Comparative Analysis of Early Intervention Programs for Young Children with Autism. This project will contribute valuable information on how agencies and governments nationally and overseas can cater for a rapidly growing number of students identified with autism. Two early intervention programs - home-based and centre-based - for young children with autism and their families will be compared to each other and a control group. Through promoting strong family knowledge about autism, strategies fo ....Comparative Analysis of Early Intervention Programs for Young Children with Autism. This project will contribute valuable information on how agencies and governments nationally and overseas can cater for a rapidly growing number of students identified with autism. Two early intervention programs - home-based and centre-based - for young children with autism and their families will be compared to each other and a control group. Through promoting strong family knowledge about autism, strategies for managing a young child with autism (e.g., communication, social skills), plus fostering inter-family and community links, families will be empowered to promote healthy outcomes for their young child.Read moreRead less
Intervention in the Number Learning of Low-Attaining 3rd- and 4th-Graders. In recent years, school systems both in Australia and elsewhere in the world have placed increased emphasis on numeracy. Nevertheless, significant numbers of students finish primary school without successfully learning basic arithmetic. These students have little chance of catching up this learning during the secondary school years and of becoming numerate adults. Australia has pioneered the development of intervention pr ....Intervention in the Number Learning of Low-Attaining 3rd- and 4th-Graders. In recent years, school systems both in Australia and elsewhere in the world have placed increased emphasis on numeracy. Nevertheless, significant numbers of students finish primary school without successfully learning basic arithmetic. These students have little chance of catching up this learning during the secondary school years and of becoming numerate adults. Australia has pioneered the development of intervention programs in the early years of school but there are virtually no established intervention programs in the Years 3-6 range. The project involves the use of innovative methodologies and collaboration with teachers to research and develop successful intervention programs.Read moreRead less
Positive Pathways to Reading for Disadvantaged Children: Identifying Psychosocial Antecedents and Implementing Effective Intervention to Enhance Literacy, Self-concept, and Motivation. Early intervention to combat reading difficulties in primary schools is vital given the pervasive long-term academic and mental health consequences. Consistent with National Research Priorities (Promoting/maintaining good health/well-being),our research offers important educational/socio-economic benefits by: enri ....Positive Pathways to Reading for Disadvantaged Children: Identifying Psychosocial Antecedents and Implementing Effective Intervention to Enhance Literacy, Self-concept, and Motivation. Early intervention to combat reading difficulties in primary schools is vital given the pervasive long-term academic and mental health consequences. Consistent with National Research Priorities (Promoting/maintaining good health/well-being),our research offers important educational/socio-economic benefits by: enriching disadvantaged children's reading achievement, promoting psychosocial adjustment and life potential, and elucidating multiplier effects of the intervention on volunteers administering the intervention, home life, and school engagement. Synergies between substantive research, methodological rigour, and practice will ensure real solutions and a research framework that will make a substantial contribution to Australia's future.Read moreRead less
Partner training and communication outcomes for students with multiple and severe disabilities. This research has the potential to benefit one of the most disadvantaged groups in the community: students with multiple and severe disabilities. These students typically spend more than 70% of the school day with no communication with teachers, teacher aides or other students. The proposed research will investigate whether it is possible to improve levels of communication and engagement through train ....Partner training and communication outcomes for students with multiple and severe disabilities. This research has the potential to benefit one of the most disadvantaged groups in the community: students with multiple and severe disabilities. These students typically spend more than 70% of the school day with no communication with teachers, teacher aides or other students. The proposed research will investigate whether it is possible to improve levels of communication and engagement through training teachers and teacher aides as effective communication partners. Higher levels of communication at school will improve Quality of Life for these students. This research will inform the development of training programs for school staff working with students with multiple and severe disabilities.Read moreRead less
Enhancing basic academic skills of low-achieving students: the role of automaticity in numeracy, reading and comprehension. The project is designed to improve the basic reading and numeracy skills of low-achieving school students. The aim of the research is to investigate the effects of improved automaticity of basic skills on higher-order processes such as comprehension and problem solving. The underlying rationale for the program is that improving automaticity in component skills, such as dec ....Enhancing basic academic skills of low-achieving students: the role of automaticity in numeracy, reading and comprehension. The project is designed to improve the basic reading and numeracy skills of low-achieving school students. The aim of the research is to investigate the effects of improved automaticity of basic skills on higher-order processes such as comprehension and problem solving. The underlying rationale for the program is that improving automaticity in component skills, such as decoding or calculating, frees up working memory resources. This freeing up of resources allows students to focus on inherently attention demanding higher-order cognitive activities, of the sort increasingly required of students in the middle school years.Read moreRead less
Reconceptualising early mathematics learning: The fundamental role of pattern and structure. The critical shortage of mathematicians, statisticians and scientists in Australia today can be traced in large part to inadequacies in early mathematics learning. Many students fail to achieve a basic understanding of mathematics, although the subject is crucial to participation in a technology-based society and the building of a knowledge culture. The innovative program for the first year of formal sc ....Reconceptualising early mathematics learning: The fundamental role of pattern and structure. The critical shortage of mathematicians, statisticians and scientists in Australia today can be traced in large part to inadequacies in early mathematics learning. Many students fail to achieve a basic understanding of mathematics, although the subject is crucial to participation in a technology-based society and the building of a knowledge culture. The innovative program for the first year of formal schooling, to be developed and tested in this study, will provide a much firmer foundation for later development. The project will enhance the achievement of national numeracy goals by enabling a high quality, effective mathematics education for all Australian children. Read moreRead less
Profiling developmental standards of learning for students with intellectual disabilities. This project addresses an area of educational assessment that has been traditionally neglected as 'too hard'. It offers hope to students with intellectual disabilities. If developmental progress can be mapped and identified in competency terms and linked to successful teaching and learning strategies, the students can be expected to make more rapid progress towards achieving their potential. Teachers in ma ....Profiling developmental standards of learning for students with intellectual disabilities. This project addresses an area of educational assessment that has been traditionally neglected as 'too hard'. It offers hope to students with intellectual disabilities. If developmental progress can be mapped and identified in competency terms and linked to successful teaching and learning strategies, the students can be expected to make more rapid progress towards achieving their potential. Teachers in mainstream schools can also expect to be helped in recognising development and given advice for intervention. The materials will be made available world wide to help all students in this challenging area.Read moreRead less
A critical analysis of the increase in diagnosis of special educational needs in New South Wales government schools. Enhancing the ability of schools to respond to students with diverse needs has been shown to reduce student disengagement and early leaving. This research will identify ways to achieve this important goal, while reducing incentives for schools to label and segregate students who experience difficulty in schools and with learning. This will have long term benefits not only for indi ....A critical analysis of the increase in diagnosis of special educational needs in New South Wales government schools. Enhancing the ability of schools to respond to students with diverse needs has been shown to reduce student disengagement and early leaving. This research will identify ways to achieve this important goal, while reducing incentives for schools to label and segregate students who experience difficulty in schools and with learning. This will have long term benefits not only for individual students, but for communities and for the nation as a whole. The project will contribute to the Commonwealth government's national agenda linking positive educational outcomes to successful employment, broader economic participation, and enhanced social inclusion.Read moreRead less
Executive functioning, gender, age and medication as predictors of developmental well-being among students with ADHD. This study constructs social-cognitive phenotypes of ADHD, evaluates mental health and investigates ADHD student perceptions of classroom environment and achievement in science as functions of executive functioning, gender, age and medication. The effect of standard psychostimulant intervention and a novel nonpsychostimulant option on executive function, developmental and educati ....Executive functioning, gender, age and medication as predictors of developmental well-being among students with ADHD. This study constructs social-cognitive phenotypes of ADHD, evaluates mental health and investigates ADHD student perceptions of classroom environment and achievement in science as functions of executive functioning, gender, age and medication. The effect of standard psychostimulant intervention and a novel nonpsychostimulant option on executive function, developmental and educational outcomes will be investigated. The expected outcomes will inform more effective teacher professional development, and reduce school problems associated with psychostimulant medication and its illicit distribution by students. The linkage of health and education partners meets a nationally identified need for more effective collaboration to improve education outcomes for ADHD students.Read moreRead less
Children with speech impairment: A population study of prevalence, severity, impact and service provision. Compared to the general community, adults who had a speech impairment as a child typically achieve lower levels of education, have greater literacy problems, experience significant social problems and discrimination, and have decreased occupational opportunities. The social and economic cost of untreated speech impairment for individuals, schools and society is large. This landmark study wi ....Children with speech impairment: A population study of prevalence, severity, impact and service provision. Compared to the general community, adults who had a speech impairment as a child typically achieve lower levels of education, have greater literacy problems, experience significant social problems and discrimination, and have decreased occupational opportunities. The social and economic cost of untreated speech impairment for individuals, schools and society is large. This landmark study will identify strengths and limitations in the health and education sectors regarding appropriate and holistic services for children with speech impairment combining identified prevalence, severity and impact data.Read moreRead less