In this article, Erica Stearns writes that she has worked as a physical therapist assistant in various settings for nearly 20 years. Her experiences have been in long-term and acute care settings, short-term rehabilitation and the school system. For the past three years she has also worked as a teacher of students with visual impairments.…

This study investigates responses to verbal versus tactile requests in children with congenital blindness, intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Observation was conducted on two occasions. At T1, requests were given verbally, and at T2, tactile requests were given. All pupils perceived tactile symbols to be explicit requests…

Purpose: This article reviews population trends and general characteristics of children with dysphagia in schools, provides an overview of dysphagia teams and the roles of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) in school and hospital settings, and describes assessment and treatment of swallowing and feeding problems in children with complex medical…

Background: Stimulation and microswitch-based programmes are considered main strategies to promote indices of happiness in students with multiple disabilities. However, only limited attempts have been made to assess the relative effects of the two programmes. This study conducted such an assessment with seven students with multiple disabilities.…

A program was recently developed to promote adaptive responses and upright head position in students with multiple disabilities through the use of microswitch clusters (i.e., combinations of two microswitches). The five students exposed to the program showed a significant increase in adaptive responses performed with head upright. The first…

Keith Park, advisory teacher for Sense (the National Deafblind Rubella Association) in Greenwich and Lewisham, London, has written about his approach to interactive storytelling for BJSE before. This article describes a series of poetry workshops based on chapters 37 to 45 of the Book of Genesis (the story of Joseph and his family) using the text…

How can educators and therapists best teach students with severe and multiple disabilities to communicate effectively? Developed by a highly respected expert, this practical guide has the comprehensive, research-based information professionals need to support students from preschool to high school as they learn and use communication skills. With a…

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…

Reported is a 4-year project which resulted in a model service center for handicapped children, emphasizing the identification of handicapped students (18 months-adult) lacking adequate services; provision of multidisciplinary task force of specialized personnel to diagnose, prescribe, and instruct students, parents, and teachers; assistance to…