Search Results (725)

Policy makers and educators have increasingly recognized the importance of K-12 teacher professional development (PD) in computer science (CS) to foster student growth and academic achievement. In this exploratory mixed-methods study (focus groups $n=23$, survey $n=661$), we addressed two research questions: (1) What features and data do teachers think will enhance the usefulness of an application designed to keep track of their PD-related data?and (2) Which demographic factors are most predictive of teacher ratings? Based on a survey, teachers identified several features and data-related elements that would make the platform useful and usable and add value to their experiences. Notably, the most highly requested data-related items focused on the content and professional credits associated with past CS PD that they have taken (i.e., subjects/grade levels targeted by PD, training hours/continuing education units earned). The most highly rated feature was a catalog of searchable upcoming PD offerings. Further, we noted statistically significant differences in teachers’ ratings across various demographic subgroups (i.e., race/ethnicity, teaching experience, disability, gender, and locale) for all potential platform features and data items. This indicates the importance of considering the perspectives of various subgroups when developing a platform that meets the needs of all teachers. Full article

Objective: To compare disability-inclusion strategies and programmes in higher education institutions in Mexico and Colombia and identify organisational conditions associated with gaps between policy intentions and implementation. Methods: A qualitative comparative multi-case design used a documentary corpus of 15 materials and eight semi-structured interviews with adult professional key informants, one per case university. A criterion-based purposive sample of eight universities (four per country) balanced public and private institutions and prioritised cases with disability-support units or inclusive education programmes. Data were analysed through grounded theory-informed axial and selective coding, with triangulation across documents and interviews; informed consent was obtained. Results: Five categories structured the findings: inclusive cultures, inclusive policies, inclusive practices, educational trajectories and progress/challenges. Within this case set, Mexican universities showed stronger institutionalisation through protocols, structured support routes and more visible technological accessibility. Colombian universities showed more fragmented implementation, often dependent on local initiatives, with persistent attitudinal barriers and weaker systematisation. In both contexts, misalignment between normative discourse and implementation capacity constrained staff training and impact evaluation. Conclusions: Sustainable inclusion was most evident where institutional culture, policy and practice were aligned. Monitoring mechanisms, stable resourcing and longitudinal support pathways are needed to secure equitable student trajectories from admission to graduation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Visual impairment is an underrecognized but functionally disabling complication of stroke that adversely affects rehabilitation potential, autonomy, and quality of life. Clinical, anatomical, and ophthalmologic determinants of post-stroke visual recovery remain incompletely defined, particularly in Eastern European tertiary stroke units where structured visual follow-up is not standardized. This study aimed to identify clinical, imaging, and ophthalmologic predictors of favorable visual recovery and to evaluate whether integrating these domains improves early prognostic stratification beyond standard neurological assessment. Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study of 71 consecutive adult patients admitted with acute stroke and a documented visual complication between January 2022 and September 2025 at Pius Brinzeu Emergency County Hospital and Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara. Favorable recovery was defined as ≥50% improvement in visual field index (VFI) at 6 months. Group comparisons used Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test. Multivariable logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards modeling, and unsupervised k-means clustering were performed. Results: Twenty-nine patients (40.8%) achieved favorable recovery, while 42 (59.2%) had persistent impairment. Responders were younger (62.8 ± 10.7 vs. 70.4 ± 10.8 years, p = 0.005) and had lower admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (6.4 ± 2.9 vs. 10.3 ± 4.4, p < 0.001), smaller lesion volumes (18.7 ± 11.4 vs. 33.2 ± 18.7 mL, p < 0.001), thicker peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (89.3 ± 7.6 vs. 78.2 ± 9.4 μm, p < 0.001), and earlier rehabilitation initiation (11.4 ± 5.3 vs. 21.7 ± 9.8 days, p < 0.001). NIHSS, time to rehabilitation, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) pRNFL thickness remained independent predictors. The full integrated model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.87. Cluster analysis identified three distinct phenotypes with favorable recovery rates of 79.2%, 34.8%, and 8.3%. Conclusions: Combined clinical, neuroimaging, and ophthalmologic profiling—particularly OCT pRNFL—meaningfully refines early prediction of post-stroke visual recovery and supports phenotype-driven rehabilitation planning. Full article

This study investigates physical education (PE) teachers’ perceptions of including students with physical disabilities in mainstream PE settings (i.e., general education environments serving both typically developing students and those with disabilities) in Saudi Arabia. A qualitative research design was adopted to examine the current perspectives of PE teachers, addressing context-specific interpretations of inclusion and the conditions that influence its implementation in mainstream schools. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews conducted with PE teachers (n = 8) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The interview protocol consisted of 18 open-ended questions distributed across five domains: (1) teachers’ perceptions and professional preparedness, (2) institutional policies, facilities, and curriculum adaptations, (3) experiences with students with PD and peer interactions, (4) parental and socio-cultural influences on inclusive PE, and (5) teachers’ recommendations for strengthening inclusive PE. Thematic analysis of the individual semi-structured interviews suggests that Saudi Arabian PE teachers generally support inclusive education and acknowledge its benefits for students with disabilities, particularly in fostering social participation and equitable access to learning. Importantly, these outcomes do not appear to be substantially influenced by teacher sex; rather, they seem to be systemic features of the broader Saudi Arabian educational environment. The present study contributes to the growing literature on inclusive physical education by examining the current perspective of physical educators and identifying how professional training, awareness of inclusive policies, and school-level conditions influence their capacity to implement inclusive PE practices. Full article

Background: Performing and maintaining high-altitude cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) could pose a significant physical challenge for rescuers. The objective of this study is to analyse the effects of reducing the oxygen fraction at altitudes of 3000 m and 5000 m above sea level (asl), with and without conditioning to hypoxia, on the quality of resuscitation performed in adults. Methods: An analytical before–after study in which 56 students with a Degree in Nursing between 18 and 30 years old perform 10 min of resuscitation on a mannequin at different altitudes (670, 3000 and 5000 m asl) will be carried out. Subsequently completing an intermittent hypoxia conditioning programme, the participants will perform the resuscitation manoeuvres at previously referenced altitudes. Sociodemographics, CPR quality, self-perception CPR, adequate anthropometric data, physical condition, blood tests, oxygenation in muscular tissue, biceps, brachii and erector spinae, subjective perception of effort, anxiety levels and quality of resuscitation will be measured in all participants at different altitudes. Discussion: Although CPR is a submaximal effort manoeuvre, it is subject to being performed by anyone without motor disabilities. Our study will also provide evidence as to whether this characteristic continues to hold true in a hostile environment such as medium and high altitudes. Our study aims to demonstrate that the improvement in physical performance and recovery capacity induced by intermittent hypoxia conditioning programmes increases the quality of CPR in prolonged cardiac arrests and in adverse conditions, such as at high altitudes. The proposed study will contribute as a novelty to the estimation of the influence of high altitudes and conditioning on performing basic CPR manoeuvres. If the hypothesis turns out to be true, recommendations about the practice of moderate-intensity physical exercise could be incorporated into the CPR guidelines as one of the important aspects in the training of rescuers to conduct CPR. Full article

Implicit bias, automatic attitudes or stereotypes outside conscious awareness, may influence clinicians’ communication, diagnosis, and treatment decisions, contributing to inequities in care. We conducted a scoping review to map measurement strategies used to assess implicit bias among health professionals and students in healthcare and training settings. Using Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and PRISMA-ScR, we searched PubMed, Embase, BVS, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories for studies to November 2025; two reviewers independently screened and charted data (protocol was developed a priori but submitted internal in organization, and then uploaded in OSF. Of 1864 records, 93 studies from 28 countries were included. We identified 57 bias domains, most often race/ethnicity, weight, and sexual orientation. Across studies, 42 unique instruments were reported; the Implicit Association Test was most common, while psychometric validation and administration details were frequently limited, constraining comparability and interpretation. Evidence gap mapping showed concentration in academic and hospital settings, with fewer studies in primary care or community contexts and limited attention to age, disability, and intersectionality-related biases. The evidence base is growing but fragmented; future work should prioritize standardized administration and reporting, stronger validation, and tools that better capture automatic responding across diverse identities and care settings to support education and equity-oriented interventions. Full article

Over the past decade, educators and administrators in higher education have taken steps toward improving accessibility in teaching and learning. Yet research on supporting students with disabilities in experiential pedagogies, such as community-engaged learning, remains limited, particularly regarding best practices for inclusive instruction. The present study addresses this gap by exploring the perceptions and experiences of students with disabilities in community-engaged learning opportunities, as well as the support mechanisms that may contribute to their meaningful participation in these experiences. Forty-three students with disabilities participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on focus groups, individual interviews, and written responses, the study identifies themes for more inclusive design and delivery, including clearly outlining the physical and digital demands of engagement activities well in advance, designing courses with flexibility in mind, protecting students’ privacy, and including an accessibility statement in the syllabus. While the thematic analysis offers practical recommendations for educators and administrators, aimed at reducing barriers and fostering meaningful participation, the study also advocates for greater theoretical engagement with the personal and relational dimensions of experiential education. Full article

Twice-exceptional students—those who are both gifted and have one or more disabilities—and gifted learners, more broadly, represent persistently underserved populations within educational systems. Gifted learners frequently encounter provision that does not adequately engage their potential, such as standardised approaches that neither recognise nor respond to their learning requirements. Traditional identification and programming approaches often rely on deficit-based approaches that pathologise neurodivergence and frequently neglect the complex, asynchronous learning profiles characteristic of twice-exceptional students. This article advances a functional alignment framework proposing that generative artificial intelligence’s processing patterns may align with the cognitive characteristics of some gifted and twice-exceptional learners. The proposed functional alignment spans five dimensions: conceptual movement, knowledge integration, topic continuity, working memory, and pacing and temporal flexibility; this positions GenAI as a potentially compatible interactive platform for personalised, strengths-based learning. The functional alignment framework is explicitly theoretical, advancing propositions rather than demonstrated effects, and requires empirical validation. Positioning GenAI as a mediating platform has the potential to disrupt longstanding barriers to evidence-informed educational provision for gifted and twice-exceptional students. Through examining the intersection of gifted education, special education, and educational technology, this theoretical work outlines a trajectory for the field, characterised by flexible, personalised, strengths-based approaches that can be responsive to the student in front of the teacher, instead of the all-too-often default to one-size-fits-all approaches. Critical considerations of equity, teacher capability, and ethical implementation are addressed, theorising that GenAI’s transformative potential may only be realised through deliberate, theoretically informed application grounded in deep understanding of learner neurodivergence and a proposed pivot from GenAI literacy to GenAI fluency. This work contributes to reconceptualising gifted education as inherently inclusive, responsive, and oriented towards actualising potential for gifted and twice-/multi-exceptional learners. Full article

Easy-to-Read (E2R) recommendations aim to improve accessibility, but it remains unclear whether some visual and typographic adaptations may also benefit readers without disabilities. This study examined the effects of different text formats on reading comprehension and visual processing in university students using eye-tracking. Twenty-four young adults without cognitive disabilities read texts presented in three formats: hard-to-read, control, and Easy-to-Read. Reading comprehension was assessed with multiple-choice questions, and eye movements were recorded during reading. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Text Format significantly affected reading comprehension, with estimated accuracy highest in the E2R format and significantly higher than in the hard-to-read format. The E2R format was also associated with shorter fixation durations and larger saccades than the other formats, suggesting a pattern compatible with a reduced cognitive demand in some eye-movement measures. Fixation count was highest for hard-to-read texts and significantly higher than in the control format, whereas differences involving E2R were not significant. Reading time showed a trend towards significance, with descriptively longer reading times for hard-to-read texts than for the control and E2R formats. These findings suggest that E2R adaptations, originally developed to support populations with cognitive needs, may also facilitate comprehension and reading efficiency in readers without cognitive disabilities. Full article

Background and Objectives: Chronic nonspecific neck pain (NSNP) is among the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Global postural re-education (GPR) might be effective in decreasing neck pain (NP) and dysfunction and improving forward head posture (FHP) by recovering muscle chains and reducing postural alteration. Deep neck flexor activation (DNF) might also decrease NP and improve FHP by improving DNF endurance. This study aimed to compare the effects of GPR versus DNF activation on pain, dysfunction, FHP, and DNF endurance. Materials and Methods: Forty-six physiotherapy students with chronic NSNP participated in this non-randomized comparative study and were allocated into two equal groups based on their availability and preference regarding session duration. Group A underwent GPR exercises combined with active neck exercises, whereas group B received DNF activation in addition to active neck exercises. All participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention for pain intensity using a visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability using the Arabic version of the neck disability index (NDI), FHP via a photometric method with Kinovea software, and DNF endurance using pressure biofeedback. Results: A significant effect of both treatments was reported on reducing pain intensity, improving the FHP and enhancing the neck functional status with no substantial differences between both groups. A significant improvement in DNF endurance was observed in both groups, with substantially higher values between groups in favor of the DNF group. Conclusions: Both GPR and DNF activation exercises were associated with reductions in pain and improvements in neck disability among physiotherapy students with chronic NSNP and FHP. Also, both CVA and DNF endurance improved, with more improvement observed in DNF endurance in the DNF group compared with the GPR group. Full article

Background/Objectives: Higher education requires students to communicate in complex academic and social contexts, including oral presentations, group work, help-seeking, assessment, and peer interaction. For students with developmental communication disorders, and communication-related developmental profiles, these demands may create hidden participation vulnerabilities that affect mental health, academic engagement, and belonging. This scoping review mapped empirical evidence among tertiary students, focusing on mental health, academic participation, social belonging, institutional support, and contextual influences. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidance. Five databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science, were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed empirical studies published from 2000 onwards. Eligible studies involved university, college, or tertiary students with developmental speech, language, fluency, pragmatic communication, or communication-related developmental profiles, who reported at least one mental health, academic, or social participation outcome. Data were charted and synthesised thematically, with methodological quality appraised using CASP-informed criteria. Results: Twenty-one studies were included. Evidence was strongest for stuttering and fluency-related participation, while research on developmental language disorder, speech sound disorder, pragmatic language impairment, cluttering, and mixed communication profiles was limited. Across studies, communication needs intersected with anxiety, depression, stress, self-efficacy, oral assessment, help-seeking, disclosure, stigma, accommodation access, and belonging. Key limitations included reliance on self-report, cross-sectional or retrospective designs, inconsistent diagnostic confirmation, and limited evidence for intervention. Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that developmental communication disorders and communication-related developmental profiles can function as hidden participation vulnerabilities in higher education. These vulnerabilities are shaped by students’ communication profiles and by communication-intensive university environments. Universities may therefore need communication-accessible teaching, flexible assessment, visible support pathways, and coordinated support across disability services, counselling, academic support, and speech–language pathology. Full article

This study examines the psychometric functioning of the Basic Learning Ability Assessment (BLAA), a high-stakes placement assessment used in Taiwan’s Adaptive Guidance Placement System (AGPS) for junior high school students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). The sample comprised 203 ninth-grade students with ID from 47 public junior high schools in Taiwan, all of whom completed three operational multiple-choice forms of the BLAA. Using classical test theory (CTT), we examined item difficulty using proportion-correct indices, item discrimination using upper–lower group discrimination indices, distractor functioning by comparing response patterns between higher- and lower-performing examinees, and internal consistency reliability using the Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20). The results show that most items fell within the average-to-easy range and demonstrated acceptable to strong discrimination. Distractor functioning was generally satisfactory, with most items containing no nonfunctioning distractors. KR-20 coefficients ranged from 0.904 to 0.926, indicating high internal consistency within each form. Functional Language and Social Adaptation showed relatively stable psychometric patterns, whereas Mathematical Skills displayed greater variability in item difficulty, discrimination, and distractor functioning. Overall, the findings provide initial CTT-based internal psychometric evidence regarding the item functioning and form-level reliability of the BLAA, while highlighting the need for ongoing item refinement, particularly in the Mathematical Skills domain. Full article

Students with disabilities, particularly those needing additional support or intervention to manage emotions and behaviors, build healthy relationships, and navigate social and academic demands, face heightened risks of high school pushout that can be traced back to their transition into high school. Project Elevate (PE) is a multi-component intervention that strategically invests in early coordinated student, family, and school supports to prevent barriers associated with high school pushout, such as a lack of continuity of effective services across school sites. This mixed-methods pilot study examined the implementation of PE with three 8th-grade students and their parents during their last term in middle school. This study includes quantitative pre–post descriptive analyses of multi-informant reports of students’ social, emotional, and behavioral skills, as well as descriptive analyses of weekly teacher- and parent-reported behavior and student attendance. Qualitative analysis using the Framework Method was applied to student and parent interviews and open-ended responses on a satisfaction questionnaire to understand their experience receiving PE support. Session case notes were also used as contextual data to describe implementation processes and contextualize findings. Results indicated improvements in student attendance and reductions in home-based behavioral concerns, with mixed findings across school-based outcomes. Students and parents reported high satisfaction with the intervention, highlighting the value of individualized support, goal setting, and strengthened communication with schools. Findings from this intervention development pilot study provide preliminary evidence regarding the implementation and perceived value of PE. Results also highlight the importance of culturally responsive, relationship-centered practices that affirm student strengths and support access to educational opportunities. Further investigation of PE in larger studies is warranted. Full article

Special education teachers often lack training to implement research-evaluated writing programs with fidelity, which contributes to insufficient instruction for students with disabilities. This study addresses a research gap: the limited documentation of implementation fidelity in French spelling interventions that integrate assistive technologies (ATs) for learners aged 9–12 with dysorthographia. Grounded in a theoretical foundation that coordinates alphabetic, orthographic, and morphographic processes within an explicit instruction sequence (explanation, modeling, guided practice, and independent application), the program aligned text-to-speech and word prediction with targeted spelling goals. Using a mixed-methods design, six elementary students participated in a single-case protocol with a transformative sequential design over 20 weeks. Four teachers received targeted training (theoretical + practical) and delivered explicit, individualized instruction during a 10-week intervention. Content analysis of teacher and researcher logs showed high, yet context-responsive, fidelity with variations by student profile, school context, and teacher. Converging quantitative and qualitative patterns suggest improvements in word-level accuracy/fluency and highlight training/coaching as a driver of fidelity. The discussion provides actionable implications for professional learning, school scheduling and dosage protection, and future research that multimodalizes fidelity evidence and instruments AT orchestration across the writing cycle. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dentists, due to their close contact with patients, are in a unique position to recognize and report cases of child abuse and neglect. This study aimed to explore dentists’ knowledge and attitudes toward child abuse and neglect encountered in their professional practice. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among 414 members of the Lithuanian Dental Chamber (general dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants) and 153 graduating dental students, yielding a total sample of 567 respondents. They reported knowledge and attitudes regarding reasons for child abuse within the family and barriers to referring suspected cases. The underlying structure of responses was examined using exploratory factor analysis, and differences in knowledge and attitudes across professional groups were tested using ANOVA. Results: Most respondents agreed that low family socioeconomic status (87.7%), child’s disability (65.3%), and medical conditions (53.2%) are the main reasons for child abuse. These and other reasons clustered into two factors: family social vulnerability, and child health-related vulnerability; however, professional specialization had only a very small effect on both factors (η² = 0.013 and η² = 0.017, respectively). The majority of respondents (75.6%) agreed that dentists should report cases of child abuse or violence against children in all circumstances. The barriers to reporting child abuse were fear of negative consequences, and professional uncertainty; professional specialization had a significant effect on both of these factors (η² = 0.019, p = 0.027 and η² = 0.037, p < 0.001, respectively). Dental specialists reported the highest levels of fear of negative consequences and professional uncertainty, whereas students reported the fewest difficulties in reporting. Dental specialists and students demonstrated the highest levels of knowledge, while dental hygienists demonstrated the lowest level of knowledge regarding child abuse (mean sum score of knowledge was 11.2 (SE 0.38) vs. 10.0 (SE 0.30), respectively, p = 0.014). Conclusions: Overall, Lithuanian dentists, including students, demonstrate moderate knowledge and attitude in recognizing cases of child abuse and neglect; however, differences across professional groups remain and should be addressed to ensure more effective child protection. Full article