Race and ‘Disability Passing’ in a Chicago Public School Art Classroom

Race, history and visibility have a great deal to do with how disability operated socially and educationally in the Chicago public high school art classroom where I taught for ten years. I am severely near‐sighted, and I am also white, educated and often, but not consistently, able to pass for non‐disabled. A large number of my students were identified as having learning, emotional and behavioural disabilities, diagnoses which were certainly conditioned by the institution, but diagnoses which perhaps also underrepresented the amount of socially and historically occasioned impairment or debility that existed in the low‐income majority‐Black community served by my school. In this article I reflect on the overlapping social performances that occurred in terms of ‘disability passing’, a state that can characterise both hidden and exaggerated or invented impairments. My reflections examine my own individual experience in contrast to the long‐term experience of the African diaspora in and beyond the USA, in order to think about other ways to parse the complex factors determining how disability plays out in educational environments.     

Book of the Month

Albert Boni (ed.) Photographic Literature: 1960-1970 (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.: Morgan and Morgan, 1972-- $35.00)

Albert Boni (ed.) Photographic Literature (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.: Morgan and Morgan, 1962---$30.00)     

Cognitive functioning in learning-disabled and nonlearning-disabled secondary level students

A study was conducted to compare on a number of specialized cognitive procedures the performance of high school students designated as learning disabled (LD) with the performance of nonlearning-disabled students experiencing learning difficulties (nonLD). Both groups were then compared with a control group of typical learners. Results indicate that when taken as a group LD and nonLD students differed significantly from a control group of typical learners on 6 of 16 variables. LD students differed from nonLD students with learning difficulties on 5 of 16 variables. The performance of LD and nonLD students with learning difficulties indicates patterns of cognitive functioning that differ from those of typical learners. The possibility of the development of compensatory cognitive styles in LD and nonLD students and their implications are discussed.     

The diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in community mental health centers: Where and when

The high degree of coexistence of attentional disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a number of other disorders continues to pose diagnostic problems and to highlight a continuing need to differentiate better between overlapping diagnoses. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which this type of diagnostic confusion continues to exist in referrals for assessment of ADHD to community mental health centers. Using referrals to a specialized ADHD Clinic of our center, 92 children with a previous diagnosis of ADHD were provided comprehensive evaluations, addressing cognitive, intellectual, personality, academic, social, behavioral, developmental, and medical concerns. After comprehensive evaluation and careful review of the results, only 22% of our sample were given a primary diagnosis of ADHD and only 37% a secondary diagnosis of ADHD. Substantial numbers of children were diagnosed instead with primary anxiety and mood disorders. Reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.     

Facilitating implementation of organs-on-chips by open platform technology

Organ-on-chip (OoC) and multi-organs-on-chip (MOoC) systems have the potential to play an important role in drug discovery, disease modeling, and personalized medicine. However, most devices developed in academic labs remain at a proof-of-concept level and do not yet offer the ease-of-use, manufacturability, and throughput that are needed for widespread application. Commercially available OoC are easier to use but often lack the level of complexity of the latest devices in academia. Furthermore, researchers who want to combine different chips into MOoC systems are limited to one supplier, since commercial systems are not compatible with each other. Given these limitations, the implementation of standards in the design and operation of OoCs would strongly facilitate their acceptance by users. Importantly, the implementation of such standards must be carried out by many participants from both industry and academia to ensure a widespread acceptance and adoption. This means that standards must also leave room for proprietary technology development next to promoting interchangeability. An open platform with standardized interfacing and user-friendly operation can fulfill these requirements. In this Perspective article, the concept of an open platform for OoCs is defined from a technical perspective. Moreover, we discuss the importance of involving different stakeholders in the development, manufacturing, and application of such an open platform.     

Effects of balance training on postural sway, leg extensor strength, and jumping height in adolescents

Deficits in strength of the lower extremities and postural control have been associated with a high risk of sustaining sport-related injuries. Such injuries often occur during physical education (PE) classes and mostly affect the lower extremities. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of balance training on postural sway, leg extensor strength, and jumping height in adolescents. Twenty high school students participated in this study and were assigned to either an intervention (n = 10) or control group (n = 10). The intervention group participated in a 4-week balance-training program integrated in their physical education lessons. Pre- and posttests included the measurements of postural sway on a balance platform, jumping height on a force platform, and maximal isometric leg extension force on a leg-press. Balance training resulted in significantly improved postural control, increased jumping height, and enhanced rate of force development of the leg extensors. Physiological adaptations rather than learning effects seem to be responsible for the observed findings. These results could have an impact on improving the performance level in various sports and on reducing the injury prevalence of the lower extremities.