TOP 100 SCIENCE SITES
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| Shuttle docks with space station Space shuttle Atlantis has successfully docked with the International Space Station, Nasa officials say. news.bbc.co.uk |
Thousands of strange creatures found deep in ocean NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The creatures living in the depths of the ocean are as weird and outlandish as the creations in a Dr. Seuss book: tentacled transparent sea cucumbers, primitive "dumbos" that flap ear-like fins, and tubeworms that feed on oil deposits.... hosted.ap.org |
Don't dismiss the Houben coma case I too used to be sceptical about facilitated communication. But my own research has convinced me of its meritsBen Goldacre discusses the case of Rom Houben, the Belgian who was diagnosed as being in a coma for 23 years but is now able to communicate (Making contact with a helping hand, 5 December). Goldacre raises doubts about the authenticity of the case: "My concern about this is pretty simple," he says. The video footage shows "the facilitator looking at the screen and the keyboard, moving Houben's finger at remarkably high speed to type out a message, while both of Houben's eyes are closed, his head slumped sideways across the chair".He cites various studies into so-called facilitated communication, which have "found that in FC 'almost all scientifically controlled studies showed that the facilitator was the author of the communication'", or that "the claims made for FC were unsubstantiated", and that "five US professional bodies now formally oppose the use of FC".This cannot be disputed. However, the practice of providing physical support to enable people to point more accurately continues, as it aids communication and engagement, and is often accompanied by reductions in frustration and associated "challenging behaviours".I was sceptical too. But my first observations of a young boy using FC made me question whether the interaction should be dismissed as pure "facilitator influence". As a researcher I wanted to assess the validity of the technique. An obvious way was by replicating the methodology of the research studies, and in doing so I found that the people I worked with also failed to validate their communication.It would have been easy to adopt the same conclusions as the research. However, I had daily validation of the benefits of this approach, including positive changes in relationships and levels of contentment, and the verifiable conveying of information that was unknown to the facilitator.The objective of facilitated communication is that the physical support be gradually reduced until the person using the technique reaches independence. Some of the most compelling evidence is from people who now point and/or type independently of physical support. Guidelines on best practice adopted in the European Union include ensuring that the person who is purportedly doing the pointing is also looking at the communication aid they are using.Our most recent research strategies have been to use eye-tracking technology to measure the relationship between looking and pointing. New data, currently being considered for publication, clearly shows FC users looking at what they are about to point to before beginning the movement of pointing.Facilitated communication is a complex topic. Since it is very difficult for an observer to know who is determining the direction of pointing, it is essential to judge its use on an individual level. Indications of authorship come in many forms, most of which we have so far found difficult to measure; but my experience has led me to proceed in this field with caution, in the belief that it could provide a means of improving the quality of life for some people, and lead to a greater understanding of the nature of communication impairment.PsychologyHealthAnne Emersonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Microsoft sets prices for forthcoming Office 2010 Microsoft will sell four versions of the forthcoming Office 2010 software, due out in June, for prices ranging from $99 to $499. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
4-legged animals emerged earlier than thought LONDON (AP) -- The water-dwelling ancestors of modern-day mammals, reptiles and birds emerged onto land millions of years earlier than previously believed, researchers reported.... hosted.ap.org |