Professor Michael Arthur-Kelly

Training key stakeholders in the design of reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities could promote collaboration and inclusion. We tested the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of online education (intervention) in designing reasonable adjustments by Victorian (Australian) parents and professionals (n = 31). Participants suggested reasonable adjustments for contrived students with varied needs to support their participation in described classroom activities. Data collected pre- and post-intervention, and, at follow-up, were rated across five dimensions: Authenticity, Agency, Real Learning, Strengths Based, and Inclusion. Analyses from 15 intervention and 14 control participants (10 parents, 10 teaching staff, and 9 allied health professionals) showed higher scores for Inclusion post-intervention for the intervention group. This difference was maintained at follow-up, generalized to a new contrived student scenario, and mostly attributable to parents. Online education may improve parents¿ contribution in the design of reasonable adjustments that promote inclusion. A larger study is warranted.

The study explores and compares current teacher competencies as well as their concerns relating to behaviour management practices with students in a sample of Thai classrooms. Four hundred twenty teachers from public schools including general schools and special education schools were randomly selected and invited to participate in the study. A self-report questionnaire on teacher competencies and concerns were sent and 74.76% collected (314 teachers consisting of 248 general teachers and 66 special education teachers). Descriptive statistics were used to report on the basic data set. Two-way ANOVA was used to compare teacher competencies and concerns between types of teachers. Results found that there was no difference in perceived competencies in dealing with students with behaviour problems between special education teachers and general teachers. Most participants reported that they tended to use preventative strategies more than positive reactive strategies and negative reactive strategies such as corporal punishment in managing the behaviour problems in their classrooms. Both special education teachers and general teachers reported that they did not believe their knowledge and skills to be sufficient in dealing with student behaviour problems. The need for support from parents was reported as a major concern for both general and special education teachers.

Background: Within the context of the Special Interest Research Group (SIRG) on Persons with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD), researchers often discuss the methodological problems and challenges they are confronted with. The aim of the current article was to give an overview of these challenges. Methods: The challenges are centred on six topics. These reflect the main components of a study's design: (a) participant demarcation, (b) participant recruitment, (c) data collection and instruments, (d) data analysis, (e) ethics/including the ¿voice¿ of persons with PIMD and (f) theoretical models. Results: Next, to describing the specific challenges, possible solutions and pathways to address them are discussed. These are illustrated by recent studies by the authors and other researchers in the field. Conclusions: The current contribution wants to stimulate further discussion and exchange of ideas, and the development of creative research techniques.

Telepractice-specifically, the use of high-speed internet and interactive videoconferencing technology to deliver real-Time audio and video communications between the family and the practitioner-is gaining acceptance as an alternative means of providing family-centered early intervention to families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. This study examined whether caregivers' reported perceptions of self-efficacy and involvement differed when early intervention was delivered in-person and through telepractice. The Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy (SPISE) was used to evaluate perceptions of two groups of caregivers: one that received early intervention in-person (n = 100) and a group who received services through telepractice (n = 41). Results indicated that mode of delivery of services was not related to caregivers' perceptions of their self-efficacy or involvement. Further analysis revealed that although certain caregiver or child characteristics did influence some aspects of caregivers' beliefs about their self-efficacy or involvement, the effect of those variables was similar across both modes of delivery.

This paper describes a collaborative approach to professional learning that has provided an opportunity for refreshed practices and growth in capacity in schools supporting students with various learning needs in several schools that are part of the Association of Independent Schools in the Australian Capital Territory. An action research approach to professional learning for school staff was facilitated with the participating schools in 2018/2019, centred on the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of robot-mediated interventions on improvement of social communications and interactions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. It identified the variables related to social skills that were measured in the reviewed studies. Methods: A systematic review of contemporary peer-reviewed studies published from 2010 to 2019 inclusive was conducted. PsychInfo and Scopus were the databases used to identify the studies. Results: The majority of the reviewed papers demonstrated that the robot-mediated intervention was effective in enhancing social skills in individuals with ASD. Eye contact was the variable most examined to determine the effectiveness of the interventions. Most of the robots were humanoid and operated under a Wizard of Oz autonomous mode and acted predominantly as behavior-eliciting agents. Conclusions: In line with previous studies, robot-mediated interventions were generally effective in improving social skill; however, there was some variability within the individuals with eye contact, joint attention, and imitation being the variables most measured. Areas considered for future research include maintenance and generalization phases with the intervention as well as matching the individuals¿ needs to the features of the robots used.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to update and extend an original meta-analysis which included papers published up to and including 2003 and investigated the impact of technology use on employment-related outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disability. Methods: Following on from the original meta-analysis, this study is a meta-analysis of pertinent single-subject experimental design studies conducted from 2004 to 2016 and employs the same metric methods as the original contribution. Results: The results are generally consistent with those of¿the original meta-analysis, namely, applied cognitive technology effectively supports employment-related outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disability. Nevertheless, significant differences in the intervention effects were found (a) between groups of individuals with varying levels of disability, and (b) between interventions utilizing technology with and without universal design features. Conclusions: In line with the original¿contribution, applied cognitive technology seems to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to better achieve employment-related outcomes. More research is needed though to explore the impact of different types of technology on employment-related outcomes.

Introduction: The use of telepractice, a method of delivering services through telecommunications technologies that provides two-way, synchronous audio and video signals in real-time, is becoming increasingly commonplace in early childhood education and intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Although the use of telepractice has been validated in the health sector as a viable and effective alternative to in-person service provision, evidence to support its use in the delivery of family-centred early intervention is still emerging. The purpose of this scoping review was to describe the current use of telepractice in the delivery of family-centred early childhood intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their families. Method: The review followed the framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (2015), including an iterative three-step search strategy. Specific inclusion criteria and data extraction fields were outlined in advance. Results: A total of 23 peer-reviewed publications were included in the review. Most publications (70%) provided anecdotal evidence of the challenges and benefits associated with telepractice. The remaining publications (30%) reported on research studies evaluating the effectiveness of early intervention delivered through telepractice. Of the 23 included papers, 18 viewed the use of telepractice positively while the remaining 5 reported mixed conclusions and the need for more data. Discussion: Current evidence in the literature indicates that telepractice can be an effective model for delivering family-centred early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, more research is needed to substantiate the use of telepractice as a viable alternative to traditional in-person services, rather than being seen as supplemental to such services.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify, extract, summarize and list the features of applied cognitive technology used to support employment-related outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Method: Thematic analysis was employed on a published research base of 41 studies obtained through a larger scoping review of the literature on the same topic. Results: The thematic analysis identified 109 technology features categorized into 14 main categories of features, which were grouped into three over-arching categories, Output, Input and General Features. The majority of the studies comprised ¿Output¿ features with ¿Audio¿ features being the most frequent category. Studies using more sophisticated technology incorporated a wider range of features and a larger number of references. Conclusions: Further investigation regarding the association of specific technology features with the enhancement of various cognitive functions will assist the decision making and technology selection process.

Theories of learning and engagement in persons with profound intellectual and multiple disability (PIMD) are essential as a basis for empirical investigations into the effectiveness or otherwise of educational and other interventions. In this paper, a selected descriptive analysis of observational data on the social and communicative experiences of a sample of eight school students aged between 5 and 13 with profound intellectual and multiple disability is reported. The observed frequency of various socio-communicative phenomena as well as potential relationships amongst social groupings and communication indicators in two types of school settings are outlined. These results inform a concluding discussion of theoretical perspectives on the nature of inputs to, and responses indicative of learning in this population of individuals with high and complex support needs.

This study sought to describe and classify the support activities provided by all itinerant teachers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in regular schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), without exclusion. The itinerant teachers (n = 14) varied in terms of formal qualifications and experience and provided support to all DHH (n = 61) students in ACT schools, inclusive of students across all age/grade levels and those with additional disabilities. Analysis of teachers¿ responses to a detailed questionnaire provided frequency and time measures for 22 possible activities, which were simplified using factor analysis into 11 categories of activities. Categorization of the activities indicated that 91% of the support time was used for direct teaching, and that 73% of the direct teaching time was primarily focused on the development of skills in language, listening, and speech. The other 27% of the direct teaching time was used for explicit class programme support. As well as providing direct teaching, the itinerant teachers provided consultation services to school personnel and parents. The findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature describing the activities of itinerant teachers of DHH students.

The aim of this review was to critically synthesize barriers and facilitators to the use of AAC systems by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their communication partners. Qualitative data related to barriers and facilitators were synthesized from 42 studies located using a systematic search. A diverse range of studies was examined in order to identify the span of barriers and facilitators reported in the literature. Included studies comprised quasi-experimental, non-experimental, and qualitative study designs. The full range of unaided, low-tech aided, and high-tech aided AAC systems were reported across the included studies. The critical synthesis identified 5 themes to which barriers and facilitators are related: (a) Intervention Services and Service Providers, (b) AAC Systems and Technologies (c), Communication Partners of Children with ASD, (d) Parents of Children with ASD, and (e) Children with ASD. The findings suggest that barriers and facilitators to the use of AAC vary across individuals, AAC modalities, and environments. By identifying barriers and facilitators to the use of AAC experienced by children with ASD and their communication partners, service providers might be better equipped to support these children and their communication partners. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) is identified as a research-based approach used in many Western schools to support student behaviour. This study aimed to assist Thai classroom teachers by providing a professional development and learning programme in FBA to develop an effective and efficient process to address behaviour problems and allow students to reach their educational potential. Classroom teachers participated in the professional learning programme in FBA. Various data sources including staff interviews, rating scales, observational time samples and descriptive notes were utilised. In the investigation the majority of teachers included FBA practice in their classrooms during the study and employed more positive and preventative approaches to deal with the students. This study confirmed that the opportunity to learn and practice skills during professional development was essential in supporting teachers in the task of improving student outcomes.

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Nicole C. Groskreutz, Allen Karsina, Caio F. Miguel, & Mark P. Groskreutz (2010). Using complex auditory¿visual samples to produce emergent relations in children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 131¿136.

Best practice in understanding and caring for people with advanced Alzheimer's disease presents extraordinary challenges. Their severe and deteriorating cognitive impairments are such that carers find progressive difficulty in authentically ascertaining and responding to interests, preferences, and needs. Deep assessment, a novel multifaceted framework drawn from research into the experiences of others with severe cognitive impairments, has potential to empower carers and other support professionals to develop an enhanced understanding of people with advanced Alzheimer's disease and so deliver better calibrated care in attempts to maximize quality of life. Deep assessment uses a combination of techniques, namely, Behaviour State Observation, Triangulated Proxy Reporting, and Startle Reflex Modulation Measurement, to deliver a comprehensive and deep assessment of the inner states (awareness, preferences, likes, and dislikes) of people who cannot reliably self-report. This paper explains deep assessment and its current applications. It then suggests how it can be applied to people with advanced Alzheimer's disease to develop others' understanding of their inner states and to help improve their quality of life. An illustrative hypothetical vignette is used to amplify this framework. We discuss the potential utility and efficacy of this technique for this population and we also propose other human conditions that may benefit from research using a deep assessment approach.

Left-handers comprise about 10% of the Australian population. In Australia and elsewhere, there has been a history of discrimination against left-handedness, expressed in a variety of ways. Although negative attitudes to left-handedness have become less common in recent times, researchers have not investigated the extent to which left-handedness is now acknowledged or encouraged in Australian schools, or whether left-handed students have to overcome difficulties due to their handedness. This study investigated the handwriting experiences of 10 primary school students and the opinions of 11 primary school teachers on handwriting and on left-handed writers. The left-handed students identified a range of issues including the need for specialized writing equipment, writing speed and neatness. The teachers also mentioned these issues along with legibility and writing instruction. The results are discussed in terms of guidance on writing instruction and the place of writing in an increasingly digitized world. © Australian Council for Educational Research 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/ journalsPermissions.nav.

The aim of the present study was to explore speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) perceptions and experiences of factors influencing the implementation of communication interventions for students with multiple and severe disabilities. Eight SLPs in New South Wales, Australia, participated in individual interviews and a focus group. Interview transcripts were scrutinized using thematic analysis. Transcripts were coded into categories, which were then grouped to yield themes. Participants identified a broad range of themes, including SLPs' experience and skills, professional development, and collaboration with teachers and families; as well as home and school contexts, the role of government departments, and broader societal factors. These complex influences suggest that systemic supports may be required at multiple levels in order to increase the likelihood of effective implementation of communication interventions for students with multiple and severe disabilities. © 2014 International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Nicole C. Groskreutz, Allen Karsina, Caio F. Miguel, & Mark P. Groskreutz (2010). Using complex auditory¿visual samples to produce emergent relations in children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 131¿136. Source of funding and disclosure of interests: No funding sources or conflicts of interests were noted by the authors for this study.

This study, by Fuk-chuen Ho of the Hong Kong Institute of Education and Michael Arthur-Kelly of the University of Newcastle, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a professional development programme for in-service teachers in Hong Kong special schools. The goal of the programme was to deliver a field-based mode of training for teachers in special schools. A school cluster system was set up, with the goal of providing participants with a platform through which it is possible to conduct an interactive exchange of ideas, resources, services and expertise, mutually addressing the issues pertaining to children with special needs. Twelve school clusters were organised. Participants in this study included four educators from teacher training institutions, 31 expert teachers from supporting schools, and 101 trainees from participating schools. The most significant response came from trainees, because the participating schools had the opportunity to apply the learned skills in their own classrooms. British Journal of Special Education © 2013 NASEN.

It is generally assumed that preschool teachers play a crucial daily role in the inclusion of young children with a disability in education settings. In many countries, however, there are little available data to inform such a view. Part of a larger project with 528 preschool teachers from northern Thailand, the aim of the study reported here was to examine Thai preschool teachers' views of inclusive education for young Thai children with disabilities. Twenty preschool teachers with a range of attitudes to the inclusion of young children with a disability were interviewed about their views and five themes developed from the interview analysis. Those themes were the current situation, teachers' knowledge and expertise, teachers' attitude towards inclusion and disability, collaboration, and challenges for future inclusion. © 2013 Taylor and Francis.