Teaching Vocabulary with Students with Learning Disabilities Using Classwide Peer Tutoring and Constant Time Delay

This study examined the effectiveness and efficiency of combining classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) and constant time delay (CTD) on the academic performance of 3 students with learning disabilities (LD) and 15 students without LD enrolled in an inclusive sixth-grade language arts class. Treatment integrity checklists were used to measure the extent to which the tutors with LD used the constant time delay procedure correctly. A multiple-probe design across behaviors replicated across students was used to examine the effectiveness of the CTD peer tutoring procedures. The results indicated that students with LD reliably implemented the CTD peer tutoring procedures with a high degree of treatment integrity. When implemented by students without LD, the procedures were effective and efficient for teaching targeted vocabulary words to students with LD. Similarly, students without LD mastered the targeted vocabulary words when tutored by peers with LD and by peers without LD using the CTD peer tutoring procedures. Additionally, students with LD and without LD maintained the targeted vocabulary words over time, generalized the words across context, and generalized the CTD peer tutoring procedures across content. Finally, measures of social validity indicate that students and teachers involved in this study were satisfied with the CTD peer tutoring procedures.     

Retention and treatment failure in Classwide Peer Tutoring: Implications for further research

Knowledge of basic arithmetic facts aids in the acquisition and speed of performance of arithmetic operations. A peer mediated instructional procedure, Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), has been shown to increase the rates and accuracy of students responses to academic tasks and to improve student performance on a variety of academic tasks. The present investigation evaluated the retention of 100 subtraction items by primary grade-age children with mild disabilities using CWPT for 10 weeks. Short- and long-term retention of items, and rate of correct responding were assessed. Results indicated that the students' average pretest score was 58.0% correct, and their average weekly posttest score was 87.12 correct, a 27% improvement in accuracy. Short- and longer-term retention measured on posttests was 88.7 % and 85.0% correct, respectively. Improvement in students rate of accurate responding to subtraction items practiced during CWPT was obtained. Student failure to learn particular items was not attributable to fewer opportunities to practice these items, less accurate practice, or item difficulty. Students reported positive evaluation of CWPT and perceived positive social and self esteem outcomes. Directions for future research focusing on retention and analysis of treatment failure are suggested.     

Effects of Friendship Circles on the Social Interactions of Elementary Age Students with Mild Disabilities

This study assessed the effects of Friendship Circles on the social interactions between students with mild disabilities and their nondisabled peers. A multiple probe design was used to analyze the social interactions during lunch. Data also were collected in the form of sociograms and anecdotal records. In addition, generalization was assessed during recess observations. Results indicated that the Friendship Circle intervention produced increases in appropriate interactions at lunch for all three students and for two there were increases in friendly play at recess. Anecdotal data suggested improved social interactions for two of the students throughout the day and improved social behaviors in the general education classroom such as cooperation during group activities. Implications for future research are discussed.     

The Effects of Partner Learning During Spelling for Students with Severe Disabilities and Their Peers

A multiple baseline across subjects design was used to examine the effects of partner learning on the spelling performance, academic responding, and competing behavior of three students with severe disabilities and three of their classmates without disabilities. The students were enrolled in different general elementary classes. All students in these classes were assigned to partner learning triads by the general education teacher. One triad in each class included the student with severe disabilities and two classmates without disabilities. All students in the class received two, 20 min partner learning sessions each week. During partner learning, each member of the triad was asked to spell words, present words to be spelled, provide feedback to the speller, and check the spelling accuracy. These roles were rotated among the members of the triad after each trial. These roles were adapted as necessary to accommodate the academic and communication skills of the students with severe disabilities. The effects of partner learning on spelling accuracy were assessed through weekly spelling tests. The effects of partner learning on academic responding and competing behavior were assessed using the MS-CISSAR (Carta, Greenwood, Schulte, Arreaga-Mayer, Terry, 1988). Results of weekly spelling indicated that partner learning led to improved spelling accuracy for students with severe disabilities and did not negatively affect the spelling accuracy of their peers. Partner learning also led to improved rates of academic responding and reduced rates of competing behavior for 5 of 6 students. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for practice and future research.     

Adult Influence on the Participation of Peers Without Disabilities in Peer Support Programs

Three peers without disabilities who volunteered to serve as peer supports and were identified by general education teachers as having academic difficulties were studied across three conditions. In baseline, a peer without disabilities worked alone, while the student with severe disabilities was supervised by an adult. In the Peer Support condition, peers without disabilities worked with the student with severe disabilities, and both individuals were supervised by an adult. In the Adult Involvement condition, peers without disabilities were supervised by an adult as in the Peer Support condition, but peers worked separately from the student with severe disabilities. Dependent measures included the active engagement of peers without disabilities and students with severe disabilities, and social interactions between students and peers. Our data indicate that the Peer Support and Adult Involvement conditions resulted in higher, but similar, levels of active engagement for two of three peers without disabilities when compared to baseline. For the third peer, high levels of active engagement occurred across all conditions. Active engagement varied across students with severe disabilities, but was typically highest in conditions where peers without disabilities were involved. For all students with severe disabilities, social interactions were more frequent and longer in the Peer Support condition.     

Experiences of Support Staff with Expanding and Strengthening Social Networks of People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

A supportive social network is crucial for facilitating social inclusion. The social networks of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often small and typically include very little contact with friends and acquaintances who do not have ID. Professionals can play an important role in strengthening and expanding the social networks of clients. In this study, experiences with interventions aimed at doing this were examined. Six group interviews were held with a total of 27 professionals. The results showed interventions to strengthen social networks (e.g. attention to the maintenance of contact with network members) and interventions to expand social networks (e.g. participation in leisure time activities and working with volunteers). However, a large number of impeding factors was mentioned, such as the limited size of the social networks, characteristics of the client, different perceptions and clients falling between the cracks when it comes to leisure time. The large number of impeding factors shows the strengthening and expansion of social networks to be complicated in actual practice. Recommendations are thus made to strengthen and expand the social networks of clients in an innovative manner which also takes these impeding factors into account. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Effects of Text Structure Discrimination Training on the Writing Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine whether teaching three participants with learning disabilities to name and identify critical components (i.e., opening sentence, detail sentences, and key words) for four expository text structures, and to discriminate between well-written and poorly written components would improve their expository writing performance. After instruction, one participant immediately improved her expository paragraph writing skills. However, two participants needed additional instruction and feedback on their writing before their paragraph writing improved. Social validation of the study outcomes was assessed by comparing participants' paragraphs before and after instruction to paragraphs produced by same age peers without disabilities. After instruction, participants' paragraph scores were above the mean score of the normative comparison group. Implications for teaching writing skills to students with learning disabilities, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

学习障碍儿童情绪理解与同伴接受性*及社会行为的关系

该研究以90名学习障碍儿童为研究对象,探讨学习障碍儿童情绪理解与同伴接受性和社会行为的关系,比较情绪理解不同成分对同伴接受性和社会行为的影响作用。研究发现情绪理解不同成分对学习障碍儿童同伴接受性和社会行为具有不同程度的影响,具体表现为:1)基本情绪识别和自我意识情绪识别是学习障碍儿童同伴接受性的最佳预测变量;2)自我意识情绪识别和表情识别是学习障碍儿童问题行为的最佳预测变量;3)自我意识情绪识别、情绪内部原因理解、情绪隐藏理解、情绪改变理解和情绪外部原因理解是学习障碍儿童社会能力的最佳预测变量。     

自我厌恶与大学生同伴关系：抑郁和社会支持的链式中介作用

为考察自我厌恶对大学生同伴关系的影响机制以及抑郁和社会支持在其中的作用,采用中文版自我厌恶量表、同伴关系量表、抑郁自评量表和青少年社会支持评定量表对443名大学生进行调查。结果发现：(1)自我厌恶与大学生同伴关系呈显著负相关;(2)抑郁和社会支持在自我厌恶对大学生同伴关系的影响过程中起链式中介作用。结果表明,通过降低大学生的自我厌恶和抑郁水平,同时充分发挥社会支持的作用,有助于提升大学生的同伴关系。     

残疾儿童家长亲职压力的特点及其与生活质量的关系:社会支持的中介作用

本研究旨在考查残疾儿童家长亲职压力的特点, 并探讨亲职压力、社会支持对生活质量的影响。使用《亲职压力指标简表》、《社会支持评定量表》和《世界卫生组织生活质量测定简表》(中文版)对孤独症、智力残疾、听力残疾、视力残疾以及脑瘫5种残疾类型儿童的369名家长进行问卷调查。结果发现:(1)残疾儿童家长亲职压力及其各维度在不同残疾儿童类型中差异显著, 孤独症儿童家长在总分及各维度中均最高, 听力残疾儿童家长均最低;(2)亲职压力各维度与社会支持各维度以及生活质量各维度均呈显著负相关, 社会支持各维度与生活质量各维度之间均呈显著正相关;(3)亲职压力与生活质量的典型相关分析表明两者的整体相关显著;(4)社会支持在亲职压力和生活质量间起部分中介作用。     

Effects of Self-Monitoring on the On-Task Behavior and Written Language Performance of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of self-monitoring and a changing criterion with public posting phase on student on-task behavior and written language performance. Four elementary school boys participated and were enrolled in an urban-based, elementary-level resource room for students with learning disabilities. Self-monitoring procedures for on-task behavior included the students listening to a tone recorded at 60-s intervals and responding to the question, “Am I on-task?” Written language performance involved the students writing for a 10-min. session and counting and graphing the number of words written. During baseline conditions, student on-task behavior and written language performance were collected. During the self-monitoring conditions, the students monitored their on-task behavior and written language performance simultaneously. In the changing criterion with public posting condition, the students received their goal for the day's session prior to writing, wrote, and recorded whether they met their goal. While the results show a functional relationship between self-monitoring and on-task behavior, the data for the relationship between self-monitoring and written language performance were less compelling. A greater increase occurred when the changing criterion with public posting condition was introduced. Results suggest that self-monitoring changed on-task behavior; however, further research needs to be conducted to determine the conditions that would produce comparable effects for written language performance. Several implications for students and teachers and parent training were discussed.     

听力障碍初中生自我决定能力的基本特点及社会支持的作用

以125名聋校听力障碍初中生为被试,采用问卷法探讨该群体自我决定能力的基本特点及社会支持对其自我决定能力的作用。结果发现：（1）听力障碍初中生的自我决定能力整体水平不高;（2）不同性别、障碍程度的听力障碍初中生的自我决定能力间差异不显著,而不同年龄段、年级、父母受教育水平的听力障碍初中生的自我决定能力间存在显著差异;（3）年级、教师工具性支持、母亲价值增进支持是听力障碍初中生自我决定能力的显著正向预测指标。     

心理理论与社会互动方式对初中生社会善念发展的影响

为了探讨初中生社会善念的发展特点及相关影响因素,实验1采用卡通插图范式和SoMi范式,以628名7~9年级初中生为被试,考察不同心理理论类型初中生的社会善念的发展;实验2使用社会互动情境和SoMi范式,以360名7~9年级初中生为被试,考察社会互动方式与反馈类型对不同年级初中生社会善念的影响。结果发现:(1)初中生的社会善念不存在年级和性别差异,但7年级中高情感心理理论初中生的社会善念显著多于高认知心理理论初中生;(2)7年级初中生在积极反馈条件下的社会善念较多,而8年级初中生在消极反馈条件下较多,9年级初中生在这两种条件下则不存在显著差异;(3)在合作情境中,初中生在积极反馈下的社会善念更多,而在竞争情境中,初中生在消极反馈下的社会善念更多。研究说明初中生的社会善念具有跨年龄和跨性别的稳定性,并且会受到心理理论、社会互动方式及反馈类型的影响。     

Choice vs. Preference: The Effects of Choice and No Choice of Preferred and Non Preferred Spelling Tasks on the Academic Behavior of Students with Disabilities

The effects of choice and no choice of preferred and non preferred instructional activities on the academic behavior of 3 students with disabilities were investigated. Participant preferences for spelling tasks were assessed and an ABCDEF design was used to examine choice and preference within 6 experimental conditions: a) choice of preferred tasks, b) choice of non preferred tasks, c) no choice of preferred tasks, d) no choice of non preferred tasks, e) no choice of preferred tasks (yoked-control), and f) no choice of non preferred tasks (yoked-control). Results indicate that all 3 participants had higher levels of task engagement when working with preferred tasks, regardless of a choice or no choice format. The findings from this investigation contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on developing interventions that are responsive to individual student preferences.     

学优生与学困生内隐与外显协同学习的比较研究

根据目前国内采用的标准,选取学优生和学困生各120人。运用内隐学习中的双条件人工语法材料和强分离的实验范式,考察和比较了两种学生的内隐学习、内隐与外显协同学习的成绩。结果显示:(1)学优生在外显学习、协同学习(先内隐后外显以及内隐与外显交替)方式下的成绩显著好于学困生,而在内隐学习方式下,二者成绩差异不显著。(2)学优生的外显学习及协同学习成绩显著好于内隐学习成绩,而学困生在四种学习方式下成绩差异不显著。表明在人工语法学习中学优生的有意识学习及其与无意识的协同学习效果较好,而学困生的有意识学习及协同学习较差。     

同伴团体对儿童青少年学业成就和社会功能关系的影响

运用同伴评价、教师评估和学校记录等多种渠道收集关于同伴团体、社会功能、同伴接纳以及学业成就的资料,旨在考察同伴团体与儿童青少年学业成就和社会功能的关系。研究发现：绝大多数儿童青少年都有自己的同伴团体。这些同伴团体在学业成就上有很高的同质性。学业成就与社会适应无论在团体内的个体水平还是在团体水平上都密切相关。而且,团体的学业表现是个体学业成就和社会适应间的重要调节因素,表明团体学业规范对个体水平上学业成就与社会功能的关系有增强或是减弱的作用。这项研究再一次证明同伴团体在儿童个体发展中的重要意义。     

广东省汕头市学习困难儿童生理、心理、社会状况调查研究

目的了解城区学习困难儿童有关生理、心理、社会状况的特点,探讨预防和治疗学习困难儿童的方法,促进其身心的的健康发展。方法在汕头市三所普通小学四、五年级中抽取学习困难儿童和非学习困难儿童各93名,用自制调查表分别让他们进行自测调查比较。结果学习困难儿童和非学习困难儿童在男女比例和生理因素方面无明显差异。结论心理因素和社会因素可能是造戍智力正常的儿童学习困难的主要原因．     

大学生犬儒态度与生活满意度的关系:社会支持的调节作用

采用问卷法考察了454名大学生对学校抱有的犬儒态度与其生活满意度的关系,并探讨了社会支持对这一关系的调节作用.结果表明:(1)大学生犬儒态度与其生活满意度之间呈显著的负相关.(2)政策犬儒、学习犬儒和环境犬儒对学生的生活满意度有显著的负向影响,其中以政策犬儒的影响效果较为突出;学校犬儒对生活满意度的影响没有达到显著水平.(3)家庭支持、老师和同学的支持以及朋友支持对大学生犬儒态度与生活满意度的关系均有显著的调节作用.     

社会支持对大学生社会幸福感的影响—希望的中介作用

基于积极心理学,采用问卷调查法,对1098名大学生进行调查,探讨社会支持对社会幸福感的影响,并基于希望进行中介效应检验,借此构建三个变量之间的关系模型,探索促进大学生心理健康发展的内在机制。结果表明:社会支持、希望与社会幸福感之间两两相关显著; 社会支持和希望及其各维度,显著正向影响大学生的社会幸福感; 社会支持通过希望影响大学生社会幸福感水平。研究结果证实了希望在社会支持影响社会幸福感中起部分中介作用的心理机制,为大学生心理健康教育提供了参考建议。     

残疾人领悟社会支持对其生活满意度的影响——自尊的中介作用及沟通的调节作用

采用问卷法调查了600名残疾人,考察了自尊在残疾人领悟社会支持与其生活满意度之间关系的中介作用以及该过程是否受到沟通的调节。结果发现：（1）自尊在残疾人领悟社会支持与其生活满意度之间起着完全中介作用;（2）自尊的中介作用受沟通的调节,沟通调节了领悟社会支持——自尊——生活满意度这一中介过程的后半路径。因此,残疾人领悟社会支持对其生活满意度的影响是有调节的中介效应。研究对提高残疾人生活满意度并指导相关理论研究具有参考价值。