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IntroductionThis study investigated the use of accommodations and the performance of students with visual impairments and severe cognitive disabilities on the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA)γÇöan alternate performance-based assessment.MethodsDifferences in test scores on the most basic level (level A) of the PASA of 286 students with visual impairments, grouped into one of three functional vision levels, in grades 3/4 or 7/8 were analyzed descriptively as well as inferentially using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and ad hoc Mann Whitney U tests. In addition, teachers of students with visual impairments viewed the videotaped assessments of 257 of these students to record accommodations used. Accommodations data were analyzed for patterns and relationships with test item types. Chi-Squares were calculated.ResultsThere was a significant difference in test scores by functional vision level, with students who predominantly use vision performing significantly better than students who use a combination of vision and other senses or use other senses in place of vision. The accommodations used generally matched a student's reported level of functional vision with layout and presentation accommodations being the most prevalent.DiscussionThe types of accommodations selected may be due to the structure of alternate assessments but also raise questions about what is a progression in reading for students who do not access pictures and print with vision. Differences in performance raise questions of accessibility vs. ability and the level of difficulty of test items when accommodations are used.Implications for practitionersPractitioners should advocate for guidance from alternate assessments on accommodation use that mirrors the intent of test items and consider how state alternate standards translate when tasks addressing those standards are adapted for students with visual impairments. Test developers should consider students with visual impairments when designing and interpreting alternate assessment test items.

AbstractWe theorize that organizations that are able to use stories and examples to explain their strategy and offer a flexible guide to discretionary employee behaviors use them in what can be termed a fractal fashion. The thesis is based on the idea of how strategic logic can be communicated and how it can be reiterated to lead to strategic coherence across different levels of analysis in organizations. The parallels of a nonlinear, reinforcing process that is based on iteration inspired us to draw on complexity theory and fractal processes to understand the generation of strategic coherence. We present the case of a successful nonprofit organization where it appears that such a fractal use of stories occurred.

This study compared the observational skills in orientation and mobility (O&M) of nine university students and nine certified O&M specialists using a digital video assessment. The students differed from the O&M specialists in their stylistic observations and the details of their responses. Implications for the improvement of video assessments are discussed.

Introduction: To determine the current and future needs for teachers of students of visual impairments (TVIs), orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and dually certified professionals, information about caseloads is needed. However, few current studies exist that provide this data. Methods: The purpose of the study was to analyze demographic and caseload data gathered from 834 professionals who took part in a larger study. Descriptive and inferential statistics compared caseload size averages based on employment status, role, service delivery model, and region. Results: Minimal caseload differences existed among the regions of the United States, based on mean. Average caseload sizes by role reflected past literature. Caseloads ranged between 0 and 107 students, once outliers were removed. Discussion: This study provides some new data that provide insight into current caseloads, but a more expansive study would further contribute to the understanding of service provision for students with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: The field of visual impairment should continue to work toward recruiting a more diverse workforce and continue advocacy efforts for reasonable workloads and equitable services for students with visual impairments.

Introduction: Access to efficient and affordable transportation options has long been a challenge for many individuals with vision loss. In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a quick shift in the availability and safety of transportation. Methods: Using the constant comparison method, open-ended responses from 1,162 participants in the Flatten Inaccessibility study were coded. Responses were from participants who had concerns about transportation. Results: Ten themes and corresponding subthemes emerged from the data. Themes were interdependent in that the extent of concerns differed based on respondents' support networks, transportation availability, and financial circumstances. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront both systemic and COVID-19 transportation challenges about which those with visual impairments experienced or had concerns or both. Implications for Practitioners: It is imperative that professionals support those with visual impairments to develop alternative plans for when their typical transportation options are disrupted.

Introduction: An important skill for orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists to have is to monitor clients appropriately when they are learning to cross intersections. Techniques books provide some suggestions for positioning during street crossings, but no research has been conducted about consensus or priorities for making appropriate decisions on positioning. The purpose of this study was to investigate general positioning decisions using visual monitoring techniques. Method: A total of 234 participants (practicing O&M specialists, preservice O&M students, and O&M university personnel) completed a 40-question survey. The survey included demographic questions, diagrams of intersections that participants used to select positioning locations, questions about lanes of threat, and questions about important factors to consider when positioning to monitor safety. Commonality of selections were analyzed and compared with demographic information. Results: The greatest consensus was found for all intersection types when the client is positioned on the corner waiting to cross and for identification of the first lane of threat. More variable position selections were made for monitoring during the crossings, and the second and third lane of threat selections were also more variable. Factors respondents indicated as most important to consider when positioning aligned with their positioning choices overall. Discussion: Personnel preparation programs may want to consider to what extent they teach considerations for positioning before and during crossings, and whether the predominant tendency to put oneself between the client and traffic warrants additional conversation. Future research should look at more complex intersections and the additional nuances used to make positioning choices. Implications for practitioners: Practitioners should reflect on whether they actively change their positioning decisions based on the situation and type of intersection versus tending to use a standard strategy.

AbstractAssessment of dually diagnosed patients consists of three steps: detection, diagnosis, and specialized assessment for treatment planning. Each of these is informed by recent research.

"What is the best way to provide mental health care within the community? How can these services be provided in a way that is easy to access and offer treatments that really work? Community mental health care has evolved as a discipline over the past 50 years, and within the past 20 years, there have been major developments across the world.The Oxford Textbook of Community Mental Health is the most comprehensive and authoritative review published in the field. It looks at how the field has evolved, the current approaches, and combines traditional concepts, such as community-based interventions and an epidemiological perspective, with newer concepts, such as recovery philosophy, evidence-based practices, and implementation fidelity, which have shaped the field over the past decade. Like community mental health care itself, the book is multidisciplinary and pluralistic. Thoughout, it addresses controversies and also emphasizes areas of convergence, where social values, medical science, and policy forces agree on specific directions.The book will be an essential reference source for both trainee and qualified psychologists and psychiatrists involved in community mental health, as well as healthcare professionals and students, mental health service planners and commissioners, service user and carer groups"--Provided by publisher

The ability of instructors to promote problem-solving abilities is an important pedagogical skill. Providing well-planned problem-solving opportunities is especially vital in orientation and mobility (O&M) lessons. During personnel preparation programs, pre-service O&M specialists would benefit from developing a keen awareness of how well they encourage problem-solving in their instruction. This mixed-methods study reports on a process in which nine pre-service O&M specialists engaged during their blindfold techniques course. Each participant taught two lessons to a peer in their course, engaging in a retroactive think-aloud after each lesson. The process focused participants on the types of questions they asked to promote thinking and engaged them in reflection on how well the lesson met their intended objectives. Results indicated qualitative benefits noted by the participants of engaging in the process and also highlighted a need for further work with pre-service O&M specialists on question asking and allowing problem-solving and thinking opportunities during basic lessons.

Introduction: Divergent thinking is a crucial component of effective problem-solving. This study investigated the divergent thinking of students with visual impairments (i.e., blindness or low vision) in three countries and explored the correlates of their performance on two tasks. Methods: A sample of 52 students with visual impairments completed two divergent thinking tasks, one traditional Alternate Uses task, and one scenario-based task created for this study. Each student's teacher of students with visual impairments completed a questionnaire containing demographic, curriculum, and student characteristics. Results: Of the correlates examined, teacher-rated academic independence, working on grade level, number of expanded core curriculum (ECC) areas of instruction currently received, and ongoing receipt of assistive technology instruction were significantly related to task performance. Discussion: Findings demonstrate the strong relationship between real-life problem-solving, divergent thinking, and academic functioning in students with visual impairments. Further investigation is needed about the relationship between aspects of problem-solving instruction and student outcomes as they relate to divergent thinking. Implications for practitioners: Given the connection of divergent thinking to overall problem-solving ability, teachers should assess these skills in students. Using similar scenario-based real-life tasks, they can also incorporate practice opportunities for divergent thinking within ECC instruction.

Introduction Developing graphicacy skills is important for students with visual impairments if they are to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content. Teachers of students with visual impairments report that they lack resources to use in teaching students graphicacy skills. Methods Forty-one students with visual impairments in grades 5–10 completed a pretest, intervention, and posttest designed to evaluate their skills locating and interpreting graphical data. Videos of the pre- and posttests were scored using a researcher developed instrument. Results Following intervention, there was a significant difference in students' ability to use descriptors and mathematical terms when exploring graphs and a map. Students answered significantly more questions correctly from pre- to posttest. Discussion Students who receive direct instruction in how to locate and interpret data in graphs and maps can improve their level of independence in STEM classes. Use of an intervention that targets the development of graphicacy skills has been found to be effective. Implications for practitioners More research is needed to determine effective hand strategies students should use when exploring different types of graphics.