Avoiding communication barriers in the classroom: the APEINTA project

Education is a fundamental human right, however unfortunately not everybody has the same learning opportunities. For instance, if a student has hearing impairments, s/he could face communications barriers in the classroom, which could affect his/her learning process. APEINTA is a Spanish educational project that aims for inclusive education for all. This project proposes two main accessible initiatives: (1) real-time captioning and text-to-speech (TTS) services in the classroom and (2) accessible Web-learning platform out of the classroom with accessible digital resources. This paper presents the inclusive initiatives of APEINTA. Also an evaluation of the into-the-classroom initiative (real-time captioning and TTS services) is presented. This evaluation has been conducted during a regular undergraduate course at a university and during a seminar at an integration school for deaf children. Forty-five hearing students, 1 foreign student, 3 experts in captioning, usability and accessibility, and 20 students with hearing impairments evaluated these services in the classroom. Evaluation results show that these initiatives are adequate to be used in the classroom and that students are satisfied with them.     

The Effectiveness of Coursework and Onsite Coaching at Improving the Quality of Care in Infant–Toddler Settings

Research Findings: This study evaluated the effectiveness of 2 professional development interventions aimed at improving the quality of care provided by caregivers in ordinary infant–toddler child care settings, both center- and home-based. In all, 183 participants in a community college course on infant–toddler theory and practice, an in-service community model of a 48-hr course plus various levels of 1-on-1 coaching (participants were randomly assigned to 0, 5, or 15 hr), or a no-intervention comparison group were compared on their changes across 3 time points in their job-related self-efficacy, their knowledge of best practices, and the quality of their interactions with children as assessed by objective observers. Results indicated that the group with the most intensive intervention (course plus 15 hr of coaching) displayed the most consistent pattern of improvements, which met multiple analytical criteria for substantiveness. Furthermore, these findings were most apparent in the quality of interactions outcomes, and these were further still concentrated in the area of support for language and learning, the domain that showed the greatest need for improvement in infant–toddler caregivers in this sample as well as in previous research. Practice or Policy: Implications of the study results for systemic improvements to infant–toddler care are discussed, such as the importance of individual-level professional development, minimum dosage of coaching, and in-service supports to prevent declines in the quality of teacher–child interactions.     

Special education in Spain at the beginning of the 21st century: the challenge to educate in an unequal and multicultural society

An overview of the challenges facing the Spanish Special Education system at the turn of the century is presented. Significant changes have occurred in Spain over the last two decades that have affected the landscape of Spanish public schools in an unprecedented way. First, since the late 1980s, students with a variety of disabilities have been attending general education classrooms along with their peers. Additionally, for the last 20 years, Spain has experienced a dramatic increase in immigration patterns from Northern Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Thus, Spanish educators are facing the challenge of educating an increasingly heterogeneous student body. Students' different educational needs are often handed down to the special educator teacher who is faced with the task of ensuring the student's academic and social participation. Reform efforts conducted by Spanish educators to ensure that all students, regardless of their gender, ability level, ethnic and social backgrounds, as well as language and religion of origin, have equal access to a full social and academic participation in their schools and communities are described.     

Implementing a culturally attuned functional behavioural assessment to understand and address challenging behaviours demonstrated by students from diverse backgrounds

As the US student population continues to become increasingly diverse, educators have encountered difficulties in distinguishing between cultural differences and genuine disability indicators. This concern is clearly evident in assisting students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate chronic challenging behaviours. Past practices (e.g. disciplinary office referrals, out-of-school suspensions, expulsion) have contributed to the likelihood of students from diverse backgrounds being misidentified as having an emotional or behavioural disorder. However, by tailoring the functional behavioural assessment (FBA), educators better differentiate cultural factors from disability characteristics and better understand the students’ needs. This paper will discuss the significance in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population, provide an overview of the FBA process and present considerations in creating a culturally attuned FBA.     

The Relationship Between the Employment of Part-Time Faculty and Student Degree and/or Certificate Completion in Two-Year Community Colleges

Prior research studies associated the employment of part-time faculty with student degree and/or certificate completion (Benjamin, 2002; Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2005; Jacoby, 2006; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Umbach, 2008; Umbach & Wawrzynski, 2005). To date, institutional-level data have been utilized to investigate whether such employment adversely associated with student degree and/or certificate completion in two-year community colleges. Little research, however, has been conducted to study such association utilizing both student and institutional-level data (e.g., Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Jacoby, 2006). In this study, we draw data from Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and The Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 04/09), and employ a multilevel logistic regression model to investigate whether the proportion of part-time faculty is negatively associated with individual student’s likelihood of degree and/or certificate completion. Analytical results indicate the proportion of part-time faculty in community colleges is not negatively associated with student’s likelihood of degree and/ or certificate completion.     

Body fat measurement in elite sport climbers: Comparison of skinfold thickness equations with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare equations for estimating percentage body fat from skinfold thickness in elite sport climbers by assessing their agreement with percentage body fat measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Skinfold thickness was measured in a convenience sample of 19 elite sport climbers [9 women and 10 men; mean age 31.2 years (s = 5.0) and 28.6 years (s = 3.6), respectively]. Percentage body fat was estimated using 17 different equations, and it was also measured by DXA. A significant inter-methods difference was observed for all equations, except for Durnin's equation in men (inter-methods difference: ?0.57% and ?0.29%; 1.96 s: 5.56 and 5.23 for Siri's and Brozek's equation, respectively) and women (inter-methods difference: ?0.67% and ?1.29% for Siri's and Brozek's equation, respectively), and for Wilmore's equation using Siri's body fat equation in women (inter-methods difference: ?1.86%). In women, the limits of agreement were lower when using Durnin's equation compared with Wilmore's equation (1.96 s: 3.86% and 5.13%, respectively). In conclusion, of the 17 studied equations, Durnin's equation was the most accurate in estimating percentage body fat in both male and female elite climbers. Therefore, Durnin's equation could be used to assess percentage body fat in elite sport climbers if more accurate methods are not available. The generalizability of the results is limited by the fact that the sample was not selected at random.     

Vitamin C supplementation does not influence plasma and blood mononuclear cell IL-6 and IL-10 levels after exercise

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether the highest vitamin C supplementation associated with complete bioavailability influences the plasma and blood mononuclear cell IL-6 and IL-10 response to exercise. A double-blinded study of supplementation with vitamin C was performed. After 15 days of supplementation with vitamin C (500 mg · day^?1, n = 16) or a placebo (n = 15), participants in the study completed a 15-km run competition. Blood samples were taken before and after competition. Oxidative stress markers, antioxidants, cortisol, IL-6 and IL-10 were determined in plasma or serum. IL-6 and IL-10 protein and mRNA levels were measured in blood mononuclear cells. Although higher plasma and blood mononuclear cell vitamin C levels were observed in the supplemented group when compared with the placebo one, the two groups showed identical exercise-induced changes in all the measured parameters. Exercise induced increased IL-6 and IL-10 levels in plasma and blood mononuclear cells. IL-6 and IL-10 mRNA levels in blood mononuclear cells increased after the competition. After recovery, IL-6 mRNA returned to basal levels and IL-10 mRNA levels remained elevated. In conclusion, exercise induced increased IL-6 and IL-10 production in blood mononuclear cells. However, vitamin C supplementation did not influence IL-6 and IL-10 response to exercise.     

Acción y representación en el niño: La autorregulación en una tarea motriz

Resumen

En este trabajo se analizan las relaciones entre la acción y la representación en el niño considerando que se trata de un campo de problemas en el que las aportaciones de Piaget y de los psicólogos soviéticos, especialmente Vygotski, pueden converger. Se presentan dos experimentos para determinar si los cambios que se producen en la representación infantil, como consecuencia de un proceso de aprendizaje orientado a facilitar la toma de conciencia de una acción motriz y automatizada, llevan consigo cambios en la actividad del niño cuando, posteriormente, realiza acciones similares. Participan 30 niños entre 4,0 y 8,4 años. El objetivo del primer estudio es determinar un código de categorías que permita evaluar la conducta infantil en situaciones que exigen al niño «tomar conciencia» de una actividad motriz; en el segundo se analizan los cambios que se producen en tres dimensiones de la conducta en función del aprendizaje orientado a favorecer la toma de conciencia: la representación del propio cuerpo en movimiento, la verbalización de la acción y la habilidad ae autocontrol. Se alude, finalmente, a las posibles implicadones educativas del tema.