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Oscar Pistorius and the melancholy of intersectionality

SWARTZ, Leslie
2013

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The alleged shooting by Paralympian and Olympian athlete Oscar Pistorius of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has led to strong reactions worldwide. Scholars in the field of disability studies have expressed shock and disappointment in response both to the death itself and to its implications for the representation of disability. In South Africa in the wake of the death of Ms Steenkamp, much has been made both by critics of Pistorius and by his defenders about his status as a white South African man, but little has been said about disability issues. This silence in South Africa about disability as a possible identity factor in this case draws attention to the extent to which disability questions remain profoundly raced and gendered, and influenced by the colonial and apartheid past. The tragic alleged shooting by Oscar Pistorius draws attention back to how important intersectionality is to understanding disability in South Africa and other unequal societies.

How musical engagement promotes well-being in education contexts: The case of a young man with profound and multiple disabilities

MCFERRAN, Katrina S
SHOEMARK, Helen
2013

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Students with profound intellectual disabilities disorders (IDDs) have the right to participate in educational opportunities that recognize their unique resources and needs, as do all children. Because of their specific communication challenges, positive relationships with attentive communication partners are critical for success. In fact, the power of positive relationships in schools is recognized to be connected to student well-being more broadly. This article examines the case of one young man with profound IDD and his relationship with his music therapist using a duo-ethnographic informed paradigmatic case study. Video analysis based on multi-voice perspectives is used to generate hermeneutic phenome- nological findings to closely examine the relationship between a young man with profound IDD and a music therapist. The voices of four allied health researchers were also gathered to inform the authors’ construction of an informed commentary on the phenomenon. The results suggest that the essence lay in a combination of attentive, responsive and creative being with the other person over time. Four principles of musical engagement were identified in the video footage as critical to the meaningful relationships through music: the music therapist listens; the music therapist takes responsibility for structure; spontaneous initiation is sought from the young person; and the relationship is built over time. These concepts are contextualized within a discussion of student well-being that is underpinned by positive relationships and leads to students achieving their full potential within diverse school contexts.

Effects of Multisensory Training on Balance and Gait in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomised Controlled Trial

KUTTY, N A M
MAJIDA, N A
2013

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Purpose: Progressive deterioration of physical function occurs in persons with Type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. This study assessed the effects of multisensory training on balance and gait in persons with diabeticneuropathies.

 

Method: Thirty two persons with peripheral neuropathies were enrolled, randomised, and subdivided into 2 groups - an experimental group of 16 participants with diabetes (65 ± 2.12 years) and a control group of 16 participants with diabetes (68 ± 2.17 years). For 6 weeks, both groups were given health education on diabetes for 30 minutes a week. In addition, the experimental group practised a multisensory exercise programme for 30 minutes, 3 times a week over 6 weeks. Outcome measures used were ‘timed up and go’ test for assessing balance and ‘6-minute walk’ test for gait. Standard descriptive statistics were used to report means, standard deviation, and range for baseline characteristics. Paired and unpaired ‘t-tests’ were used wherever necessary, to determine significant differences in data among groups and between pre-test and post-test scores (p<0.05).

 

Results: By the end of the trial period, the intervention group showed a significant improvement in scores of the ‘timed up and go’ test (t= 14.7092), but there was no statistically significant difference in the ‘6-minute walk’ test scores (p=0.7206, t= 0.3644).There was no difference for both measures in the control group.

 

Conclusion: The study showed that multisensory exercises could improve balance in persons with Type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. The findings suggest that along with physiological sensory factors, cognitive-behavioural factors and strengthening of the lower limb muscles should be considered when treating diabetic persons with gait alterations.

Sri Lanka’s first inclusive sports project through Handicap International

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL SRI LANKA
May 2013

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This video presents a compilation of many events conducted over the course of two years of Handicap International Sri Lanka's "Sport for All" project with short video clips of the different activities and some commentary from the project manager and staff members on sporting activities. It highlights the achievements of the project, level of participation of children/youth with and without disabilities, and the interest generated both at a local and national level

Music as the Means to Stimulate Novelty and Challenge Seeking in Persons with Intellectual Disability

SOLTANI, A
ROSLAN, S
ABDULLAH, M C
JAN, C C
2013

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Purpose: The main aim of the study was to determine whether challenge seeking behaviour could be increased by stimulating persons with intellectual disability with music. The intention was also to evaluate whether the participants would attempt to seek challenges when they felt bored with a music experience.

 

Method: Thirty adolescents and young adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability were randomly selected to take part in a repeated-measure experimental design, under three different conditions. In the first condition, the participants were provided adequate challenges through teaching fundamental musical skills. In the second condition, no optimal challenge was provided, and in the third condition, using special strategies, the participants were stimulated to look for novelty and challenge through involvement in creative musical tasks. Level of innovation, as an index of challenge seeking, was measured during the 8 minutes of free choice interval at the end of each condition.

 

Results: Using Friedman’s ANOVA and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the findings showed that the low and statistically similar levels of challenge seeking behaviour in conditions 1 and 2 significantly increased to a high level in condition 3. It confirmed that participants with intellectual disability are capable of demonstrating challenge seeking behaviour if they are stimulated to do so. The results also confirmed that the tendency to demonstrate challenge seeking behaviour during a boring musical situation was low.

Sport and play for all : a manual for including children and youth with disabilities

HARKNETT, Steve
2013

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"This training manual 'Sport and Play for All' provides tips, guidance and advice on disability and inclusion, with the primary aim of enhancing users’ knowledge and practice on inclusion. It brings together many training materials used during the Sports for All Project in Sri Lanka, including materials on disability, social inclusion and models of inclusive sport. It features many games and sports which have been field tested and adapted to enable children with disabilities to participate"

Children with disabilities : a critical appraisal

SABATELLO, Maya
2013

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This essay contemplates the rights of children with disabilities under international law. It anal­yses the philosophical and practical reasons for the failure of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect the rights of children with disabilities, and looks at the remedial measures adopted under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The argument advanced is that, especially when children’s perspectives are considered, assistive technologies are at the heart of national and international efforts to advance the rights of children with disabilities, most importantly, a right to inclusion. The author considers the challenges ahead and draw conclusions on the future of the rights of children with disabilities

International Journal of Children’s Rights, 21 

Shoulder Pain among Rehabilitated Spinal Cord Injured Persons Using Manually Propelled Wheelchairs in the Gaza Strip: A Survey

EL ESSI, K
EL-SHAFIE, J M
AL HAWAMDAH, Z
ZAQOUT, S I
2012

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Shoulder pain among paraplegic persons has negative effects on their lives. The prevalence of shoulder pain among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) varies from 30% to 70% in different studies and may be related to repetitive use of the shoulder during self-care and wheelchair-related activities.

 

Purpose: This study focused on the prevalence of shoulder pain and examined its effects on activities of daily living and social participation, and on functional, work and recreational or athletic activities. It also aimed to detect the degree ofsatisfaction with shoulder functioning in wheelchair users who were paraplegic due to spinal cord injury, in the Gaza strip.

 

Methods: Cross sectional study design was used to collect data from 80 persons with paraplegia, post rehabilitation, who were still using manual wheelchairs (MWC) for ambulation. After giving informed consent, the selected persons were interviewed directly in their homes, and filled questionnaires which included demographic data, Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI) and Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ).

 

Results: The prevalence rate of shoulder pain among paraplegics who use manual wheelchairs was 62%. Pushing a wheelchair for 10 minutes or more, and propulsion up ramps or inclines outdoors were the most common activities that caused and exacerbated shoulder pain. Sixty four percent from among the study sample mentioned that they had no limitation in shoulder-using ability during daily personal and household activities, while the rest experienced different degrees of limitation. Seventy-four percent reported no limitation during recreational or athletic activities, while the rest (26%) agreed that pain has variably limited their participation in these activities. Fourteen percent from the sample rated the overall degree of satisfaction with their shoulder functioning as fair, and the rest rated their satisfaction from good to excellent.

 

Conclusion: Shoulder pain, ranging from mild to severe, was highly prevalent among SCI paraplegics who use MWCs during their usual activities, and other activities which involve wheelchair propulsion. About two- thirds of the subjectsreported no limitation in shoulder use during daily personal and household activities and in recreational or athletic activities.

Ways to get people thinking and acting : village theatre and puppet show [Chapter 27]

WERNER, D
BOWER, B
2012

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This chapter explores role playing, sociodramas, people’s theater, and puppet shows as forms of action-packed group story-telling for health workers. Each can be used to explore problems or situations by acting them out and learning processes are provided for both actors and watchers based upon participation and discovery
Chapter 27 of "Helping Health Workers Learn" by D. Warner and B. Bower

Manual for the professional in adapted physical activity

PEYNOT, Lucile
CHANTEREAULT, Thomas
BOUZID, Ezzedine
June 2011

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The focus of this manual is to increase participation of people with disabilities in physical activities and sport. Detailed adapted physical activities are provided with practical guides, group sport guides and assessment tools in order to promote a more inclusive society and enable educators to enrich their creativity and ideas for mentoring any person interested in participating in, advancing through and gaining enjoyment from the practice of a physical activity This guide to useful to all actors such as physical education and sports teachers in all types of schools, sports club coaches, recreational centre educators and facilitators, and even workers in rehabilitation centres or medical and social services centres

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR Guidelines|Social component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on social component. It describes "the role of the CBR is to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in the social life of their families and communities. CBR programmes can provide support and assistance to people with disabilities to enable them to access social opportunities, and can challenge stigma and discrimination to bring about positive social change." The guideline outlines key concepts, and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Personal Assistance; Relationships, marriage and family; Culture and arts; Recreation, leisure and sport; Justice. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in social component of CBR

Youth to youth|Disability-sensitive youth to youth : methodologies in HIV and AIDS

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL KENYA
2010

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This video features HIV and AIDS prevention and education initiatives in Kenya. It particularly targets the youth population due to a lack of available information and risk behaviours, such as sexuality, drug use and alcohol use. In order to prevent risks and present treatment options for the youth who are AIDS-carriers, several youth groups organized the following activities to prevent and fight the disease: street theatre for awareness-raising, group education sessions, and promotion of VCT services for communication and information. This video contains several testimonies and one features Mercy, a young girl who has AIDS after working as prostitute to feed her two children and is now involved in a support group

Choice and control/access to goods and services : a rapid evidence assessment for the office of disability issues

PRIESTLY, Mark
et al
November 2009

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This report, prepared for the UK Office of Disability Issues, shows the findings from a Rapid Evidence Assessment and highlights gaps in research evidence that could help policy makers. 'Choice and Control' examines the evidence to highlight the key issues of what choice and control means to disabled people and indicates what has had the biggest impact in improving choice and control, including choice in community living, personal budgets and provision of equipment. This report is useful for people interested in disability issues in the UK

Sexual-health communication across and within cultures : the clown project, Guatemala

SAVDIE, Anthony
CHETLEY, Andrew
June 2009

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This paper puts forward an argument in favour of careful and critical analysis of culture in formulating communication strategies with and for specific groups, based on experience drawn from the Clown Project in Guatemala and other countries in Central America. The Clown Project uses labour-intensive face-to-face street theatre and dialogue, participatory workshops, and symbolic communication such as print-based material to reach those most vulnerable to the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS . The analysis takes into account relations of power within and between vulnerable groups, examining the centre-periphery dynamic between classes, genders, ethnicities, age groups, and other social identities. Both appropriately supported insider perspectives and appropriately processed outsider knowledge are recommended, along with ways of bridging science and the field, theory and practice

Playgroup resource book : for children aged 3-5 years and 6-12 years

FAMILY HEALTH INTERNATIONAL (FHI) CAMBODIA
May 2009

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This book is designed to allow those facilitating the playgroup sessions the flexibility to pick and choose activities, games, songs and group lessons that are suited to the children they are working with, the time and materials available to them, and their geographical location and setting. Play can be especially important for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) because the physical and emotional trauma they may face makes them more vulnerable to sadness and ill-health than other children. Non-structured and structured play become very important support activities for OVC because of all they can do to improve a child’s physical and emotional well-being

Popular theater [Chapter 48]

WERNER, David
2009

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This chapter presents information about how community theater can be used to raise awareness about specific needs of disabled persons or to gain greater participation of local people in a community rehabilitation programme. It also highlights that community theatre can be a good method for educating people about important preventive measures and recommends that actors can be disabled persons, parents of disabled children, health workers, rehabilitation workers, schoolchildren, or any combination of these
Chapter 48 of "Disabled Village Children" by David Warner

Playgrounds for all children [Chapter 46]

WERNER, David
2009

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This chapter presents information about how to involve local people in building low-cost rehabilitation playgrounds that should be built for use by all children, both disabled and non-disabled. Examples of playgrounds and equipment are provided
Chapter 46 of "Disabled Village Children" by David Warner

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