Increasing social interactions in deaf-blind severely handicapped young adults

Emerging Evidence from Single-Subject Research in the Field of Deaf-Blindness

Professionals in the field of deaf-blindness are challenged to use instructional practices that have been tested using experimental methodology. Single-subject design has been examined as a form of research that assists in substantiating practice. In a review of the literature, the authors identified 54 single-subject studies from 1969 to 2006 that provided emerging evidence for practitioners.

Employment of Persons with Dual Sensory Impairments: Strategies for Inclusion

Case study examples highlight several strategies used by Bay Area Personnel Systems, a model demonstration project, to ensure the inclusion of persons with dual sensory impairments and other multiple disabilities in integrated community employment. Heterogeneous group placement, job restructuring, use of natural support, volunteerism, and social skills training are practices perceived to be particularly critical in ensuring integrated work for people with dual sensory impairment.

Alignment of single-case design (SCD) research with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing with the what Works Clearinghouse standards for SCD research

The authors assessed the quality of single-case design (SCD) studies that assess the impact of interventions on outcomes for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH). More specifically, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards for SCD research were used to assess design quality and the strength of evidence of peer-reviewed studies available in the peer-reviewed, published literature. The analysis yielded four studies that met the WWC standards for design quality, of which two demonstrated moderate to strong evidence for efficacy of the studied intervention. Results of this review are discussed in light of the benefits and the challenges to applying the WWC design standards to research with DHH individuals and other diverse, low-incidence populations.

Autistic-like behavior in CHARGE syndrome

Children with CHARGE syndrome frequently exhibit moderate to severe behavior difficulties, and are often diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, Tourette syndrome, and autism. Hartshorne and Cypher (2004) surveyed parents of 100 children with CHARGE worldwide and confirmed the prevalence of behaviors that are associated with these disorders. They also found behaviors that could be described as typical of persons who are deafblind. The present study examined whether the autistic-like behaviors of children with CHARGE are more similar to those of children who are deafblind, to those of children who are autistic or are unique to CHARGE. Surveys including the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were mailed to families of 204 children with CHARGE, and 160 usable surveys were returned (78%). Total scores on the ABC for children with CHARGE were significantly different from the norms for those with autism, and those who were deafblind. However, the variance for CHARGE was larger than for the normative groups, and 27.5% of those with CHARGE could be classified as autistic. The pattern of subscale scores for those with CHARGE differed from the other normative groups.

The quality and costs of residential services for adults with multiple disabilities: a comparative evaluation

The costs and quality of four different service models for 40 adults with multiple disabilities were compared. The four service models were: specialised institution-based units; a specialised, campus-style, further education service; specialised community-based group homes; and "ordinary" community-based group homes. Some information was also available from five adults with multiple disabilities living in traditional institutions for people with mental retardation. On almost all measures of service outcome the specialised group-home model was the "preferred" service model, although this model was not associated with particularly high service costs. There was, however, considerable variation in quality within, as well as between, service models, with some residents in all service models experiencing levels of support and engagement similar to those found in traditional institutions. The results of the study are discussed in relation to notions of typical practice and normative standards. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Review of stress inoculation training with children and adolescents. Issues and recommendations

Stress inoculation training (SIT) is a cognitive-behavioral intervention that has been applied to a wide array of problems and populations. Although it has received considerable attention in the adult treatment literature, less research has been conducted with child and adolescent populations. Its most appealing qualities include its applicability to a wide variety of populations, settings, and problems, the structured training format it offers practitioners in which to match intervention strategies to identified individual-specific deficits, and format for programming generalization. In this article, the authors provide an overview of SIT, including a description of phase components and issues related to child and adolescent problems, and they review the treatment studies with these populations. Of the eight studies reviewed, none reported an attempt to identify the nature of trainees' performance problems, differentially employing intervention strategies to individual-specific deficits, nor programming for generalization. Implications for SIT with children and adolescents are offered.