Facilitating Student Engagement Using Optimal Trunk Support for Children with Postural Dysfunction
Dr. Thilagha Jagaiah
Dr. Sandra Saavedra
University of Hartford
Abstract
Children with postural dysfunction experience difficulties keeping their bodies upright. Without appropriate trunk support, these children are not able to effortlessly control their head and trunk even for a short duration and could impact learning engagement. The purpose of this feasibility study was to examine if optimal trunk support enhances student engagement tasks (eye gaze, reaching, manipulation, head turn, and making choice), and if the student engagement varied between the initial and final measures for both the customized and usual devices over a six- to eight-week period. Video data of nine children from early intervention and K-12 were recorded and coded for student engagement tasks. Findings reveal significant improvement in student engagement when using the customized device. The average effect size for student engagement for the customized compared to the usual device in the initial and final measures exceeded 0.8.
Keywords: birth to adolescents, physical disabilities, Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo), customized standers and sitters, intervention
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