We attempted to increase one aspect of self‐determination among 3 supported workers with multiple disabilities. Following Baer's (1998) self‐determination conceptualization, the workers were exposed ...to two conditions that involved working more versus less independently based on availability of assistive devices. Next, their condition preferences were assessed and honored. All participants consistently chose the more independent condition. Results reflect how self‐determination may be enhanced by giving workers increased control over work situations.
Concern has been expressed recently regarding the need to enhance the performance of individuals with highly significant disabilities in community-based, supported jobs. We evaluated a shared-work ...program for reducing job coach assistance provided to three workers with severe multiple disabilities in a publishing company. Following systematic observations of the assistance provided as each worker worked on entire job tasks, steps comprising the tasks were then re-assigned across workers. The re-assignment involved assigning each worker only those task steps for which the respective worker received the least amount of assistance (e.g., re-assigning steps that a worker could not complete due to physical disabilities), and ensuring the entire tasks were still completed by combining steps performed by all three workers. The shared-work program was accompanied by reductions in job coach assistance provided to each worker. Work productivity of the supported workers initially decreased but then increased to a level equivalent to the higher ranges of baseline productivity. These results suggested that the shared-work program appears to represent a viable means of enhancing supported work performance of people with severe multiple disabilities in some types of community jobs. Future research needs discussed focus on evaluating shared-work approaches with other jobs, and developing additional community work models specifically for people with highly significant disabilities.
We evaluated a prework assessment for predicting work‐task preferences among workers with severe multiple disabilities prior to beginning supported work. The assessment involved comparing worker ...selections from pairs of work tasks drawn from their future job duties. Results of workers' choices once they began their jobs in a publishing company indicated that the assessment predicted tasks that the workers preferred to work on during their job routines. Results are discussed regarding other possible means of determining preferred types of supported work.
In order to assess thermoregulation disorders of children with severe multiple disabilities, a questionnaire survey was conducted of 206 severely disabled children enrolled at all 5 schools for ...disabled children in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture (valid responses, 182). The main findings were as follows. 1) Among the 182 children, 67 (36.9%) had some form of problem with body temperature condition (heat retention, hypothermia, both). 2) Among the 46 lower grade elementary school children, 24 (52.2%) had some problems with body temperature condition, a significantly higher proportion than that of other grades. 3) The principle causes of heat retention and hypothermia might be excessive thermogenesis due to intense muscle tension and reduced thermogenesis due to disuse atrophy of skeletal muscle, respectively. 4) 64.3% of the students with both heat retention and hypothermia (9 out of 14) were lower grade elementary school children. Young children might be more easily influenced by the thermal environment because of reduced heat dissipation due to dyshidrosis and reduced thermogenesis due to lethargic movement or low nutrition.
In order to analyze the influence of criticism of teaching upon instructional design, the present article focuses on the following points: (1) analyzing the influence of criticism upon teachers' ...attitudes toward teaching, and (2) analyzing the influence of teachers' attitudes upon their instructional design. The main results were as follows: (1) when the content of the criticism agreed with problems that the teacher was trying to solve, criticism had a large influence on the next instructional design, but (2) if the criticism was not concrete or based on the facts in teaching, no influence of criticism upon instructional design was found. (3) Only concrete criticism based on the facts in teaching improves methods of teaching children with severe multiple disabilities.
In order to analyze the influence of criticism of instruction upon educational practice, the present article focuses on the following points: (1) analyzing the influence of criticism of teachers' ...methods of instruction, and (2) proposing critical points of view regarded as suggestive for improving methods of instruction. The main results were as follows: (1) when the content of the criticism coincided with issues that the teacher was trying to solve, criticism had a substantial influence on subsequent educational practice, but (2) if the criticism was not concrete nor based on facts in the instruction, no influence of criticism upon subsequent educational practice was found. (3) Only concrete criticism leading to realization of the teacher's intention and based on the facts in the instruction could improve methods of instruction for children with severe multiple disabilities. We have named this technique of criticism "mote-nasi" criticism in Japanese.
The present research was designed to investigate the relation between different parts of the body and manipulation in a preschool child with severe multiple disabilities. The child, 2 years 7 months ...old, with severe multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy, hypocalcemia, infatile spasm and severe mental retardation, was the subject. Since postural control of the head-trunk-hands-legs system is a prerequisite to development of part of the body and to manipulation of various objects, we observed the relation between parts of the body and the child's manipulation of things in terms of postures that the child was in. First, while in a supine position, he learned to ring a chime by kicking with his legs. In addition to that, he learned to manipulate toys with his legs. Second, while turned sideways on the floor, he learned to ring a chime or light a bulb with his hands while looking at his hand. Eye-hand coordiation appeared only after this manipulation. Third, while in a seated posture, he learned to ring a chime or to light a bulb by kicking with his legs while looking at them. Moreover, he learned to light a bulb by switching it on with his mouth, supporting his body on the floor with his legs. Our conclusion is that in the early stage of human behaviors, children with severe multiple disabilities interact with the surrounding world by manipulating various objects with parts of their body.
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