OBJECTIVE: The paper deals with the possibilities of the development and the support of individuals with developmental dysphasia with regard to the legislative framework of the Czech Republic in the field of education and presents the results of a systematic case study of a child patient diagnosed with developmental dysphasia (according to ICD-10; F80.1 and F80.2).
METHODS: The study aimed to determine the effect of combined therapy using long-term special educational, rehabilitation and psychological intervention, speech therapy and music therapy on the development of the patient\'s communication skills. The proband was selected by random, stratified sampling based on pre-determined relevant characteristics (age 6 years i.e., before entering primary school, diagnosed with developmental dysphasia). A 6-year-old child patient participated in the research with the consent of the legal representative. The therapy was focused on special educational care, speech therapy, music therapy and psychological intervention (including psychotherapy). During the hospitalization and post-hospitalization care, there was also the presence of a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the research point out the need for regular and close multidisciplinary cooperation of an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, a special educator, a speech therapist, a music therapist and a psychologist when working with patients diagnosed with developmental dysphasia. These professions focus specifically on specific areas of support with a focus on cognitive, phatic and motor functions with the support of social adaptability.

In this study we focus on the application of standardized tests aimed at evaluating the functional degree of independence in children (client 1, WeeFIM test; and client 2, FIM test) in special education diagnostics. The target group consisted of two clients with a diagnosis of mental functional diversity (n = 2; client 1: mild mental retardation, according to ICD-10: F70, aged 6.5 years; and client 2: moderate mental retardation, according to ICD-10: F71, aged 13.4 years). Special pedagogical intervention was primarily applied to the clients, focusing on identified deficits in the areas of cognitive, motor, and social skills. The presented results demonstrate the importance of the application of these tests in special pedagogy. An improvement in the observed indicators of the given tests was demonstrated for both probands after the intervention. The aim of this article was to draw attention to the suitability of using functional independence tests in special pedagogical practices. The authors discuss the further implications of this application for future practice.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act grants dissatisfied parents of students with disabilities the right to pursue legal remedies. In 2007, Rose and Zirkel found that parents of students with reading disabilities seeking Orton-Gillingham (OG) instruction under the IDEA\'s central obligation for a free appropriate public education (FAPE) were largely unsuccessful in their complaints. Since that review, various factors had the potential to influence the frequency and outcomes of OG-related case law-namely, the peer-reviewed research requirement of the IDEA and growing awareness of the need for specialized reading instruction. Our updated analysis of OG-related case law revealed an increase in the number of cases but similar district-favored outcomes identified by Rose and Zirkel. In particular, the relaxed substantive FAPE standard and deference to local and state authorities diminished the likelihood of parents prevailing in their requests. Implications for parents, school district personnel, special education professionals, and education researchers are presented.

To evaluate parent and teacher opinion of the provision of in-school eyecare and jargon-free written reporting of visual status for children in special educational settings.
A nationally-agreed, in-school eyecare framework for children attending special schools which recommends a full eye examination, dispensing of spectacles and provision of a jargon-free written report of visual outcomes to parents and teachers, was provided to 200 children (mean age 10 years, 9 months; 70% male) attending a special school in the UK. The written \'Vision Report\' detailed, in lay-language, results from the eye examination and provided practical advice to alleviate the impact of vision difficulties both at home and in the classroom. Following implementation of the framework, parents and teachers completed a feedback questionnaire to determine their opinion of the in-school eye examination and utility of the Vision Report.
Parents of 123 participants returned a feedback questionnaire. Eighty-eight participants were represented by the 23 teachers who returned a questionnaire. The in-school eyecare was rated positively for children in special education by 82.4% of parents and 80.9% of teachers. Key benefits included the familiarity of the in-school setting (81.3% of parents and 100% of teachers agree), the convenience of the setting for parents (74.0% of parents and 100% of teachers agree), and the opportunity for teachers to speak directly to eyecare providers regarding a child\'s visual needs (82.6% of teachers agree). The information provided by the Vision Report was deemed useful day-to-day by 78.3% of parents and 100% of teachers. The majority (80%) of teachers implemented classroom modifications suggested in the report, whereas only 47.9% of parents reported implementation of modifications at home.
Provision of in-school eyecare is valued by parents and teachers of children in special education settings. Jargon-free, written reports of visual status are valued and utilised by parents and teachers. Further support is required to aid parents in implementing vision modifications at home.

Cerebral palsy results in the progressive loss of motor functions, with a negative impact on daily activities and participation. Despite the well described benefits of aquatic therapy in children, little is known about the effects of the same in school settings. This study aimed to describe the experience of children and youth with cerebral palsy participating in an aquatic therapy program within a special education school considering their educational and therapeutic perspectives. A qualitative descriptive case study with embedded units was developed, comprising 27 participants. This study employed purposeful sampling to include children and youth with cerebral palsy from the Asociación Ayuda a la Paralisis Cerebral (APACE) special education school, together with their parents, the special education teachers, and health care professionals. Data were collected via non-participant observation, semi-structured and informal interviews, focus groups, and researcher field notes. A thematic analysis was conducted, revealing the following themes: (a) the connection with the environment; (b) postural improvements and mobility; (c) the opportunity to perform tasks; (d) learning and transfer. A motivating environment leads to physical, cognitive and social benefits, both at school and in the home. Aquatic therapy was viewed as a means for learning and participation. These findings may enhance understanding regarding the potential benefits of implementing multidisciplinary aquatic therapy programs in specialist school settings.

BACKGROUND: The UNCRC (1989) established the importance of listening to children\'s views globally. In England, seeking the views of pupils with special educational needs and disability about their education, and involving them in decision-making, has been mandatory since 2015. Autistic children\'s views and experiences are particularly underrepresented in this context.
OBJECTIVE: To provide a detailed exploratory analysis of practices that enable autistic pupils to participate in educational decision-making, and to generate new knowledge about pupil participation in a school context, using the Framework for Participation (Black-Hawkins, 2010) as an analytical frame.
METHODS: Four male pupils aged 11-15, with autism spectrum diagnoses, and 11 staff members from a specialist, independent school took part in this case study.
METHODS: Observations were made of pupils in lessons, and pupils completed a photo-voice activity focusing on where they felt \'most listened to\' in the school. Staff members participated in semi-structured interviews.
RESULTS: A range of practices supported pupils\' participation in everyday decision-making, underpinned by a respectful and positive culture led by the senior management team. The focus was on what learners can do and how they make decisions to facilitate achievement. Pupils and staff developed mutually respectful relationships, within which boundaries were negotiated and compromises offered. Flexibility through decision-making was provided within the timetabling and content of the curriculum. Pupils\' special interests and expertise were valued as \'keys\' to supporting their engagement.
CONCLUSIONS: These insights provide a tool for reflection by educators and educational psychologists for considering how they might promote the participation of autistic pupils in different educational contexts.

Traumatic brain injury in childhood (TBI) is a chronic health condition. As decreased memory, language, and rapid psychomotor impairments are known to accompany pediatric TBI (Babikian et al., 2011), students who have experienced a moderate-to-severe TBI are at particular risk for academic deficits, including writing difficulties. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a speech-to-text assistive technology (AT) accommodation that was implemented to bypass the impaired handwriting and spelling (i.e., transcription) skills resulting from TBI. Three African American male students (Grades 4, 8, and 9) who received formal special education services under the category of TBI participated in this study. With the application of the speech-to-text AT accommodation, all participants\' total words written (TWW), words spelled correctly (WSC), and correct writing sequences (CWS) significantly increased compared to the handwriting control condition. One hundred percent nonoverlapping data points across participants and dependent variables was achieved. Implications of the findings for the school-based treatment of TBI, study limitations, and future avenues of study are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

In the United States, students with mild intellectual disability (MID) are expected to access the general education curriculum and some of these students are required to pass the same high-stakes exams as students without disabilities. Research supports that students with MID can demonstrate success with mathematics after receiving interventions that emphasize the strategic use of visual representations. In this qualitative case study, the researchers describe the teaching methods of a seventh grade, special education teacher who heavily emphasized visuals, such as diagrams and gestures, in her instructional approach. In her classroom, two students with MID demonstrated the ability to solve and discuss algebra problems that required use of the distributive property and to solve word problems of the same structure.

BACKGROUND: This longitudinal study examines the extent to which a school classroom (inclusive vs. special education) is meaningful for theory of mind (ToM) development among children with mild intellectual disability.
METHODS: The participant group consisted of 166 primary school-aged children (M = 8.1, SD = 0.99), 79 of whom attended inclusive classrooms; the remaining 87 were in special education classrooms.
RESULTS: Although all children developed ToM over time, children\'s learning of ToM in inclusive classrooms was significantly greater than that seen in special classrooms. The difference remained significant after controlling for age. The present authors have compared children\'s individual and family characteristics, but there were almost no differences between groups.
CONCLUSIONS: The present authors discuss the results in the light of their importance for children\'s cognitive and social development. The implications for children\'s education are also considered.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effectiveness of leisure and play social group activities for enhancing socialisation skills in a child with intellectual disability..
METHODS: The experimental study was done at a special education school for disadvantaged children Lahore from 28th November, 2016 to 3rd February, 2017. The subject was a boy aged 17 years who was part of a leisure and play group comprising peers. Pre-rating of socialisation domain of the subject was carried out through Portage Guide to Early Education (PGEE). Atotal of 20 groups were conducted in which two sessions per week were carried out. One session of group activity lasted 25-30 minutes. Postrating was carried out after the completion of group activities..
RESULTS: There were 6 children in the play group, but the focus remained on 1(17%) subject. From pre and post rating it was evident that significant reduction in symptoms occurred in the subject, indicating effectiveness of leisure and play social groups approach..
CONCLUSIONS: Leisure and play social group activities were found to be effective in enhancing overall social skills of a child having intellectual disability.