PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

J F Cawley

Publications and source records attributed to J F Cawley.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

An examination of the reading performance of students with mild educational handicaps or learning disabilities.

Reading performance is a primary concern in both regular and special education. Reading is also the dominant medium through which educators conduct lessons, or students acquire information in subjects such as science and mathematics. Reading performance can be measured in a variety of ways. The present study examined the performance of students with mild educational handicaps (n = 28) or learning disabilities (n = 38) on a combination of norm-referenced and curriculum-based assessment (CBA) approaches that used science content. Overall, there were no significant differences between the samples on measures of word recognition, but significant differences favoring students with learning disabilities did occur in comprehension.

Achievement

Cross-sectional comparisons of the mathematical performance of children with learning disabilities: are we on the right track toward comprehensive programming?

This study examines the mathematical performance of 220 children from 8 years through 17 years of age diagnosed as having learning disabilities. Student records were searched for data indicating performance on standardized test instruments relating to mathematics. Data for the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Achievement Battery math subtests and for the IQ scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised were obtained. Comparisons were made among children at different ages and among specific age clusters. Primary attention was directed toward calculations and applications of math concepts and principles. Developmental patterns across the ages studied were discovered. Implications for long-term comprehensive programming are presented.

Achievement

Vocational education and students with learning disabilities.

This inquiry focuses on the status of nearly 500 students with learning disabilities in 17 state-operated regional vocational-technical schools in a northeastern state. The inquiry addressed four primary concerns: patterns of assessment, career choice, school marks, and attendance. The data indicate that a variety of instruments were used in the assessment process and that the overall grade equivalent levels of attainment ranged between fifth- and seventh-grade levels. Children defined as learning disabled participated in a large number of vocational trade specialties and some 50% or more had school marks indicating that they were passing in these areas. Attendance was high. Many children with learning disabilities successfully perform in competitive vocational education programs designed to produce proficiency at the level of journey person.

Adolescent

A national survey of performance objectives of physician's assistant training programs.

A nationwide survey of physician's assistant (PA) training programs was carried out to determine the performance expected of students upon graduation. A list of tasks reflecting primary medical care problems was sent to PA program directors asking whether they expected their graduates to be able to perform the task, only to know about the task, or neither to be able to perform nor to have knowledge of the task. The results indicated that all students were expected to perform a history and physical examination. Almost all of the program directors expected students to establish a working diagnosis for the most common problems and to formulate a management plan for many of them. Extensive skills in patient education and counseling were expected. There was considerable congruence among the directors in performance expectations of students. The expected performance of the PA student by graduation emerged as comprehensive and not merely technical.

Clinical Competence

The future for physician assistants.

Physician assistants were intended to be assistants to primary care physicians. Physicians in private practice have only moderately responded to the availability of these professionals. Cutbacks in the numbers of foreign medical graduates entering American schools for graduate medical education, concern for overcrowding in some specialties, and the economic and clinical capabilities of physician assistants have lead to new uses for these persons. Physician assistants are employed in surgery and surgical subspecialties; in practice settings in institutions such as medical, pediatric, and surgical house staff; and in geriatric facilities, occupational medicine clinics, emergency rooms, and prison health systems. The projected surplus of physicians by 1990 may affect the use of physician assistants by private physicians in primary care.

Emergency Service, Hospital