The efficacy of models for educational service delivery for students with autism spectrum disorders. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of two models of support (Satellite Class and Consultative model) for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in regular schools. This research has significant potential to provide insight into the best ways of supporting children with ASD and improving their educational outcomes.
How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop ....How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop and evaluate a pilot professional learning package to support schools to make better decisions will be developed and evaluated. A better understanding of decision-making processes is expected to help schools make optimal, cost-effective decisions that personalise learning and support.Read moreRead less
Improved Support For Regional And Remote Paediatric Oncology Families: A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Videotelephony
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,843.00
Summary
Childhood cancer presents a major life stressor for the entire family. Significant changes to the everyday lives of families, practically, socially and emotionally cause major disruption. There is evidence that this disruption results in isolation and poor communication between family members, anxiety, low self-esteem and school problems for siblings and anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms and risk of depression for parents. Providing ongoing support to these families is an essential part of ....Childhood cancer presents a major life stressor for the entire family. Significant changes to the everyday lives of families, practically, socially and emotionally cause major disruption. There is evidence that this disruption results in isolation and poor communication between family members, anxiety, low self-esteem and school problems for siblings and anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms and risk of depression for parents. Providing ongoing support to these families is an essential part of care. The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Paediatric Oncology Service in Brisbane is the major tertiary paediatric referral centre for Queensland, northern New South Wales and the southwest Pacific. A multidisciplinary team of medical, nursing, and allied health professionals provides care and support to children with cancer, as well as their families. Each year around 100 newly diagnosed patients are cared for. Around 60% of the families cared for by the service live in regional and remote areas. There are a number of challenges which inhibit the equitable provision of specialist health services to these areas including availability of health care professionals and accessibility due to distance, time, cost and transport. For paediatric oncology families, opportunities to receive support are limited. One possible solution is the use of online support mechanisms, such as videotelephony, to facilitate the provision of much needed support to patients, parents, siblings and the family as a whole. The objective of this research is to see if videotelephony can be used to support regional and remote families of the Royal Children's Hospital Paediatric Oncology Service providing indizidualised communication, education, counselling and monitoring. This will present a new and innovative use of videophone technology as well as a new method for supporting regional and remote oncology patients and their families.Read moreRead less
Constructing futures: an investigation of the aspirations of young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. This project aims to develop a better understanding of the aspirations for adult life held by young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. Organisations that provide services to this vulnerable group will use the results to examine current, and guide future, service provision.
School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This ....School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This project aims to understand the types and rates of school non-attendance problems in students with intellectual disability and the factors that influence non-attendance. Improved understanding of the pathways to non-attendance would facilitate the development of specific interventions to provide much-needed improvements in attendance in this disadvantaged group.Read moreRead less
Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of childr ....Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of children with ASD. The project intends to longitudinally explore the mechanisms of sibling impact in families with and without a child with ASD. The outcomes will deepen understanding of child development, providing an evidence base for effective interventions to increase child competence and aiming ultimately to reduce the social costs of ASD.Read moreRead less
"I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by ...."I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by loneliness, and adolescents with NDDs experience significantly greater levels of loneliness. Altering these negative thought patterns via an engaging 3-D animated program offers great potential to improve educational and social-emotional outcomes along with generating economic benefits nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Furthering Positive Futures for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Investigation. This project will address the paucity of empirical research on drivers of psychosocial and physical well-being (PPW; for example self-concept, depression, behavioural problems, physical fitness, weight) of children with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This proposal presents an extensive research program aimed at understanding the effects of school life and Physical Activity (PA) on PPW for Aust ....Furthering Positive Futures for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Investigation. This project will address the paucity of empirical research on drivers of psychosocial and physical well-being (PPW; for example self-concept, depression, behavioural problems, physical fitness, weight) of children with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This proposal presents an extensive research program aimed at understanding the effects of school life and Physical Activity (PA) on PPW for Australian children with ID. This program examines: the relations between school life and PPW; the benefits, barriers and predictors of PA; moderators (personal characteristics, educational settings). The overarching objective is to advance theory and research in this area, and to inform intervention strategies furthering more positive futures for children with ID.Read moreRead less
A sound start: innovative technology to promote speech and pre-literacy skills in at-risk preschoolers. One in five Australian preschoolers have speech impairment and without specialist services face an increased risk of reading difficulties and life-long consequences. Given that demand for services exceeds supply, this project will determine if a preschool computer-based service can promote speech development and reduce risk of reading difficulty.
Building the numeracy and information and communication technology capability of students with intellectual disabilities. This project investigates strategies to build numeracy and information and communication technology capability among students with intellectual disabilities. It aims to support teachers in mainstream and special education schools as they plan and monitor personalised instruction for their students. The research combines disciplines of special schools, the state Education Depa ....Building the numeracy and information and communication technology capability of students with intellectual disabilities. This project investigates strategies to build numeracy and information and communication technology capability among students with intellectual disabilities. It aims to support teachers in mainstream and special education schools as they plan and monitor personalised instruction for their students. The research combines disciplines of special schools, the state Education Department’s Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Division, and the Assessment Research Centre. The expected outcome is an integrated program of assessment, reporting, curriculum, and instructional advice that promotes inclusive educational practices and seeks to ensure all children have improved opportunities to participate in a technology driven, emerging knowledge economy.Read moreRead less