Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation

7-19

Authors: Markus GEBHARDT,Susanne SCHWAB,Mathias KRAMMER,Klicpera Barbara GASTEIGER

In Styria 77.3% of all students with special needs are educated in integrated classrooms. Currently, it is not known much either about the school performance nor the active class participation of these students. This study examined 230 fifth grade students – 43 with and 187 students without special educational needs (SEN). Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that the available data for this study represents the first wave of larger longitudinal study. The school performance of the students with SEN ranged one standard deviation below the level of the students without SEN. All students felt emotionally well integrated in the school settings, but the differences in the degree of social integration were evident. In fact, the students with SEN mentioned that they got along well with their classmates less frequently than the students without SEN.

39-54

Authors: Emily L. WILLIAMS, Manuel F. CASANOVA

The diagnostic histories of autism, dyslexia, and hyperlexia are complex. Because these conditions share both convergent and diver­gent properties, it is important to under­stand these relationships, especially in the case of research and how we interpret bodi­es of work which span decades of fluc­tuating criteria. It is also important to syn­the­size what we already know about the morpho­logy of these con­di­tions and pinpoint what we still don’t. Autism and dyslexia, for instance, share antipodal cerebral morpho­logies, such as minicolumnar den­sity, neuropil width, cell size, corpus callo­sal volume, gyral complexity, gyral window size, and cerebral volume, while hyperlexia has not been studied in this fashion, although it sha­res much in common with autism. Mean­while, the fluctuation in criteria of dyslexia over the years, means that older studies, such as some of the most highly cited in post­mortem research, have potentially used more heterogeneous groups of subjects than dys­lexia research typically uses today. Con­sider­ably, these older studies are often the basis of current animal model and genetics research. In conclusion, in consideration of the continued flux in criteria, particularly the proposed change from “Reading Disorder” to the broa­der “Specific Learning Disorder” within the DSM-5, we strongly recommend a separation of the various reading disorders under their own headings to promote specificity of diag­nosis and treatment, and to support better research.

69-84

Authors: Ranko KOVAČEVIĆ, Edin MUFTIĆ, Meliha BIJEDIĆ, Hariz ŠARIĆ

The primary goal of this research was to ascertain which risk factors could serve as the most precise predictors of violent behaviour among elementary and high-school students. The research was conducted on a sample of 1209 students, between thirteen and seventeen years old, in five cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The risk factors assessment was done by means of SAVRY (Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth), a tool used for gauging the levels of risk factors. With the help of the SPSS 12.0 Statistical Procedures Companion, the collected data was processed by employing regression analysis. The results indicate that the onset of violent behaviour, academic success, inability to concentrate, alcohol abuse, history of domestic violence, as well as parental separation, are the main predictors of violent behaviour among the aforementioned category of students. These results form a solid foundation for future planning of treatments and activities with a goal to prevent such behaviour.

99-114

Authors: Stella Suk-ching CHONG, Kar-Mon CHAN

The term ‘hikikomori’ originates from Japan and means ‘acute social withdrawal’. This study intends to investigate into the causes of hikikomori which is increasing worldwide phenomenon. The methodology is a case study approach located in an interpretive paradigm. The data was mainly collected through e-mails with the participant and phone conversations with his mother. The participant was a ‘hiki­ko­morian’ who was invited to investigate his own problem and further to be the co-author of this paper. The literature findings and this case study were then conceptualized into a more wide-ranging framework in compre­hen­ding the process of hikikomorization. The result appears to show that hikikomorization involves three processes: first, a predisposed introverted personality; second, the effects of multiple environmental factors such as family, school and society; and finally, the trigger point, such as the end of schooling or a stressful event. The study offers implications for other hiki­ko­mo­rians in better understanding of their problems and for practitioners working with reclusive ado­lescents and their families.

117-119

Authors: Natasha STANOJKOVSKA-TRAJKOVSKA

By invitation of the Faculty of Educational Rehabilitation in Zagreb, Croatia, 13 students from first and second cycle of studies from the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation attended the Fourth International Student Congress of Students of Educational Rehabilitation. The congress was held in the period between 11 and 13 May 2012, under the title "Equal in Diversity” at Borongaj campus in Zagreb. It was organized by the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation at the University of Zagreb and the first year students of this institution. Besides the students from Croatia participated also students from Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During April and May, 65 students worked under the mentorship of their teachers and associates in the preparation of 46 lectures presented to their colleagues. The opening speech was held by the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation in Zagreb, Prof. Ljiljana Mikshaj-Todorovikj PhD, Ass. Prof. Ante Bilikj-Prcikj PhD, a representative from the Mayor’s office, a representative from the office for children's ombudsman, Ass. Natasha Stanojkovska-Trajkovska MA, representing the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation in Skopje, representative for the students from Serbia, and Prof. Zrinjka Stanchikj PhD, the President of the Association of Former Students of Educational Rehabilitation. They all acknowledged the importance of such meetings for exchanging experiences among students in the field of theory and practice of education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, and developing communication skills and personal characteristics of students and friendships among young people with numerous of cultural and traditional differences. During the plenary, the students attended four interesting and useful lectures of professors from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation in Zagreb. The organizer offered four themes for the work of students: 1. Inclusive education and rehabilitation that includes learning disabilities, intellectual impairment, disorders from the autistic spectrum, human rights and ethical issues, the services of community support, diagnostics and assessment, early intervention, vocational rehabilitation and employment, self employment, quality of life, transition and aging, system of students support with disabilities, management in improving the rights of persons with disabilities. 2. Vision impairment which includes assessment and programs, inclusive education and rehabilitation of the visually impaired, early intervention and the role of parents in the process of rehabilitation of the visually impaired, new advances in the development of rehabilitation for persons with visual impairments, assistive and rehabilitation technology. 3. Motor disorders, chronic diseases and art therapy that includes an early deve­lopmental rehabilitation, epidemiology, philosophy of education, psychosocial onco­logy, creative therapy, art/expressive psychotherapies and supportive com­ple­men­tary therapies, and interdisciplinary re­ha­bilitation medicine, rehabilitation and assistive technology. 4. Other topics The students had the opportunity to exhibit verbal presentations, poster presentations and also take participation without presentation. All students from the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation held verbal presentations. At the congress participated 6 students from first cycle and 7 from second cycle of studies at the Hearing Impairment department of this Institute. The students worked under the mentorship of Prof. Risto Petrov, PhD, prof. Zora Jachova PhD and Ass. Natasha Stanojkovska Trajkovska, MA. During their three days stay in Zagreb, they were accompanied by Ass. Natasha Stanojkovska Trajkovska MA and Ass. Alexandra Karovska Ristovska MA. The students from the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation presented a total of eight presentations that aroused interest among the audience and were followed by discussion and numerous of questions.

123-126

Authors: Goran PETRUSHEV

This conference was realized in the period from 17 to 19 May 2012 in Hotel Sirius in Strumica. The organizers of this conference were: The Association of Special Educators and Rehabilitators of the Republic of Macedonia; The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia; The Faculty of Philosophy Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation. This conference had three goals: 1. To present developed system of inclusive education; 2. In terms of the stakeholders, to map the current situation in the process of inclusive education in Macedonia; 3. To identify the challenges on which Macedonia should be focused in order to promote inclusive education for children with special educational needs in preschool, primary and secondary educational institutions. The goals of this meeting were achieved through a series of presentations of papers and fruitful discussions on four topics related to the success of inclusive education. The general conclusion of the presentations of papers and discussions from the roundtable is that inclusive education in Macedonia is considered as an isolated process that affects only professionals, children with special educational needs and their parents. In order to promote this process, inclusive education of children with special educational needs should be considered as a social change and must involve all stakeholders. In order to achieve this, changes are necessary in: 1. The system of planning, assessment and evaluation of educational and educated work with this group of students; 2. The system of management of inclusive education in RM; 3. The system of a multidisciplinary approach; and 4. The system of assessment, evaluation and identification of children with special educational needs.