, however, CAI was superior to live demonstration and textbook instruction at final post-testing. Significance. The significance of this research is that a gap in the literature of PT education needs to be bridged as it pertains to the effect of CAI on learning in both the cognitive and psychomotor domains as well as attempt to understand why CAI results in certain student performance. The methods of this study allowed for a wide range of generalizability to any and all PT programs across the country.

  10. Motion of a Rigid Body in a Special Lorentz Gas: Loss of Memory Effect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koike, Kai

    2018-06-01

    Linear motion of a rigid body in a special kind of Lorentz gas is mathematically analyzed. The rigid body moves against gas drag according to Newton's equation. The gas model is a special Lorentz gas consisting of gas molecules and background obstacles, which was introduced in Tsuji and Aoki (J Stat Phys 146:620-645, 2012). The specular boundary condition is imposed on the resulting kinetic equation. This study complements the numerical study by Tsuji and Aoki cited above—although the setting in this paper is slightly different from theirs, qualitatively the same asymptotic behavior is proved: The velocity V(t) of the rigid body decays exponentially if the obstacles undergo thermal motion; if the obstacles are motionless, then the velocity V(t) decays algebraically with a rate t^{- 5} independent of the spatial dimension. This demonstrates the idea that interaction of the molecules with the background obstacles destroys the memory effect due to recollision.

  11. Impact of North Carolina's Early Childhood Initiatives on Special Education Placements in Third Grade. Working Paper 121

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muschkin, Clara G.; Ladd, Helen F.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the community-wide effects of investments in two early childhood initiatives in North Carolina (Smart Start and More at Four) on the likelihood of a student being placed into special education. We take advantage of variation across North Carolina counties and years in the timing of the introduction and funding levels of the two…

  12. Dual Certification in General and Special Education: What Is the Role of Field Experience in Preservice Teacher Preparation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kent, Andrea M.; Giles, Rebecca M.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a field component that was merged with a new teacher preparation curriculum so that at the completion of the program the undergraduate candidates could be recommended for both K-6 general and special education certification. An examination of the data reveals that the program is…

  13. The Role of School and Individual Differences in the Academic Attainment of Learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: A Multi-Level Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Humphrey, Neil; Wigelsworth, Michael; Barlow, Alexandra; Squires, Garry

    2013-01-01

    Students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are at a greatly increased risk of poor academic outcomes. Understanding the factors that influence their attainment is a crucial first step towards developing more effective provision. In the current study we present a multi-level, natural variation analysis which highlights…

  14. Prompting All Students to Learn: Examining Dynamic Assessment of Special Needs and Typical Students in a Prekindergarten Inclusive French Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regalla, Michele; Peker, Hilal

    2017-01-01

    This study examined a teacher's prompting strategies and the use of dynamic assessment (DA) in an inclusive prekindergarten French program. Prior research has shown that DA is an effective method to assess both foreign language learning and first language development for typically developing students and for students with special needs, as well as…

  15. Effects of the Good Behavior Game on the Behavioral, Emotional, and Social Problems of Children with Psychiatric Disorders in Special Education Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breeman, Linda D.; van Lier, Pol A. C.; Wubbels, Theo; Verhulst, Frank C.; van der Ende, Jan; Maras, Athanasios; Struiksma, A. J. Chris; Hopman, Juliette A. B.; Tick, Nouchka T.

    2016-01-01

    Teaching children with psychiatric disorders can be a challenging task. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) in children with psychiatric disorders, and their teachers, in special education. Teachers were trained by licensed school consultants to implement positive behavior support strategies to…

  16. Commentary on Intensive Interventions: What Are the Limits of Highly Structured Curriculum for At-Risk Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodward, John

    2016-01-01

    In this commentary, John Woodward observes that, when judged collectively, the pre-K to Grade 4 research in this special section not only exemplifies the effects of the Institute of Education Sciences' emphasis on large-scale empirical studies over the last decade, but it also demonstrates how the field of special education has moved away from a…

  17. 78 FR 27242 - Updated Special Advisory Bulletin on the Effect of Exclusion From Participation in Federal Health...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-09

    ...] Updated Special Advisory Bulletin on the Effect of Exclusion From Participation in Federal Health Care... health care programs by OIG. The updated Special Advisory Bulletin describes the scope and effect of the legal prohibition on payment by Federal health care programs for items or services furnished (1) by an...

  18. Large Geomagnetic Storms: Introduction to Special Section

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gopalswamy, N.

    2010-01-01

    Solar cycle 23 witnessed the accumulation of rich data sets that reveal various aspects of geomagnetic storms in unprecedented detail both at the Sun where the storm causing disturbances originate and in geospace where the effects of the storms are directly felt. During two recent coordinated data analysis workshops (CDAWs) the large geomagnetic storms (Dst < or = -100 nT) of solar cycle 23 were studied in order to understand their solar, interplanetary, and geospace connections. This special section grew out of these CDAWs with additional contributions relevant to these storms. Here I provide a brief summary of the results presented in the special section.

  19. Examining the cognitive effects of a special extract of Bacopa monniera (CDRI08: Keenmnd): a review of ten years of research at Swinburne University.

    PubMed

    Stough, Con; Scholey, Andrew; Cropley, Vanessa; Wesnes, Keith; Zangara, Andrea; Pase, Matthew; Savage, Karen; Nolidin, Karen; Lomas, Justine; Downey, Luke

    2013-01-01

    Bacopa monniera (EBm), an Indian aquatic herb, has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for indications related to memory and inflammation. More recently specific extracts of EBm have emerged that have been subjected to rigorous in vitro, animal and now human clinical trials. In this paper we discuss some of these studies with special reference to mechanisms and efficacy of a special extract of Bacopa (CDRI08). Studies using this extract indicate that CDRI08 has several modes of action on the human brain. Promising indications for use in humans include improving cognition in the elderly and in patients with neurodegenerative disorders.

  20. Symplectic molecular dynamics simulations on specially designed parallel computers.

    PubMed

    Borstnik, Urban; Janezic, Dusanka

    2005-01-01

    We have developed a computer program for molecular dynamics (MD) simulation that implements the Split Integration Symplectic Method (SISM) and is designed to run on specialized parallel computers. The MD integration is performed by the SISM, which analytically treats high-frequency vibrational motion and thus enables the use of longer simulation time steps. The low-frequency motion is treated numerically on specially designed parallel computers, which decreases the computational time of each simulation time step. The combination of these approaches means that less time is required and fewer steps are needed and so enables fast MD simulations. We study the computational performance of MD simulation of molecular systems on specialized computers and provide a comparison to standard personal computers. The combination of the SISM with two specialized parallel computers is an effective way to increase the speed of MD simulations up to 16-fold over a single PC processor.

  1. Effectiveness of a transdiagnostic internet-based protocol for the treatment of emotional disorders versus treatment as usual in specialized care: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    González-Robles, Alberto; García-Palacios, Azucena; Baños, Rosa; Riera, Antonio; Llorca, Ginés; Traver, Francisco; Haro, Gonzalo; Palop, Vicente; Lera, Guillem; Romeu, José Enrique; Botella, Cristina

    2015-10-31

    Emotional disorders (depression and anxiety disorders) are highly prevalent mental health problems. Although evidence showing the effectiveness of disorder-specific treatments exists, high comorbidity rates among emotional disorders limit the utility of these protocols. This has led some researchers to focus their interest on transdiagnostic interventions, a treatment perspective that might be more widely effective across these disorders. Also, the current way of delivering treatments makes it difficult provide assistance to all of the population in need. The use of the Internet in the delivery of evidence-based treatments may help to disseminate treatments among the population. In this study, we aim to test the effectiveness of EmotionRegulation, a new transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol for unipolar mood disorders, five anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified), and obsessive-compulsive disorder in comparison to treatment as usual as provided in Spanish public specialized mental health care. We will also study its potential impact on basic temperament dimensions (neuroticism/behavioral inhibition and extraversion/behavioral activation). Expectations and opinions of patients about this protocol will also be studied. The study is a randomized controlled trial. 200 participants recruited in specialized care will be allocated to one of two treatment conditions: a) EmotionRegulation or b) treatment as usual. Primary outcome measures will be the BAI and the BDI-II. Secondary outcomes will include a specific measure of the principal disorder, and measures of neuroticism/behavioral inhibition and extraversion/behavioral activation. Patients will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3- and 12-month follow-ups. Intention to treat and per protocol analyses will be performed. Although the effectiveness of face-to-face transdiagnostic protocols has been investigated in previous studies, the number of published transdiagnostic Internet-based programs is still quite low. To our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial studying the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic Internet-based treatment for several emotional disorders in public specialized care. Combining both a transdiagnostic approach with an Internet-based therapy format may help to decrease the burden of mental disorders, reducing the difficulties associated with disorder-specific treatments and facilitating access to people in need of treatment. Strengths and limitations are discussed. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02345668 . Registered 27 July 2015.

  2. Effective Communication to Aid Collaboration for Digital Collections: A Case Study at Florida Gulf Coast University Library

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    VandeBurgt, Melissa Minds; Rivera, Kaleena

    2016-01-01

    Effective communication is one of the most important resources for successful outreach efforts. This article addresses the benefits that can emerge from successful communication as well as the negative effects that may stem from ineffective communication. A case study of Florida Gulf Coast University Archives, Special Collections, & Digital…

  3. Effects of Assisted-Repeated Reading on Students of Varying Reading Ability: A Single-Subject Experimental Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hapstak, Jo-Ann; Tracey, Diane H.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the effects of assisted-repeated reading on four first-grade students whose reading ability varied (a special education student, a non-classified poor reader, an English Language Learner (ELL) student, and a general education student) to determine if an assisted-repeated reading intervention is differentially effective for…

  4. Effects of EAP follow-up on prevention of relapse among substance abuse clients.

    PubMed

    Foote, A; Erfurt, J C

    1991-05-01

    Clients entering an employee assistance program (EAP) of a large manufacturing plant in 1985 who were assessed as having an alcohol or drug abuse problem (N = 325) were randomized into an experimental "special follow-up" group and a control "regular care" group. The regular care group received follow-up only as needed (following the usual practice of the EAP), while a follow-up counselor was hired to make routine contacts with the special follow-up group. Study intake continued through 1985, and follow-up continued through the end of 1986. Data collected on study subjects included EAP participation data, absenteeism, number of hospitalizations, health care claims paid and disability claims paid. The major study hypothesis was that EAP clients randomly allocated to special follow-up would show better results than regular care clients (i.e., would have fewer relapses, better job attendance and lower health benefit utilization during the follow-up year). The follow-up intervention was incompletely implemented due to a variety of organizational problems. Differences between the two groups on the six outcome measures were not statistically significant, although clients in the special follow-up group did show better results than clients in the regular care group on the three measures related to substance abuse. Differences on these three measures were marginally significant in regression analyses after controlling for the effects of number of follow-up visits, age, race and chronicity.

  5. Ending Discrimination in Special Education. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grossman, Herbert

    This book discusses the forces that create and perpetuate discrimination in special education and provides suggestions for eliminating discriminatory practices. An introduction describes the harmful effects of discrimination in special education. Chapters 1 and 2 discuss prejudice in special education and suggest how special education educators…

  6. Comparison of internet and mailing methods to recruit couples into research on unaided smoking cessation.

    PubMed

    Derrick, Jaye L; Eliseo-Arras, Rebecca K; Hanny, Courtney; Britton, Maggie; Haddad, Sana

    2017-12-01

    In smoking cessation studies with restrictive criteria (e.g., single-smoker couples), thousands of potential participants might need to be screened to obtain a reasonable sample size. Consideration of recruitment methodology is critical because recruitment methods influence both the success and cost effectiveness of recruitment. Although traditional recruitment methods are often used to recruit participants into smoking cessation research, newer technologies, such as paid Facebook advertising, might offer more cost-effective alternatives for recruitment. The current analysis compares two versions of paid Facebook advertising and a specialized mass mailing method used to recruit single-smoker couples into an intensive three-week study of unaided smoking cessation. The three methods are compared in terms of demographic characteristics, eligibility, and cost-effectiveness. Although Facebook's "Promote Your Page" mechanism achieved the fastest recruitment rate (2.75 couples per month; 498 USD per couple), Facebook's "Send People to Your Website" mechanism was the least expensive and provided the most demographically diverse sample (1.64 couples per month; 181 USD per couple). The specialized mailing method was not productive or cost-effective (0.80 couples per month; 454 USD per couple). Paid Facebook advertising fared better as a recruitment method than a specialized mailing method often used in survey research. Studies that have less restrictive eligibility criteria, that draw from a larger local population, or that recruit for a less intense study might find paid Facebook advertising to be quite feasible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The Speed Death of the Eye: The Ideology of Hollywood Film Special Effects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackmore, Tim

    2007-01-01

    In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, increased computing power has made possible extraordinary leaps in film special effects. This article argues that special effects developed since the beginning of digital animation, when coupled with standard editing room techniques (jump cuts, cutaways), have brought us to an era where the eye cannot…

  8. Spectral BRDF-based determination of proper measurement geometries to characterize color shift of special effect coatings.

    PubMed

    Ferrero, Alejandro; Rabal, Ana; Campos, Joaquín; Martínez-Verdú, Francisco; Chorro, Elísabet; Perales, Esther; Pons, Alicia; Hernanz, María Luisa

    2013-02-01

    A reduced set of measurement geometries allows the spectral reflectance of special effect coatings to be predicted for any other geometry. A physical model based on flake-related parameters has been used to determine nonredundant measurement geometries for the complete description of the spectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). The analysis of experimental spectral BRDF was carried out by means of principal component analysis. From this analysis, a set of nine measurement geometries was proposed to characterize special effect coatings. It was shown that, for two different special effect coatings, these geometries provide a good prediction of their complete color shift.

  9. Lightning and its effects on railroad signal circuits

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-12-31

    This study discusses the occurrence of lightning, its effects on railroad signal equipment, and protection of such equipment from lightning damage, with special attention to known protective techniques which are employed in a variety of situations in...

  10. Publication Bias in Special Education Meta-Analyses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gage, Nicholas A.; Cook, Bryan G.; Reichow, Brian

    2017-01-01

    Publication bias involves the disproportionate representation of studies with large and significant effects in the published research. Among other problems, publication bias results in inflated omnibus effect sizes in meta-analyses, giving the impression that interventions have stronger effects than they actually do. Although evidence suggests…

  11. Introduction to the Special Section--Bat Habitat Use in Eastern North American Temperate Forests: Site, Stand, an Landscape Effects

    Treesearch

    Robert T. Brooks; W. Mark Ford

    2006-01-01

    Forest bats of eastern North America select habitats for roosting, foraging, and winter hibernation/migration over a myriad of scales. An understanding of forest-bat habitat use over scales of time and space is important for their conservation and management. The papers in this Special Section report studies of bat habitat use across multiple scales from locations...

  12. Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions on Procedures to Identify and Assess Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: The Case of Tutors of Colleges of Education in Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gyimah, Emmanuel Kofi; Amoako, R.

    2016-01-01

    The study aimed at exploring the perceptions tutors in Colleges of Education have on how the Colleges of Education Curriculum adequately prepare pre-service teachers to enable them to identify and assess children with special educational needs and disabilities for effective inclusive education in Ghana. A descriptive survey design was adopted and…

  13. Turkish Special Education Teachers' Reported Use of Positive and Reductive Interventions for Problem Behaviors: An Examination of the Variables Associated with Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turan, Yasemin; Erbas, Dilek; Ozkan, Serife Yucesoy; Kurkuoglu, Burcu Ulke

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this survey study was to determine the following: (a) What strategies do Turkish special education teachers use to address problem behaviors in their classroom? (b) What are teachers' views with regard to the effectiveness and acceptability of these strategies? (c) Is there a relationship between the use of strategies and teachers'…

  14. Current Practices for Training Staff to Accommodate Youth with Special Health Care Needs in the 4-H Camp Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mouton, Lauren; Bruce, Jacklyn

    2013-01-01

    The theory of inclusion is the foundation for the study reported here; inclusion is a focus not only of formal education, but also of nonformal educational settings such as 4-H. Ideally, 4-H camps are designed to serve youth of all backgrounds and abilities. By accommodating youth with special health care needs, 4-H camps are effectively meeting…

  15. The Overrepresentation of African-American Males in Special Education and the Effects on Self Esteem Based on Teachers' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, DeJuan Dennis

    2013-01-01

    In this twenty-first century there is a disproportionate amount of African American males in special education in the U.S. This is a factor happening day by day affecting the achievement gap between Black and White students, especially males. The purpose of this study is to point out factors that contribute to the overrepresentation of African…

  16. 27 CFR 31.234 - Liability for special (occupational) tax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... special (occupational) tax in accordance with the laws and regulations in effect at that time. The tax... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Liability for special... Liability for special (occupational) tax. The special (occupational) tax on alcohol beverage dealers was...

  17. 20 CFR 702.144 - Purpose of the special fund.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Purpose of the special fund. 702.144 Section... Provisions Commutation of Payments and Special Fund § 702.144 Purpose of the special fund. This special fund was established to give effect to a congressional policy determination that, under certain...

  18. Probing for hemispheric specialization for motor skill learning: a transcranial direct current stimulation study

    PubMed Central

    Schambra, Heidi M.; Abe, Mitsunari; Luckenbaugh, David A.; Reis, Janine; Krakauer, John W.

    2011-01-01

    Convergent findings point to a left-sided specialization for the representation of learned actions in right-handed humans, but it is unknown whether analogous hemispheric specialization exists for motor skill learning. In the present study, we explored this question by comparing the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over either left or right motor cortex (M1) on motor skill learning in either hand, using a tDCS montage to better isolate stimulation to one hemisphere. Results were compared with those previously found with a montage more commonly used in the field. Six groups trained for three sessions on a visually guided sequential pinch force modulation task with their right or left hand and received right M1, left M1, or sham tDCS. A linear mixed-model analysis for motor skill showed a significant main effect for stimulation group (left M1, right M1, sham) but not for hand (right, left) or their interaction. Left M1 tDCS induced significantly greater skill learning than sham when hand data were combined, a result consistent not only with the hypothesized left hemisphere specialization for motor skill learning but also with possible increased left M1 responsiveness to tDCS. The unihemispheric montage effect size was one-half that of the more common montage, and subsequent power analysis indicated that 75 subjects per group would be needed to detect differences seen with only 12 subjects with the customary bihemispheric montage. PMID:21613597

  19. The IERS Special Bureau for Tides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ray, Richard D.; Chao, B. F.; Desai, S. D.

    2002-01-01

    The Global Geophysical Fluids Center of the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) comprises 8 special bureaus, one of which is the Special Bureau for Tides. Its purpose is to facilitate studies related to tidal effects in earth rotation. To that end it collects various relevant datasets and distributes them, primarily through its website at bowie.gsfc.nasa.gov/ggfc/tides. Example datasets include tabulations of tidal variations in angular momentum and in earth rotation as estimated from numerical ocean tide models and from meteorological reanalysis products. The web site also features an interactive tidal prediction "machine" which generates tidal predictions (e.g., of UT1) from lists of harmonic constants. The Special Bureau relies on the tidal and earth-rotation communities to build and enlarge its datasets; further contributions from this community are most welcome.

  20. Effectiveness of transmucosal sedation for special needs populations in the ambulatory care setting.

    PubMed

    Tetef, Sue

    2014-12-01

    Transmucosal is an alternative route for administering medications (ie, dexmedetomidine, midazolam, naloxone) that can be effective for procedural or moderate sedation in patients with special needs when other routes are not practical or are contraindicated. Special needs populations include children, older adults, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and people with disabilities or conditions that limit their ability to function and cope. Understanding the perioperative nurse's role in the care of patients receiving medications via the transmucosal route can lead to better clinical outcomes. Successful use of the transmucosal route requires knowledge of when to administer a medication, how often and how much of a medication should be administered, the onset and duration of action, the adverse effects or contraindications, and the key benefits. In addition, a case study approach suggests that transmucosal sedation can decrease patient stress and anxiety related to undergoing medical procedures or surgery in the ambulatory care setting. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. A school-based programme for tobacco and alcohol prevention in special education: effectiveness of the modified 'healthy school and drugs' intervention and moderation by school subtype.

    PubMed

    Turhan, Abdullah; Onrust, Simone A; Ten Klooster, Peter M; Pieterse, Marcel E

    2017-03-01

    To test the effectiveness of the Healthy School and Drugs (HSD) programme on tobacco and alcohol use in Dutch secondary special education (SE) schools, and whether this depends upon subtypes of SE schools and the level of implementation. In a quasi-experimental design with baseline and post-treatment follow-up, 363 students were allocated arbitrarily or depending on teacher motivation to either intervention condition (n = 205) or usual curriculum (n = 158). Thirteen secondary SE schools spread throughout the Netherlands. Participants were recruited during the autumn of 2013 from three school subtypes: SE for adolescents with intellectual/physical disabilities (SEI; n = 13), behavioural/emotional difficulties (SEB; n = 136) and learning disabilities/developmental disorders (SEL; n = 214). Self-reported life-time smoking prevalence and life-time drinking frequency as outcomes, and school subtype (SEL/SEB) and implementation fidelity (high/low) as moderators. No significant differences were found at follow-up in life-time smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 1.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.74-3.12] and drinking frequency (d = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.16 to 0.18). Interaction analyses revealed adverse effects in SEB students for alcohol use (d = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.16-0.69). Effect on tobacco refusal self-efficacy was moderated positively by implementation fidelity (d = 0.35; 95% CI = 0.07-0.63). The Healthy School and Drugs programme adapted for secondary special education in the Netherlands lacked clear evidence for effects on all outcomes. This pilot study suggests further that, within special education, substance use interventions may need to be targeted at school subtypes, as these may have harmful effects among students with behavioural difficulties. Finally, limited evidence was found that programme effectiveness may depend upon implementation fidelity. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  2. A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effects of Special Education Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Paul L.; Frisco, Michelle L.; Farkas, George; Hibel, Jacob

    2010-01-01

    We sought to quantify the effectiveness of special education services as naturally delivered in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examined whether children receiving special education services displayed (a) greater reading or mathematics skills, (b) more frequent learning-related behaviors, or (c) less frequent externalizing or internalizing problem…

  3. Automation's Effect on Library Personnel.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dakshinamurti, Ganga

    1985-01-01

    Reports on survey studying the human-machine interface in Canadian university, public, and special libraries. Highlights include position category and educational background of 118 participants, participants' feelings toward automation, physical effects of automation, diffusion in decision making, interpersonal communication, future trends,…

  4. Evaluation of special surface treatment aged using UV, phase I.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-08-01

    Research was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of Tensars specialty polymer cement slurry : (coating) in reducing aging of asphalt binders and mixtures. The study was also aimed at evaluating the effect of this : material on performance cha...

  5. Long life assurance study for manned spacecraft long life hardware. Volume 4: Special long life assurance studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    Guidelines for the selection of equipment to be used for manned spacecraft in order to assure a five year maintenance-free service life were developed. A special study was conducted to determine the adequacy of the procedures used to determine the quality and effectiveness of various components. The subjects examined are: (1) temperature cycling for acceptance of electronic assemblies; (2) accelerated testing techniques; (3) electronic part screening techniques; (4) electronic part derating practices; (5) vibration life extension of printed circuit board assemblies; and (6) tolerance funnelling and test requirements.

  6. Exact partition functions for deformed N=2 theories with N_f=4 flavours

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beccaria, Matteo; Fachechi, Alberto; Macorini, Guido; Martina, Luigi

    2016-12-01

    We consider the Ω-deformed N=2 SU(2) gauge theory in four dimensions with N f = 4 massive fundamental hypermultiplets. The low energy effective action depends on the deformation parameters ɛ 1 , ɛ 2, the scalar field expectation value a, and the hypermultiplet masses m = ( m 1 , m 2 , m 3 , m 4). Motivated by recent findings in the N={2}^{*} theory, we explore the theories that are characterized by special fixed ratios ɛ 2 /ɛ 1 and m /ɛ 1 and propose a simple condition on the structure of the multi-instanton contributions to the prepotential determining the effective action. This condition determines a finite set Π N of special points such that the prepotential has N poles at fixed positions independent on the instanton number. In analogy with what happens in the N={2}^{*} gauge theory, the full prepotential of the Π N theories may be given in closed form as an explicit function of a and the modular parameter q appearing in special combinations of Eisenstein series and Jacobi theta functions with well defined modular properties. The resulting finite pole partition functions are related by AGT correspondence to special 4-point spherical conformal blocks of the Virasoro algebra. We examine in full details special cases where the closed expression of the block is known and confirms our Ansatz. We systematically study the special features of Zamolodchikov's recursion for the Π N conformal blocks. As a result, we provide a novel effective recursion relation that can be exactly solved and allows to prove the conjectured closed expressions analytically in the case of the Π1 and Π2 conformal blocks.

  7. Nursing models in a special hospital: cybernetics, hyperreality and beyond.

    PubMed

    Mason, T; Chandley, M

    1992-11-01

    Two emerging themes that resulted from research carried out in a special hospital on the use of nursing models are identified. The first theme to emerge was the tendency of the subjects to perceive the models as concrete entities thus undergoing a process of reification. The second theme identified was the adherence to the models outside the contextual nature of the setting which limited their effectiveness. A theoretical framework in which to locate the results of the study is explored using cybernetic learning theory and the notion of hyperreality, using the works of Jean Baudrillard. A method for innovation and changing practice in the special hospital setting is suggested.

  8. Effect of one-step recrystallization on the grain boundary evolution of CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy and its subsystems.

    PubMed

    Chen, Bo-Ru; Yeh, An-Chou; Yeh, Jien-Wei

    2016-02-29

    In this study, the grain boundary evolution of equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi, CoCrFeNi, and FeCoNi alloys after one-step recrystallization were investigated. The special boundary fraction and twin density of these alloys were evaluated by electron backscatter diffraction analysis. Among the three alloys tested, FeCoNi exhibited the highest special boundary fraction and twin density after one-step recrystallization. The special boundary increment after one-step recrystallization was mainly affected by grain boundary velocity, while twin density was mainly affected by average grain boundary energy and twin boundary energy.

  9. Neural competition as a developmental process: Early hemispheric specialization for word processing delays specialization for face processing

    PubMed Central

    Li, Su; Lee, Kang; Zhao, Jing; Yang, Zhi; He, Sheng; Weng, Xuchu

    2013-01-01

    Little is known about the impact of learning to read on early neural development for word processing and its collateral effects on neural development in non-word domains. Here, we examined the effect of early exposure to reading on neural responses to both word and face processing in preschool children with the use of the Event Related Potential (ERP) methodology. We specifically linked children’s reading experience (indexed by their sight vocabulary) to two major neural markers: the amplitude differences between the left and right N170 on the bilateral posterior scalp sites and the hemispheric spectrum power differences in the γ band on the same scalp sites. The results showed that the left-lateralization of both the word N170 and the spectrum power in the γ band were significantly positively related to vocabulary. In contrast, vocabulary and the word left-lateralization both had a strong negative direct effect on the face right-lateralization. Also, vocabulary negatively correlated with the right-lateralized face spectrum power in the γ band even after the effects of age and the word spectrum power were partialled out. The present study provides direct evidence regarding the role of reading experience in the neural specialization of word and face processing above and beyond the effect of maturation. The present findings taken together suggest that the neural development of visual word processing competes with that of face processing before the process of neural specialization has been consolidated. PMID:23462239

  10. Academic Vocabulary Learning in First through Third Grade in Low-Income Schools: Effects of Automated Supplemental Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Howard; Ziolkowski, Robyn A.; Bojczyk, Kathryn E.; Marty, Ana; Schneider, Naomi; Harpring, Jayme; Haring, Christa D.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This study investigated cumulative effects of language learning, specifically whether prior vocabulary knowledge or special education status moderated the effects of academic vocabulary instruction in high-poverty schools. Method: Effects of a supplemental intervention targeting academic vocabulary in first through third grades were…

  11. Effects of Coaching on Teachers' Use of Function-Based Interventions for Students with Severe Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bethune, Keri S.; Wood, Charles L.

    2013-01-01

    This study used a delayed multiple-baseline across-participants design to analyze the effects of coaching on special education teachers' implementation of function-based interventions with students with severe disabilities. This study also examined the extent to which teachers could generalize function-based interventions to different situations.…

  12. The Effect of Multimedia Writing Support Software on Written Productivity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Racicot, Rose

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of multimedia writing support software on the quality and quantity of writing productivity and self-perception for students who have mild to moderate developmental delays. Participants in this study included 22 special education students in grades kindergarten through 6. Methodology included a…

  13. The Effects of Multimedia Annotation and Summary Writing on Taiwanese EFL Students' Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Wen-Chi

    2014-01-01

    The present study investigates the effects of multimedia annotation through the discourse scheme and summary writing through the grounding theory (Chang, 1997) on text comprehension. Specifically, the study focuses on examining the influences of multimedia annotation from a special perspective, namely, the use of modified discourse scheme to…

  14. Interaction and the Online Distance Classroom: Do Instructional Methods Effect the Quality of Interaction?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanuka, Heather

    2011-01-01

    In this special issue, I bring together two studies to provide a comprehensive overview on diverse and interactive instructional methods aimed to facilitate higher levels of learning. One study explored the effects of group interaction using different instructional strategies focusing on the learning "process" using the Community of Inquiry…

  15. Academic Vocabulary Learning in First Through Third Grade in Low-Income Schools: Effects of Automated Supplemental Instruction.

    PubMed

    Goldstein, Howard; Ziolkowski, Robyn A; Bojczyk, Kathryn E; Marty, Ana; Schneider, Naomi; Harpring, Jayme; Haring, Christa D

    2017-11-09

    This study investigated cumulative effects of language learning, specifically whether prior vocabulary knowledge or special education status moderated the effects of academic vocabulary instruction in high-poverty schools. Effects of a supplemental intervention targeting academic vocabulary in first through third grades were evaluated with 241 students (6-9 years old) from low-income families, 48% of whom were retained for the 3-year study duration. Students were randomly assigned to vocabulary instruction or comparison groups. Curriculum-based measures of word recognition, receptive identification, expressive labeling, and decontextualized definitions showed large effects for multiple levels of word learning. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that students with higher initial Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition scores (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) demonstrated greater word learning, whereas students with special needs demonstrated less growth in vocabulary. This model of vocabulary instruction can be applied efficiently in high-poverty schools through an automated, easily implemented adjunct to reading instruction in the early grades and holds promise for reducing gaps in vocabulary development.

  16. Patient satisfaction with ambulatory care in Germany: effects of patient- and medical practice-related factors.

    PubMed

    Auras, Silke; Ostermann, Thomas; de Cruppé, Werner; Bitzer, Eva-Maria; Diel, Franziska; Geraedts, Max

    2016-12-01

    The study aimed to illustrate the effect of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on patient satisfaction. Secondary analysis of patient survey data using multilevel analysis (generalized linear mixed model, medical practice as random effect) using a sequential modelling strategy. We examined the effects of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on four patient satisfaction dimensions: medical practice organization, information, interaction, professional competence. The study was performed in 92 German medical practices providing ambulatory care in general medicine, internal medicine or gynaecology. In total, 9888 adult patients participated in a patient survey using the validated 'questionnaire on satisfaction with ambulatory care-quality from the patient perspective [ZAP]'. We calculated four models for each satisfaction dimension, revealing regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all independent variables, and using Wald Chi-Square statistic for each modelling step (model validity) and LR-Tests to compare the models of each step with the previous model. The patients' sex and age had a weak effect (maximum regression coefficient 1.09, CI 0.39; 1.80), and the patients' self-rated health had the strongest positive effect (maximum regression coefficient 7.66, CI 6.69; 8.63) on satisfaction ratings. The effect of medical practice specialization was heterogeneous. All factors studied, specifically the patients' self-rated health, affected patient satisfaction. Adjustment should always be considered because it improves the comparability of patient satisfaction in medical practices with atypically varying patient populations and increases the acceptance of comparisons. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  17. Support group programme for siblings of children with special needs: predictors of improved emotional and behavioural functioning.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Rachel M; Ejova, Anastasia; Giallo, Rebecca; Strohm, Kate; Lillie, Meredith E

    2016-10-01

    A pilot study to identify the predictors of improvement in emotional and behavioural functioning of siblings of children with special needs following participation in SibworkS, a six-week manual-based, cognitive-behavioural group programme. Data from 36 participants from a recent evaluation of the SibworkS programme was used. Measures were administered pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and three months post-intervention. Treatment effects were measured using change scores for siblings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - Parent Version (SDQ). Seven predictors were analysed: symptom severity of the child with special needs, participant age and gender, sibling birth order, family socio-economic status, participant baseline SDQ score and participant use of additional support services. The overall model significantly predicted change in SDQ scores at post-intervention and follow-up (adjusted R(2) = 0.41 and 0.40). At both evaluation points, SDQ change scores were significantly predicted by baseline SDQ score. Furthermore, symptom severity of the child with special needs was a significant predictor at three months post-intervention. Poorer emotional and behavioural functioning among participants and symptom severity of the child with special needs were associated with greater intervention effects. These results indicate that SibworkS is likely to be beneficial for siblings who have difficulties adjusting, and siblings of children with more severe special needs. Implications for Rehabilitation Siblings of children with disability are at increased risk of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Sibworks is a manualised group-based intervention for the siblings of children with a disability. Poorer emotional and behavioural functioning among participants and symptom severity of the child with special needs were associated with greater intervention effects. SibworkS is likely to be beneficial for siblings who have difficulties adjusting and siblings of children with more severe disabilities.

  18. Company observational post-marketing studies: drug risk assessment and drug research in special populations--a study-based analysis.

    PubMed

    Hasford, J; Lamprecht, T

    1998-01-01

    Company observational post-marketing studies (COPS) claim to provide essential data about drug risks and effectiveness in special populations not admitted to pre-approval clinical trials. Since COPS are often mainly regarded as a marketing activity, this study-based analysis tries to evaluate the scientific contributions of COPS. Thirty-five COPS were identified by hand-searching through medical journals, writing to pharmaceutical manufacturers and using MEDLINE. Fourteen COPS evaluated cardiovascular drugs, 9 evaluated NSAIDs and 12 evaluated various other indications. Thirty-five COPS listed effectiveness, 31 listed safety and 8 listed patient compliance as principal objectives. Not a single COPS included a control group. Seventeen of 21 evaluable COPS mentioned extensive exclusion criteria similar to those in clinical trials. Median observation time was 8 weeks, too short for chronic diseases and for adverse drug reactions with longer latency periods. One new adverse event was regarded. Global assessments of the outcomes by physicians dominated and were not based on objective clinical findings. None of the studies specified any details concerning the standardisation of observations or quality-control procedures. The current COPS scheme does not contribute significantly to our knowledge of drug safety and the effects in special populations. Despite serious criticism over the past 20 years, the poor quality of COPS compared with dramatic improvements of pre-approval trials - implies a need for detailed guidelines for non-experimental phase IV research, similar to the Good Clinical Practice-Guideline of the European Community.

  19. Estimating the Effectiveness of Special Education Using Large-Scale Assessment Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ewing, Katherine Anne

    2009-01-01

    The inclusion of students with disabilities in large scale assessment and accountability programs has provided new opportunities to examine the impact of special education services on student achievement. Hanushek, Kain, and Rivkin (1998, 2002) evaluated the effectiveness of special education programs by examining students' gains on a large-scale…

  20. Increasing implementation of special education instruction in mainstream preschools: direct and generalized effects of nondirective consultation.

    PubMed

    Peck, C A; Killen, C C; Baumgart, D

    1989-01-01

    Two studies evaluated a consultation strategy for increasing teachers' implementation of instruction related to specific Individualized Education Plan objectives for handicapped children mainstreamed into regular preschool programs. In the first study, teachers viewed videotaped sequences of regular classroom routines and were asked to generate ideas for embedding IEP-related instruction into those routines. All teachers demonstrated increases in instructional behaviors in targeted routines, and 2 of the 3 teachers increased instruction in additional settings that had not been the focus of the consultation. Children demonstrated concomitant increases in IEP-targeted behaviors. In follow-up questionnaires and interviews, teachers reported increased confidence in their ability to implement specialized instruction. These findings were replicated in a second study in which the videotaping was replaced by teacher interview, and in which the consultation was carried out by a previously untrained special education teacher.

  1. The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Adolescents with High-Incidence Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solar, Ernest L., II

    2013-01-01

    Research has shown evidence that mindfulness-based meditation practices may be effective treatment interventions for mental, emotional, and medical disabilities in the adult population. There has been a limited number of research studies showing the effectiveness of meditation practices with secondary students who receive special education…

  2. Suspected dietary supplement injuries in special operations soldiers.

    PubMed

    Hughes, John; Shelton, Byron; Hughes, Teresa

    2010-01-01

    Evidence suggests that a number of Special Operations Soldiers are using dietary supplements to augment their physical training programs and that some of these supplements are not entirely benign. This article presents a series of case reports of Soldiers who suffered adverse effects that may be at least partially attributable to the use of dietary supplements. Given that many Special Operations Soldiers train at the same level as world class athletes and the use of supplements is common among world class athletes, the use of supplements is not likely to stop. To this end, the purpose of this article is to provide awareness of the problem, discuss some of the harmful effects of dietary supplements, make a recommendation for education to help reduce the number of injuries resulting from the use of dietary supplements, and recommend that scientific studies be done to prove the benefits and risks of taking dietary supplements. © 2010.

  3. Sports Specialization and Intensive Training in Young Athletes.

    PubMed

    Brenner, Joel S

    2016-09-01

    Sports specialization is becoming the norm in youth sports for a variety of reasons. When sports specialization occurs too early, detrimental effects may occur, both physically and psychologically. If the timing is correct and sports specialization is performed under the correct conditions, the athlete may be successful in reaching specific goals. Young athletes who train intensively, whether specialized or not, can also be at risk of adverse effects on the mind and body. The purpose of this clinical report is to assist pediatricians in counseling their young athlete patients and their parents regarding sports specialization and intensive training. This report supports the American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report "Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Child and Adolescent Athletes." Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  4. Chronic health conditions and school performance in first graders: A prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Hoffmann, Isabell; Diefenbach, Christiane; Gräf, Christine; König, Jochem; Schmidt, Martina F; Schnick-Vollmer, Kathleen; Blettner, Maria; Urschitz, Michael S

    2018-01-01

    Children with chronic health conditions may perform poorer at school. Associations may be confounded by numerous social factors. We aimed to estimate the effects of a chronic health condition on overall school performance in first graders with an emphasis on rigorous adjustment for potential confounders. A population-based cohort study was performed in the area of Mainz-Bingen (Germany). In 2015 all preschoolers were approached and the presence of a chronic health condition was assessed by parental questionnaires and preschool health examination data. The identification of a chronic health condition was based on special health care needs and presence of a doctor's diagnosis out of 24 school-relevant diseases. At the end of the first school year, overall school performance was assessed by teachers and rated on a 5-item scale ranging from -10 to +10. Of 3683 children approached, 2003 were enrolled. Overall school performance was available for 1462 children (51% boys). Of these, 52% suffered from a chronic health condition. Compared to children without a chronic health condition, children with special health care needs (15%) performed worse at school (adjusted mean difference: -0.95, 95% CI: [-1.55; -0.35], P = 0.002). Children with a doctor's diagnosis but without special health care needs (37%) did not perform worse at school. The effect was further analysed considering the extent of special health care needed. Chronic health conditions affect overall school performance early in primary school. To identify academically at-risk children, a chronic health condition identification based on special health care needs may be used.

  5. Developmental links between disobedient behavior and social classroom relationships in boys with psychiatric disorders in special education.

    PubMed

    Breeman, L D; van Lier, P A C; Wubbels, T; Verhulst, F C; van der Ende, J; Maras, A; Hopman, J A B; Tick, N T

    2015-05-01

    In mainstream education, positive relationships with teachers and peers have been found to positively influence children's behavioral development. However, high levels of classroom behavior problems may hinder the formation of such positive relationships. Therefore, findings from mainstream education cannot be generalized to special education. The present study investigated the developmental links between disobedience and positive as well as negative relationships with teachers and peers among boys in restrictive special educational settings. At three assessment waves across one school year, teacher-reports of teacher-child closeness and conflict, and peer-reports of peer acceptance, rejection and disobedience were collected among 340 boys (mean age = 10.1 years, SD = 1.58, range = 5-13) with psychiatric disorders receiving special education. Autoregressive cross-lagged models were fitted to explore the nature of these developmental links. The impact of boys' age was examined using multiple group analyses. Findings supported the importance of teacher-child conflict, but not closeness, and positive and negative peer relationships for the development of boys' disobedience, with a stronger effect of negative than positive relationships. However, teacher-child and peer relationships were not longitudinally related and the effect of boys' age was minimal. This study extends prior research by suggesting that, despite differences in educational setting and severity of behavior problems between children in mainstream and special education, reducing negative classroom interactional patterns is most important in preventing the development of problematic classroom behavior in boys with severe social-emotional and behavioral difficulties.

  6. Examining the nootropic effects of a special extract of Bacopa monniera on human cognitive functioning: 90 day double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Stough, Con; Downey, Luke A; Lloyd, Jenny; Silber, Beata; Redman, Stephanie; Hutchison, Chris; Wesnes, Keith; Nathan, Pradeep J

    2008-12-01

    While Ayurvedic medicine has touted the cognitive enhancing effects of Bacopa monniera for centuries, there is a need for double-blind placebo-controlled investigations. One hundred and seven healthy participants were recruited for this double-blind placebo-controlled independent group design investigation. Sixty-two participants completed the study with 80% treatment compliance. Neuropsychological testing using the Cognitive Drug Research cognitive assessment system was conducted at baseline and after 90 days of treatment with a special extract of Bacopa monniera (2 x 150 mg KeenMind) or placebo. The Bacopa monniera product significantly improved performance on the 'Working Memory' factor, more specifically spatial working memory accuracy. The number of false-positives recorded in the Rapid visual information processing task was also reduced for the Bacopa monniera group following the treatment period. The current study provides support for the two other published studies reporting cognitive enhancing effects in healthy humans after a 90 day administration of the Bacopa monniera extract. Further studies are required to ascertain the effective dosage range, the time required to attain therapeutic levels and the effects over a longer term of administration. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Preparing Effective Special Education Teachers. What Works for Special-Needs Learners Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mamlin, Nancy

    2012-01-01

    What tools are in the toolkit of an excellent special educator, and how can teacher preparation programs provide these tools in the most efficient, effective way possible? This practical, clearly written book is grounded in current research and policy as well as the author's extensive experience as a teacher educator. It identifies what special…

  8. The Effects of Transformational Leadership and the Sense of Calling on Job Burnout among Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gong, Tao; Zimmerli, Laurie; Hoffer, Harry E.

    2013-01-01

    This article examines the effects of transformational leadership of supervisors and the sense of calling on job burnout among special education teachers. A total of 256 special education teachers completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and rated their supervisors on the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The results reveal that transformational…

  9. 38 CFR 21.154 - Special transportation assistance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Special transportation.... Chapter 31 Special Rehabilitation Services § 21.154 Special transportation assistance. (a) General. A veteran, who because of the effects of disability has transportation expenses in addition to those...

  10. 38 CFR 21.154 - Special transportation assistance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Special transportation.... Chapter 31 Special Rehabilitation Services § 21.154 Special transportation assistance. (a) General. A veteran, who because of the effects of disability has transportation expenses in addition to those...

  11. 38 CFR 21.154 - Special transportation assistance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Special transportation.... Chapter 31 Special Rehabilitation Services § 21.154 Special transportation assistance. (a) General. A veteran, who because of the effects of disability has transportation expenses in addition to those...

  12. Music in Special Education [with DVD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamek, Mary; Darrow, Alice-Ann

    2005-01-01

    This book explains essential features of special education that are important for interdisciplinary communication and effective teaching. Part I introduces the reader to historical and instructional foundations of music in special education. Major topics and developments in the field of special education, important terminology, and curricular…

  13. Duloxetine in the treatment of elderly people with major depressive disorder.

    PubMed

    Del Casale, Antonio; Girardi, Paolo; Brugnoli, Roberto; Sani, Gabriele; Di Pietro, Simone; Brugnoli, Chiara; Caccia, Federica; Angeletti, Gloria; Serata, Daniele; Rapinesi, Chiara; Tatarelli, Roberto; Kotzalidis, Giorgio D

    2012-01-01

    The elderly population is more frequently subjected to depressive mood compared to the general population and show peculiarities affecting responsiveness; furthermore, aged people need also special care. Duloxetine is a relatively new antidepressant that proved to be effective in adult depression, but has received little attention in elderly population heretofore. To review the evidence of duloxetine in late-life major depressive disorder (MDD). A systematic review of studies focusing on the use of duloxetine in MDD in the elderly has been carried out through the principal specialized databases, including PubMed, PsycLIT, and Embase. Only a handful of papers were specifically dedicated to this issue. Duloxetine was found to be effective and safe in old-age MDD, to be better than placebo on many clinical measures in all studies, and to better differentiate from placebo with respect to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Compared to placebo, its side-effect profile is slightly unfavorable and its drop-out rate is slightly higher. Furthermore, when pain is present in old-age MDD, duloxetine is able to reduce it. The efficacy and safety of duloxetine in old-age depression are similar to those encountered in adult MDD. There is a relative lack of comparative studies other than with placebo. The special needs of elderly patients with MDD must be addressed with close patient contact to avoid the perils of inappropriate dosing.

  14. Fort Hood: Home of the Third Corps

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-01-01

    34 Special Effects Design ...................................................... 34 Post...145 Digital Special Effects ...................................................... 148...geographic sphere of responsibility. The use of aerial video is effective in showing the vast size and varying terrain of the p cs an’ graphics depict

  15. Cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary management of Tinnitus at a specialized Tinnitus centre

    PubMed Central

    Cima, Rilana; Joore, Manuela; Maes, Iris; Scheyen, Dyon; Refaie, Amr El; Baguley, David M; Vlaeyen, Johan WS; Anteunis, Lucien

    2009-01-01

    Background Tinnitus is a common chronic health condition that affects 10% to 20% of the general population. Among severe sufferers it causes disability in various areas. As a result of the tinnitus, quality of life is often impaired. At present there is no cure or uniformly effective treatment, leading to fragmentized and costly tinnitus care. Evidence suggests that a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach in treating tinnitus is effective. The main objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness, costs, and cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive treatment provided by a specialized tinnitus center versus usual care. This paper describes the study protocol. Methods/Design In a randomized controlled clinical trial 198 tinnitus patients will be randomly assigned to a specialized tinnitus care group or a usual care group. Adult tinnitus sufferers referred to the audiological centre are eligible. Included patients will be followed for 12 months. Primary outcome measure is generic quality of life (measured with the Health Utilities Index Mark III). Secondary outcomes are severity of tinnitus, general distress, tinnitus cognitions, tinnitus specific fear, and costs. Based on health state utility outcome data the number of patients to include is 198. Economic evaluation will be performed from a societal perspective. Discussion This is, to our knowledge, the first randomized controlled trial that evaluates a comprehensive treatment of tinnitus and includes a full economic evaluation from a societal perspective. If this intervention proves to be effective and cost-effective, implementation of this intervention is considered and anticipated. Trial Registration The trial has been registered at ClinicalTrial.gov. The trial registration number is NCT00733044 PMID:19210767

  16. A field study of bar-sponsored drink specials and their associations with patron intoxication.

    PubMed

    Thombs, Dennis L; O'Mara, Ryan; Dodd, Virginia J; Hou, Wei; Merves, Michele L; Weiler, Robert M; Pokorny, Steven B; Goldberger, Bruce A; Reingle, Jennifer; Werch, Chudley Chad E

    2009-03-01

    The study examined associations between bar-sponsored drink specials and alcohol intoxication at the patron level. Data were collected in a college bar district located in a large campus community in the southeastern United States. Random and self-selected samples of patrons were interviewed after exiting college bars at night on four different nights (N=383). Anonymous interview and questionnaire data were collected as well as breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) readings. Significant gender differences existed in patron drinking practices. Women were more likely to take advantage of drink specials, whereas men reported greater alcohol expenditures, consumed more drinks, and drank for longer periods of time. Gender differences in BrAC were very small and not meaningful. Patrons who did not take advantage of drink specials reported consuming more drinks before bar entry than patrons who did participate in these promotions. Participation in "all-you-can-drink" promotions was significantly associated with higher BrAC readings after adjusting for covariates and random effects attributable to drinking establishment. Other drink specials did not have significant associations with alcohol intoxication. The all-you-can-drink special may be the specific discounting practice with the greatest potential for boosting patron intoxication and thus may need to be a stronger focus of alcohol-control policies aimed at improving the beverage service of drinking establishments.

  17. Academic and social achievement goals: Their additive, interactive, and specialized effects on school functioning.

    PubMed

    Liem, Gregory Arief D

    2016-03-01

    Students' pursuit of academic and social goals has implications for school functioning. However, studies on academic and social achievement goals have been relatively independent and mainly conducted with students in culturally Western settings. Guided by multiple-goal perspectives, this study examined the role of academic and social achievement goals in outcome variables relevant to academic (achievement, effort/persistence), social (peer relationship satisfaction, loneliness), and socio-academic (cooperative learning, competitive learning, socially regulated, and self-regulated learning) functioning. A total of 356 Indonesian high-school students (mean age = 16 years; 36% girls) participated in the study. A self-report survey comprising items drawn from pre-existing instruments was administered to measure distinct dimensions of achievement goals and outcomes under focus. Regression analysis was performed to examine additive, interactive, and specialized effects of achievement goals on outcomes. Aligned with the hierarchical model of goal relationships (Wentzel, 2000, Contemp. Educ. Psychol., 25, 105), academic and social achievement goals bore additive effects on most outcomes. Findings also revealed a specialized effect on academic achievement and notable interactive effects on cooperative learning. In general, mastery-approach and performance-approach goals were more adaptive than their avoidance counterparts. The effects of social development goals were positive, whereas those of social demonstration-approach goals were mixed. Contrary to prior findings, social demonstration-avoidance goals did not appear to be inimical for school functioning. Findings underscore the importance of both academic and social achievement goals in day-to-day school functioning and the need to consider the meaning of goals and the coordination of multiple goals from cultural lenses. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  18. Swiss residents' speciality choices – impact of gender, personality traits, career motivation and life goals

    PubMed Central

    Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Klaghofer, Richard; Abel, Thomas; Buddeberg, Claus

    2006-01-01

    Background The medical specialities chosen by doctors for their careers play an important part in the development of health-care services. This study aimed to investigate the influence of gender, personality traits, career motivation and life goal aspirations on the choice of medical speciality. Methods As part of a prospective cohort study of Swiss medical school graduates on career development, 522 fourth-year residents were asked in what speciality they wanted to qualify. They also assessed their career motivation and life goal aspirations. Data concerning personality traits such as sense of coherence, self-esteem, and gender role orientation were collected at the first assessment, four years earlier, in their final year of medical school. Data analyses were conducted by univariate and multivariate analyses of variance and covariance. Results In their fourth year of residency 439 (84.1%) participants had made their speciality choice. Of these, 45 (8.6%) subjects aspired to primary care, 126 (24.1%) to internal medicine, 68 (13.0%) to surgical specialities, 31 (5.9%) to gynaecology & obstetrics (G&O), 40 (7.7%) to anaesthesiology/intensive care, 44 (8.4%) to paediatrics, 25 (4.8%) to psychiatry and 60 (11.5%) to other specialities. Female residents tended to choose G&O, paediatrics, and anaesthesiology, males more often surgical specialities; the other specialities did not show gender-relevant differences of frequency distribution. Gender had the strongest significant influence on speciality choice, followed by career motivation, personality traits, and life goals. Multivariate analyses of covariance indicated that career motivation and life goals mediated the influence of personality on career choice. Personality traits were no longer significant after controlling for career motivation and life goals as covariates. The effect of gender remained significant after controlling for personality traits, career motivation and life goals. Conclusion Gender had the greatest impact on speciality and career choice, but there were also two other relevant influencing factors, namely career motivation and life goals. Senior physicians mentoring junior physicians should pay special attention to these aspects. Motivational guidance throughout medical training should not only focus on the professional career but also consider the personal life goals of those being mentored. PMID:17054803

  19. Longitudinal Study of Direct Instruction Effects from First through Third Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryder, Randall J.; Burton, Jennifer Lyn; Silberg, Anna

    2006-01-01

    In a 3-year longitudinal study, the authors examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) on students' reading achievement, teacher perceptions, nature of the classroom, and special education referral rate. Urban and suburban students completed the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests in the fall of Grade 1 and spring of Grades 1, 2, and 3. Teachers…

  20. Work Related Stress: Application of a Special Study to the General Business Community.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallagher, Denise M.; And Others

    There has been much recent attention given to stress and the negative side effects associated with excessive stress. Employers need to recognize the effect that stress can have on the productivity and attitudes of their employees. To examine work-related stress and to develop stress management strategies, a study was conducted of flight attendants…

  1. The Effectiveness of Teaching Mnemonics in the Study of the Solar System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pickens, Teresa Lynn

    This study evaluates the effectiveness of a mnemonic approach to teaching about the solar system to non-leveled Grade 9 students versus a traditional outline format. A mixture of 54 regular and special education students participated in the control group receiving facts about the solar system through lecture and transparencies and recorded the…

  2. Coaching in Special Education: Toward a Model of Differentiated Professional Development for Elementary School Paraeducators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirk-Martinez, Jacqueline Faith

    2011-01-01

    Although there is a considerable amount of research studies about effective professional development, a literature review revealed that educators are not receiving effective professional development in order to improve instruction. What is paramount in the studies of professional development is that the traditional one-shot model does not meet the…

  3. 75 FR 23308 - Excepted Service

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-03

    .... DSGS70010 Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Effective March 2... Affairs. Effective March 11, 2010. DSGS70104 Special Assistant for Public Affairs. Effective March 12, 2010. DSGS70105 Special Assistant for Public Affairs. Effective March 12, 2010. DSGS70006 Deputy Chief...

  4. Developing an effective multimedia in education for special education (MESE): An introduction to arithmetic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Munir, Kusnendar, Jajang; Rahmadhani

    2016-02-01

    This research aims to develop and test the effectiveness of multimedia in education for special education (MESE) of students with cognitive disabilities in introducing Arithmetic. Students with cognitive disabilities are those who have a level of intelligence under the normal ones. They think concretely and tend to have a very limited memory, switched concentration and forgot easily. The mastery of words is minimal, and also requires a long time to learn. These limitations will interfere in introduction learning to Arithmetic, with the material of numbers 1 to 10. The study resulted that MESE is worth to be used and enhanced the ability of the students.

  5. Nonlinear effects in evolution - an ab initio study: A model in which the classical theory of evolution occurs as a special case.

    PubMed

    Clerc, Daryl G

    2016-07-21

    An ab initio approach was used to study the molecular-level interactions that connect gene-mutation to changes in an organism׳s phenotype. The study provides new insights into the evolutionary process and presents a simplification whereby changes in phenotypic properties may be studied in terms of the binding affinities of the chemical interactions affected by mutation, rather than by correlation to the genes. The study also reports the role that nonlinear effects play in the progression of organs, and how those effects relate to the classical theory of evolution. Results indicate that the classical theory of evolution occurs as a special case within the ab initio model - a case having two attributes. The first attribute: proteins and promoter regions are not shared among organs. The second attribute: continuous limiting behavior exists in the physical properties of organs as well as in the binding affinity of the associated chemical interactions, with respect to displacements in the chemical properties of proteins and promoter regions induced by mutation. Outside of the special case, second-order coupling contributions are significant and nonlinear effects play an important role, a result corroborated by analyses of published activity levels in binding and transactivation assays. Further, gradations in the state of perfection of an organ may be small or large depending on the type of mutation, and not necessarily closely-separated as maintained by the classical theory. Results also indicate that organs progress with varying degrees of interdependence, the likelihood of successful mutation decreases with increasing complexity of the affected chemical system, and differences between the ab initio model and the classical theory increase with increasing complexity of the organism. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. Mixed Method Research in Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McWilliam, R. A.

    This paper addresses the conditions under which quantitative and qualitative research methods could be combined in special education. The paper asserts that qualitative designs have not had a significant effect on special education research and speculates that mixed-method research might be more acceptable to special education researchers or…

  7. Effect of one-step recrystallization on the grain boundary evolution of CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy and its subsystems

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Bo-Ru; Yeh, An-Chou; Yeh, Jien-Wei

    2016-01-01

    In this study, the grain boundary evolution of equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi, CoCrFeNi, and FeCoNi alloys after one-step recrystallization were investigated. The special boundary fraction and twin density of these alloys were evaluated by electron backscatter diffraction analysis. Among the three alloys tested, FeCoNi exhibited the highest special boundary fraction and twin density after one-step recrystallization. The special boundary increment after one-step recrystallization was mainly affected by grain boundary velocity, while twin density was mainly affected by average grain boundary energy and twin boundary energy. PMID:26923713

  8. Teacher Effectiveness Research. Part II: Special Topics. Bibliographies in Education No. 78.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilliss, Geraldine; Moll, Marita

    This 723-item bibliography lists materials on teacher effectiveness research published from 1978 to early 1984. Reference to some earlier works of significance is also included. Teacher effectiveness research is here defined to include principally studies conducted in the presage-context-process-product tradition in an attempt to determine…

  9. Effects of the Good Behavior Game on classwide off-task behavior in a high school basic algebra resource classroom.

    PubMed

    Flower, Andrea; McKenna, John; Muething, Colin S; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on classwide off-task behavior in two ninth-grade basic algebra resource classes. Ten students with a variety of disabilities, in two classrooms, and their special education resource teacher participated in this study. A reversal design was employed, in which the special education teacher implemented GBG compared to typical practice-algebra readiness instruction. Results showed that classwide off-task behavior decreased in the GBG conditions compared to the baseline and reversal conditions. Fidelity measures indicated that the teacher implemented GBG with fidelity. Students and the teacher rated GBG favorably. Overall findings support the use of GBG for reducing classwide off-task behavior. Implications for practice and future research directions are presented.

  10. Building Speaking Fluency with Multiword Expressions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomson, Haidee

    2017-01-01

    Previous research has shown a link between speaking fluently and using multiword expressions. However, evidence on how to effectively teach multiword expressions is limited. This study investigates the effect of fluency-oriented classroom teaching on speaking fluency, with special attention to multiword expressions. In this quasi-experimental…

  11. Electromagnetic wave propagation in rain and polarization effects

    PubMed Central

    OKAMURA, Sogo; OGUCHI, Tomohiro

    2010-01-01

    This paper summarizes our study on microwave and millimeter-wave propagation in rain with special emphasis on the effects of polarization. Starting from a recount of our past findings, we will discuss developments with these and how they are connected with subsequent research. PMID:20551593

  12. Effective Teaching Methods for Geriatric Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strano-Paul, Lisa

    2011-01-01

    This study assesses how effective classroom sessions are at teaching geriatric competencies to medical students. At Stony Brook Medical School, most geriatric competencies are taught in the Ambulatory Care Clerkship during small-group educational sessions. Clinical exposure to reinforce these specialized skills varies with preceptor assignment. A…

  13. Transition Care for Children With Special Health Care Needs

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Alaina M.; Brown, Rebekah F.; Taylor, Julie Lounds; Epstein, Richard A.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Approximately 750 000 children in the United States with special health care needs will transition from pediatric to adult care annually. Fewer than half receive adequate transition care. METHODS: We had conversations with key informants representing clinicians who provide transition care, pediatric and adult providers of services for individuals with special health care needs, policy experts, and researchers; searched online sources for information about currently available programs and resources; and conducted a literature search to identify research on the effectiveness of transition programs. RESULTS: We identified 25 studies evaluating transition care programs. Most (n = 8) were conducted in populations with diabetes, with a smaller literature (n = 5) on transplant patients. We identified an additional 12 studies on a range of conditions, with no more than 2 studies on the same condition. Common components of care included use of a transition coordinator, a special clinic for young adults in transition, and provision of educational materials. CONCLUSIONS: The issue of how to provide transition care for children with special health care needs warrants further attention. Research needs are wide ranging, including both substantive and methodologic concerns. Although there is widespread agreement on the need for adequate transition programs, there is no accepted way to measure transition success. It will be essential to establish consistent goals to build an adequate body of literature to affect practice. PMID:25287460

  14. Effects of Training on Pre-Service Special Educators' Abilities to Co-Teach Math Vocabulary in Preparation for Inclusion Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Paulette Proctor; Pollingue, Alice B.; Hearrington, Doug; Holmes, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    New special education teachers often struggle to teach children the mathematics vocabulary necessary to understand and effectively solve math word problems. The authors designed and implemented a pilot program to prepare pre-service teachers majoring in special education to implement the Camelot Learning Math Intervention Program (CLMIP). We met…

  15. Survey of Special Education Teacher Population of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with Special Reference to Consultant Effectiveness. Monograph Series No. 5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulgarella, Rosaria A.; Williams, Lois Q.

    Reported in the survey (1968) were effects of the regional Instructional Materials Center (IMC) consultant among special education (SE) teacher populations in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Some of the teacher background information compiled from 222 completed questionnaires indicated that over half taught slow learners, had taught handicapped…

  16. The Use of Coaches to Support Special Education Teachers: A Model of Effective Coaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roper, Michelle M.

    2014-01-01

    A three part experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of coaching as a support for special education teachers, and the impact that coaching has on teacher behavior. First, 6 focus group dyad interviews were conducted utilizing a coach and special education teacher, for a total of 12 participants. The purpose of the focus group was to…

  17. Interdependence and Conventional and Special Operations Forces: A Decade of Tactical, Operational, and Strategic Effects

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-14

    INTERDEPENDENCE AND CONVENTIONAL AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES: A DECADE OF TACTICAL , OPERATIONAL, AND STRATEGIC EFFECTS A Monograph by LTC...5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Interdependence and Conventional and Special Operations Forces: 5b. GRANT NUMBER A Decade of Tactical , Operational, and...Staff College ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD 100 Stimson Ave . Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-2301 9. SPONSORING

  18. Food Safety Practices Assessment Tool: An Innovative Way to Test Food Safety Skills among Individuals with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carbone, Elena T.; Scarpati, Stanley E.; Pivarnik, Lori F.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes an innovative assessment tool designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety skills curriculum for learners receiving special education services. As schools respond to the increased demand for training students with special needs about food safety, the need for effective curricula and tools is also increasing. A…

  19. 26 CFR 1.358-5 - Special rules for assumption of liabilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Effects on Shareholders and Security Holders § 1.358-5 Special rules... 26 Internal Revenue 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special rules for assumption of liabilities. 1... June 24, 2003, and before May 9, 2008, see § 1.358-5T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April...

  20. Is specialization an evolutionary dead end? Testing for differences in speciation, extinction and trait transition rates across diverse phylogenies of specialists and generalists.

    PubMed

    Day, E H; Hua, X; Bromham, L

    2016-06-01

    Specialization has often been claimed to be an evolutionary dead end, with specialist lineages having a reduced capacity to persist or diversify. In a phylogenetic comparative framework, an evolutionary dead end may be detectable from the phylogenetic distribution of specialists, if specialists rarely give rise to large, diverse clades. Previous phylogenetic studies of the influence of specialization on macroevolutionary processes have demonstrated a range of patterns, including examples where specialists have both higher and lower diversification rates than generalists, as well as examples where the rates of evolutionary transitions from generalists to specialists are higher, lower or equal to transitions from specialists to generalists. Here, we wish to ask whether these varied answers are due to the differences in macroevolutionary processes in different clades, or partly due to differences in methodology. We analysed ten phylogenies containing multiple independent origins of specialization and quantified the phylogenetic distribution of specialists by applying a common set of metrics to all datasets. We compared the tip branch lengths of specialists to generalists, the size of specialist clades arising from each evolutionary origin of a specialized trait and whether specialists tend to be clustered or scattered on phylogenies. For each of these measures, we compared the observed values to expectations under null models of trait evolution and expected outcomes under alternative macroevolutionary scenarios. We found that specialization is sometimes an evolutionary dead end: in two of the ten case studies (pollinator-specific plants and host-specific flies), specialization is associated with a reduced rate of diversification or trait persistence. However, in the majority of studies, we could not distinguish the observed phylogenetic distribution of specialists from null models in which specialization has no effect on diversification or trait persistence. © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  1. A comparison of the surgical mortality due to colorectal perforation at different hospitals with data from 10,090 cases in the Japanese National Clinical Database.

    PubMed

    Ohki, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Masakazu; Miyata, Hiroaki; Sato, Yasuto; Saida, Yoshihisa; Morimoto, Tsuyoshi; Konno, Hiroyuki; Seto, Yasuyuki; Hirata, Koichi

    2017-01-01

    Colorectal perforation has a high rate of mortality. We compared the incidence and fatality rates of colorectal perforation among different hospitals in Japan using data from the nationwide surgical database.Patients were registered in the National Clinical Database (NCD) between January 1st, 2011 and December 31st, 2013. Patients with colorectal perforation were identified from surgery records by examining if acute diffuse peritonitis (ADP) and diseases associated with a high probability of colorectal perforation were noted. The primary outcome measures included the 30-day postsurgery mortality and surgical mortality of colorectal perforation. We analyzed differences in the observed-to-expected mortality (O/E) ratio between the two groups of hospitals, that is, specialized and non-specialized, using the logistic regression analysis forward selection method.There were 10,090 cases of disease-induced colorectal perforation during the study period. The annual average postoperative fatality rate was 11.36%. There were 3884 patients in the specialized hospital group and 6206 in the non-specialized hospital group. The O/E ratio (0.9106) was significantly lower in the specialized hospital group than in the non-specialized hospital group (1.0704). The experience level of hospitals in treating cases of colorectal perforation negatively correlated with the O/E ratio.We conducted the first study investigating differences among hospitals with respect to their fatality rate of colorectal perforation on the basis of data from a nationwide database. Our data suggest that patients with colorectal perforation should choose to be treated at a specialized hospital or a hospital that treats five or more cases of colorectal perforation per year. The results of this study indicate that specialized hospitals may provide higher quality medical care, which in turn proves that government policy on healthcare is effective at improving the medical system in Japan.

  2. Design and assessment of compact optical systems towards special effects imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaoulov, Vesselin Iossifov

    A main challenge in the field of special effects is to create special effects in real time in a way that the user can preview the effect before taking the actual picture or movie sequence. There are many techniques currently used to create computer-simulated special effects, however current techniques in computer graphics do not provide the option for the creation of real-time texture synthesis. Thus, while computer graphics is a powerful tool in the field of special effects, it is neither portable nor does it provide work in real-time capabilities. Real-time special effects may, however, be created optically. Such approach will provide not only real-time image processing at the speed of light but also a preview option, allowing the user or the artist to preview the effect on various parts of the object in order to optimize the outcome. The work presented in this dissertation was inspired by the idea of optically created special effects, such as painterly effects, encoded in images captured by photographic or motion picture cameras. As part of the presented work, compact relay optics was assessed, developed, and a working prototype was built. It was concluded that even though compact relay optics can be achieved, further push for compactness and cost-effectiveness was impossible in the paradigm of bulk macro-optics systems. Thus, a paradigm for imaging with multi-aperture micro-optics was proposed and demonstrated for the first time, which constitutes one of the key contributions of this work. This new paradigm was further extended to the most general case of magnifying multi-aperture micro-optical systems. Such paradigm allows an extreme reduction in size of the imaging optics by a factor of about 10 and a reduction in weight by a factor of about 500. Furthermore, an experimental quantification of the feasibility of optically created special effects was completed, and consequently raytracing software was developed, which was later commercialized by SmARTLens(TM). While the art forms created via raytracing were powerful, they did not predict all effects acquired experimentally. Thus, finally, as key contribution of this work, the principles of scalar diffraction theory were applied to optical imaging of extended objects under quasi-monochromatic incoherent illumination in order to provide a path to more accurately model the proposed optical imaging process for special effects obtained in the hardware. The existing theoretical framework was generalized to non-paraxial in- and out-of-focus imaging and results were obtained to verify the generalized framework. In the generalized non-paraxial framework, even the most complex linear systems, without any assumptions for shift invariance, can be modeled and analyzed.

  3. Back-to-School Special Education Technology Resource Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edyburn, Dave L., Ed.

    1990-01-01

    This newsletter special issue provides a compendium of information, strategies, and resources concerning the use of technology by individuals with special needs. A section on strategies for the effective use of technology contains the following papers: "A Philosophy for the Use of Technology in Special Education" (A. Edward Blackhurst…

  4. Microcomputers for the Vocational Education of Special Needs Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tindall, Lloyd W.; Gugerty, John J.

    Microcomputer assisted instruction for the vocational education of special needs students is in the formative stage. Computer programmers do not understand educational processes well enough to produce effective software, while the majority of special needs educators lack computer training. Special needs educators need to use existing knowledge in…

  5. Interagency Plan for Children with Special Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maryland State Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore.

    The Interagency Plan for Children with Special Needs for Maryland residents has three major purposes: (1) to set priorities for developing or expanding services required by special needs children and their families; (2) to ensure that resources targeted for special needs children are administered effectively by increasing interagency coordination…

  6. 19 CFR 148.84 - Special treatment for returning individuals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special treatment for returning individuals. 148... and International Organizations and Special Treatment for Returning Individuals § 148.84 Special... United States from abroad: (1) Shall not have his or her baggage and effects admitted free of duty...

  7. 49 CFR 216.17 - Appeals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL NOTICE AND EMERGENCY ORDER PROCEDURES: RAILROAD TRACK, LOCOMOTIVE AND EQUIPMENT Special Notice for Repairs § 216.17 Appeals. (a) Upon receipt of a Special Notice prescribed in §§ 216.11, 216.13... of the Special Notice cease to be effective. If on reinspection the decision of the original...

  8. Behavioral evidence for left-hemisphere specialization of motor planning

    PubMed Central

    Meulenbroek, Ruud G. J.; Steenbergen, Bert

    2010-01-01

    Recent studies suggest that the left hemisphere is dominant for the planning of motor actions. This left-hemisphere specialization hypothesis was proposed in various lines of research, including patient studies, motor imagery studies, and studies involving neurophysiological techniques. However, most of these studies are primarily based on experiments involving right-hand-dominant participants. Here, we present the results of a behavioral study with left-hand-dominant participants, which follows up previous work in right-hand-dominant participants. In our experiment, participants grasped CD casings and replaced them in a different, pre-cued orientation. Task performance was measured by the end-state comfort effect, i.e., the anticipated degree of physical comfort associated with the posture that is planned to be adopted at movement completion. Both left- and right-handed participants showed stronger end-state comfort effects for their right hand compared to their left hand. These results lend behavioral support to the left-hemisphere-dominance motion-planning hypothesis. PMID:21184219

  9. Neural competition as a developmental process: early hemispheric specialization for word processing delays specialization for face processing.

    PubMed

    Li, Su; Lee, Kang; Zhao, Jing; Yang, Zhi; He, Sheng; Weng, Xuchu

    2013-04-01

    Little is known about the impact of learning to read on early neural development for word processing and its collateral effects on neural development in non-word domains. Here, we examined the effect of early exposure to reading on neural responses to both word and face processing in preschool children with the use of the Event Related Potential (ERP) methodology. We specifically linked children's reading experience (indexed by their sight vocabulary) to two major neural markers: the amplitude differences between the left and right N170 on the bilateral posterior scalp sites and the hemispheric spectrum power differences in the γ band on the same scalp sites. The results showed that the left-lateralization of both the word N170 and the spectrum power in the γ band were significantly positively related to vocabulary. In contrast, vocabulary and the word left-lateralization both had a strong negative direct effect on the face right-lateralization. Also, vocabulary negatively correlated with the right-lateralized face spectrum power in the γ band even after the effects of age and the word spectrum power were partialled out. The present study provides direct evidence regarding the role of reading experience in the neural specialization of word and face processing above and beyond the effect of maturation. The present findings taken together suggest that the neural development of visual word processing competes with that of face processing before the process of neural specialization has been consolidated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Psychopathology and Special Education Enrollment in Children with Prenatal Cocaine Exposure

    PubMed Central

    Levine, Todd P.; Lester, Barry; Lagasse, Linda; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta S.; Bauer, Charles R.; Whitaker, Toni M.; Higgins, Rosemary; Hammond, Jane; Roberts, Mary B.

    2012-01-01

    Objective This study evaluated how enrollment in special education services in 11 year old children relates to prenatal cocaine exposure, psychopathology, and other risk factors. Method Participants were 498 children enrolled in The Maternal Lifestyle Study, a prospective, longitudinal, multisite study examining outcomes of children with prenatal cocaine exposure. Logistic regression was used to examine the effect of prenatal cocaine exposure and psychopathology on enrollment in an individualized education plan (a designation specific to children with special education needs), with environmental, maternal, and infant medical variables as covariates. Results Prenatal cocaine exposure, an interaction of prenatal cocaine exposure and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, child Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, parent-reported internalizing behaviors, and teacher-reported externalizing behaviors, predicted enrollment in an individualized education plan. Other statistically significant variables in the model were male gender, low birth weight, being small for gestational age, white race, caregiver change, low socio-economic status, low child intelligence quotient, caregiver depression, and prenatal marijuana exposure. Conclusions Prenatal cocaine exposure increased the likelihood of receiving an individualized education plan with adjustment for covariates. Psychopathology also predicted this special education outcome, in combination with and independent of prenatal cocaine exposure. PMID:22487696

  11. Special education and later academic achievement.

    PubMed

    Ehrhardt, Jennifer; Huntington, Noelle; Molino, Janine; Barbaresi, William

    2013-02-01

    To determine whether grade at entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement in children with reading disorders (RD) and whether the effect of grade at entry to special education differs by socioeconomic status (SES). The authors conducted a secondary data analysis using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative cohort of children followed longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade (1998-2007). Using data from the fifth grade wave of ECLS-K, the authors identified children with RD (n = 290). The outcome of interest was change in score on the reading achievement test, which was developed by ECLS-K staff, between first and fifth grade. Using multiple linear regression, the authors modeled outcome as a function of a child's grade at entry to special education, controlling for several covariates. Early entry to special education (by first grade vs second or third grade) was associated with larger gains in reading achievement between first and fifth grade (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus second grade gained 4.5 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus third grade gained 1.7 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). There was no difference in the magnitude of gains associated with early entry to special education between children from families of low and higher SES. For children with RD, early entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement during elementary school.

  12. Effects of three interventions on the reading skills of children with reading disabilities in grade 2.

    PubMed

    Gustafson, Stefan; Fälth, Linda; Svensson, Idor; Tjus, Tomas; Heimann, Mikael

    2011-01-01

    In a longitudinal intervention study, the effects of three intervention strategies on the reading skills of children with reading disabilities in Grade 2 were analyzed. The interventions consisted of computerized training programs: One bottom-up intervention aimed at improving word decoding skills and phonological abilities, the second intervention focused on top-down processing on the word and sentence levels, and the third was a combination of these two training programs (n = 25 in each group). In addition, there were two comparison groups, 25 children with reading disabilities who received ordinary special instruction and 30 age-matched typical readers. All reading disabled participants completed 25 training sessions with special education teachers. All groups improved their reading skills. The group who received combined training showed higher improvements than the ordinary special instruction group and the typical readers. Different cognitive variables were related to treatment gains for different groups. Thus, a treatment combining bottom-up and top-down aspects of reading was the most effective in general, but individual differences among children need to be considered.

  13. Special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 promotes tumor growth and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jun; Wu, Kaiming; Zhao, Zhenxian; Miao, Rong; Xu, Zhe

    2017-03-01

    Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide. Special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 is a nuclear matrix attachment region binding protein which participates in higher order chromatin organization and tissue-specific gene expression. However, the role of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains unknown. In this study, western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis were performed to identify differentially expressed special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 in a series of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples. The effects of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 silencing by two short-hairpin RNAs on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed by the CCK-8 assay and transwell assays in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. Special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 was significantly upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples and cell lines. Silencing of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 inhibited the proliferation of KYSE450 and EC9706 cells which have a relatively high level of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1, and the ability of migration and invasion of KYSE450 and EC9706 cells was distinctly suppressed. Special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 could be a potential target for the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and inhibition of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 may provide a new strategy for the prevention of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma invasion and metastasis.

  14. Advance Organizers in Secondary Special Education Resource Classrooms: Effects on Student Engagement Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Lisa

    2013-01-01

    Student engagement and appropriate behaviors are essential for effective instruction in secondary special education classrooms. Research suggests that proactive engagement strategies and interventions can have a greater effect on overall classroom behaviors than negative consequences. A single case experiment measured the effects of…

  15. Crataegus special extract WS 1442: up-to-date review of experimental and clinical experiences.

    PubMed

    Zorniak, M; Szydlo, B; Krzeminski, T F

    2017-08-01

    Extracts and tinctures made from Crataegus spp. (Hawthorn) have been used as cardioprotective remedies since ancient times. WS 1442 special extract, manufactured by Dr. W. Schwabe Pharmaceuticals©, made from Crataegus spp. Leaves and flowers is one of the most studied and popular of preparations received from Hawthorn. It is integral, and most important active component of such herbal drugs as Crataegutt® novo 450, and CardioMax®. This standardized extract contains 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins (OPC), which have beneficial cardioprotective values and play a role as free-radicals scavengers, that protect the ischemic heart tissue from neutrophile elastase action successions. Moreover, WS 1442 also carries proven vasorelaxant activity, via affecting eNOS synthase, and prevents ischemic heart tissue swelling by influence on calcium signaling pathways, and thus detain hyperpermeability of endothelium. Actions of WS 1442 special extract were investigated in in vitro as well as in vivo studies including large clinical trials. In this review authors present current state of knowledge about possible beneficial effects of WS 1442 special extract on cardiovascular system.

  16. Effects of different discount levels on healthy products coupled with a healthy choice label, special offer label or both: results from a web-based supermarket experiment.

    PubMed

    Waterlander, Wilma E; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M; de Boer, Michiel R; Schuit, Albertine J; Seidell, Jacob C

    2013-05-16

    Two strategies commonly recommended to improve population diets include food labels and food taxes/subsidies. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of both strategies separately and in combination. An experiment with a 3x3 factorial design was conducted, including: three levels of price reduction (10%; 25%; and 50%) x three labels ('special offer', 'healthy choice' and 'special offer & healthy choice') on healthy foods defined following the Choices front-of-pack nutrition label. N=109 participants completed the experiment by conducting a typical weekly shop for their household at a three-dimensional web-based supermarket. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance. Participants receiving a 50% price discount purchased significantly more healthy foods for their household in a typical weekly shop than the 10% discount (+8.7 items; 95%CI=3.8-13.6) and the 25% discount group (+7.7 items; 95%CI=2.74 - 12.6). However, the proportion of healthy foods was not significantly higher and the discounts lead to an increased amount of energy purchased. No significant effects of the labels were found. This study brings some relevant insights into the effects of price discounts on healthier foods coupled with different labels and shows that price effects over shadowed food labels. However, price discounts seem to have ambiguous effects; they do encourage the purchase of healthy products, but also lead to increased energy purchases. More research is needed to examine how pricing strategies can work in directing consumers towards interchanging unhealthier options for healthier alternatives.

  17. Forest Service special agents, assistant special agents in charge, senior special agents, and supervisory special agents report: nationwide study

    Treesearch

    Deborah J. Chavez; Joanne F. Tynon

    2007-01-01

    This is the fourth in a series of studies to evaluate perceptions of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service law enforcement personnel of the roles, responsibilities, and issues related to their jobs. An e-mail survey was administered to the 89 Forest Service special agents, assistant special agents in charge, senior special agents, and supervisory special agents...

  18. The analysis of thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Książek, Mariusz

    2017-01-01

    Specific chemical environments step out in the industry objects. Portland cement composites (concrete and mortar) were impregnated by using the special polymerized sulfur and technical soot as a filler (polymer sulfur composite). Sulfur and technical soot was applied as the industrial waste. Portland cement composites were made of the same aggregate, cement and water. The process of special polymer sulfur composite applied as the industrial waste is a thermal treatment process in the temperature of about 150-155°C. The result of such treatment is special polymer sulfur composite in a liquid state. This paper presents the plastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion of special polymer sulfur composites, with isotropic porous matrix, reinforced by disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions with orthotropic symmetry of the thermoplastic properties. The investigations are based on the stochastic differential equations of solid mechanics. A model and algorithm for calculating the effective characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites are suggested. The effective thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites, with disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions, are calculated in two stages: First, the properties of materials with oriented inclusions are determined, and then effective constants of a composite with disoriented inclusions are determined on the basis of the Voigt or Rice scheme. A brief summary of new products related to special polymer sulfur composites is given as follows: Impregnation, repair, overlays and precast polymer concrete will be presented. Special polymer sulfur as polymer coating impregnation, which has received little attention in recent years, currently has some very interesting applications.

  19. Effect of mahaleb on cookie quality

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Mahaleb seed has a public use in many areas including bakery industry, especially to soft wheat products to obtain a special odor and texture. In this study, the effect of mahaleb on the cookie quality was investigated in various concentrations. The cookies were evaluated for physical, textural an...

  20. Effect of Extramural Experiences on Dental Students' Attitudes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grantham, Emily V.; Block, Marvin J.

    1983-01-01

    A study designed to determine the effect of a set of community dentistry extramural experience on student attitudes is discussed. The experiences involved one or more of four underserved or special populations: the mentally retarded, the mentally ill, correctional center inmates, and indigent children. (Author/MLW)

  1. An Examination of Learning Formats on Interdisciplinary Teamwork Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivey, Carole K.; Reed, Evelyn

    2011-01-01

    Although interdisciplinary teamwork is a recommended practice and important for coordinated interdisciplinary programming in special education, there is limited research on pedagogical practices to prepare professionals to work together effectively. This study examined the effectiveness of a graduate interdisciplinary teamwork course taught…

  2. Effects of a Critical Viewing Skills Curriculum on Elementary School Children's Knowledge and Attitudes about Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watkins, L. Theresa; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Ninety-one children participated in a study which evaluated a critical television-viewing skills curriculum. Students were given a comprehensive test of reality versus fantasy portrayals, special effects, and commercials. Methodology and results are presented and analyzed. (JL)

  3. Interaction between Digestive Strategy and Niche Specialization Predicts Speciation Rates across Herbivorous Mammals.

    PubMed

    Tran, Lucy A P

    2016-04-01

    Biotic and abiotic factors often are treated as mutually exclusive drivers of diversification processes. In this framework, ecological specialists are expected to have higher speciation rates than generalists if abiotic factors are the primary controls on species diversity but lower rates if biotic interactions are more important. Speciation rate is therefore predicted to positively correlate with ecological specialization in the purely abiotic model but negatively correlate in the biotic model. In this study, I show that the positive relationship between ecological specialization and speciation expected from the purely abiotic model is recovered only when a species-specific trait, digestive strategy, is modeled in the terrestrial, herbivorous mammals (Mammalia). This result suggests a more nuanced model in which the response of specialized lineages to abiotic factors is dependent on a biological trait. I also demonstrate that the effect of digestive strategy on the ecological specialization-speciation rate relationship is not due to a difference in either the degree of ecological specialization or the speciation rate between foregut- and hindgut-fermenting mammals. Together, these findings suggest that a biological trait, alongside historical abiotic events, played an important role in shaping mammal speciation at long temporal and large geographic scales.

  4. Mentoring Teachers in Systematic Phonics Instruction: Effectiveness of an Intensive Year-Long Program for Kindergarten through 3rd Grade Teachers and Their Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ehri, Linnea C.; Flugman, Bert

    2018-01-01

    Teaching systematic phonics effectively to beginning readers requires specialized knowledge and training which many primary grade teachers lack. The current study examined effects of a year-long mentoring program to improve teachers' knowledge and effectiveness in teaching phonics and the extent that it improved students' achievement in reading…

  5. The Arctic's Role in Climate.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, D. James

    1986-01-01

    Discusses the special role the Arctic region plays in climate, focusing on: (1) the global energy balance; (2) feedback mechanisms; (3) effects of increasing carbon dioxide; and (4) climate processes study programs. (JN)

  6. Assessing the Role of Surgical Strike Operations in Support of a Special Warfare Campaign

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    16 Surgical Strike Management and Integration ............................................................... 19 Summary...Integration and Management .................................................................................... 37 Case Study 2 VSO in Kunar Province...Effectiveness ............................................................................................................. 48 Integration and Management

  7. REMIFENTANIL VS FENTANYL DURING DAY CASE DENTAL SURGERY IN PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: A COMPARATIVE, PILOT STUDY OF THEIR EFFECT ON STRESS RESPONSE AND POSTOPERATIVE PAIN.

    PubMed

    Sklika, Eirini; Kalimeris, Konstantinos; Perrea, Despina; Stavropoulos, Nikolaos; Kostopanagiotou, Georgia; Matsota, Paraskevi

    2016-06-01

    People with special needs undergoing dental surgery frequently require general anesthesia. We investigated the effect of remifentanil vs fentanyl on stress response and postoperative pain in people with special needs undergoing day-case dental surgery. Forty-six adult patients with cognitive impairment undergoing day-case dental surgery under general anesthesia were allocated to receive intraoperatively either fentanyl 50 μg iv bolus (group F, n = 23) or continuous infusion of remifentanil 0.5-1 μg/kg/min (group R, n = 23). Iintraoperative hemodynamic parameters were recorded and serum inflammatory mediators [tumor necrosis factor-α, substance-P], stress hormons (melatonin, cortisol) and β-endorphin were measured. Postoperative pain was assessed during the first postoperative 12 hours with the Wong-Baker faces pain-rating scale. Demographics were similar in two groups. The two groups did not differ regarding their effects on inflammatory mediators, stress hormons and postoperative pain scores. However, the use of remifentanil prevented intraoperative increases of arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Remifentanil and fentanyl did not affect differently stress and inflammatory hormones during day-case dental surgery, although remifentanil may render intraoperative management of hemodynamic responses easier. Both opioids are equally efficient for postoperative pain management following dental surgery in people with special needs.

  8. Increased pediatric sub-specialization is associated with decreased surgical complication rates for inpatient pediatric urology procedures

    PubMed Central

    Tejwani, R.; Wang, H-H. S.; Young, B. J.; Greene, N. H.; Wolf, S.; Wiener, J. S.; Routh, J. C.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Introduction Increased case volumes and training are associated with better surgical outcomes. However, the impact of pediatric urology sub-specialization on perioperative complication rates is unknown. Objectives To determine the presence and magnitude of difference in rates of common postoperative complications for elective pediatric urology procedures between specialization levels of urologic surgeons. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), a nationally representative administrative database, was used. Study Design The NIS (1998–2009) was retrospectively reviewed for pediatric (≤18 years) admissions, using ICD-9-CM codes to identify urologic surgeries and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) inpatient postoperative complications. Degree of pediatric sub-specialization was calculated using a Pediatric Proportion Index (PPI), defined as the ratio of children to total patients operated on by each provider. The providers were grouped into PPI quartiles: Q1, 0–25% specialization; Q2, 25–50%; Q3, 50–75%; Q4, 75–100%. Weighted multivariate analysis was performed to test for associations between PPI and surgical complications. Results A total of 71,479 weighted inpatient admissions were identified. Patient age decreased with increasing specialization: Q1, 7.9 vs Q2, 4.8 vs Q3, 4.8 vs Q4, 4.6 years, P<0.01). Specialization was not associated with race (P>0.20), gender (P>0.50), or comorbidity scores (P=0.10). Mortality (1.5% vs 0.2% vs 0.3% vs 0.4%, P<0.01) and complication rates (15.5% vs 11.7% vs 9.6% vs 10.9%, P<0.0001) both decreased with increasing specialization. Patients treated by more highly specialized surgeons incurred slightly higher costs (Q2, +4%; Q3, +1%; Q4 + 2%) but experienced shorter length of hospital stay (Q2, –5%; Q3, –10%; Q4, –3%) compared with the least specialized providers. A greater proportion of patients treated by Q1 and Q3 specialized urologists had CCS ≥2 than those seen by Q2 or Q4 urologists (12.5% and 12.2%, respectively vs 8.4% and 10.9%, respectively, P=0.04). Adjusting for confounding effects, increased pediatric specialization was associated with decreased postoperative complications: Q2 OR 0.78, CI 0.58–1.05; Q3 OR 0.60, CI 0.44–0.84; Q4 OR 0.70, CI 0.58–0.84; P<0.01. Discussion Providers with proportionally higher volumes of pediatric patients achieved better postoperative outcomes than their less sub-specialized counterparts. This may have arisen from increased exposure to pediatric anatomy and physiology, and greater familiarity with pediatric techniques. Limitation The NIS admission-based retrospective design did not enable assessment of long-term outcomes, repeated admissions, or to track a particular patient across time. The study was similarly limited in evaluating the effect of pre-surgical referral patterns on patient distributions. Conclusions Increased pediatric sub-specialization among urologists was associated with a decreased risk of mortality and surgical complications in children undergoing inpatient urologic procedures. PMID:27363329

  9. Quantum chemical calculation of the equilibrium structures of small metal atom clusters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kahn, L. R.

    1982-01-01

    Metal atom clusters are studied based on the application of ab initio quantum mechanical approaches. Because these large 'molecular' systems pose special practical computational problems in the application of the quantum mechanical methods, there is a special need to find simplifying techniques that do not compromise the reliability of the calculations. Research is therefore directed towards various aspects of the implementation of the effective core potential technique for the removal of the metal atom core electrons from the calculations.

  10. A Study on the Effect of Computer Assisted Math Fact Fluency Intervention on Math Achievement for Elementary and Middle School Special Education Students in a Chicago South Suburban School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nottke, Regina

    2017-01-01

    The gap in academic achievement between regular and special education students is well documented. Math was once the stronger area for students with IEPs; however, the scores in Illinois in 2013 suggest that for the subgroup of IEP students, reading and math performance has reached an all-time ten-year low, even when correcting for the change in…

  11. The Relationship between Teacher Training, Intervention Strategies, and Students' Academic Achievement in the Classroom with K-5 ADHD Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Nancy A.

    2014-01-01

    The primary intent of this study was to explore the effect between teachers' training, intervention strategies, and the academic achievement of K-5 ADHD students. The study design employed a mixed research design. The quantitative method focused on collecting data from certified regular and special-education teachers. Additionally, effects were…

  12. The BOLD Response during Stroop Task-Like Inhibition Paradigms: Effects of Task Difficulty and Task-Relevant Modality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Rachel L. C.

    2005-01-01

    Previous studies of the Stroop task propose two key mediators: the prefrontal and cingulate cortices but hints exist of functional specialization within these regions. This study aimed to examine the effect of task modality upon the prefrontal and cingulate response by examining the response to colour, number, and shape Stroop tasks whilst BOLD…

  13. Primary Teachers' Understanding of Four Chemical Phenomena: Effect of an In-Service Training Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papageorgiou, George; Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Johnson, Philip

    2013-01-01

    One hundred and thirty Greek primary school teachers participated in a study, where the effectiveness of a specially designed intervention on chemical changes was tested. The study took place in the wider context of an in-service training course where the key feature was an innovative approach based on the concept of a substance and its…

  14. The Effects of a Direct Instruction Program on the Fraction Performance of Middle School Students At-Risk for Failure in Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flores, Margaret M.; Kaylor, Maria

    2007-01-01

    The current exploratory study investigated the effects of a Direct Instruction program implemented with middle school students identified as at-risk for failure in mathematics. Direct Instruction has typically been implemented with students with disabilities in separate special education settings. However, this study examined the extent to which…

  15. Primary Teachers' Particle Ideas and Explanations of Physical Phenomena: Effect of an In-Service Training Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papageorgiou, George; Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Johnson, Phil Michael

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a study concerning Greek primary school teachers' (n = 162) ideas about the particulate nature of matter and their explanations of physical phenomena. The study took place during an in-service training course where the effectiveness of a specially designed intervention was tested. A key feature was an approach based on the…

  16. Effectiveness of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Social Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Shiraz, Iran

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghorban, Hemati; Sedigheh, Rezaei Dehnavi; Marzieh, Gholami; Yaghoob, Gharghani

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of therapeutic horseback riding on social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants were 6 children with autism spectrum disorder in a special education center for autistic children in Shiraz, Iran. The hypothesis of the study was that participants would demonstrate…

  17. High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas

    PubMed Central

    Martín González, Ana M.; Maruyama, Pietro K.; Sandel, Brody; Vizentin-Bugoni, Jeferson; Schleuning, Matthias; Abrahamczyk, Stefan; Alarcón, Ruben; Araujo, Andréa C.; Araújo, Francielle P.; Mendes de Azevedo, Severino; Baquero, Andrea C.; Cotton, Peter A.; Ingversen, Tanja Toftemark; Kohler, Glauco; Lara, Carlos; Guedes Las-Casas, Flor Maria; Machado, Adriana O.; Machado, Caio Graco; Maglianesi, María Alejandra; Moura, Alan Cerqueira; Nogués-Bravo, David; Oliveira, Genilda M.; Oliveira, Paulo E.; Ornelas, Juan Francisco; Rodrigues, Licléia da Cruz; Rosero-Lasprilla, Liliana; Rui, Ana Maria; Sazima, Marlies; Timmermann, Allan; Varassin, Isabela Galarda; Wang, Zhiheng; Watts, Stella; Fjeldså, Jon; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Rahbek, Carsten; Dalsgaard, Bo

    2016-01-01

    Ecological communities that experience stable climate conditions have been speculated to preserve more specialized interspecific associations and have higher proportions of smaller ranged species (SRS). Thus, areas with disproportionally large numbers of SRS are expected to coincide geographically with a high degree of community-level ecological specialization, but this suggestion remains poorly supported with empirical evidence. Here, we analysed data for hummingbird resource specialization, range size, contemporary climate, and Late Quaternary climate stability for 46 hummingbird–plant mutualistic networks distributed across the Americas, representing 130 hummingbird species (ca 40% of all hummingbird species). We demonstrate a positive relationship between the proportion of SRS of hummingbirds and community-level specialization, i.e. the division of the floral niche among coexisting hummingbird species. This relationship remained strong even when accounting for climate, furthermore, the effect of SRS on specialization was far stronger than the effect of specialization on SRS, suggesting that climate largely influences specialization through species' range-size dynamics. Irrespective of the exact mechanism involved, our results indicate that communities consisting of higher proportions of SRS may be vulnerable to disturbance not only because of their small geographical ranges, but also because of their high degree of specialization. PMID:26842573

  18. Get in the Conversation: Special-Education Efficiencies and Paraprofessional Staffing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Nicholas; Bittel, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Most districts are facing severe budgetary constraints, and special education is one area that is feeling the effects. Special education consumes an average of 20%-30% of school district budgets. Pacing fiscal and systemic controls on special-education spending, and examining para professional placements in particular, will lead to better delivery…

  19. 5 CFR 530.307 - OPM review and adjustment of special rate schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    .... 5305(d), special rate schedule adjustments made by OPM have the force and effect of statute. (d)(1) For... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false OPM review and adjustment of special rate... REGULATIONS PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS (GENERAL) Special Rate Schedules for Recruitment and Retention General...

  20. 43 CFR 423.63 - Existing special use areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... OF THE INTERIOR PUBLIC CONDUCT ON BUREAU OF RECLAMATION FACILITIES, LANDS, AND WATERBODIES Special Use Areas § 423.63 Existing special use areas. Areas where rules were in effect on April 17, 2006 that... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Existing special use areas. 423.63 Section...

  1. Emotion recognition specialization and context-dependent risk of anxiety and depression in adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Hartman, Catharina A; Van Oort, Floor V A; Nederhof, Esther

    2015-01-01

    Background Some adolescents function poorly in apparently benign environments, while others thrive despite hassles and difficulties. The aim of this study was to examine if adolescents with specialized skills in the recognition of either positive or negative emotions have a context-dependent risk of developing an anxiety or depressive disorder during adolescence, depending on exposure to positive or harsh parenting. Methods Data came from a large prospective Dutch population study (N = 1539). At age 11, perceived parental rejection and emotional warmth were measured by questionnaire, and emotion recognition skills by means of a reaction-time task. Lifetime diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders were assessed at about age 19, using a standardized diagnostic interview. Results Adolescents who were specialized in the recognition of positive emotions had a relatively high probability to develop an anxiety disorder when exposed to parental rejection (Bspecialization*rejection = 0.23, P < 0.01) and a relatively low probability in response to parental emotional warmth (Bspecialization*warmth = −0.24, P = 0.01), while the opposite pattern was found for specialists in negative emotions. The effect of parental emotional warmth on depression onset was likewise modified by emotion recognition specialization (B = −0.13, P = 0.03), but the effect of parental rejection was not (B = 0.02, P = 0.72). In general, the relative advantage of specialists in negative emotions was restricted to fairly uncommon negative conditions. Conclusions Our results suggest that there is no unequivocal relation between parenting behaviors and the probability to develop an anxiety or depressive disorder in adolescence, and that emotion recognition specialization may be a promising way to distinguish between various types of context-dependent reaction patterns. PMID:25642389

  2. Emotion recognition specialization and context-dependent risk of anxiety and depression in adolescents.

    PubMed

    Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Hartman, Catharina A; Van Oort, Floor V A; Nederhof, Esther

    2015-02-01

    Some adolescents function poorly in apparently benign environments, while others thrive despite hassles and difficulties. The aim of this study was to examine if adolescents with specialized skills in the recognition of either positive or negative emotions have a context-dependent risk of developing an anxiety or depressive disorder during adolescence, depending on exposure to positive or harsh parenting. Data came from a large prospective Dutch population study (N = 1539). At age 11, perceived parental rejection and emotional warmth were measured by questionnaire, and emotion recognition skills by means of a reaction-time task. Lifetime diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders were assessed at about age 19, using a standardized diagnostic interview. Adolescents who were specialized in the recognition of positive emotions had a relatively high probability to develop an anxiety disorder when exposed to parental rejection (Bspecialization*rejection = 0.23, P < 0.01) and a relatively low probability in response to parental emotional warmth (Bspecialization*warmth = -0.24, P = 0.01), while the opposite pattern was found for specialists in negative emotions. The effect of parental emotional warmth on depression onset was likewise modified by emotion recognition specialization (B = -0.13, P = 0.03), but the effect of parental rejection was not (B = 0.02, P = 0.72). In general, the relative advantage of specialists in negative emotions was restricted to fairly uncommon negative conditions. Our results suggest that there is no unequivocal relation between parenting behaviors and the probability to develop an anxiety or depressive disorder in adolescence, and that emotion recognition specialization may be a promising way to distinguish between various types of context-dependent reaction patterns.

  3. A rational-emotive stress management intervention for reducing job burnout and dysfunctional distress among special education teachers

    PubMed Central

    Ugwoke, Samuel C.; Eseadi, Chiedu; Onuigbo, Liziana N.; Aye, Eucharia N.; Akaneme, Immaculata N.; Oboegbulem, Angie I.; Ezenwaji, Ifeyinwa O.; Nwobi, Anthonia U.; Nwaubani, Okechukwu O.; Ezegbe, Bernedeth N.; Ede, Moses O.; Orji, Chibueze T.; Onuoha, Joseph C.; Onu, Eucharia U.; Okeke, Francisca; Agu, Patricia; Omeje, Joachim C.; Omeke, Faith; Ugwu, Romanus; Arumede, Florence; Eneh, Annastasia

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Background: Job-related burnout and distress are adverse stress responses which affect individuals in their occupational environment. This study aimed at investigating the effect of a rational-emotive stress management program on job burnout and dysfunctional distress among special education teachers in Nigeria. Methods: A pretest–posttest randomized control group design was used. The participants in the study were 54 special education teachers. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Participants were allocated to either the treatment group (n = 28 [59.1%]) or the waitlist control group (n = 26 [48.1%]), respectively. A rational-emotive stress management manual was used to deliver the intervention. We statistically analyzed the data collected at three-time points with repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: At baseline, the job-related burnout symptoms and distress scores of participants were high. However, an intention-to-treat analysis showed that the rational-emotive stress management intervention program was efficacious in reducing the levels of job-related burnout symptoms and dysfunctional distress among participants assigned to the treatment group, compared to a waitlisted group at post-treatment and follow-up meetings. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of a rational-emotive stress management intervention in reducing the level of job-related burnout and distress in a sample of special education teachers in Nigeria. Occupational health counsellors and other clinicians with sufficient knowledge of rational-emotive behavior therapy framework are urged to employ this approach in assisting other employees in managing job burnout symptoms, and distress. PMID:29703004

  4. Marketing in the Special Library Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powers, Janet E.

    1995-01-01

    Special libraries developed in response to a need for quick access to specific information. Integrated marketing in special libraries focuses the library toward strategic planning and offers the opportunity to develop more effective library services. (Author/AEF)

  5. Functional morphology and wasp pollination of two South American asclepiads (Asclepiadoideae-Apocynaceae).

    PubMed

    Wiemer, A P; Sérsic, A N; Marino, S; Simões, A O; Cocucci, A A

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND AIMS The extreme complexity of asclepiad flowers (Asclepiadoideae-Apocynaceae) has generated particular interest in the pollination biology of this group of plants especially in the mechanisms involved in the pollination processes. This study compares two South American species, Morrenia odorata and Morrenia brachystephana, with respect to morphology and anatomy of flower structures, dynamic aspects of the pollination mechanism, diversity of visitors and effectiveness of pollinators. Floral structure was studied with fresh and fixed flowers following classical techniques. The pollination mechanism was studied by visiting fresh flowers in the laboratory with artificial pollinator body parts created with an eyelash. Morphometric and nectar measurements were also taken. Pollen transfer efficiency in the flowers was calculated by recording the frequency of removed and inserted pollinia. Visitor activity was recorded in the field, and floral visitors were captured for subsequent analysis of pollen loads. Finally, pollinator effectiveness was calculated with an index. The detailed structure of the flowers revealed a complex system of guide rails and chambers precisely arranged in order to achieve effective pollinaria transport. Morrenia odorata is functionally specialized for wasp pollination, and M. brachystephana for wasp and bee pollination. Pollinators transport chains of pollinaria adhered to their mouthparts. Morrenia odorata and M. brachystephana present differences in the morphology and size of their corona, gynostegium and pollinaria, which explain the differences in details of the functioning of the general pollination mechanism. Pollination is performed by different groups of highly effective pollinators. Morrenia species are specialized for pollination mainly by several species of wasps, a specialized pollination which has been poorly studied. In particular, pompilid wasps are reported as important pollinators in other regions outside South Africa. A putative new function of nectar in asclepiads is presented, as it would be contributing to the pollination mechanism.

  6. The Chemistry behind Special Effects in Film and Television

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Short, Daniel B.; Badger, Paul D.

    2013-01-01

    The chemistry behind practical special effects in the film and television industry is discussed, along with examples of commonly used chemical demonstrations that simulate them in the laboratory. (Contains 3 figures.)

  7. Advanced Propulsion System Studies in High Speed Research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zola, Charles L.

    2000-01-01

    Propulsion for acceptable supersonic passenger transport aircraft is primarily impacted by the very high jet noise characteristics of otherwise attractive engines. The mixed flow turbofan, when equipped with a special ejector nozzle seems to be the best candidate engine for this task of combining low jet noise with acceptable flight performance. Design, performance, and operation aspects of mixed flow turbofans are discussed. If the special silencing nozzle is too large, too heavy, or not as effective as expected, alternative concepts in mixed flow engines should be examined. Presented herein is a brief summary of efforts performed under cooperative agreement NCC3-193. Three alternative engine concepts, conceived during this study effort, are herein presented and their limitations and potentials are described. These three concepts intentionally avoid the use of special silencing nozzles and achieve low jet noise by airflow augmentation of the engine cycle.

  8. Using Visual Analysis to Evaluate and Refine Multilevel Models of Single-Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baek, Eun Kyeng; Petit-Bois, Merlande; Van den Noortgate, Wim; Beretvas, S. Natasha; Ferron, John M.

    2016-01-01

    In special education, multilevel models of single-case research have been used as a method of estimating treatment effects over time and across individuals. Although multilevel models can accurately summarize the effect, it is known that if the model is misspecified, inferences about the effects can be biased. Concern with the potential for model…

  9. Aid Effectiveness in Education: Why It Matters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bermingham, Desmond; Christensen, Olav Rex; Mahn, Timo Casjen

    2009-01-01

    This article introduces the special issue of "Prospects" on "Aid effectiveness in education". It brings together case studies of attempts in several very different contexts to improve the effectiveness of the use of aid in the education sector. By drawing on the historical evolution of the new paradigm over the last 20 years, the authors make the…

  10. Effect of the Corrective Reading Program for Special Needs Students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mallory-Knight, Gwendolyn

    2013-01-01

    Implementing effective reading instruction is critical for schools. This study examined the effects of the Corrective Reading (CR) program on junior high students with learning disabilities (LD) and students with learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (LD/ADHD). The research questions were: What differences exist…

  11. Just Learning: The Imperative to Transform Juvenile Justice Systems into Effective Educational Systems. A Study of Juvenile Justice Schools in the South and the Nation. Special Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southern Education Foundation, 2014

    2014-01-01

    This brief summarizes the findings of the larger study, "Just Learning: The Imperative to Transform Juvenile Justice Systems into Effective Educational Systems. A Study of Juvenile Justice Schools in the South and the Nation." With awareness growing that schools are disciplining and suspending minority students at alarming rates, the…

  12. MCE Field Study Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taber, Florence M.

    The effectiveness of six microcomputer programs designed for the secondary to adult population to teach concepts associated with daily living skills (vocations, elementary budgeting, money management assessment, banking, and home safety) was studied. These programs were field tested in special education classrooms in three different school…

  13. [Deformations occurring in the apical third of curved root canals during biomechanical preparation using manual impulsion-traction techniques].

    PubMed

    Roig Cayón, M; Basilio Monné, J; Canalda Sahli, C

    1990-01-01

    Apical deformations, specially zips and elbows, during instrumentation of the root canals, are studied. The authors study why do they appear, their effect on endodontic therapy, and the way of avoiding them.

  14. Effective Inclusive Schools: Designing Successful Schoolwide Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hehir, Thomas; Katzman, Lauren I.

    2012-01-01

    This book presents lessons learned from in-depth case studies of some of our most effective inclusive public schools. The authors conclusively demonstrate that schools can educate students with mild and severe disabilities in general education classrooms by providing special education services that link to and bolster general education…

  15. Smart rock technology for real-time monitoring of bridge scour and riprap effectiveness - design guidelines and visualization tool.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-12-31

    This study aims to further develop and demonstrate the recently-proposed smart rock technology for : scour depth and protection effectiveness monitoring. A smart rock is one or two stacked magnets encased : in a concrete sphere with a specially-desig...

  16. Teachers' Perceptions Regarding the Effectiveness of Accommodations for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lipscomb, Tanyaneka T.

    2012-01-01

    Research suggests that teachers may have several perceptions about the use and effectiveness of accommodations for students with specific learning disabilities. This quantitative study investigated regular education and special education teachers' perceptions toward the use of testing and instructional accommodations for students with specific…

  17. Empirically Driven Variable Selection for the Estimation of Causal Effects with Observational Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keller, Bryan; Chen, Jianshen

    2016-01-01

    Observational studies are common in educational research, where subjects self-select or are otherwise non-randomly assigned to different interventions (e.g., educational programs, grade retention, special education). Unbiased estimation of a causal effect with observational data depends crucially on the assumption of ignorability, which specifies…

  18. Resilient modulus and fatigue life characterization of asphalt concrete mixtures used in the Ohio Test Road : special student study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-05-01

    The performance of flexible and rigid pavements depends not only on the effects of traffic but also on environmental effects. As part of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), a test road was recently c...

  19. Comparisons of Mathematics Intervention Effects in Resource and Inclusive Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bottge, Brian A.; Cohen, Allan S.; Choi, Hye-Jeong

    2018-01-01

    In this article, we describe results of a reanalysis of two randomized studies that tested the effects of enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) on the fractions computation performance of students in special education resource rooms and inclusive mathematics classrooms. Latent class analysis and latent transition analysis classified students…

  20. Family Stress and Coping for Mexican Origin Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Freda F.; Gonzales, Nancy A.; Fernandez, Aida Cristina; Millsap, Roger E.; Dumka, Larry E.

    2011-01-01

    Family-related stressors pose special challenges for adolescents of Mexican origin, given traditional cultural norms that compel youths to get involved with family problems despite their limited ability to effect change. The current study examines the prospective effects of coping strategies (i.e., active, distraction, avoidance, support-seeking,…

  1. Preventive dental health care experiences of preschool-age children with special health care needs

    PubMed Central

    Huebner, Colleen E.; Chi, Donald L.; Masterson, Erin; Milgrom, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Purpose This study examined the preventive dental health care experiences of young children with special needs and determined the feasibility of conducting clinical dental examinations at a community-based early intervention services center. Methods Study methods included 90 parent interviews and dental examinations of their preschool-age children. Results Thirteen percent of the children received optimal preventive care, defined as twice daily tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste and two preventive dental visits in the prior 12 months; 37 percent experienced care that fell short in both areas. Optimal care was more common among children of parents who reported tooth brushing was not a struggle and those with a personal dentist. Parents' opinion of the study experience was generally positive. Conclusions Few children with special needs receive effective preventive care early, when primary prevention could be achieved. Barriers to optimal care could be readily addressed by the dental community in coordination with early intervention providers. PMID:25082666

  2. Student Teachers' Management Practices in Elementary Classrooms: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hildenbrand, Susan M.; Arndt, Katrina

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study of four student teachers completing certification in elementary and special education investigated the classroom management practices of the student teachers. This is an important area of study because management practices are essential for an effective classroom, and student teachers often lack confidence and skill in the…

  3. Japanese Studies on Attitudes towards Persons with Mental Retardation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tachibana, Toshiaki; Watanabe, Kanji

    2002-01-01

    Review of Japanese studies on attitudes toward persons with mental retardation first notes origins in increased support for special classes in schools. Reported findings focus on items most affecting attitude differences, gender differences, effect of contact, educational differences, and age differences. A unique sociological study in a fishery…

  4. Development of nurses with specialties: the nurse administrators' perspective.

    PubMed

    Onishi, Mami; Sasaki, Minako; Nagata, Ayako; Kanda, Katsuya

    2008-10-01

    This study clarified how Japanese nurse administrators consider the current status and future prospects of development and utilization of nurses with specialties. The demand for specialized nurses is not satisfied throughout the country. Nine nurse administrators participated in three focus-group discussions. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis technique. On development of specialized nurses, four categories were abstracted: offering opportunities for career development; establishing an environment of life-term continuous learning; providing well-balanced support for the needs of organizations and individual nurses; and support for career development as a specialist. To develop specialized nurses effectively it is important to focus more attention on qualitative aspects of nurses' professional experience in in-service education and to support appropriate personnel for strategic human resource development. Facilitating frequent contacts between specialized and general nurses should be highly valued as making an environment where nurses can face career goals daily leads to steady preservation of human resources. It is necessary for nurse administrators to keep human resources quantitatively and to clarify the developmental process after nurses obtain special roles to plan for continuous education.

  5. In vitro and in vivo evidence of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of metal ions released by orthodontic appliances: A review.

    PubMed

    Martín-Cameán, Ana; Jos, Ángeles; Mellado-García, Pilar; Iglesias-Linares, Alejandro; Solano, Enrique; Cameán, Ana M

    2015-07-01

    Intraoral fixed orthodontic appliances are frequently used in the clinical practice of dentistry. They are made from alloys containing different metals at various percentages. The use of these appliances leads to the long-term exposure of patients to these materials, and the potential toxic effects of this exposure raises concerns about patient safety. Thus, the biocompatibility (corrosion behaviour and toxicity) of these materials has to be evaluated prior to clinical use. In the present report, the most recent studies in the scientific literature examining metal ion release from orthodontic appliances and the toxic effects of these ions have been reviewed with a special focus on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Previous studies suggest that a case-by-case safety evaluation is required to take into account the increasing variability of materials, their composition and the manufacturing processes. Moreover, in vivo toxicity studies in regard to metal release, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity are still scarce. Therefore, in vitro and in vivo monitoring studies are needed to establish cause-effect relationships between metal ion release and biomarkers of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Further investigations could be performed to elucidate the toxic mechanisms involved in the observed effects with a special emphasis on oxidative damage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Trip generation studies for special generators.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-02-01

    This research examines the effects of town centers and senior housing developments on : surrounding roadways and nearby transit. The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) : Trip Generation Manual, which determines number of trips produced or at...

  7. Is the emotional Stroop task a special case of mood induction? Evidence from sustained effects of attention under emotion.

    PubMed

    Ben-Haim, Moshe Shay; Mama, Yaniv; Icht, Michal; Algom, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Sustained effects of emotion are well known in everyday experience. Surprisingly, such effects are seldom recorded in laboratory studies of the emotional Stroop task, in which participants name the color of emotion and neutral words. Color performance is more sluggish with emotion words than with neutral words, the emotional Stroop effect (ESE). The ESE is not sensitive to the order in which the two groups of words are presented, so the effect of exposure to emotion words does not extend to disrupting performance in a subsequent block with neutral words. We attribute this absence of a sustained effect to habituation engendered by excessive repetition of the experimental stimuli. In a series of four experiments, we showed that sustained effects do occur when habituation is removed, and we also showed that the massive exposure to negative stimuli within the ESE paradigm induces a commensurately negative mood. A novel perspective is offered, in which the ESE is considered a special case of mood induction.

  8. The effect of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act on food services and drinking places sales and numbers, 1998-2011.

    PubMed

    Ma, Zhen-Qiang; Fisher, Monica A

    2013-11-27

    Philadelphia enacted its Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA) nearly 2 years before the statewide CIAA. In this study, we assessed the economic impact of CIAAs on 4 types of food services and drinking places and addressed the predominant limitation of previous pre-post ban studies, namely the lack of control for confounders and changes in secular trends over time. We analyzed data from Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Quarterly 1998-2011 taxable county-level revenue sales and number of food services and drinking places. Region-specific and type-specific adjusted sales and number of food services and drinking places accounted for consumer spending as a general economic indicator. Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time-series methodology assessed changes in trend and level. Pennsylvania CIAA had no significant effect on adjusted sales or numbers except for an increase in sales in Philadelphia for limited-service eating places and in the surrounding 4 counties for special food services. Philadelphia CIAA was associated with an increase in adjusted numbers of full-service restaurants in Philadelphia and the rest of the state, special food services in Philadelphia, and drinking places in the rest of the state, and a decrease in the number of special food services in the surrounding counties. Philadelphia CIAA had no significant effect on adjusted sales except for an increase in special food services in the rest of the state. Overall, CIAAs had no negative business-related impact and, for the most part, suggest a positive impact on restaurant sales and numbers. Our results provide further support for comprehensive CIAA ordinance for restaurants.

  9. The Effect of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act on Food Services and Drinking Places Sales and Numbers, 1998-2011

    PubMed Central

    Fisher, Monica A.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Philadelphia enacted its Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA) nearly 2 years before the statewide CIAA. In this study, we assessed the economic impact of CIAAs on 4 types of food services and drinking places and addressed the predominant limitation of previous pre–post ban studies, namely the lack of control for confounders and changes in secular trends over time. Methods We analyzed data from Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Quarterly 1998–2011 taxable county-level revenue sales and number of food services and drinking places. Region-specific and type-specific adjusted sales and number of food services and drinking places accounted for consumer spending as a general economic indicator. Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time-series methodology assessed changes in trend and level. Results Pennsylvania CIAA had no significant effect on adjusted sales or numbers except for an increase in sales in Philadelphia for limited-service eating places and in the surrounding 4 counties for special food services. Philadelphia CIAA was associated with an increase in adjusted numbers of full-service restaurants in Philadelphia and the rest of the state, special food services in Philadelphia, and drinking places in the rest of the state, and a decrease in the number of special food services in the surrounding counties. Philadelphia CIAA had no significant effect on adjusted sales except for an increase in special food services in the rest of the state. Conclusion Overall, CIAAs had no negative business-related impact and, for the most part, suggest a positive impact on restaurant sales and numbers. Our results provide further support for comprehensive CIAA ordinance for restaurants. PMID:24286275

  10. Use of oral antineoplastic in special situations in a third level hospital: real life results.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Muñoz, Carmen; Rodriguez-Quesada, Pedro Pablo; Ferrari-Piquero, José Miguel

    2018-01-01

    To analyse the effectiveness and safety of oral antineoplastic drugs  (ANEOs) that are authorized in special situations in a third-level hospital and to  compare the results obtained with the clinical evidence used for this  authorization. Descriptive observational and retrospective study. We included all  adult patients who started treatment with ANEO in special situations during the  year 2016. We collected demographic, treatment-related and clinical variables  (overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS)). Adverse reactions and  detected interactions were collected. An unadjusted comparison was made  between the results of the available evidence and those of the study patients. 34 patients were treated, 50% were men, the median age was 58  years (38-80) and they presented ECOG 1 in 64.7%. Most of the treated  patients were diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer, treated with  trifluridine-tipiracil, followed by palbociclib in breast cancer, obtaining results  similar to those of the evidence. The median PFS was 2.8 months (95% CI 0.8- 4.8) and the 8-month SG (95% CI 3.4-12.5) for all patients. 26% of patients  required dose reduction because of treatment toxicity. We found 13 interactions,  which affected 15 patients, only two of category X. The effectiveness of ANEO in special situations in our center is  similar to that of available evidence. The impact on survival is low and adverse  effects are common. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  11. [The influence of vibration training in combination with general magnetotherapy on dynamics of performance efficiency in athletes].

    PubMed

    Mikheev, A A; Volchkova, O A; Voronitskiĭ, N E

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of a combined treatment including vibrostimulation and magnetotherapy on the working capacity of athletes. Participants of the study were 8 male judo wrestlers. It was shown that implementation of a specialized training program comprising seances of vibration loading and general magnetotherapy 40 and 60 min in duration respectively during 3 consecutive days produced marked beneficial effect on the hormonal status of the athletes. Specifically, the three-day long treatment resulted in a significant increase of blood cortisol and testosterone levels considered to be an objective sign of improved performance parameters in athletes engaged in strength and speed sports. The optimal length of vibration training during 3 days of specialized training is estimated at 20 to 40 minutes supplemented by general magnetotherapy for 60 minutes.

  12. A Prospective Study on the Effect of Sport Specialization on Lower Extremity Injury Rates in High School Athletes.

    PubMed

    McGuine, Timothy A; Post, Eric G; Hetzel, Scott J; Brooks, M Alison; Trigsted, Stephanie; Bell, David R

    2017-10-01

    Sport specialization is associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal lower extremity injuries (LEIs) in adolescent athletes presenting in clinical settings. However, sport specialization and the incidence of LEIs have not been investigated prospectively in a large population of adolescent athletes. To determine if sport specialization was associated with an increased risk of LEIs in high school athletes. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Participants (interscholastic athletes in grades 9-12) were recruited from 29 Wisconsin high schools during the 2015-2016 school year. Participants completed a questionnaire identifying their sport participation and history of LEIs. Sport specialization of low, moderate, or high was determined using a previously published 3-point scale. Athletic trainers reported all LEIs that occurred during the school year. Analyses included group proportions, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs, and days lost due to injury (median and interquartile range [IQR]). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were calculated to investigate the association between the incidence of LEIs and sport specialization level. A total of 1544 participants (50.5% female; mean age, 16.1 ± 1.1 years) enrolled in the study, competed in 2843 athletic seasons, and participated in 167,349 athlete-exposures. Sport specialization was classified as low (59.5%), moderate (27.1%), or high (13.4%). Two hundred thirty-five participants (15.2%) sustained a total of 276 LEIs that caused them to miss a median of 7.0 days (IQR, 2.0-22.8). Injuries occurred most often to the ankle (34.4%), knee (25.0%), and upper leg (12.7%) and included ligament sprains (40.9%), muscle/tendon strains (25.4%), and tendinitis/tenosynovitis (19.6%). The incidence of LEIs for moderate participants was higher than for low participants (HR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.04-2.20]; P = .03). The incidence of LEIs for high participants was higher than for low participants (HR, 1.85 [95% CI, 1.12-3.06]; P = .02). Athletes with moderate or high sport specialization were more likely to sustain an LEI than athletes with low specialization. Sports medicine providers need to educate coaches, parents, and interscholastic athletes regarding the increased risk of LEIs for athletes who specialize in a single sport.

  13. The cost of reproduction: differential resource specialization in female and male California sea otters.

    PubMed

    Smith, Emma A Elliott; Newsome, Seth D; Estes, James A; Tinker, M Tim

    2015-05-01

    Intraspecific variation in behavior and diet can have important consequences for population and ecosystem dynamics. Here, we examine how differences in reproductive investment and spatial ecology influence individual diet specialization in male and female southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). We hypothesize that greater reproductive constraints and smaller home ranges of females lead to more pronounced intraspecific competition and increased specialization. We integrate stable carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) isotope analysis of sea otter vibrissae with long-term observational studies of five subpopulations in California. We define individual diet specialization as low ratios of within-individual variation (WIC) to total population niche width (TNW). We compare isotopic and observational based metrics of WIC/TNW for males and females to data on population densities, and movement patterns using both general linear and linear mixed-effects models. Consistent with our hypothesis, increasing population density is associated with increased individual diet specialization by females but not by males. Additionally, we find the amount of coastline in a sea otter's home range positively related with individual dietary variability, with increased range span resulting in weaker specialization for both males and females. We attribute our results to sex-based differences in movement, with females needing to specialize in their small ranges to maximize energy gain, and posit that the paradigm of individual prey specialization in sea otters with increased intraspecific competition may be a pattern driven largely by females. Our work highlights a potentially broader role of sex in the mechanistic pressures promoting and maintaining diet specialization.

  14. The cost of reproduction: differential resource specialization in female and male California sea otters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Elliott Smith, Emma A.; Newsome, Seth D.; Estes, James A.; Tinker, M. Tim

    2015-01-01

    Intraspecific variation in behavior and diet can have important consequences for population and ecosystem dynamics. Here, we examine how differences in reproductive investment and spatial ecology influence individual diet specialization in male and female southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). We hypothesize that greater reproductive constraints and smaller home ranges of females lead to more pronounced intraspecific competition and increased specialization. We integrate stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of sea otter vibrissae with long-term observational studies of five subpopulations in California. We define individual diet specialization as low ratios of within-individual variation (WIC) to total population niche width (TNW). We compare isotopic and observational based metrics of WIC/TNW for males and females to data on population densities, and movement patterns using both general linear and linear mixed-effects models. Consistent with our hypothesis, increasing population density is associated with increased individual diet specialization by females but not by males. Additionally, we find the amount of coastline in a sea otter’s home range positively related with individual dietary variability, with increased range span resulting in weaker specialization for both males and females. We attribute our results to sex-based differences in movement, with females needing to specialize in their small ranges to maximize energy gain, and posit that the paradigm of individual prey specialization in sea otters with increased intraspecific competition may be a pattern driven largely by females. Our work highlights a potentially broader role of sex in the mechanistic pressures promoting and maintaining diet specialization.

  15. [The new preschool examination in Baden-Wuerttemberg: what determinants influence the school medical evaluation special need for language promotion in childhood development?].

    PubMed

    Spannenkrebs, M; Crispin, A; Krämer, D

    2013-12-01

    The new examination before primary school enrollment in Baden-Wuerttemberg aims at detecting problems in infant development with regard to later school success in time to initiate supporting measures, especially to improve the language skills of children with other native languages. By a 2-level process composed of a screening of language skills (HASE and KVS) and an additional test (SETK 3-5) of children who did not pass the screening, the school physicians attested special needs for language promotion in the kindergarten. This study looked for associated risks of children with special needs for language promotion. The degree of test quality of the 2-level process for identifying special needs for language promotion was determined. This cross-sectional analysis explored findings of n=80,781 children in the new examination before primary school enrollment of the data-set of Baden-Wuerttemberg (children with school enrollment 2011). 56,352 children (69.8%) were speaking German, 24,429 children (30.2%) had other family languages. 20,461 children (25.3%) had special needs for language promotion in the kindergarten. A logistic regression model to determine main risks of special needs for language promotion was developed. Main effects were other native languages (OR 5.1 [4.8; 5.2]), problems in subitising (OR 2.8 [2.7; 3.0]) and language development lags in the questionnaire of the nursery school teachers (OR 3.5 [3.3; 3.7]). Protective effects were an elevated graduation of the mother (OR 0.7 [0.7; 0.7]) or the father (OR 0.8 [0.7; 0.8]). Risk scores of the effects were defined. The corresponding predictive probability to different levels of risk scores was calculated. The true positive rate of the screening of language skills (HASE/KVS) in regard to special needs for language promotion was 0.95, the true negative rate was 0.72 and the -positive predictive value was 0.53. The school physician's findings of special needs for language promotion acted as gold standard. With the additional test (SETK 3-5) the positive predictive value improved to 0.9, if at least one of the subtests of the SETK 3-5 was not passed. The risk score-level corresponded with the pretest-probability and the consecutive positive predictive value of the screening of language skills. This study showed an adequate degree of test quality of the 2-level process in the new examination before primary school enrollment in Baden-Wuerttemberg (screening of language skills and additional test, if the screening is not passed). In addition children with special needs for language promotion had associated risks. Risk scores, that have been defined, offer an information tool to the school physicians concerning the positive predictive value of the screening of language skills without additional testing. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  16. 49 CFR 1244.7 - Special studies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special studies. 1244.7 Section 1244.7... PROPERTY-RAILROADS § 1244.7 Special studies. (a) Although routine submission of hard copy waybills is... hard copies of the underlying waybills for special studies. (b) The Board may order the subject...

  17. 49 CFR 1244.7 - Special studies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Special studies. 1244.7 Section 1244.7... PROPERTY-RAILROADS § 1244.7 Special studies. (a) Although routine submission of hard copy waybills is... hard copies of the underlying waybills for special studies. (b) The Board may order the subject...

  18. Office development, parking management, and travel behavior : the case of midtown Atlanta

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-05-01

    The effects of special parking provision in zoning ordinances are assessed based on a case study of midtown Atlanta. The study results indicate that it is somewhat easier to promote increased office development around rail transit stations than it is...

  19. Selection and optimization of mooring cables on floating platform for special purposes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Guang-ying; Yao, Yun-long; Zhao, Chen-yao

    2017-08-01

    This paper studied a new type of assembled marine floating platform for special purposes. The selection and optimization of mooring cables on the floating platform are studied. By using ANSYS AQWA software, the hydrodynamic model of the platform was established to calculate the time history response of the platform motion under complex water environments, such as wind, wave, current and mooring. On this basis, motion response and cable tension were calculated with different cable mooring states under the designed environmental load. Finally, the best mooring scheme to meet the cable strength requirements was proposed, which can lower the motion amplitude of the platform effectively.

  20. Social support in the workplace for physicians in specialization training

    PubMed Central

    Mikkola, Leena; Suutala, Elina; Parviainen, Heli

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT When becoming a specialist, learning-through-service plays a significant role. The workplace affords good opportunities for learning, but the service-learning period may also impose stress on phycisians in specialization training. In medical work, social support has proved to be a very important factor in managing stress. Social support may afford advantages also for learning and professional identity building. However, little was known about how social support is perceived by doctors in specialization training. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of physicians in specialization training regarding social support communication in their workplace during their learning-through-service period. The study was conducted qualitatively by inductively analyzing the physicians’ descriptions of workplace communication. The dataset included 120 essays, 60 each from hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Physicians in specialization training explained the need of social support with the responsibilities and demands of their clinical work and the inability to control and manage their workloads. They perceived that social support works well for managing stress, but also for strengthening relational ties and one’s professional identity. A leader’s support was perceived as being effective, and both senior and junior colleagues were described as an important source of social support. Also co-workers, such as the individual nurse partner with whom one works, was mentioned as an important source of social support. The results of this study indicate that social support works at the relational and identity levels, which is due to the multi-functional nature of workplace communication. For example, consultation functions as situational problem-solving, but also the tone of social interaction is meaningful. Thus, strengthening one’s professional identity or collegial relationships requires further attention to workplace communication. Abbreviations PiST: Physician in specialization training PMID:29464988

  1. Social support in the workplace for physicians in specialization training.

    PubMed

    Mikkola, Leena; Suutala, Elina; Parviainen, Heli

    2018-12-01

    When becoming a specialist, learning-through-service plays a significant role. The workplace affords good opportunities for learning, but the service-learning period may also impose stress on phycisians in specialization training. In medical work, social support has proved to be a very important factor in managing stress. Social support may afford advantages also for learning and professional identity building. However, little was known about how social support is perceived by doctors in specialization training. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of physicians in specialization training regarding social support communication in their workplace during their learning-through-service period. The study was conducted qualitatively by inductively analyzing the physicians' descriptions of workplace communication. The dataset included 120 essays, 60 each from hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Physicians in specialization training explained the need of social support with the responsibilities and demands of their clinical work and the inability to control and manage their workloads. They perceived that social support works well for managing stress, but also for strengthening relational ties and one's professional identity. A leader's support was perceived as being effective, and both senior and junior colleagues were described as an important source of social support. Also co-workers, such as the individual nurse partner with whom one works, was mentioned as an important source of social support. The results of this study indicate that social support works at the relational and identity levels, which is due to the multi-functional nature of workplace communication. For example, consultation functions as situational problem-solving, but also the tone of social interaction is meaningful. Thus, strengthening one's professional identity or collegial relationships requires further attention to workplace communication. Abbreviations PiST: Physician in specialization training.

  2. Impact of specialized inpatient IBD care on outcomes of IBD hospitalizations: A cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Law, Cindy CY; Sasidharan, Saranya; Rodrigues, Rodrigo; Nguyen, Deanna D; Sauk, Jenny; Garber, John; Giallourakis, Cosmas; Xavier, Ramnik; Khalili, Hamed; Yajnik, Vijay; Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N

    2016-01-01

    Background The management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD; Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC)) is increasingly complex. Specialized care has been associated with improved ambulatory IBD outcomes. Aims To examine if the implementation of specialized inpatient IBD care modified short and long-term clinical outcomes in IBD-related hospitalizations. Methods This retrospective cohort study included IBD patients hospitalized between July 2013 and April 2015 at a single tertiary referral center where a specialized inpatient IBD care model was implemented in July 2014. In-hospital medical and surgical outcomes as well as post-discharge outcomes at 30 and 90 days were analyzed along with measures of quality of in-hospital care. Effect of specialist IBD care was examined on multivariate analysis. Results A total of 408 IBD-related admissions were included. With implementation of specialized IBD inpatient care, we observed increased frequency of use of high-dose biologic therapy for induction (26% vs. 9%, odds ratio (OR) 5.50, 95% CI 1.30 – 23.17) and higher proportion of patients in remission at 90 days after discharge (multivariate OR 1.60, 95% CI 0.99 – 2.69). While there was no difference in surgery by 90 days, among those who underwent surgery, early surgery defined as in-hospital or within 30 days of discharge, was more common in the study period (71%) compared to the control period (46%, multivariate OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.22 – 6.12). There was no difference in length of stay between the two years. Conclusions Implementation of specialized inpatient IBD care beneficially impacted remission and facilitated early surgical treatment. PMID:27482978

  3. A Study of the Effects of Readers' Theater on Second and Third Grade Special Education Students' Fluency Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corcoran, Carol A.; Davis, A. Dia

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a readers' theater fluency program. The participants were 12 students with learning disabilities in a combined second/third grade exceptional education classroom. Through the use of pre and post reading attitude surveys, field notes recorded by the observer, and pre and post oral fluency…

  4. Follow-Up Study of the Effects of a Supplemental Early Reading Intervention on the Reading/Disability Risk of Urban Primary Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cartledge, Gwendolyn; Yurick, Amanda; Singh, Angella Harjani; Keyes, Starr E.; Kourea, Lefki

    2011-01-01

    Early intervention to mitigate special education and reading risk is especially critical for low socioeconomic and minority learners. This study examined the lasting effects of an early reading intervention package of phonemic awareness on the reading skills of 38 second-grade students one and two years after intervention ended. The participants…

  5. Promoting Mouth-Drying Responses to Reduce Drooling Effects by Persons with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: A Study of Two Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lancioni, Giulio E.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Oliva, Doretta; Smaldone, Angela; La Martire, Maria L.; Pichierri, Sabrina; Groeneweg, Jop

    2011-01-01

    This study assessed the use of microswitch technology to promote mouth-drying responses and thereby reduce the effects of drooling by two adults with severe intellectual and multiple disabilities. Mouth-drying responses were performed via a special napkin that contained pressure sensors, a microprocessor and an MP3 to monitor the responses and…

  6. Centre characteristics associated with the risk of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis: a hierarchical modelling approach based on the data of the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry.

    PubMed

    Béchade, Clémence; Guillouët, Sonia; Verger, Christian; Ficheux, Maxence; Lanot, Antoine; Lobbedez, Thierry

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated the centre effect on the risk of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This was a retrospective cohort study based on data from the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry. We analysed 5017 incident patients starting PD between January 2008 and December 2012 in 127 PD centres. The end of the observation period was 1 January 2014. The event of interest was the first peritonitis episode. The analysis was performed with a multilevel Cox model and a Fine and Gray model. Among the 5017 patients, 3190 peritonitis episodes occurred in 1796 patients. There was significant heterogeneity between centres (variance of the random effect: 0.11). The variance of the centre effect was reduced by 9% after adjusting for patient characteristics and by 35% after adjusting on centre covariate. In the multivariate analysis with a multilevel Cox model, centre with a nurse specialized in PD or centre providing home visits before dialysis initiation decreased the centre effect on peritonitis. Patients treated in centres with a nurse specialized in PD or in centres providing home visits before dialysis initiation had a lower risk of peritonitis [cause-specific hazard ratio (cs-HR): 0.75 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.67-0.83) and cs-HR: 0.87 (95% CI 0.76-0.97), respectively]. The data show that neither centre type nor centre volume influenced peritonitis risk. In the competing risk analysis, centre with a nurse specialized in PD and centre with home visits had a protective effect on peritonitis [sub-distribution HR (sd-HR): 0.77 (95% CI 0.70-0.85) and sd-HR: 0.85 (95% CI 0.77-0.94), respectively]. There is a significant centre effect on the risk of peritonitis that can be decreased by home visits before dialysis initiation and by the presence of a nurse specialized in PD. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  7. Minimal and moderate oral sedation in the adult special needs patient.

    PubMed

    Coke, John M; Edwards, Michael D

    2009-04-01

    Oral minimal/moderate sedation can be an effective tool to aid in the dental management of adult special needs patients. Specific sedative drugs must be chosen by the dentist that can be used safely and effectively on these patients. This article focuses on a select number of these drugs, specific medical and pharmacologic challenges presented by adult special needs patients, and techniques to safely administer oral minimal and moderate sedation.

  8. Effects of Defects on the Mechanical Properties of Kinked Silicon Nanowires.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yun; Zhang, Cheng; Li, Liyi; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Chen, Xin; Gao, Jian; He, Yunbo; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2017-12-01

    Kinked silicon nanowires (KSiNWs) have many special properties that make them attractive for a number of applications. The mechanical properties of KSiNWs play important roles in the performance of sensors. In this work, the effects of defects on the mechanical properties of KSiNWs are studied using molecular dynamics simulations and indirectly validated by experiments. It is found that kinks are weak points in the nanowire (NW) because of inharmonious deformation, resulting in a smaller elastic modulus than that of straight NWs. In addition, surface defects have more significant effects on the mechanical properties of KSiNWs than internal defects. The effects of the width or the diameter of the defects are larger than those of the length of the defects. Overall, the elastic modulus of KSiNWs is not sensitive to defects; therefore, KSiNWs have a great potential as strain or stress sensors in special applications.

  9. 75 FR 29583 - Special Resource Study and Environmental Impact Statement, Coltsville, Hartford, CT

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Special Resource Study and Environmental Impact...: Notice of Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Coltsville Special Resource Study in... Service (NPS) undertook a special resource study (SRS) of the Coltsville Historic District in Hartford...

  10. High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas.

    PubMed

    Sonne, Jesper; Martín González, Ana M; Maruyama, Pietro K; Sandel, Brody; Vizentin-Bugoni, Jeferson; Schleuning, Matthias; Abrahamczyk, Stefan; Alarcón, Ruben; Araujo, Andréa C; Araújo, Francielle P; Mendes de Azevedo, Severino; Baquero, Andrea C; Cotton, Peter A; Ingversen, Tanja Toftemark; Kohler, Glauco; Lara, Carlos; Guedes Las-Casas, Flor Maria; Machado, Adriana O; Machado, Caio Graco; Maglianesi, María Alejandra; Moura, Alan Cerqueira; Nogués-Bravo, David; Oliveira, Genilda M; Oliveira, Paulo E; Ornelas, Juan Francisco; Rodrigues, Licléia da Cruz; Rosero-Lasprilla, Liliana; Rui, Ana Maria; Sazima, Marlies; Timmermann, Allan; Varassin, Isabela Galarda; Wang, Zhiheng; Watts, Stella; Fjeldså, Jon; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Rahbek, Carsten; Dalsgaard, Bo

    2016-02-10

    Ecological communities that experience stable climate conditions have been speculated to preserve more specialized interspecific associations and have higher proportions of smaller ranged species (SRS). Thus, areas with disproportionally large numbers of SRS are expected to coincide geographically with a high degree of community-level ecological specialization, but this suggestion remains poorly supported with empirical evidence. Here, we analysed data for hummingbird resource specialization, range size, contemporary climate, and Late Quaternary climate stability for 46 hummingbird-plant mutualistic networks distributed across the Americas, representing 130 hummingbird species (ca 40% of all hummingbird species). We demonstrate a positive relationship between the proportion of SRS of hummingbirds and community-level specialization, i.e. the division of the floral niche among coexisting hummingbird species. This relationship remained strong even when accounting for climate, furthermore, the effect of SRS on specialization was far stronger than the effect of specialization on SRS, suggesting that climate largely influences specialization through species' range-size dynamics. Irrespective of the exact mechanism involved, our results indicate that communities consisting of higher proportions of SRS may be vulnerable to disturbance not only because of their small geographical ranges, but also because of their high degree of specialization. © 2016 The Author(s).

  11. Team Training for Dynamic Cross-Functional Teams in Aviation: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Performance Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Littlepage, Glenn E; Hein, Michael B; Moffett, Richard G; Craig, Paul A; Georgiou, Andrea M

    2016-12-01

    This study evaluates the effectiveness of a training program designed to improve cross-functional coordination in airline operations. Teamwork across professional specializations is essential for safe and efficient airline operations, but aviation education primarily emphasizes positional knowledge and skill. Although crew resource management training is commonly used to provide some degree of teamwork training, it is generally focused on specific specializations, and little training is provided in coordination across specializations. The current study describes and evaluates a multifaceted training program designed to enhance teamwork and team performance of cross-functional teams within a simulated airline flight operations center. The training included a variety of components: orientation training, position-specific declarative knowledge training, position-specific procedural knowledge training, a series of high-fidelity team simulations, and a series of after-action reviews. Following training, participants demonstrated more effective teamwork, development of transactive memory, and more effective team performance. Multifaceted team training that incorporates positional training and team interaction in complex realistic situations and followed by after-action reviews can facilitate teamwork and team performance. Team training programs, such as the one described here, have potential to improve the training of aviation professionals. These techniques can be applied to other contexts where multidisciplinary teams and multiteam systems work to perform highly interdependent activities. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  12. The division of labor: genotypic versus phenotypic specialization.

    PubMed

    Wahl, L M

    2002-07-01

    A model of the division of labor in simple evolving systems is explored to compare two strategies evident in natural populations: phenotypic specialization (such as differentiation by regulated gene expression) and genotypic specialization (such as co-infection by complementary covirus populations). While genotypic specialization is vulnerable to the chance extinction of an essential specialist type and to parasitism, phenotypic specialization is able to overcome these hurdles. When simple spatial effects are included, phenotypic specialization has further benefits, protecting against destructive dynamic patterns. Many of the advantages of phenotypic specialization, however, can only be realized when a high degree of relatedness within groups is ensured.

  13. The Effect of Host-Plant Phylogenetic Isolation on Species Richness, Composition and Specialization of Insect Herbivores: A Comparison between Native and Exotic Hosts

    PubMed Central

    Grandez-Rios, Julio Miguel; Lima Bergamini, Leonardo; Santos de Araújo, Walter; Villalobos, Fabricio; Almeida-Neto, Mário

    2015-01-01

    Understanding the drivers of plant-insect interactions is still a key issue in terrestrial ecology. Here, we used 30 well-defined plant-herbivore assemblages to assess the effects of host plant phylogenetic isolation and origin (native vs. exotic) on the species richness, composition and specialization of the insect herbivore fauna on co-occurring plant species. We also tested for differences in such effects between assemblages composed exclusively of exophagous and endophagous herbivores. We found a consistent negative effect of the phylogenetic isolation of host plants on the richness, similarity and specialization of their insect herbivore faunas. Notably, except for Jaccard dissimilarity, the effect of phylogenetic isolation on the insect herbivore faunas did not vary between native and exotic plants. Our findings show that the phylogenetic isolation of host plants is a key factor that influences the richness, composition and specialization of their local herbivore faunas, regardless of the host plant origin. PMID:26379159

  14. 42 CFR 93.407 - HHS administrative actions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON... cooperative agreement. (6) Special review of all requests for PHS funding. (7) Imposition of supervision... PHS funding component, and the debarring official. ...

  15. Special Education--Non-Special Education Achievement Gap in Math: Effects of Reporting Methods, Analytical Techniques, and Reclassification

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurlow, Martha L.; Wu, Yi-Chen; Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Ysseldyke, James E.

    2016-01-01

    Federal regulations indicate that the achievement gap must be closed between subgroups, including the gap between special education and non-special education students. We explored the ways in which achievement trends are influenced by three methods of reporting (cross-sectional, cohort-static, and cohort-dynamic). We also investigated (a) the ways…

  16. Two-tier charging in Maputo Central Hospital: costs, revenues and effects on equity of access to hospital services.

    PubMed

    McPake, Barbara; Hongoro, Charles; Russo, Giuliano

    2011-06-02

    Special services within public hospitals are becoming increasingly common in low and middle income countries with the stated objective of providing higher comfort services to affluent customers and generating resources for under funded hospitals. In the present study expenditures, outputs and costs are analysed for the Maputo Central Hospital and its Special Clinic with the objective of identifying net resource flows between a system operating two-tier charging, and, ultimately, understanding whether public hospitals can somehow benefit from running Special Clinic operations. A combination of step-down and bottom-up costing strategies were used to calculate recurrent as well as capital expenses, apportion them to identified cost centres and link costs to selected output measures. The results show that cost differences between main hospital and clinic are marked and significant, with the Special Clinic's cost per patient and cost per outpatient visit respectively over four times and over thirteen times their equivalent in the main hospital. While the main hospital cost structure appeared in line with those from similar studies, salary expenditures were found to drive costs in the Special Clinic (73% of total), where capital and drug costs were surprisingly low (2 and 4% respectively). We attributed low capital and drug costs to underestimation by our study owing to difficulties in attributing the use of shared resources and to the Special Clinic's outsourcing policy. The large staff expenditure would be explained by higher physician time commitment, economic rents and subsidies to hospital staff. On the whole it was observed that: (a) the flow of capital and human resources was not fully captured by the financial systems in place and stayed largely unaccounted for; (b) because of the little consideration given to capital costs, the main hospital is more likely to be subsidising its Special Clinic operations, rather than the other way around. We conclude that the observed lack of transparency may create scope for an inequitable cross subsidy of private customers by public resources.

  17. The Use of Music and Its Effects on the Behavior and Academic Performance of Special Students: A Review of the Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McIntyre, Thomas; Cowell, Karol

    This literature review focuses upon research addressing the playing of music and its effects upon the academic performance and behavior of students with exceptionalities. Literature on music's effects on academic performance focuses primarily on mathematics, reading, and ability to attend to study materials. Behavioral research focused on the…

  18. Effects of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation of Infant Formula on Cognition and Behaviour at 9 Years of Age

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Jong, Corina; Kikkert, Hedwig K.; Fidler, Vaclav; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

    2012-01-01

    Aim: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation of infant formula may have a beneficial effect on cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LCPUFA formula supplementation primarily on cognition and secondarily on behaviour at age 9 years. Special attention was paid to the potentially modifying effect…

  19. Modeling Randomness in Judging Rating Scales with a Random-Effects Rating Scale Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Wen-Chung; Wilson, Mark; Shih, Ching-Lin

    2006-01-01

    This study presents the random-effects rating scale model (RE-RSM) which takes into account randomness in the thresholds over persons by treating them as random-effects and adding a random variable for each threshold in the rating scale model (RSM) (Andrich, 1978). The RE-RSM turns out to be a special case of the multidimensional random…

  20. Emergency pediatric surgery: Comparing the economic burden in specialized versus nonspecialized children's centers.

    PubMed

    Kvasnovsky, Charlotte L; Lumpkins, Kimberly; Diaz, Jose J; Chun, Jeannie Y

    2018-05-01

    The American College of Surgeons has developed a verification program for children's surgery centers. Highly specialized hospitals may be verified as Level I, while those with fewer dedicated resources as Level II or Level III, respectively. We hypothesized that more specialized children's centers would utilize more resources. We performed a retrospective study of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) database from 2009 to 2013. We assessed total charge, length of stay (LOS), and charge per day for all inpatients with an emergency pediatric surgery diagnosis, controlling for severity of illness (SOI). Using published resources, we assigned theoretical level designations to each hospital. Two hospitals would qualify as Level 1 hospitals, with 4593 total emergency pediatric surgery admissions (38.5%) over the five-year study period. Charges were significantly higher for children treated at Level I hospitals (all P<0.0001). Across all SOI, children at Level I hospitals had significantly longer LOS (all P<0.0001). Hospitals defined as Level II and Level III provided the majority of care and were able to do so with shorter hospitalizations and lower charges, regardless of SOI. As care shifts towards specialized centers, this charge differential may have significant impact on future health care costs. Level III Cost Effectiveness Study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Effects of different discount levels on healthy products coupled with a healthy choice label, special offer label or both: results from a web-based supermarket experiment

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Two strategies commonly recommended to improve population diets include food labels and food taxes/subsidies. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of both strategies separately and in combination. Findings An experiment with a 3x3 factorial design was conducted, including: three levels of price reduction (10%; 25%; and 50%) x three labels (‘special offer’, ‘healthy choice’ and ‘special offer & healthy choice’) on healthy foods defined following the Choices front-of-pack nutrition label. N = 109 participants completed the experiment by conducting a typical weekly shop for their household at a three-dimensional web-based supermarket. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance. Participants receiving a 50% price discount purchased significantly more healthy foods for their household in a typical weekly shop than the 10% discount (+8.7 items; 95%CI = 3.8-13.6) and the 25% discount group (+7.7 items; 95%CI = 2.74 – 12.6). However, the proportion of healthy foods was not significantly higher and the discounts lead to an increased amount of energy purchased. No significant effects of the labels were found. Conclusion This study brings some relevant insights into the effects of price discounts on healthier foods coupled with different labels and shows that price effects over shadowed food labels. However, price discounts seem to have ambiguous effects; they do encourage the purchase of healthy products, but also lead to increased energy purchases. More research is needed to examine how pricing strategies can work in directing consumers towards interchanging unhealthier options for healthier alternatives. PMID:23680347

  2. Inclusion of individuals with special needs in regular education: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Silva, Fabiana Trevisani; Gonçalves, Eduardo Augusto Vella; Alvarenga, Kátia de Freitas

    2012-01-01

    To critically analyze the inclusion of individuals with special needs in regular education in Brazil, considering social and legal aspects, through literature review. The literature search was conducted in open access databases: LILACS, SciELO, Portal Cochrane and IUSDATA, the latter belonging to the Library of the Law School of the University of São Paulo, considering all articles published until December 2010. The search strategy used the following keywords: inclusive education; special education; inclusive proposal; individuals with special needs. In the search, only studies in which the summary or the body of the article were related to the purpose of the study were evaluated and selected. The potentially relevant articles for review were presented in a protocol form containing the eligibility criteria of the study, methods used, characteristics of the analyzed group or manuscripts, type of intervention used in the study, and results obtained. Articles classified as expert opinions, despite their low level of scientific evidence, were considered in this work, since they are often found in the literature on the issue. A total of 1,399 articles was found and 120 potentially relevant articles were selected after reading their abstracts. From these, 67 articles were cited in more than one database, which resulted in 53 articles to be fully read. Fifteen of these articles were excluded after reading because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Thus, 38 studies were included and analyzed. Following a critical analysis of the literature in the field, it was concluded that, so far, in general, the school receives individuals with special needs; however, there is a long way to go to actually include these individuals, although Brazil has the scope of inclusion. Therefore, it is necessary to establish public policies and guidelines aimed at effective inclusion.

  3. A study of health effects of long-distance ocean voyages on seamen using a data classification approach

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Long-distance ocean voyages may have substantial impacts on seamen's health, possibly causing malnutrition and other illness. Measures can possibly be taken to prevent such problems from happening through preparing special diet and making special precautions prior or during the sailing if a detailed understanding can be gained about what specific health effects such voyages may have on the seamen. Methods We present a computational study on 200 seamen using 41 chemistry indicators measured on their blood samples collected before and after the sailing. Our computational study is done using a data classification approach with a support vector machine-based classifier in conjunction with feature selections using a recursive feature elimination procedure. Results Our analysis results suggest that among the 41 blood chemistry measures, nine are most likely to be affected during the sailing, which provide important clues about the specific effects of ocean voyage on seamen's health. Conclusions The identification of the nine blood chemistry measures provides important clues about the effects of long-distance voyage on seamen's health. These findings will prove to be useful to guide in improving the living and working environment, as well as food preparation on ships. PMID:20219089

  4. 40 CFR 79.58 - Special provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... deletion of Tier 2 studies or study specifications, and/or changes in underlying engine or equipment... manufacturer shall provide existing information in the form of a literature search, a discussion of the... literature search shall include existing data on potential health and welfare effects due to exposure to the...

  5. 40 CFR 79.58 - Special provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... deletion of Tier 2 studies or study specifications, and/or changes in underlying engine or equipment... manufacturer shall provide existing information in the form of a literature search, a discussion of the... literature search shall include existing data on potential health and welfare effects due to exposure to the...

  6. 40 CFR 79.58 - Special provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... deletion of Tier 2 studies or study specifications, and/or changes in underlying engine or equipment... manufacturer shall provide existing information in the form of a literature search, a discussion of the... literature search shall include existing data on potential health and welfare effects due to exposure to the...

  7. Investigating Primary Source Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archer, Joanne; Hanlon, Ann M.; Levine, Jennie A.

    2009-01-01

    Primary source research requires students to acquire specialized research skills. This paper presents results from a user study testing the effectiveness of a Web guide designed to convey the concepts behind "primary source literacy". The study also evaluated students' strengths and weaknesses when conducting primary source research. (Contains 3…

  8. 40 CFR 79.58 - Special provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... deletion of Tier 2 studies or study specifications, and/or changes in underlying engine or equipment... manufacturer shall provide existing information in the form of a literature search, a discussion of the... literature search shall include existing data on potential health and welfare effects due to exposure to the...

  9. 40 CFR 79.58 - Special provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... deletion of Tier 2 studies or study specifications, and/or changes in underlying engine or equipment... manufacturer shall provide existing information in the form of a literature search, a discussion of the... literature search shall include existing data on potential health and welfare effects due to exposure to the...

  10. Perceived Effects of Earning a Reading Endorsement in a Single-District Sponsored Reading Cohort

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atwood, Bonny L.

    2011-01-01

    This grounded theory study examined the perceived effects of a cohort of seven secondary-level teachers earning a reading endorsement in a single-district sponsored professional development program. The researcher collected data through semi-structured personal interviews with the teachers, their principal, and the director of special services for…

  11. Modeling Contextual Effects in Developmental Research: Linking Theory and Method in the Study of Social Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ojanen, Tiina; Little, Todd D.

    2010-01-01

    This special section was inspired by the recent increased interest and methodological advances in the assessment of context-specificity in child and adolescent social development. While the effects of groups, situations, and social relationships on cognitive, affective and behavioral development have long been acknowledged in theoretical…

  12. On the Other Hand Am I Rational? Hemispheric Activation and the Framing Effect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McElroy, Todd; Seta, John J.

    2004-01-01

    In recent decades the investigation of framing effects has become the foremost studied phenomenon of rational/irrational decision making. Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the functional specializations of the left and the right hemispheres would produce different responses to a traditional framing task. In Experiment 1, a…

  13. The Association of Physical Activity and Academic Behavior: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Rachel A.; Kuzel, AnnMarie H.; Vaandering, Michael E.; Chen, Weiyun

    2017-01-01

    Background: In this systematic review, we assessed the existing research describing the effects of physical activity (PA) on academic behavior, with a special focus on the effectiveness of the treatments applied, study designs, outcome measures, and results. Methods: We obtained data from various journal search engines and 218 journal articles…

  14. GRAPHEME-PHONEME REGULARITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON EARLY READING--A PILOT STUDY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    FRANKENSTEIN, ROSELYN; KJELDERGAARD, PAUL M.

    A PILOT EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED TO TEST THE EFFECT OF A SPECIALLY DEVISED PHONIC APPROACH TO EARLY READING IS DESCRIBED. THE PHONIC METHOD USED ACHIEVED SOUND-SYMBOL REGULARITY AND HAD THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS--(1) CONSONANT GRAPHEMES EACH REPRESENTED ONLY ONE SOUND AND WERE PRINTED USING NEARLY STANDARD ALPHABETIC SYMBOLS. (2) EACH VOWEL…

  15. Effect of CAI on Achievement of LD Students in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sivaram, R. T.; Ramar, R.

    2014-01-01

    The present experimental study was undertaken with three objectives in view, (i) to identify students with language learning disabilities (ii) to develop CAI software to teach LD students through computer-assisted instruction and (iii) to measure the effectiveness of CAI with special reference to LD students. Two matched groups of LD students were…

  16. Effects of Labeling and Teacher Certification Type on Recall and Conflict Resolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayers, Jane M.; Krueger, Lacy E.; Jones, Beth A.

    2015-01-01

    Understanding how labels and prior training affect teachers of students with a disability is a step toward creating effective educational environments. Two goals of the present study were to examine how teacher training (special education vs. general education training) and labeling of students (either as having attention deficit hyperactivity…

  17. The Role of Student Major in Grade Perception in Chemistry Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karatjas, Andrew; Webb, Jeffrey

    2017-01-01

    The Kruger-Dunning effect was studied as it related to performance in chemistry courses based on student differences in academic background. Student major was chosen as the classification to look at the effect of students with different interests/specializations. Chemistry majors tended to predict lower performance than biology majors, while…

  18. From a United Nations Study: The Climatic and Other Global Effects of Nuclear War.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Environment, 1988

    1988-01-01

    Presents excerpts from the first chapter of a report presented to the General Assembly of the United Nations during the Special Session on Disarmament. Discussed are key scientific issues regarding the global effects of nuclear war, and the findings and conclusions presented in the report. (CW)

  19. The Real-World Effectiveness of Early Teaching Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reed, Phil; Osborne, Lisa A.; Corness, Mark

    2007-01-01

    The effectiveness of 3 early teaching interventions (applied behavior analysis [ABA], special nursery placement, and portage) for children with autism spectrum disorder was studied in a community-based sample over 10 months. Measures of autism severity as well as intellectual, educational, and adaptive behavioral function were administered. In…

  20. [Cost-effectiveness of the HIV screening program carried out in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region infectious disease special demonstration project areas].

    PubMed

    Lu, Huaxiang; Luo, Liuhong; Chen, Li; Zhang, Shizhen; Liang, Yingfang; Li, Li; Chen, Zhenqiang; Huo, Xiaoxing; Wu, Xinghua

    2015-06-01

    To analyze the cost effectiveness of HIV screening project in three Guangxi infectious disease special demonstration project countries in 2013. To calculate the funds used for the HIV screening project and to study the data on HIV/AIDS and HAART. A five-tree markov model was used to evaluate the quality adjusted life year (QALY) of this HIV screening project and to analyze the related cost effectiveness of the project. The cost of HIV screening in Guangxi infectious disease special demonstration project areas was 19.205 million Yuan and having identified 1 218 HIV/AIDS patients. The average costs for HIV/AIDS positive detection in three project countries were 14.562, 18.424 and 14.042 thousand Yuan per case. The QALYs gained from finding a HIV/AIDS case were 12.736, 8.523 and 8.321 on average, with the total number of QALYs gained from the project as 5 973.184, 3 613.752 and 2 704.325. The overall cost effectiveness ratio of the project was 1.562 thousand Yuan per QALY, and 1.143, 2.162 and 1.688 thousand Yuan per QALY in these three project countries. Project country "A" showed better cost effectiveness index than country B and C. The HIV screening project in Guangxi seemed relatively cost-effective but the average cost of HIV/AIDS positive detection was expensive. To strengthen HAART work for HIV/AIDS could improve the cost-effective of the project.

  1. 26 CFR 301.7515-1 - Special statistical studies and compilations on request.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Special statistical studies and compilations on... Actions by the United States § 301.7515-1 Special statistical studies and compilations on request. The... of the cost of the work to be performed, to make special statistical studies and compilations...

  2. 26 CFR 301.7515-1 - Special statistical studies and compilations on request.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special statistical studies and compilations on... Actions by the United States § 301.7515-1 Special statistical studies and compilations on request. The... of the cost of the work to be performed, to make special statistical studies and compilations...

  3. Effects of special composite stretching on the swing of amateur golf players

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Joong-chul; Lee, Sung-wan; Yeo, Yun-ghi; Park, Gi Duck

    2015-01-01

    [Purpose] The study investigated stretching for safer a golf swing compared to present stretching methods for proper swings in order to examine the effects of stretching exercises on golf swings. [Subjects] The subjects were 20 amateur golf club members who were divided into two groups: an experimental group which performed stretching, and a control group which did not. The subjects had no bone deformity, muscle weakness, muscle soreness, or neurological problems. [Methods] A swing analyzer and a ROM measuring instrument were used as the measuring tools. The swing analyzer was a GS400-golf hit ball analyzer (Korea) and the ROM measuring instrument was a goniometer (Korea). [Results] The experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in driving distance. After the special stretching training for golf, a statistically significant difference in hit-ball direction deviation after swings were found between the groups. The experimental group showed statistically significant decreases in hit ball direction deviation. After the special stretching training for golf, statistically significant differences in hit-ball speed were found between the groups. The experimental group showed significant increases in hit-ball speed. [Conclusion] To examine the effects of a special stretching program for golf on golf swing-related factors, 20 male amateur golf club members performed a 12-week stretching training program. After the golf stretching training, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in hit-ball driving distance, direction deviation, deflection distance, and speed. PMID:25995553

  4. Effects of special composite stretching on the swing of amateur golf players.

    PubMed

    Lee, Joong-Chul; Lee, Sung-Wan; Yeo, Yun-Ghi; Park, Gi Duck

    2015-04-01

    [Purpose] The study investigated stretching for safer a golf swing compared to present stretching methods for proper swings in order to examine the effects of stretching exercises on golf swings. [Subjects] The subjects were 20 amateur golf club members who were divided into two groups: an experimental group which performed stretching, and a control group which did not. The subjects had no bone deformity, muscle weakness, muscle soreness, or neurological problems. [Methods] A swing analyzer and a ROM measuring instrument were used as the measuring tools. The swing analyzer was a GS400-golf hit ball analyzer (Korea) and the ROM measuring instrument was a goniometer (Korea). [Results] The experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in driving distance. After the special stretching training for golf, a statistically significant difference in hit-ball direction deviation after swings were found between the groups. The experimental group showed statistically significant decreases in hit ball direction deviation. After the special stretching training for golf, statistically significant differences in hit-ball speed were found between the groups. The experimental group showed significant increases in hit-ball speed. [Conclusion] To examine the effects of a special stretching program for golf on golf swing-related factors, 20 male amateur golf club members performed a 12-week stretching training program. After the golf stretching training, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in hit-ball driving distance, direction deviation, deflection distance, and speed.

  5. Special Effects and Their Perhaps Unusual Use in Educational Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abouaf, Gerald

    The role of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in supplying television educators with teacher aids, models, and devices is described in this report, which emphasizes the work of special effects or visual effects technicians and explains how difficult concepts and principles can be demonstrated through the use of three-dimensional models,…

  6. An Investigation of the Distribution of Power and Leader Effectiveness in Matrix Organizations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-09-01

    pioneered in the early 1960s by several major aerospace firms and is an attempt to capture the benefits and minimize the liabilities of two earlier...of the field studies on power used one of the three following items to measure reward power: 1. "He can give special help and benefits to those who...cooperate with him" (Bachman et al., 1966:130). 2. "I comply with my supervisor’s directives because he can give special help and benefits to those who

  7. Physiologic and behavioral effects of papoose board on anxiety in dental patients with special needs.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hsin-Yung; Yang, Hsiang; Chi, Huang-Ju; Chen, Hsin-Ming

    2014-02-01

    Anxiety induced by dental treatment can become a serious problem, especially for patients with special needs. Application of deep touch pressure, which is a sensory adaptation technique, may ameliorate anxiety in disabled patients. However, few empiric studies have investigated the possible links between the clinical effects of deep touch pressure and its behavioral and physiologic aspects. Equally little progress has been made concerning theoretical development. The current study is a crossover intervention trial to investigate the behavioral and physiological effects of deep touch pressure for participants receiving dental treatment. Nineteen disabled participants, who were retrospectively subclassified for positive trend or negative trend, were recruited to receive the papoose board as an application of deep touch pressure. Quantitative analyses of behavioral assessments and physiological measurements, including electrodermal activity and heart rate variability, were conducted. We sought to understand the modulation of the autonomic nervous system and the orchestration of sympathetic and parasympathetic (PsNS) nervous systems. Behavioral assessments reported that higher levels of anxiety were induced by the dental treatment for participants with both groups of positive and negative trends. Although no significant differences were found in the SNS activity, physiologic responses indicated that significantly changes of PsNS activity were observed under the stress condition (dental treatment) when deep touch pressure intervention was applied, especially for participants in the group of positive trend. Our results suggest that the PsNS activation plays a critical role in the process of ANS modulation. This study provides not only physiologic evidence for the modulation effects of deep touch pressure on stressful conditions in dental environments but also the evidence that the application of papoose board, as a sensory adaptation technique, is not harmful for dental patients with special needs. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Mindfulness training for parents of children with special needs: Guidance for nurses in mental health practice.

    PubMed

    Petcharat, Manika; Liehr, Patricia

    2017-02-01

    Parents of children with special needs encounter specific challenges in carrying out their caregiving roles. They experience difficulty accepting their children due to unrealistically high expectations. Mindfulness training (MT) may increase parental psychological well-being and acceptance. The purpose of this article is to examine the evidence-base for the effectiveness of MT in enhancing psychological well-being for parents of children with special needs as a foundation for guidance for nurses in mental health practice. A literature review of relevant research studies was undertaken using specific inclusion criteria. The literature was derived from three databases that identified 56 articles narrowed to 5, which met inclusion criteria. The studies indicated that cultivating a more mindful way of parenting is associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Parents experienced increased mindful awareness and improved psychological well-being, and they were more accepting of their children. Their children also had fewer behavior problems and enhanced positive interaction with their parents. Because mindfulness interventions fall within the scope of independent nursing practice, nurses can play a significant role in applying mindfulness to promote psychological well-being in parents who have children with special needs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Disparities in Health Care Quality Indicators among US Children with Special Health Care Needs According to Household Language Use.

    PubMed

    Yu, Stella; Lin, Sue; Strickland, Bonnie

    2015-01-01

    Lower health care utilization and less favorable health outcomes have been demonstrated in children from Non-English Primary Language households (NEPL) in previous studies. This study examines prevalence of health care quality indicators among US children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their association with household language use. We used data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, restricted to an analytic sample of 40,242 children. Logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of primary household language on the attainment of the 6 health care quality indicators for CSHCN. Compared to CSHCN from English primary language households (EPL), CSHCN from NEPL households had 31% higher odds of not feeling like partners in health care decision-making. They had 67% higher odds of lacking care through a medical home and 42% higher odds of reporting inadequate health insurance. NEPL children had 32% higher odds of not receiving early and continuous screening for special health care needs. NEPL youths had 69% higher odds of not receiving services for transition to adulthood. Minority race/ethnicity, lower income and families other than two biological parents all conferred additional risks to not attaining quality indicators. Publicly insured or uninsured CSHCN were also at higher risk. Our study provides compelling evidence that significant disparities exist for CSHCN by primary household language status across all health care quality indicators. Establishment of effective surveillance systems and targeting of outreach programs in both developed and developing countries may lead to improved understanding of health care needs and quality of services and reduction of health disparities for this underserved population.

  10. Differences in physical fitness and gross motor coordination in boys aged 6-12 years specializing in one versus sampling more than one sport.

    PubMed

    Fransen, Job; Pion, Johan; Vandendriessche, Joric; Vandorpe, Barbara; Vaeyens, Roel; Lenoir, Matthieu; Philippaerts, Renaat M

    2012-01-01

    The Developmental Model of Sports Participation proposes two pathways towards expertise in sports between 6 and 12 years of age: early specialization and early diversification. This study investigated the effect of sampling various sports and of spending many or few hours in sports on fitness and gross motor coordination. Altogether, 735 boys in three age groups (6-8, 8-10, and 10-12 years) were profiled using a fitness test battery. A computerized physical activity questionnaire was used to obtain data on sports participation. In the eldest group, (M)ANCOVA showed a positive effect of sampling various sports on strength, speed, endurance, and gross motor coordination (P < 0.05). A positive effect of many hours per week spent in sports was apparent in every age group. These data suggest an acute positive effect of many hours in sports and a latent positive effect of early sampling on fitness and gross motor coordination. Multiple comparisons revealed that boys aged 10-12 years, who spent many hours in various sports, performed better on standing broad jump (P < 0.05) and gross motor coordination (P < 0.05) than boys specializing in a single sport. Therefore, our results highlight the importance of spending many hours in sports and sampling various sports in the development of fitness and gross motor coordination.

  11. Trip generation studies for special generators : final report, December 2009.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    This research examines the effects of town centers and senior housing developments on surrounding roadways and nearby transit. The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, which determines number of trips produced or attrac...

  12. ANALYZING COHORT MORTALITY DATA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Several methods for analyzing data from mortality studies of occupationally or environmentally exposed cohorts are shown to be special cases of a single procedure. The procedure assumes a proportional hazards model for exposure effects and represents the log-likelihood kernel for...

  13. Prospective Special Education Teachers' Metaphorical Perceptions on the Concept of Special Education Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deniz, Levent

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to define the perceptions of prospective special education teachers regarding special education teacher through metaphors. Phenomenology design was used in this research. The study group comprised 116 third year prospective special education teachers studying at Marmara University, Ataturk Faculty of Education, Special…

  14. Effects of long-term fasting on female hormone levels: Ramadan model.

    PubMed

    Cağlayan, E K; Göçmen, A Y; Delibas, N

    2014-01-01

    Ramadan fasting is a special model of hunger and particularly affects metabolic processes, including carbohydrate and lipid levels. Endocrine changes induced by Ramadan fasting are not well known. The aim of this article was to evaluate the changes in hormone levels in women before and after the special Muslim fasting period of Ramadan. This study was performed in 30 healthy women in Obstetrics and Gynecology department during the Ramadan month of2011. Patients during and after the first menstrual period had menstrual cycles fasting blood samples taken on the same days. Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), testosterone, and prolactin (PRL) levels were determined. Before and during fasting LH, FSH, E2, testosterone and PRL levels were not statistically different. Despite the limited available studies on these subjects in women, effect of Ramadan fasting on hormone levels were found to be within the normal limits.

  15. Chemical compositions and antimicrobial activities of Athrixia phylicoides DC. (bush tea), Monsonia burkeana (special tea) and synergistic effects of both combined herbal teas.

    PubMed

    Tshivhandekano, Itani; Ntushelo, Khayalethu; Ngezimana, Wonder; Tshikalange, Thilivhali Emmanuel; Mudau, Fhatuwani Nixwell

    2014-09-01

    To determine the chemical compositions and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.), special tea (Monsonia burkeana) and synergy (combination of bush tea and special tea). Total polyphenols were determined using the methods reported by Singleton and Rossi (1965) and modified by Waterman and Mole (1994). Tannins were determined using vanillin HCL methods described by Prince et al. (1978). Total antioxidants were determined using the methods described by Awika et al. (2004). The micro dilution technique using 96-well micro-plates, as described by Eloff (1998) was used to obtain the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) values of the ethanol extracts against the microorganisms under study. The microbes strain used was Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus vulgaris, Serratia marcescens, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia; Gram positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and a fungus Candida albicans. The results demonstrated that special tea contains significantly higher content of total polyphenols (8.34 mg/100 g) and total antioxidant (0.83 mg/100 g) as compared to bush tea [total polyphenols (6.41 mg/100g) and total antioxidant (0.63 mg/100g)] and combination of bush tea and special tea [total polyphenols (6.42 mg/100 g) and total antioxidant (0.64 mg/100 g)]. There was no significant difference in tannins between bush tea, special tea and synergy. The results of antimicrobial activity (MIC and MMC) demonstrated that the ethanol extracts of bush tea, special tea and synergy possessed antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms at different zones. The MIC of bush tea ranged from 1.56 to 12.50 mg/mL while the MMC ranged from 0.78 to 12.50 mg/mL. Special tea's MIC ranged from 0.39 to 12.50 mg/mL while the MMC ranged from 0.01 to 12.50 mg/mL. The MIC of synergy ranged from 3.13 to 12.50 mg/mL while the MMC ranged from 3.13 to 12.50 mg/mL without positive synergistic effect recorded. Both bush and special tea contain total polyphenols, total antioxidants and tannins with special tea containing a significantly higher total polyphenols and total antioxidant as compared to bush tea and synergy. Bush tea, special tea and synergy possess antimicrobial activity at various degrees. Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. It's my party and I eat if I want to. Reasons for unhealthy snacking.

    PubMed

    Verhoeven, Aukje A C; Adriaanse, Marieke A; de Vet, Emely; Fennis, Bob M; de Ridder, Denise T D

    2015-01-01

    Investigating the reasons that people give for unhealthy snacking behavior is important for developing effective health interventions. Little research, however, has identified reasons that apply to a large audience and most studies do not integrate multiple factors, precluding any conclusions regarding their relative importance. The present study explored reasons for unhealthy snacking among a representative community sample. Participants (N = 1544) filled out the newly developed Reasons to Snack inventory assessing an elaborate range of motives at baseline and 1-month follow-up. Exploratory and replication factor analyses identified six categories: opportunity induced eating, coping with negative emotions, enjoying a special occasion, rewarding oneself, social pressure, and gaining energy. The highest mean scores were obtained for enjoying a special occasion and opportunity induced eating. Regression analyses with participant characteristics as independent variables and each category of reasons as dependent variables showed differences for age. For all reasons except to enjoy a special occasion, younger people reported a higher score. Women indicated a higher score than men on coping with negative emotions, enjoying a special occasion and gaining energy. People who diet to a stronger extent reported a higher score for snacking because of social pressure, to reward oneself and to cope with negative emotions, with the latter also being related to a higher BMI. Finally, a higher education was associated with enjoying a special occasion. Future health interventions could allocate more attention to diminishing unhealthy snacking with regard to the six identified categories, specifically focusing on enjoying a special occasion and opportunity induced eating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Animals in biomedical space research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phillips, Robert W.

    The use of experimental animals has been a major component of biomedical research progress. Using animals in space presents special problems, but also provides special opportunities. Rat and squirrel monkeys experiments have been planned in concert with human experiments to help answer fundamental questions concerning the effect of weightlessness on mammalian function. For the most part, these experiments focus on identified changes noted in humans during space flight. Utilizing space laboratory facilities, manipulative experiments can be completed while animals are still in orbit. Other experiments are designed to study changes in gravity receptor structure and function and the effect of weightlessness on early vertebrate development. Following these preliminary animals experiments on Spacelab Shuttle flights, longer term programs of animal investigation will be conducted on Space Station.

  18. Comparative Studies in Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mazurek, Kas, Ed.; Winzer, Margret A., Ed.

    This text presents 26 case studies which examine special education provisions for children in the world today. The reports focus on the current state of special education in selected nations and major issues and controversies in the field of special education within those nations. Each case study addresses the following themes: (1) prevalence of…

  19. Mixtures, Metabolites, and Mechanisms: Understanding Toxicology Using Zebrafish.

    PubMed

    Gamse, Joshua T; Gorelick, Daniel A

    2016-10-01

    For more than 60 years, zebrafish have been used in toxicological studies. Due to their transparency, genetic tractability, and compatibility with high-throughput screens, zebrafish embryos are uniquely suited to study the effects of pharmaceuticals and environmental insults on embryonic development, organ formation and function, and reproductive success. This special issue of Zebrafish highlights the ways zebrafish are used to investigate the toxic effects of endocrine disruptors, pesticides, and heavy metals.

  20. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sengupta, S.; Wong, K.V.; Nemerow, N.

    Characterization of the following waste streams: air-classified light (ACL), digester slurry, filter cake, filtrate, washwater input and washwater effluent has been made for the Refcom facility in order to assess the effects of these waste streams, if discharged into the environment. Special laboratory studies to evaluate the effect of plastics on anaerobic digestion have been undertaken. A separate report has been furnished describing the studies of lab-model digesters. Data collected for ACL has been statistically analyzed.

  1. Effects of a Multicultural Perspectives Course on Teacher Candidates' Intercultural Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Yaoying; Hao, Chenfang; Huennekens, Mary Ellen

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the intercultural competence of pre-service special education teacher candidates through the contents of a graduate-level multicultural perspectives course. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a graduate-level multicultural perspectives course to examine the intercultural competence of…

  2. Pilot Study of a School-Based Parent Training Program for Preschoolers with ASD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingersoll, Brooke R; Wainer, Allison L

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a parenting training program designed for early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ESCE) programs serving students with autistic spectrum disorders. Thirteen teachers representing three intermediate school districts implemented the intervention with 27…

  3. Effects of Environmental and Instructional Factors on Student Motivation and Self-Directed Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burkhalter, Anne D.

    2014-01-01

    This study analyzed the impact of parent involvement and integration of multiple intelligences strategies in classroom instruction on student motivation and academic achievement. The population for this study comprised of 13 elementary students receiving special education services. Parent involvement was developed and supported through weekly home…

  4. Defunct Grants-Special Considerations for Termination Effectiveness.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittington, Ronaele R.; Brand, Chrystal R.

    1980-01-01

    Charts the phases of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and hope in a rural work-study program for disadvantaged youth that lost its funding. An overview of national studies and reports on client terminations and program terminations is outlined. Closure-oriented tasks for the practitioner and implications for program…

  5. Effective Use of Action-Oriented Studies in Pakistan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miles, M.

    1991-01-01

    This article summarizes results from action-oriented studies carried out at the Mental Heath Centre in Peshawar, Pakistan, dealing with such topics as attitudes toward disability, casual integration, and trends in polio paralysis. The article also considers problems associated with the dissemination of special education and rehabilitation research…

  6. Preliminary findings of the LDEF Materials Special Investigation Group

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stein, Bland A.; Pippin, H. Gary

    1992-01-01

    The retrieval of NASA's LDEF from low Earth orbit provided an opportunity for the study of long duration space environmental effects on materials. The five year, nine month flight of the LDEF greatly enhanced the potential value of most LDEF materials. NASA recognized this potential by forming the LDEF Space Environmental Effects on Materials Special Investigation Group (MSIG). Its goal is to explore the expanded materials analysis opportunities available in the LDEF structure and on experiment trays. The charter and scope of MSIG activities is presented, followed by an overview of the preliminary MSIG observations. These observations of low Earth orbit environmental effects on materials were made in-space during LDEF retrieval and during LDEF tray disintegration. Also presented are initial findings of lab analyses of LDEF materials. Included are effects of individual environmental parameters: atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, meteoroid and debris impacts, thermal cycling, vacuum, and contamination, plus combined effects of these parameters. Materials considered include anodized aluminum, polymer matrix composites, polymer films, silvered Teflon thermal blankets, and a white thermal control paint.

  7. Effect of Field Trip on Students' Academic Performance in Basic Technology in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amosa, Abdul Ganiyu Alasela; Ogunlade, Oyeronke Olufunmilola; Atobatele, Adunni Suliat

    2015-01-01

    The use of field trip in teaching and learning helps to bring about effective and efficient learning in Basic Technology. Field trip is a group excursion away from the normal education environment for firsthand experience of an historic site or place of special interest. This study therefore was geared towards finding out the effect of field trip…

  8. Female "Big Fish" Swimming against the Tide: The "Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect" and Gender-Ratio in Special Gifted Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preckel, Franzis; Zeidner, Moshe; Goetz, Thomas; Schleyer, Esther Jane

    2008-01-01

    This study takes a second look at the "big-fish-little-pond effect" (BFLPE) on a national sample of 769 gifted Israeli students (32% female) previously investigated by Zeidner and Schleyer (Zeidner, M., & Schleyer, E. J., (1999a). "The big-fish-little-pond effect for academic self-concept, test anxiety, and school grades in…

  9. The Play of Children with Special Needs in Mainstream and Special Education Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bray, Paula; Cooper, Rodney

    2007-01-01

    Educators and occupational therapists regard play as a primary occupation of childhood, which in the case of children with special needs has not been well studied. The aim of this descriptive study was to observe the free-play behaviour of children with special needs in both special education and mainstream education settings. The Revised…

  10. Merging Regular and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs: The Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Darcy E.

    1991-01-01

    Describes the Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP) which facilitated the gradual integration of special education and English teacher preparation programs. A description of the ISEP model and a case study are included. The case study indicated student teachers who participated in the ISEP improved special education and English…

  11. Recruiting and Retaining High-Quality Teachers. SPeNSE Summary Sheet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.

    This report summarizes the data from the Study of Special Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE), a national study of personnel in special education. It focuses on data related to recruiting and retaining high-quality special education teachers. Findings indicate: (1) in 1999-2000, more than 12,000 openings for special education teachers were left…

  12. 40 CFR 87.5 - Special test procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...) Definitions. § 87.5 Special test procedures. Link to an amendment published at 77 FR 36381, June 18, 2012. The..., § 87.5 was removed, effective July 18, 2012. ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Special test procedures. 87.5 Section...

  13. 7 CFR 959.53 - Handling for special purposes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Handling for special purposes. 959.53 Section 959.53 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... Regulating Handling Regulations § 959.53 Handling for special purposes. Regulations in effect pursuant to...

  14. 7 CFR 621.44 - Special studies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Special studies. 621.44 Section 621.44 Agriculture... studies. As designated, NRCS represents USDA on special study groups such as for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program Studies. ...

  15. 7 CFR 621.44 - Special studies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special studies. 621.44 Section 621.44 Agriculture... studies. As designated, NRCS represents USDA on special study groups such as for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program Studies. ...

  16. 75 FR 37812 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... and Human Services (HHS) gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  17. 75 FR 27784 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the decision to designate a class of employees from Westinghouse Electric Corp...

  18. 77 FR 15759 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  19. 75 FR 67364 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-02

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a class of employees from the Blockson Chemical...

  20. 77 FR 60438 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  1. 76 FR 7852 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-11

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a class of employees from Texas City Chemicals...

  2. 77 FR 60437 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  3. 77 FR 69845 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  4. 78 FR 70949 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  5. 78 FR 21955 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  6. 78 FR 21954 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a...

  7. 75 FR 27784 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the decision to designate a class of employees from Lawrence Livermore...

  8. 76 FR 59701 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a class of employees from the Sandia National...

  9. 75 FR 27784 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the decision to designate a class of employees at the Lawrence Berkeley...

  10. 77 FR 15759 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HHS gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision...

  11. 76 FR 7852 - Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-11

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Final Effect of Designation of a Class of Employees for Addition to the Special Exposure Cohort AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health... concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a class of employees from BWX Technologies, Inc...

  12. Commercial enteral formulas and nutrition support teams improve the outcome of home enteral tube feeding.

    PubMed

    Klek, Stanislaw; Szybinski, Piotr; Sierzega, Marek; Szczepanek, Kinga; Sumlet, Magdalena; Kupiec, Monika; Koczur-Szozda, Elzbieta; Steinhoff-Nowak, Malgorzata; Figula, Krzysztof; Kowalczyk, Tomasz; Kulig, Jan

    2011-05-01

    The benefits of home enteral tube feeding (HETF) provided by nutrition support teams (NSTs) have been questioned recently, given the growing costs to the healthcare system. This study examined the effect of a specialized home enteral nutrition program on clinical outcome variables in HETF patients. The observational study included 203 patients (103 women, 100 men; mean age 52.5 years) receiving HETF with homemade diets for at least 12 months before starting a specialized home nutrition program for another 12 months consisting of provision of commercial enteral formulas and the guidance of an NST. Both study periods were compared regarding the number of hospital admissions, length of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and costs of hospitalization. A specialized HETF program significantly reduced the number of hospital admissions and the duration of hospital and ICU stays. The need for hospitalization and ICU admission was significantly reduced, with odds ratios of 0.083 (95% confidence interval, 0.051-0.133, P < .001) and 0.259 (95% confidence interval, 0.124-0.539, P < .001), respectively. Specialized HETF was associated with a significant decrease in the prevalence of pneumonia (24.1% vs 14.2%), respiratory failure (7.3% vs 1.9%), urinary tract infection (11.3% vs 4.9%), and anemia (3.9% vs 0%) requiring hospitalization. The average yearly cost of hospital treatment decreased from $764.65 per patient to $142.66 per year per patient. The specialized HETF care program reduces morbidity and costs related to long-term enteral feeding at home.

  13. Bicycling access and egress to transit : informing the possibilities : research brief.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-03-01

    This study developed a framework : to evaluate the cost effectiveness of : different strategies used to integrate : bicycling and transit. The authors: (1) : reviewed the state of the knowledge, : giving special attention to identifying : transit typ...

  14. Field evaluation of jail sanctions for DWI

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1988-04-29

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tennessee's two-day mandatory jail sanction for first-offense DWI on general deterrence, special deterrence, and the operation of the drinking-driver control system. Our analysis of general de...

  15. How to improve patient education on deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: the CARE Monitor study.

    PubMed

    Dinkelbach, Lars; Möller, Bettina; Witt, Karsten; Schnitzler, Alfons; Südmeyer, Martin

    2017-02-21

    The introduction of deep brain stimulation (DBS) about 25 years ago provided one of the major breakthroughs in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a high percentage of patients are reluctant to undergo DBS. Previous research revealed that the critical step on the patient's path to DBS is the decision whether to undergo further diagnostic assessment for surgery at a specialized DBS-center. The aims of the current study were to evaluate how effective the combination of an outpatient DBS screening tool, STIMULUS, with specially developed educational material was to enhance patient education on DBS and to identify motivational aspects which influenced the patients' willingness to undergo further assessment. In total, 264 patients were identified as appropriate candidates for DBS by general neurologists using the electronic preselection tool STIMULUS. Patient-centered information material was designed and handed out to support education on DBS. Further, several clinical characteristics and details of the patient counseling were documented. Refusal or consent to show up at a DBS center was registered over the following 16 months. 114 (43.2%) patients preselected as eligible for DBS (STIMULUS Score ≥ 6) agreed to show up at a specialized DBS center to undergo further diagnostic assessment. The patients' ages, PD classification as an akinetic-rigid type and the talks' topics side-effects of dopaminergic medication and the optimal time frame had a significant influence on the patients' decisions. The combination of preselection tools as STIMULUS with comprehensive information material is effective to increase DBS-acceptance rate in PD patients. Important topics of the information about DBS cover the optimal time frame for DBS surgery, the side-effects of dopaminergic medication as well as side-effects and complications of DBS surgery.

  16. Host-Plant Specialization Mediates the Influence of Plant Abundance on Host Use by Flower Head-Feeding Insects.

    PubMed

    Nobre, Paola A F; Bergamini, Leonardo L; Lewinsohn, Thomas M; Jorge, Leonardo R; Almeida-Neto, Mário

    2016-02-01

    Among-population variation in host use is a common phenomenon in herbivorous insects. The simplest and most trivial explanation for such variation in host use is the among-site variation in plant species composition. Another aspect that can influence spatial variation in host use is the relative abundance of each host-plant species compared to all available hosts. Here, we used endophagous insects that develop in flower heads of Asteraceae species as a study system to investigate how plant abundance influences the pattern of host-plant use by herbivorous insects with distinct levels of host-range specialization. Only herbivores recorded on three or more host species were included in this study. In particular, we tested two related hypotheses: 1) plant abundance has a positive effect on the host-plant preference of herbivorous insects, and 2) the relative importance of plant abundance to host-plant preference is greater for herbivorous species that use a wider range of host-plant species. We analyzed 11 herbivore species in 20 remnants of Cerrado in Southeastern Brazil. For 8 out of 11 herbivore species, plant abundance had a positive influence on host use. In contrast to our expectation, both the most specialized and the most generalist herbivores showed a stronger positive effect of plant species abundance in host use. Thus, we found evidence that although the abundance of plant species is a major factor determining the preferential use of host plants, its relative importance is mediated by the host-range specialization of herbivores.

  17. Using a flipped classroom and the perspective of families to teach medical students about children with disabilities and special education.

    PubMed

    Sheppard, Mary E; Vitalone-Raccaro, Nancy; Kaari, Jacqueline M; Ajumobi, Taiwo T

    2017-10-01

    The need to teach medical students to care for children with disabilities, work effectively with these patients' families, and collaborate with schools has been well established. Yet, what is not clear is the exact nature of the content to be taught and how medical schools develop the systems and enabling structures required to ensure medical education responds to the needs of children with disabilities and their families. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of an educational intervention designed to introduce the topics of special education law and practices and working with parents of children with disabilities into an undergraduate medical education pediatrics course. A new curricular element based upon the flipped classroom that included an on-line module followed by participation in a panel discussion comprised of parents of children with disabilities, and concluding with an on-line discussion was implemented. Medical students completed a pre- and post-assessment that evaluated their knowledge of special education law and practices. Students demonstrated increased understanding of special education laws and practices. Qualitative findings showed that students recognized the importance and value of learning the content to support their patients and their patients' families. Based upon study findings, the flipped classroom method improved student knowledge of the topic and students reported they valued the content. This addition to the undergraduate medical curriculum provided students with an effective introductory overview and demonstrated one viable option for incorporating necessary topics into the undergraduate medical curriculum. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Biomedical application of hierarchically built structures based on metal oxides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korovin, M. S.; Fomenko, A. N.

    2017-12-01

    Nowadays, the use of hierarchically built structures in biology and medicine arouses much interest. The aim of this work is to review and summarize the available literature data about hierarchically organized structures in biomedical application. Nanoparticles can serve as an example of such structures. Medicine holds a special place among various application methods of similar systems. Special attention is paid to inorganic nanoparticles based on different metal oxides and hydroxides, such as iron, zinc, copper, and aluminum. Our investigations show that low-dimensional nanostructures based on aluminum oxides and hydroxides have an inhibitory effect on tumor cells and possess an antimicrobial activity. At the same time, it is obvious that the large-scale use of nanoparticles by humans needs to thoroughly study their properties. Special attention should be paid to the study of nanoparticle interaction with living biological objects. The numerous data show that there is no clear understanding of interaction mechanisms between nanoparticles and various cell types.

  19. Special Section Guest Editorial: Laser Damage

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gruzdev, Vitaly E.; Shinn, Michelle D.

    2012-11-09

    Laser damage of optical materials, first reported in 1964, continues to limit the output energy and power of pulsed and continuous-wave laser systems. In spite of some 48 years of research in this area, interest from the international laser community to laser damage issues remains at a very high level and does not show any sign of decreasing. Moreover, it grows with the development of novel laser systems, for example, ultrafast and short-wavelength lasers that involve new damage effects and specific mechanisms not studied before. This interest is evident from the high level of attendance and presentations at the annualmore » SPIE Laser Damage Symposium (aka, Boulder Damage Symposium) that has been held in Boulder, Colorado, since 1969. This special section of Optical Engineering is the first one devoted to the entire field of laser damage rather than to a specific part. It is prepared in response to growing interest from the international laser-damage community. Some papers in this special section were presented at the Laser Damage Symposium; others were submitted in response to the general call for papers for this special section. The 18 papers compiled into this special section represent many sides of the broad field of laser-damage research. They consider theoretical studies of the fundamental mechanisms of laser damage including laser-driven electron dynamics in solids (O. Brenk and B. Rethfeld; A. Nikiforov, A. Epifanov, and S. Garnov; T. Apostolova et al.), modeling of propagation effects for ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses (J. Gulley), an overview of mechanisms of inclusion-induced damage (M. Koldunov and A. Manenkov), the formation of specific periodic ripples on a metal surface by femtosecond laser pulses (M. Ahsan and M. Lee), and the laser-plasma effects on damage in glass (Y. Li et al). Material characterization is represented by the papers devoted to accurate and reliable measurements of absorption with special emphasis on thin films (C. Mühlig and S. Bublitz; B. Cho, E. Danielewicz, and J. Rudisill; W. Palm et al; and J. Lu et al.). Statistical treatment of measurements of the laser-damage threshold (J. Arenberg) and the relationship to damage mechanisms (F. Wagner et al.) represent the large subfield of laser-damage measurements. Various aspects of multilayer coating and thin-film characterization are considered in papers by B. Cho, J. Rudisill, and E. Danielewicz (spectral shift in multilayer mirrors) and R. Weber et al. (novel approach to damage studies based on third-harmonic generation microscopy). Of special interest for readers is the paper by C. Stolz that summarizes the results of four “thin-film damage competitions” organized as a part of the Laser Damage Symposium. Another paper is devoted to thermal annealing of damage precursors (N. Shen et al.). Finally, the influence of nano-size contamination on initiation of laser damage by ultrashort pulses is considered in paper of V. Komolov et al.« less

  20. Effectiveness of a Computerised Working Memory Training in Adolescents with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van der Molen, M. J.; Van Luit, J. E. H.; Van der Molen, M. W.; Klugkist, I.; Jongmans, M. J.

    2010-01-01

    Background: The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerised working memory (WM) training on memory, response inhibition, fluid intelligence, scholastic abilities and the recall of stories in adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities attending special education. Method: A total of 95 adolescents with…

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