PERCEPTION OF AMPLITUDE ONSET SIGNALS IN CHINESE CHILDREN WITH READING DIFFICULTIES AND SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS

Chun-Han CHIANG
I-Chen CHEN
Hsiao-Lan WANG

Department of Special Education, National Taiwan
Normal University, Taiwan

Recived: 13.10.2016
Accepted: 21.11.2016
Original article

Citation:Chiang CH, Chen IC, Wang HL. Perception of amplitude onset signals in Chinese children with reading difficulties and specific language impairments. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):109-125.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.22

Abstract

This study explored the fundamental auditory processing of sound amplitude in Chinese children with both reading and language difficulties. Fifteen children with Chinese reading difficulties (RD), fifteen children with Chinese reading difficulties and specific language impairments (RD-SLI), and sixteen age-matched controls (CA) were recruited from local primary schools in Taiwan. The three groups were compared specifically on phonological awareness and auditory amplitude onset discrimination. Our preliminary results confirmed that age-matched controls performed significantly better on all of the phonological and auditory measurements, compared to both groups of children with RD. Children with RD-SLI performed significantly worse than children with RD in Chinese character recognition. Also Chinese children with RD-SLI were found to be poorer in phonological performance and to be more insensitive to complex sound amplitude onset, compared with Chinese children with RD.

We concluded that poor auditory discrimination of sound amplitude onset might be fundamental to characterize Chinese children with reading difficulties and language impairments.

Keywords: Reading Difficulties (RD), Specific Language Impairments (SLI), Phonological Processing, Auditory Amplitude Perception, Chinese character recognition, Chinese Mandarin

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COMPARISON OF TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND EUROPEAN UNION

Alma DIZDAREVIC1
Amila MUJEZINOVIC1
Haris MEMISEVIC2

1University of Tuzla, Faculty of Education and
Rehabilitation, Department of Special Education and
Rehabilitation, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2University of Sarajevo, Faculty of educational
sciencies, Department of educational and
rehabilitation, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Recived: 30.11.2016
Accepted: 12.01.2017
Original article

Citation: Dizdarevic A, Mujezinovic A, Memishevic H. Comparison of teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and European Union. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):92-108.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.21

Abstract

The goal of this study is to compare the attitudes of teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) and teachers from five European Union (EU) countries (Austria, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Germany) towards the inclusive education of students with special educational needs. The sample for this study is comprised of 110 teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 110 teachers from EU. The attitudes were examined by using a questionnaire that was adapted from the Index for inclusion. The final interview protocol consisted 20 questions, which had an excellent internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98. A Chi square test was performed to test the differences in attitudes. The results of this study indicated highly positive attitudes towards inclusive education of EU teachers and positive attitudes of BIH teachers. EU teachers had more favourable attitudes than teachers in BIH on 18 of 20 questionnaire items.

These findings were discussed in the light of previous BIH and international researches. The paper ends with a discussion for the challenges and possibilities for improvement of the inclusive education in BIH.

Keywords: Inclusive Education, Special Educational Needs, Attitudes, Teachers
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GUIDED EMPLOYMENT – RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Erna ZHGUR

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education,
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Recived: 20.11.2016
Accepted: 31.01.2017
Original article

Citation: Zhgur E. Guided employment – rights and opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):74-91.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.20

Abstract

Introduction: People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often excluded from the labour market and face many obstacles on their way to employment.

Aim: The main aim is giving the persons with ID a possibility to participate in occasional employment, providing them suitable work skills, sustainable knowledge and competencies, as well as suitable skills for more active life.

Materials and methods: We analysed 90 evaluation questionnaires (filled out by students, mentors, parents and craftsmen), during a 3-year project (September 2013 - October 2015). The Spearman Correlation Coefficient and Chi-square test were used for statistical data analysis.

Results: We determined the level of satisfaction expressed by parents, mentors and students, related to guided employment (χ2 = 1,07; p > 0,05; χ2 = 0,04; p > 0,05;χ2 = 0,04; p > 0,05). Workshops were balanced with theoretical and practical content (χ2 = 16,58; p < 0,05).

Mentors, parents, students and craftsmen expressed similar opinions in regards to the success of individual workshops (it depended on the type of workshop); mentors (χ2 = 16,76; p < 0,05); parents (ϱ = 0,99, p < 0,05); students (ϱ = 0,55; p > 0,05), craftsmen (ϱ = 0,79; p < 0,05). Craftsmen were willing to accept students with ID even without adapting the working conditions or state incentives (χ2 = 3,34; p > 0,05).

Conclusion: Implementation of selected workshops, related to guided employment showed that employment of people with ID is possible under professional guidance of mentors.

Keywords: guided employment, students with intellectual disabilities, workshops

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PRAGMATIC ABILITIES OF PUPILS WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Mateja SHILC1
Majda SHMIDT2
Stane KOSHIR3

1Elementary school Gustava Shiliha, Maribor,
Slovenia
2Faculty of Education UM, Maribor, Slovenia
3Faculty of Education UL, Maribor, Slovenia

Recived: 16.01.2017
Accepted: 19.02.2017
Original article

Citation: Shilc M, Shmidt M, Koshir S. Pragmatic abilities of pupils with mild intellectual disabilities. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):55-73.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.19

Abstract

The research analyses characteristics of pragmatic abilities of storytelling of pupils with mild intellectual disabilities (MID), in the light of vocabulary characteristics, grammar structure and substantive structure of a story, considering their age and gender. The sample consists of 60 pupils with MID, aged 7 to 9, who attend special school. Child’s pragmatic abilities are assessed with The Storytelling Test. The research results reveal considerable progress of the older group in vocabulary, whereas the progress in grammatical and substantive structure was less substantial. When comparing achievements of pupils with MID according to the vocabulary, grammatical and substantive story structure, no gender differences are determined. A comparison of pragmatic abilities of younger and older groups of pupils with MID with the norms for peers with typical development shows minor deviation of the younger group.

The research results reveal characteristics of pragmatic abilities of pupils with MID and can provide insights to speech therapists, teachers, special education teachers and counsellors when considering profiles of individuals that are taken as a basis for designing intervention programs. By implementing such program, we would encourage development of pragmatic abilities of pupils, thus affecting their academic achievements, communication competency and social skills.

Keywords: pragmatic abilities, mild intellectual disabilities, language, speech

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RAPID NAMING IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT AND IN CHILDREN WITH TYPICAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Neda MILOSHEVIĆ1
Mile VUKOVIĆ2

1Center for speech pathology “Logomedica”,
Belgrade, Serbia
2University of Belgrade - Faculty of Special
Education and Rehabilitation, Belgrade, Serbia

Recived: 11.11.2016
Accepted: 04.01.2017
Original article

Citation: Milošević N, Vuković M. Rapid naming in children with specific language impairment and in children with typical language development. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):42-54.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.18

Abstract

Aimed at the detailed insight into the phonological ability of Serbian-speaking children of preschool age, with and without language impairment, the ability of rapid naming was examined.

Method: Operationalization of the set goal was carried out by using the Test for evaluating reading and writing pre-skills. In describing and analyzing the obtained data, methods of descriptive and inferential statistics were used.

The sample included 120 subjects of both gender, 40 children diagnosed with specific language impairment (SLI), age from 5,11 to 7 years, and 80 children with typical language development (TLD), age between 5,11 and 7 years, with no statistically significant differences in relation to age and gender of the participants.

Results: Summing up the overall results and achievements of children with SLI and children with TLD, we concluded that there are statistically significant differences in the rapid naming between children with specific language impairment and children with typical language development.

Conclusions: As it is a global trend to work on preventing disorders and obstructions, and phonological skills in this age are a timely indicator of the development of reading and writing skills, the examined children with SLI are at risk for the occurrence of obstructions and disorders in the area of reading and writing abilities.

Keywords: rapid naming, phonological skills, specific language impairment, typical language development

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AN EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN ATTENDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN THE SERBIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Radomir Branislav ARSIĆ 1
Srboljub Vlastimir DJORDJEVIĆ 2

1University of Pristina-Kosovska Mitrovica, Theacher
Training Faculty in Prizren-Leposavic, Serbia
2University of Nis, Theacher Training Faculty in Vranje,
Serbia

Recived: 25.11.2016
Accepted: 27.01.2017
Original article

Citation: Arsic BR, Djordjevic VS. An evaluation of the quality of life of hearing impaired children attending special schools in the Serbian education system. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):26-41.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.17

Abstract

Quality of life is vague and difficult to define, since individual goals, in addition to economic, cultural, religious and educational factors, also have a dominant influence.

This study is aimed to determine the differences in the responses received on the quality of life of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and to show which of the two social protections, family or boarding school, provides better conditions for the assessment of the quality of life of these children.

The methods used in data processing included descriptive statistics and statistical analysis (Cronbach α, t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient). All statistical analyses were performed in the statistical program SSPS 19. The sample consisted of 61 students in special schools for deaf children who were examined using a paediatric questionnaire about quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory TM – PedsQL, version 4.0).

The results: With children who were housed in dormitories of special schools for deaf children, during their education we obtained less pronounced results ranging from 0,70 on the sub-scale of psycho-social health to 0,81 on the social scale.

Conclusion: The obtained results indicate that children with hearing impairment who are housed in the dormitories of schools for the deaf during their education have a favourable opinion of the quality of their lives, irrespective of the fact that they live in a dormitory compared to children who live with their families.

Keywords: quality of life, deaf children, family, boarding school, welfare
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PREVALENCE AND CAUSES OF BLINDNESS AMONG MACEDONIAN ADULT POPULATION

Daniela DIMITROVA - RADOJICHIKJ

University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Faculty of
Philosophy, Institute of Special Education and
Rehabilitation, Skopje, Macedonia

Recived: 02.01.2017
Accepted: 14.02.2017
Original artical

Citation: Dimitrova-Radojichikj D. Prevalence and causes of blindness among Macedonian adult population. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):17-25.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.16

Abstract

Goal: To determine prevalence and causes of blindness among adults (≥ 26 years age) in five municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia.

Methods: The ophthalmology statements of registered people with blindness who are beneficiaries of social welfare in 2015 were reviewed.

Results: A total of 475 records were included in the research. The mean age of the persons was 64.1 (range 26-87), both male and female. Blindness was found to be significantly associated with increasing age (p<0.001). There was gender difference in the prevalence of blindness (p=0.0310).The rate of blindness was estimated to be 0.24% (95% CI:0.22-0.26). The most common causes were cataract (23.2%), then glaucoma (21.7%) and diabetic retinopathy (12.8%). Many of the causes of blindness were potentially avoidable, with cataract and glaucoma as leading etiology.

Conclusion: The results of this study point to the initiation of coordinated activities to prevent blindness caused from cataract, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.

Keywords: prevalence, age, gender, causes of blindness

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20 YEARS JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION - A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

Vladimir TRAJKOVSKI1
Doncho DONEV2

1Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation,
Faculty of Philosophy,
University Ss. Cyril and Methodius
Skopje, Macedonia
2Institute for social medicine, Faculty of Medicine,
University „Ss. Cyril and Methodius“,
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Recived: 04.02.2017
Accepted: 13.02.2017
Editorial

Citation: Trajkovski V, Donev D. 20 years Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation - a period of continuous development. J Spec Educ Rehab 2017; 18(1-2):5-16.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19057/jser.2017.15

Abstract

Introduction and goal: The first edition of the “Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation” was released for the first time in 1997, and over the past 20 years, 37 issues have been published. In the Journal different kinds of articles are published from several scientific disciplines such as special education and rehabilitation, medicine, pedagogy, psychology, social politics, law and others. The goal of this editorial is to review the 20 years’ existence of the “Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation” and to point out the future activities for the promotion of the quality of published articles and the integrity and visibility of the journal.

Methods: Review and analysis of the documentation of the journal as well as the evidence of submitted, rejected and accepted manuscripts, the structure of published articles by according to their uniqueness, and other specific moments in the development of the journal from its founding in 1997 – and especially the achievements in the period from 2008 to 2016.

Results: Over the past nine years we have noticed a growth in the number of authors and co-authors from the published articles by 358, from 28 different countries. The rate of acceptance of new articles has reduced from the original 93% in the first years of the foundation of the journal to 33% in the last three years. The majority of published articles come from authors from Macedonia which we can find in 31 articles or 27.7% from the overall published articles. The majority of authors have published original manuscripts (n= 87 or 53%), and then we have 12% articles of revision and 11.5% scientific articles. With regard to the different sections of the journal, the most published are news and information that are not subject to review (28%) while from the articles that are reviewed the most represented section is from special education and rehabilitation with a total of 16.5% from the overall number of published articles.

Conclusion: The “Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation” is a journal that undertakes review on its articles and has an open access policy, which marks a continuous progress in quality and visibility with an appointed goal to serve as a solid medium to enhance scientific research and to promote professional achievements in the field of special education and rehabilitation and the similar fields in biomedicine in the Republic of Macedonia and abroad.

Keywords: Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation, 20 years, reviewed journal, open access, publishing ethics and integrity

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