In the present study, we examined the effects of interdependent group-oriented contingency interventions regarding morning preparations on all students, and on students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Each targeted class had 32 students, and each class included a student with ASD in a regular elementary school; in total, 3 third-grade classrooms were targeted. The target behaviors were morning preparations (e.g., sitting down at one’s desk and placing one’s school bag in the classroom locker before 8:15 am). The experimental design was a single-subject design across three classrooms. In all three classrooms, target behavior data improved during the group contingency compared to the baseline levels. For two students with ASD, the results included positive behavioral change during the class-wide intervention. Only in one of three classes, the intervention plans could not produce positive behavior changes for the student with ASD. Results of this study indicated that interdependent grouporiented contingency interventions function as behavior-screening for students who need individual support.

In this study, 16 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 37 typically developing (TD) children aged between 8 to 18 years were required moral judgments from the points of view on third person, recipient of action, and actor. Stories using as material included two variables, i.e., actor’s intention and outcome of action with positive or negative value. Results indicated that children with ASD and TD children could consider both intention and outcome in each material. Additionally, judgments according to the points of view changed in both groups. However, children with ASD put more weight on negative outcome than on positive intention when actor’s intention and negative outcome were incongruent, especially from the points of view of recipient of action.

Self-Regulation Strategy at Employment are important variables to promote work performance in people with intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale of Self Regulation Strategy at Employment and to examine the current condition of Self-Regulation Strategy at Employment in people with intellectual disabilities.Strategy items were collected from an existing scale form and a questionnaire survey of Employee support staff. After the content validity, the selected items were completed by 366 people with intellectual disabilities. As a result, a 48-item Self Regulation Strategy at Employment Scale in people with intellectual disabilities was developed.(1) Factor analysis yielded 5 subscales: “goal setting” “Flexible regulation” “Help seeking” “Task strategy” “Environment structuring”,(2)The scale was confirmed moderately reliability from Cronbach’s alpha coefficient,(3)Using level was high in the order of “Task strategy” “Help seeking” “Flexible regulation” “goal setting” “Environment structuring”.

In the present study, we examined the effects of utterances support on a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who shows selective mutism in a regular classroom. We conducted assessments (interview and direct observation) of the participant’s utterances and used stimulus fading procedures based on the results of “-person,-” “-place-” and “-activity-” in order the participant conversable assessment information. First, we conducted utterances training for the participant in a play activity who found it easy to make utterances and provided training displaced from the university’s clinical treatment playroom to the regular classroom. Second, we conducted training in a speech activity for the participant who found it difficult to make utterances displaced from the playroom to the regular classroom. As a result, the participant could make utterances to his teacher in the regular classroom in both play and speech activities. The results suggest that assessment-based utterances training may be useful for students with ASD who show selective mutism in a regular classroom.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the process of the exteriorization of feeble-minded children in the reformatory of Ishikawa prefecture during the pre-war period, and also to clarify the process by which these children began to be provided special education. The existence of such children came to light during the latter Taisho era. Children then began to be given intelligence measurements starting in the Showa era. Special education was first offered to the feeble-minded children comparatively late in Ishikawa, with the establishment of "Special Class for the Feeble-minded" in 1935. This is most likely due to the fact that there were few children recognized as feeble-minded. Although it took some time for the children to begin receiving special education, classes were actually split by academic ability during the Taisho era in an attempt to provide education suitable to each level of ability, for the benefit of children who were unable to keep up in class.

This research aimed to clarify the actual condition and the supporting factors in the City of Sheffield’s integration scheme for the blind in the late 1960s. Although the city had always been flexible towards how and where children with special educational treatment are educated, the existence of charismatic persons such as E.H.G.Tooze and J. Whittaker of the Tapton School for the Blind was indispensable. The integration scheme also involved people from various backgrounds such as from state administration to the local public. Behind this, the scheme being in conjunction with the city’s comprehensive school movement acted as a key. The integration scheme of the blind was not just a merit for the blind or their parents, but a merit for the whole community aiming towards social equality.

In this study, we conducted guidance with Cover–Copy–Compare (3C) for two children with autism spectrum disorder, who did subtraction using their fingers, and examined 3C’s effectiveness. Furthermore, the purpose was to examine whether the 3C learning method possesses the function of promoting computation automation. As baseline, the target child performed the calculation. Then, in the intervening period, the 3C learning method was used. In the probe, the procedure from baseline was adopted, and whether the guidance effect was maintained or not was evaluated during the maintenance period. Results were that through use of the 3C learning method, both target children could recall and present answers to calculation problems without using their fingers. On the other hand, differences were observed in maintenance, depending on the child. These results suggest that the 3C learning method possesses the guidance function of promoting automation of calculation problems. Additionally, depending on the target child’s cognitive characteristics, differences in the guidance’s effectiveness were observed. The study suggests that in the future, guidance methods should be examined according to the individual child’s characteristics.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the difficulties in school life faced by students with selective mutism (SM) and to examine more desirable forms of support. We employed a questionnaire survey for persons with SM on their difficulties in school life and teacher involvement. The subjects were 48 members of an organization for people with SM. The 22 subjects who responded were analyzed. The qualitative analysis of free answer revealed that difficulties lay not only in situations that required speaking, such as reading aloud and answering questions, but in those that required subjective behavior and which depended on interpersonal relationships, such as group work, physical education, breaks between classes, and school events. In difficult situations, opportunities for participation were limited. Reasons for this included isolation from classmates, suppression of physical movement, and absences taken to avoid difficulties. The analysis also showed the need for teachers to have a correct understanding of SM, permit alternative means of expression, work to prevent isolation, and assist SM students when hesitant, but not compel speech or participation.

This research paper studied a pool of ten students with profound hearing impairments of 100dBHL or higher as well as ten hearing students with normal auditory capacity to ascertain speech and timing of pauses by having the subjects read out loud. Our results indicated that some of the students with profound hearing impairments had a faster speech rate than the students with normal auditory conditions. Even amongst those with profound hearing impairments of 100dBHL or more, there were differences between individuals, and a diversity of speech rates. In addition, the speech rates of students with profound hearing impairments indicated a large number of pauses within sentences. Pauses were also shorter than those of the students with normal auditory function. Our research clarified that the ratio of pause times in relation to overall speech was minimal. Based on the above evidence, amongst persons with profound hearing impairments using spoken language, we identified the presence of individuals with shorter times for articulatory movement in relation to syllables previously put forth as a topic of discussion. The rapidness of speech rate and shortness of pause timing represent possible causes behind ambiguity of speech in persons with profound hearing impairments.

In this study, the situation and satisfaction of deaf college student’s communication modes and factors that reduce communication satisfaction were examined. The participants were divided into two groups. The oral group was 39 participants who used spoken language in their daily lives. The sign group was 29 participants who used sign language in their daily lives. The results indicated as follows; Firstly, in the oral group, they were using spoken language with hearing people who can use sign language, whereas in the sign group, the participants used sign language for people who can use sign language, and they used written language for those who cannot use sign language. Secondly, the sign group was able to gain the most satisfaction in communication from the partners who could use sign language. Also, the oral group was able to gain a high degree of satisfaction from friends and staff of a college who were able to use sign language. Thirdly, there are four imperfection factors: “understanding the contents”, “lack of means”, “understanding of deafness” and “psychological burdens”, which are the factors that reduce communication satisfaction. It was suggested that deaf college students had difficulty in “understanding the contents”, which had an effect on satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to examine the change of career guidance at the Tokyo Metropolitan Komei special school, which provides special education to the physically disabled. Focusing on the change of state of the course after graduation and the condition of the student, the study examined the effect of change of career guidance on the curriculum. With regard to the condition of the student, the rate of occurrence of cerebral palsy gradually decreased among students, but the rate of occurrence of cerebral diseases aside cerebral palsy increased instead. As a result, the rate of occurrence of cerebral diseases still remains high among these students. With regard to the state of the course after graduation, the rate of entering high schools and employment decreased markedly among these students. In contrast, the rate of staying in and visiting social welfare facilities increased rapidly among these students. Severe and multiple disabilities come to the surface. By such a change in the condition of the student, career guidance offered to these students changed from aiming to enter high school and get a job to aiming to take up various courses suited to the condition of the individual student.

The primary aim of this study was to quantitatively clarify the characteristics of Braille reading with respect to Braille reading trajectory using a motion analyzer in 19 Braille readers. One-hand reading trajectory in readers of Braille who had reading speeds of 300 characters per minute or more for both hands and with just one hand(left or right)showed a horizontal trajectory from left to right. On the other hand, Braille reading trajectory of the slow reading speed of a Braille reader with less than 100 characters/min reading speed showed an irregular trajectory with vertical motion and regression. As for total distance and vertical range in Braille reading trajectory, a Braille reader with less than 100 characters/min reading speed was significantly longer in total distance, and a Braille reader with less than 100 characters/min reading speed and a Braille reader with more than 100 characters/min and less than 200 characters/min was significantly broader in vertical range than a Braille reader of more than 200 characters/min. The detailed motion of a Braille reading trajectory can be recorded using the method of this research and one may expect higher Braille reading efficiency from a new standpoint.

The purposes of this study were to analyze the novice teachers' training program in a special needs school for children with physical disabilities in comparing to the program in one prefectural board of education. We focused on the contents, teaching forms, instructors, and members of the novice teachers' training program. The training programs in the special needs school for children with physical disabilities taught not only the basic knowledge but also the practical contents such as lesson study. Various teachers were engaged in the instructions of the novice teachers training, and it is demanded that novice teachers understand the structure and management of the school system. Especially, as the children's disabilities become severe and multiple, the programs with practical skill training, including training on how to eat, medical care, and teaching Jiritsu-Katsudo, were introduced in the special needs school for children with physical disabilities. Since the team approach is important to support various needs of pupils, it is required to consider on-the-job training for young teachers based on teacher collaboration with colleagues.

A congenital abnormality, spina bifida is one of the neural tube defects that occurs with vertebral hypoplasia. Children with spina bifida have neurological characteristics of impaired cognitive functions due to brain and spinal cord dysfunctions. Children may have learning difficulties in school due to their cognitive characteristics. However, few studies have focused on the learning dis-abilities in children with spina bifida. In this study, we examined the relationship between chara-cteristics of cognitive functions and arithmetic learning disabilities in children with spina bifida. As a result of the intelligence test (WISC-Ⅳ) which has four indexes. Although the IQ score was within the standard range, the scores of Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) were low. In addition, we studied the sub-ject's achievement in arithmetic using Criterion Referenced Test (CRT). The results showed that there was a correlation between the index scores of WISC-Ⅳ and CRT and a positive correlation between PRI and graphic questions. These results indicate that processing, such as of figures and cal-culations, is difficult for children with spina bifida.

This study reviewed the literature between 2000 to 2017 on practical studies for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, focusing on assessment tools. 28.6% of practices used psychological tests as assessment tools, in others it was used developmental checklists, tools for sharing and arrangement of information, and tools developed by school. According to these practices, it was useful for setting teaching objectives as well as assessment to use these tools. However, by comparing assessment tools with the purpose of setting teaching objectives, it become clear that the practices using developmental checklists tended to set developmental tasks as teaching objectives. On the other hand, most cases using the tools for sharing and arrangement of information aimed to improve daily problems. This suggested there was a risk that it could limit a point of view of a teacher to use assessment tools. To avoid this risk, it is necessary to be familiar with tools and make sure how you set these tools on the process of writing the individualized education plan.

This study investigated the school attendance of children with physical disabilities and clarified the conditions of their disabilities. Therefore, the participants were students from a special needs school for children with physical disabilities (School B) and from other schools in the same district, including those of elementary and lower secondary schools, special classes for children with intellectual disabilities in elementary and lower secondary schools, and special needs schools for children with intellectual disabilities. With regard to the state of disability, the occurrence rate of lower limb disability was highest among students in all types of schools. With regard to the mobilities, the rate of self-gait was highest among students in regular classes and lowest among students in School B. Moreover, the rate of self-gait increased and the degree of independent mobilities tended to become higher among students in the lower secondary departments of School B. This finding suggests the possibility of changing school attendance from regular elementary schools to the lower secondary departments of special needs schools for children with physical disabilities. These results provide the fundamental data needed to discuss the continuous teaching of children with physical disabilities in diverse and community-based learning environments.

In this study, interviews were conducted with five mothers of grown children with developmental disabilities. The mothers reflected on their children’s elementary school period and clarified what support they needed from the teachers and the school at that time. Primary study results were threefold: first, mothers hoped their children’s teachers would promptly provide appropriate support for the difficulties their children faced. These mothers also would have appreciated a system for easy consultations at school and would have welcomed the introduction of various consultation offices both at school and off campus. Second, they wanted teachers to understand the characteristics caused by their child’s developmental disabilities and desired sympathy for their troubles as parents. This suggests that there is a gap between doctors’/teachers’ views and mothers’/children’s regarding the various difficulties during school life and that it is difficult for teachers to understand guardians’ support needs. Third, the mothers wanted schools to consider support measures keeping in mind the children’s future as well as immediate difficulties. These three areas of support are still important to guardians even after their children have become adults.

This study examined the semantic processing of simple sentences in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with ASD, typically developing (TD) children, and TD adults completed a word recall task. They were asked to recall words corresponding to the blank spaces in simple sentences. The task had a verb condition and an object condition. First, we compared the number of words recalled and that of wrong answers given by TD children and TD adults. Then, similarly, a comparison was made between children with ASD and TD children. We found no significant difference in the ability to recall words between TD children and TD adults. In the object condition, children with ASD recalled significantly fewer words than did TD children. Children with ASD added features to modify the scene, to limit it, or to express it concretely with features of incorrect answers. Therefore, it is suggested that children with ASD exhibit enhanced partial processing at the stage of retrieving semantic memory of words, and exhibit weaknesses in integrating the meaning of the whole sentence.

This paper reports on training type of educational practiced style for trainees sent from the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The researchers conducted the training program in 2012, in cooperation with five special-support education schools, as well as the University of Tsukuba and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In this study, the researchers conducted a comprehensive survey concerning the training evaluations, after the return of the trainees. Of the various training objectives, work on "Preparation of a guidance plan", "Preparation of an individualized teaching plan", "Assessment and Understanding the actual condition of children", "Utilization of teaching materials", "Research on learning-teaching process", etc., continued even after the trainees returned home.In addition, requests for more thorough education included subjects such as "multiple disabilities", "early support for individuals with special needs", and "course guidance/vocational education", which present similar challenges for special needs education in Japan. Suggestions regarding construction of the substantial training program will be provided in future, after obtaining examples of educational practice.

The present study reviewed previous research on the prevalence of selective mutism to provide an overview of evidence-based references and estimate its prevalence rate. Of the previous research published in English or Japanese academic journals, 16 studies were selected on the basis of our inclusion criteria and analyzed in 12 items. The age range of the subjects was from 3.6 to 17, and the range of the prevalence rate was between 0.02 to 1.89%. Twelve studies were conducted at kindergartens or schools, and four were conducted at clinics. Regarding the diagnostic criteria, one study was based on DSM-III-R, eight was on DSM-IV, one was on DSM-5, and six other studies did not state what diagnostic criteria they employed. Very limited studies have been published in Japanese journals, and the total number was only four. There is no extensive research on the prevalence of selective mutism conducted in Japan in recent years. Thus, future research is highly needed to investigate the status of selective mutism in this country as well as examine the age of onset.

This paper has organized/examined the current study status for facial expression recognition, particularly for juvenile delinquents and adult criminals. As a result, it is reported that 1) Since Darwin (1872), a huge number of studies for facial expression recognition have been conducted such as a research on a measuring method for process in facial expression recognition and response to facial expression, and those studies also have been continuously achieving development as being associated with each other, 2) Facial expression recognition is conducted from infancy, but existence/nonexistence of a disability or rearing environment could influence on development of facial expression recognition, 3) There are only a few studies on juveniles delinquents and adult criminals for facial expression cognitive research as whole, 4) Delinquent juveniles and adult criminals may have some kind of trouble or difficulty in facial expression recognition, and 5) A training of facial expression recognition for juvenile delinquents may possibly provide an effect of repeated crime prevention. As the future study issue for facial expression recognition by juvenile delinquents, it was pointed out that the study needs to examine a control of attributes for study subjects, consideration for the number of test items, improvement on skills of facial expression recognition by training, and the process clarification.

Characteristics of college students with developmental disabilities who evaluated the effects of learning support positively and those that considered the support was not effective were investigated. Preliminary evaluation of the effects of learning support was conducted by students with developmental disabilities (N=9). They were receiving support from the office for students with disabilities in university. A questionnaire on the effects of learning support was conducted before and after learning supports. The results indicated a significant increase in the scores after receiving support. Students that positively evaluated the effects had problems in listening and time management. On the other hand, students that considered the support was not effective had problems in attending lectures. In the future, it would be necessary to examine learning support for students with difficulties in attending class. Furthermore, it is suggested that the reliability and validity of evaluating the effects of learning support should be improved.