Managing Risk in a Culture of Rights: Providing Support and Treatment in Community-Based Settings for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities who Sexually Offend

People with intellectual disability who sexually offend commonly live in community-based settings since the closing of all institutions across the province of Ontario. Nine (n=9) front line staff who provide support to these individuals in three different settings (treatment setting, transitional setting, residential setting) were interviewed. Participants responded to 47 questions to explore how sex offenders with intellectual disability can be supported in the community to prevent re-offenses. Questions encompassed variables that included staff attitudes, various factors impacting support, structural components of the setting, quality of life and the good life, staff training, staff perspectives on treatment, and understanding of risk management. Three overlapping models that have been supported in the literature were used collectively for the basis of this research: The Good Lives Model (Ward & Gannon, 2006; Ward et al., 2007), the quality of life model (Felce & Perry, 1995), and variables associated with risk management. Results of this research showed how this population is being supported in the community with an emphasis on the following elements: positive and objective staff attitude, teamwork, clear rules and protocols, ongoing supervision, consistency, highly trained staff, and environments that promote quality of life. New concepts arose which suggested that all settings display an unequal balance of upholding human rights and managing risks when supporting this high-risk population. This highlights the need for comprehensive assessments in order to match the offender to the proper setting and supports, using an integration of a Risk, Need, Responsivity model and the Good Lives model for offender rehabilitation and to reduce the likelihood of re-offenses.

Examining Predictors of Quality of Life of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities After Deinstitutionalization

This study examined if a person’s quality of life could be predicted by six relevant factors in a sample of 114 individuals with intellectual disability who had moved from institutional settings to community living settings within Ontario. Further, two aspects of self-efficacy were tested to see if they moderated the relationship between the possible predictors and the quality of life indicator. The initial multiple regression model accounted for a very small amount of the variance in the outcome (r2 = .08). The second analysis included decision-making as a predictor (r2 = .35) but did not find it to be moderator. The third analysis used opportunities for change as a predictor (r2 = .28), and as a moderator with two significant interaction terms, health and years in an institutional setting (r2 = .35). These findings support the often-theorized influence of self-efficacy on quality of life for individuals with intellectual disability.

Creating and Enabling a Sustainable Livelihood for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: A Comparative Case Study of Ghana and Canada.

Abstract Despite the plethora of published studies on rights, including employment rights, for persons with intellectual disabilities (Hatton, 2002; Tarulli, et al., 2004; Ward & Stewart, 2008), relatively few have discussed their applicability to individuals with intellectual disabilities to facilitate their full involvement in socio-economic development. This study explored the mechanisms facilitating and inhibiting the full participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in the area of employment through a comparative case analysis of policies and practices in Ontario, Canada (a developed country) and in Ghana (a developing country) both of which are signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The study employed targeted recruitment based on the nature of the research which is a combination of policy and practice investigation.

Strategies and Techniques for Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities: A Case Study of the Spring Reading Program

This case study explored strategies and techniques in order to assist individuals with learning disabilities in their academic achievement. Of particular focus was how a literacy-based program, titled The Spring Reading Program, utilizes effective tactics and approaches that result in academic growth. The Spring Reading Program, offered by the Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara Region (LDANR) and partnered with John McNamara from Brock University, supports children with reading disabilities academically. In addition, the program helps children increase their confidence and motivation towards literacy. I began this study by outlining the importance of reading followed by and exploration of what educators and researchers have demonstrated regarding effective literacy instruction for children with learning disabilities. I studied effective strategies and techniques in the Spring Reading Program by conducting a qualitative case study of the program. This case study subsequently presents in depth, 4 specific strategies: Hands-on activities, motivation, engagement, and one-on-one instruction. Each strategy demonstrates its effectiveness through literature and examples from the Spring Reading Program.

Dynamic linear economies with social interactions

Social interactions arguably provide a rationale for several important phenomena, from smoking and other risky behavior in teens to e.g., peer effects in school performance. We study social interactions in dynamic economies. For these economies, we provide existence (Markov Perfect Equilibrium in pure strategies), ergodicity, and welfare results. Also, we characterize equilibria in terms of agents' policy function, spatial equilibrium correlations and social multiplier effects, depending on the nature of interactions. Most importantly, we study formally the issue of the identification of social interactions, with special emphasis on the restrictions imposed by dynamic equilibrium conditions.

Evaluating Greek primary school textbooks used to teach students with learning disabilities

Evaluaci??n de los libros de texto de Educaci??n Primaria griegos utilizados en la ense??anza de los estudiantes con dificultades de aprendizaje. La evaluaci??n de los libros de texto en cuanto a su cumplimiento de las normas basadas en la evidencia de dise??o instruccional, y en cuanto a su idoneidad para acomodar las diversas necesidades educativas de los diversos grupos de la poblaci??n escolar, se considera un medio importante de mejorar la calidad de los servicios educativos incluyendo a estudiantes con discapacidades de aprendizaje. En el presente trabajo, se explican los resultados de las evaluaciones de los libros de texto de Lengua y Matem??ticas que se utilizan en los tres primeros grados de la escuela griega primaria para ense??ar a los estudiantes con y sin dificultades de aprendizaje. La evaluaci??n se bas?? en los siguientes criterios: claridad de objetivos de instrucci??n, el examen de conocimientos previos, explicitaci??n de las explicaciones de instrucci??n, la suficiencia de los ejemplos de ense??anza, la introducci??n de conceptos adicionales y capacidades, la adecuaci??n de la pr??ctica guiada, la eficacia de la pr??ctica independiente, y la adecuaci??n de los conocimientos. Seg??n los resultados, los libros de texto no cumplen en cuatro de los ocho criterios revisados, en concreto los criterios de la claridad de los objetivos de instrucci??n, la explicitud de las explicaciones de instrucci??n, la introducci??n de conceptos adicionales y habilidades, y la conveniencia de revisar los conocimientos. Bas??ndose en estos resultados, el punto de vista puede considerarse que los libros de texto evaluados presentan considerables deficiencias e insuficiencias, lo que exige la aplicaci??n de modificaciones sustanciales en varios par??metros de dise??o de la instrucci??n cuando se utilizan para ense??ar a los estudiantes con dificultades de aprendizaje. Se discuten los efectos de estas deficiencias.

100 ideas for supporting pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Guía que proporciona a los que trabajan con niños con dificultades sociales, emocionales y de conducta cien ideas prácticas de cómo apoyar y desarrollar su aprendizaje. Las ideas están organizadas en quince secciones que incluyen información que va, entre otras, desde la creación de un entorno de aprendizaje, el apoyo al alumno, el desarrollo de técnicas de gestión eficaz del aula, o cómo hacer frente a los comportamientos profundamente difíciles.

Meeting the needs of disafected students : engaging students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Recurso que ofrece actividades para involucrar a los estudiantes desmotivados y asegurar que tengan éxito en su experiencia de aprendizaje, independientemente de sus necesidades particulares. A través de una variedad de enfoques y técnicas, incluida la alfabetización emocional, ofrece estrategias de apoyo y da ejemplos prácticos de cómo estimular e involucrar a estos estudiantes en la gestión de su comportamiento y su aprendizaje. Describe las causas del absentismo escolar y expone una serie de síndromes y trastornos que pueden dar lugar a la aversión a la escuela.

Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities to Explore Linear Relationships using Online Learning Objects. 'Apoyando a estudiantes con problemas de aprendizaje para explorar relaciones lineales mediante el uso de objetos de aprendizaje en línea'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Teaching English as a foreign language in accordance with social-constructivist pedagogy

Resumen basado en el de la publicación. Resumen en inglés

An exploration of the role of narrative skills in higher-level reading comprehension of teenagers with hearing loss

This Study examines the relationship between scores on adolescents’ self-generated narratives and standardized reading-comprehension scores. This relationship is also compared with the more simple language metrics: vocabulary and syntax.

Living with ASD: how do children and their parents assess their difficulties with social interaction and understanding?

Social interaction and understanding in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) are key areas of concern to practitioners and researchers alike. However, there is a relative lack of information about the skills and competencies of children and young people with ASD who access ordinary community facilities including mainstream education. In particular, contributions by parents and their children have been under-utilized. Using two structured questionnaires, 19 children with ASD reported difficulties with social skills including social engagement and temper management and also reported difficulties with social competence, affecting both friendships and peer relationships. Parents rated the children's social skill and competence as significantly worse than did the children themselves, but there was considerable agreement about the areas that were problematic. Using an informal measure to highlight their children's difficulties, parents raised issues relating to conversation skills, social emotional reciprocity and peer relationships. The implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.

Does training improve understanding of core concepts in cognitive behaviour therapy by people with intellectual disabilities? A randomized experiment

Background. People with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience similar or even higher rates of mental health problems than the general population and there is a need to develop appropriate treatments. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is effective for a wide range of disorders in the general population. However, there is some evidence that people with ID may lack the cognitive skills needed to take part in CBT. Aims. To test if people with ID can learn skills required for CBT, specifically the ability to distinguish between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and to link thoughts and feelings (cognitive mediation). Method. A randomized independent groups design was used to examine the effect of training in CBT on two tasks measuring CBT skills. Thirty-four adults with ID were randomly allocated to the experimental condition ðN ¼ 18Þ or to the control condition ðN ¼ 16Þ. CBT skills were assessed blind at baseline and after the intervention. Results. The training led to significant improvements in participants’ ability to link thoughts and feelings, and this skill was generalized to new material. There was no effect of training on participants’ ability to distinguish amongst thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. People with ID can, therefore, learn some skills required for CBT. This implies that preparatory training for CBT might be useful for people with ID. The results might be applicable to other groups who find aspects of CBT difficult.

A framework for the forensic analysis of user interaction with social media

The increasing use of social media, applications or platforms that allow users to interact online, ensures that this environment will provide a useful source of evidence for the forensics examiner. Current tools for the examination of digital evidence find this data problematic as they are not designed for the collection and analysis of online data. Therefore, this paper presents a framework for the forensic analysis of user interaction with social media. In particular, it presents an inter-disciplinary approach for the quantitative analysis of user engagement to identify relational and temporal dimensions of evidence relevant to an investigation. This framework enables the analysis of large data sets from which a (much smaller) group of individuals of interest can be identified. In this way, it may be used to support the identification of individuals who might be ‘instigators’ of a criminal event orchestrated via social media, or a means of potentially identifying those who might be involved in the ‘peaks’ of activity. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the framework, this paper applies it to a case study of actors posting to a social media Web site.