Journal of Exceptional Childre
Year:2005 | Volume:5 | Issue:3 (17)|Papers Count:9

The study aimed at achieving the extent of prevalence of special learning failures and its related factors among elementary students of Ardebil province. Research method is causal-comparative. The statistical population of the present study, comprise students who are studying at third, fourth, and fifth elementary school. About 1440 students were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. Using a checklist of the characteristics of the children with dysraphia, dyscalculia, and Dyslexia, which was in the hands of teachers and analyzing the student’ spelling composition, and mathematics notebooks, the children with special learning failures were recognized. So the extent of prevalence of these learning failures was %13. At the second stage of this study, 48 students (%50 girls and %50 boys) were selected randomly. Also 48 normal student were selected randomly among their classmates. Both two groups responded to the following tests: Wepman auditory diagnostic test Raven’s intelligence test, Wechsler memory test, Marian Frastick test, reading spelling and mathematics test, and researcher-made test. Also from the point of the teachers, Roter’s behavioral problem test was carried out for to groups of students. It should not be ignored that using causal-comparative was because of the nature of study. The trained tasters in the student’s school collected data individually. The results show that %13 of students who are studying at third, fourth, and fifth elementary in urban schools of Ardebil have special learning failures and among the factors related with this failure it can be point to recalling failures little use of repetition and exercising, vision memory faint, mental control faint, and faint in auditory diagnostic. Also in comparison with the normal students they had greater behavioral problems and fainter motor visual perception.

The purpose of this study was educational needs assessment of blind primary schools students in orientation and mobility skills. 55 number of tehranian blind primary schools student’ teachers and parents include female and male were selected as the study sample. The survey on teachers and parents’ viewpoint in needs assessment was based on three questions as following: Educational needs of orientation and mobility skills, need priorities, and differences in male and female students’ needs. The results indicted that there are not any similarities between male and female needs, of course by exception of self-care skills without sighted guide. The most differences between genders are seen in using Cane skills. Teachers and parents suggested among 38 educational needs, 15 and 22 numbers in order are strong needs. Finally the survey proposed there are not any differences between blind primary male and female students’ educational needs from the view point of parents and teachers.  

The purpose of this research was that how much the provided educational contents can prepare educable mentally retarded (EMR) for independent living? Shinohara Yoshinori in international special education conference (ISEC 2000) present that “The educational contents of ‘Activities for Living a Life of Independence’ are composed of following five domains instruction:1) Maintaining good health 2) Tranquillizing 3) Comprehending outer world 4) Moving kinetically 5) Communicating “which theoretically is the fundamental of the research in considering contents of independent life skills. A questionnaire according to Yoshinori’s perspective was prepares. The content validity of the questionnaire is approved by some experts and reliability of the questionnaire was obtained. 92 (alpha coefficient). The 2000 questionnaires were given to parents and teachers of mentally retarded students (statistical population) of schools which were located in east, west, northeast and center of the Tehran. The schools selected based on the qualities of the educational personnel. Because 28 questionnaires were incomplete, we used 172 numbers of them in final analysis of results. The results showed both parents and teachers believe that current educational contents prepare educable mentally retarded children for independency in living (over %70). The research provides some suggests: educational content analysis of EMR student’ book, application of educational contents adopted from the viewpoint, independent life skills training to ENR student and as well as their teachers.

This research has been carried out with the aim of adaptation and study of psychometric properties and practicality of Snigders-Oomen nonverbal intelligence test for 2 ½-7 years children (SON-R2 ½-7) for Farsi-speaking children. In this study, 125 children (66 boy and 59 girls) were selected from nursery schools of the city of Tehran, which are under control of Tehran’s welfare organization. To data analysis, classical model and 2 and 3 parameter logistic model were used. Internal consistency of subtests (Mosaics, Categories, Situation and Patterns) were obtained λ2 formula, and reliability of performance and reasoning scales and total scores estimated by stratified alpha. Reliability coefficient of subtests in total group is 0.72, 0.71, 0.67, and 0.75 respectively and reliability coefficient of performance and reasoning scales and total scores is 0.81, 0.76, and 0.84 respectively. Various analyses were carried out about validity, including intercorrelation of subtests, item-total correlation, correlation of subtests with scales and total scores, age discrimination and discrimination power. On the whole, the results obtained from this research showed that reliability and validity of the test are high and it can be used to measure total intelligence of children. However, before standardization and norming the test in large scale, some pictures of items A, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the categories subtest should be replaced by pictures that are familiar to Iranian children. In addition, order of items should be changed based on their difficulties.  

According to the Barkley’s behavioral model, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comprises a deficit in behavioral inhibition and 4 executive functions (EF): (a) working memory, (b) self-regulation, (c) internalization of speech, and (d) reconstruction. This model suggests that ADHD is associated with secondary impairments in these 4 EFs, and sense of time, as the central executive. Practical implications for practitioners are discussed

The purpose of the research was comparison ordering task in deaf and normal children whose ages ranged from 6-9 in four age groups. 160 number of children was selected as study sample. The sample was included 20 normal and 20 deaf children in each of the four age groups. The researcher administered ordering examination on the sample.6 and 9 years olds subjects omitted from the research because according to the researcher, 6 years olds children were not to able to order things in the task. 9 years olds children also omitted from the research process. Because they mastered in ordering. Thus only 7and 8 years olds children was compared in ordering task. Statistical results indicated existence of significance differences between 7& 8 years olds normal and deaf children. The results showed deaf children have some delays in achieving mastery in ordering but when the used researcher optimized and adapted administration manual and tools which he has used in examining ordering, he did not find any significance differences among normal and deaf children. The research has some implication in working with deaf children.