Effects of Intensive Interaction on the Social and Communication Behaviour of Three Students with Profound/Multiple Disabilities

<p>Objective: To evaluate the effects of an intervention, known as Intensive Interaction (II), on the social and communicative behaviour of three students with profound/multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Methods: Three secondary school-aged students with PMLD were observed, and their level of social and communicative engagement rated, during an initial baseline and subsequent intervention phase. The intervention was introduced across participants in a multiple-baseline across subjects design. Results: Social and communicative engagement increased during intervention relative to baseline for each of the three students. Conclusion: II appeared to be effective in increasing social and communicative engagement of the participants and may therefore be viewed as a potentially promising approach for other students with PMLD.</p>

Effects of Intensive Interaction on the Social and Communication Behaviour of Three Students with Profound/Multiple Disabilities

<p>Objective: To evaluate the effects of an intervention, known as Intensive Interaction (II), on the social and communicative behaviour of three students with profound/multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Methods: Three secondary school-aged students with PMLD were observed, and their level of social and communicative engagement rated, during an initial baseline and subsequent intervention phase. The intervention was introduced across participants in a multiple-baseline across subjects design. Results: Social and communicative engagement increased during intervention relative to baseline for each of the three students. Conclusion: II appeared to be effective in increasing social and communicative engagement of the participants and may therefore be viewed as a potentially promising approach for other students with PMLD.</p>

Barriers to Effective Education of Students with Severe and Profound Multiple Disabilities in Bulgaria and Flanders

The education of students with severe and profound multiple disabilities is one of the most discussed topics in the contemporary special education worldwide. The educational systems seek to create and implement effective models of organization of the educational process in order to ensure access to education and qualitative support for personal development. This article aims to present the educational inclusion of students with severe and profound multiple disabilities in Bulgaria and Flanders and discusses the barriers to effective education of children based on empirical study of the views and opinions of pedagogical specialists in both educational systems.

Promoting Environmental Control, Social Interaction, and Leisure/Academy Engagement Among People with Severe/Profound Multiple Disabilities Through Assistive Technology

When the authors talk about Assistive Technology (AT) they refer to all technological solutions that allow persons with multiple disabilities and profound cognitive disability to overcome their isolation and passivity to move around their environment, communicate with others, and to be involved developmentally in appropriate activities that they would be unable to do without this technology. There is an increasing range of AT available and the purpose of this contribution is to provide an overview of different aspects of daily living AT that enables people with multiple disabilities to interact independently with their preferred stimuli. The aim of this chapter is to provide an outline of technological resources used in rehabilitation research with persons with severe/profound and multiple disabilities and discuss the use of such resources. We focus on particular rehabilitation programs that involve the use of technological devices within the framework of conventional behavioral intervention for the acquisition and the maintenance of specific responses.