Differences that make a difference: comparisons of metacomponential functioning and knowledge base among groups of high and low IQ learning disabled, mildly mentally retarded, and normally achieving adults

To determine if cognition among persons with learning disabilities (LD) and mild mental retardation (MMR) is similar, we compared metacomponential functioning and knowledge acquisition across groups of incarcerated adults with LD and high IQ (HIQLD), with LD and low IQ (LIQLD), with normal achievement (NA), and with MMR. The Slosson Intelligence Test Computer Report (Nicholson, 1984) formula established criteria for group inclusion. Metacomponential functioning among 77 males and 26 females was measured by a confidence test (Echternacht, Boldt, & Sellman, 1971) designed for the general knowledge subtest of the SRA Achievement Battery (Naslund, Thorpe, & Lefever, 1982). Knowledge base and group membership were significantly related to metacomponential ability (R2 = .84). Persons with HIQLD and LIQLD performed better than those with MMR on both measures. The HIQLD, however, did not outperform their peers with NA. Results show that (a) knowledge base is the best predictor of metacomponential skill, (b) metacomponential orchestration differentiates persons with HIQLD from those with LIQLD and both groups from persons with MMR, and (c) IQ mediates metacognition, but does not explain it. Education should emphasize knowledge acquisition for people with HIQLD; people with LIQLD and MMR require more attention to metacognition.     

Do field position and playing standard influence athlete performance in wheelchair basketball?

Improved understanding of mobility performance in wheelchair basketball is required to increase game performance. The aim of this study was to quantify the wheelchair-athlete activities of players in different field positions and of different playing standard during wheelchair basketball matches. From video analysis, absolute and relative duration and frequency of wheelchair movements and athlete control options were examined in 27 national standard and 29 international standard players during entire wheelchair basketball matches. Between-group factorial analysis of variances identified that national players drove more forward (42.6 ± 6.8 vs. 35.4 ± 3.7%; effect size Cohen’s d (ES) = 1.48) and started more often driving forward (33.9 ± 2.6 vs. 31.8 ± 2.8; ES = 0.77) during a match while the mean activity duration for a single driving forward activity was longer (4.3 ± 0.9 vs. 3.7 ± 0.6 s; ES = 0.75) than for international players. Furthermore, national players performed fewer rotational movements (21.8 ± 4.0 vs. 28.9 ± 7.8%; ES = –1.30) and started less often with the rotational movements (35.0 ± 3.6 vs. 40.5 ± 5.5; ES = –1.21) while the mean activity duration for a single rotation activity was shorter (2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.3 s; ES = –0.67) than for international players. Differences in mobility performance among guard, forward and centre players were minimal. The results should help wheelchair basketball coaches specify wheelchair-handling training techniques and means to optimise wheelchair-athlete configurations.     

Leading Organizations for Universal Design

The purpose of this article is to provide a model for helping campus leaders create and sustain efforts to fully incorporate Universal Instructional Design (UID) throughout their institutions. The article uses a multiple dimension model of organizational behavior as the basis for making recommendations to support this type of institutional transformation.     

The role of national archives in constructing national master narratives in Europe

This article analyses the role of national archives for the construction of national master narratives. It starts off by discussing the different origins of national archives, the merits of talking about proto-national archives and the importance of the French revolution for establishing the modern national archive system. It goes on to highlight the difficulties of historians with obtaining access to the archives in the nineteenth century. The importance of archives in authenticating and legitimating the authority of historical work meant that archives became increasingly important for the professionalization of history writing. As history writing saw one of its prime tasks in legitimating the nation-state, archives soon occupied an important position for nation-building projects. They got involved in editing sources regarded as being of national importance, and they played a role in projects of national pedagogy. The article also charts efforts to centralize archives at the national level which resulted in failure almost everywhere. Nevertheless, whilst archives were clearly important for imperial and also subnational projects, it was the national archives that captured the imagination of nation-states in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Despite the importance of national archives, the articles goes on to argue that it is striking that most national master narratives in the modern period were not based on archival work.