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Previous studies on spoken word production have shown that native English speakers used phoneme-sized units (e.g., a word-initial phoneme, C) to produce English words, and native Mandarin Chinese speakers employed syllable-sized units (e.g., a word-initial consonant and vowel, CV) as phonological encoding units in Chinese. With spoken word production, although spoken word recognition is a fundamental language skill of human beings, it is unknown whether a Chinese-English bilingual listener can adjust the phonological unit sizes depending on the language used. Using four mouse-tracking spoken word recognition experiments, participants listened to spoken words (either presented in English or Chinese) while viewing a display of two written words. In Experiment 1, Chinese-English bilinguals experienced a larger phonological competition in the CV condition than the control condition, indicating that they recruited syllables when listening to Chinese monosyllabic words. Experiment 2 extended the results of Experiment 1 with a set of Chinese disyllabic words and further revealed the temporal distribution of syllable overlap of a spoken word constrains phonological competition. In Experiment 3, Chinese-English bilinguals exhibited a greater phonological competition in both CV and C conditions that mirrored those reported with English monolinguals in Experiment 4. Our results across experiments demonstrated that Chinese-English bilinguals employed both phonemes and syllables to recognize English spoken words but exclusively relied on syllables to recognize Chinese words, suggesting that there is flexibility in selecting phonological units when recognizing spoken words in the two languages. Implications for models of monolingual and bilingual spoken recognition are also discussed.

While it is recognised that the numbers of students needing accessibility supports and accommodations are increasing exponentially, research on accommodations during the COVID-19 pandemic is still sparse. The purpose of the current study was to explore special education teachers' accommodation practices at secondary schools before and during the unprecedented time of COVID-19. To better understand the experiences of participating teachers, we engaged seven teachers from a prairie province in Canada with one-on-one online semi-structured interviews. Teachers who offered accommodations to students before COVID-19 used a range of accommodations such as general technologies and assistive technology that fall into major categories of accommodations as defined by research. Evidence from this study indicates that some teachers delivered learning packages to homes or taught online classes during school closures, while some teachers did not. Teachers who taught remotely changed some of their accommodation practices during the school closures because in-person classes were switched to online learning. The implications for professional development are also discussed in this paper.

Previous research suggests that there is a demonstrated need to provide instructional and assessment accommodations for students with special needs in Canada and worldwide. Therefore, we conducted nine semi-structured interviews to better understand how Canadian elementary special education teachers' perceived understanding of accommodations affected their practices before the COVID-19 pandemic, during school closures, and after school reopened in the province of Saskatchewan. Our interview data show that teachers' perceptions of accommodations did not align with research and theory. Elementary teachers tended to utilize groupwise strategies for students with special needs. Overall, teachers' perceptions and practices of accommodations remained constant prior to school closures and after school reopened, excepting some practices that were changed due to the COVID-19 safety protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the decades, it is evident that exceptional learners have been excluded from participating in international assessments such as OECD's PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) due to their disabilities. Drawing on the interdisciplinary theories and perspectives of educational assessment, measurement, and early childhood special education, the paper discusses the potential benefits young children with special needs may gain from the International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study (IELS), as well as considering caveats and challenges accompanying the use of IELS for these young special education populations. In particular, it raises a range of questions about what and how to collect, validly interpret, and use the IELS data to enhance early learning and development of exceptional learners in participating countries. Finally, the paper discusses accommodations that promote inclusionary assessment practices and level the playing field for young children with special needs.

Background: Frailty epitomizes the most complex consequence of an aging population. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of frailty, measured using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), on outcomes of older people in an emergency department (ED). Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study enrolling patients aged 65 years and older in a medical center of Taiwan between March 8, 2021, and November 30, 2021. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality rate. Individuals were categorized into three groups based on the CFS scores. Logistic regression was employed to examine the influence of frailty on clinical outcomes following covariate adjustment. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan–Meier curves and Log rank tests. Results: A total of 473 individuals were included in the study, with a mean age of 82.1 years, and 60.5% of them were males. The 90-day mortality rate was 10.6%. Among these groups, the CFS score 7– 9 group had the highest 90-day mortality rate (15.9%), followed by the CFS score 4– 6 group (8.0%) and the CFS score 1– 3 group (7.1%). The multiple logistic regression analyses demonstrated a significant impact of CFS score on prognosis, with adjusted odd ratios of 1.24 (95% CI 1.06– 1.47) for 90-day mortality, 1.18 (95% CI 1.06– 1.31) for hospitalization, and 1.30 (95% CI 1.12– 1.52) for 180-day mortality. The Kaplan–Meier curves revealed a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate for patients with high CFS scores (Log rank tests, p = 0.019). Conclusion: In the older ED population, the severity of frailty assessed by the CFS emerged as a significant and important prognostic factor for hospitalization, 90-day mortality, and 180-day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated accommodations for students without disabilities in order to fill critical gaps in both knowledge and practices in fields of special education and educational assessments. In Ontario, students at different grade levels were assessed by the provincial assessments developed by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO): mathematics, reading and writing assessments for Grades 3 and 6 in Primary and Junior Divisions; mathematics for Grade 9; and literacy for Grade 10. It provided test accommodations in accordance with Ontario's policies and legislation, including the policy document, "Individual Education Plan: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation" (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2000). The eligibility requirements, available accommodations, and procedures of administration for test accommodations were laid out in the guidelines developed by the EQAO. Students were eligible for the use of test accommodations and/or special provisions in specific conditions (EQAO, 2012): Students with special needs should have: (1) an Individual Education Plan (IEP); and (2) typically receive these accommodations for all forms of tests, including provincial and summative (classroom) assessments. This study investigated two important questions: (1) What were the most commonly used accommodations for students without disabilities or IEPs? and (2) Who used accommodations regardless of receiving special permission from the school principals? Participants were Grade 6 students (N = 150,214) taking Ontario's provincial reading, writing and mathematics assessments in 2005-2006 developed and administered by the EQAO. The descriptive statistics shows that three major types of accommodations were the most frequently used by non-disabled students for math, reading, and writing (N = 1,636 for math, N = 1,686 for reading, N = 1,406 for writing): (1) setting; (2) prompts; and (3) scribing accommodations. According to EQAO's accommodation policy (EQAO, 2006), one of groups may receive accommodations: students who do not have IEPs because they are new to the school and the country, but require the use of an accommodation based on available documentations. Approximately 22% of students fell into this category, including examinees who were ELLs and recently immigrated to the country. Although non-disabled students without IEPs may have to obtain special permission from the school principals for accommodations, many did not receive permission (Math: 43.8%; Reading: 43.9%, Writing: 45%). Of this group without special permission, about 65% of the students were new to the school but had stayed in the country for more than one year. Approximately 20% of students without special permission for accommodations were new immigrants and there was not enough time to obtain IEPs.

Previous studies on Indian education have urged educators to address serious concerns about inequality and inequity in gifted education, and about the assessments for students educated in extremely diverse social and cultural landscapes in India. Although it is believed that appropriate test accommodations ensure valid and meaningful test results, accommodation practices for gifted students are rarely examined worldwide. To narrow this research gap, the present study examined a large-scale provincial literacy assessment in Ontario, Canada, as a test case, to investigate the accommodations used by gifted students and teachers. In particular, we analyzed 3-year assessment data sets to track the patterns of accommodation practices over time. Furthermore, we discussed potential implications for future research and the development of assessments for assessing gifted Indian students while being mindful of diverse cultural and educational landscapes in the context of India.

There is limited research exploring the changing clinical practices among healthcare providers (HPs) care for patients with Emergency Department (ED)-initiated Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). This scoping review followed the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley to map relevant evidence and synthesize the findings. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus for related studies from inception through October 12, 2022. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 studies were included. Subsequently, they were charted and analyzed thematically based on ecological systems theory. The main determinants in the four ecological systems were generated as follows: (1) microsystem: willingness and attitude, professional competence, readiness, and preference; (2) mesosystem: ED clinical practices, departmental factors; (3) exosystem: multidisciplinary approaches, discharge planning, and (4) macrosystem: stigma, health insurance, policy. The findings have implications for HPs and researchers, as insufficient adoption, implementation, and retention of MOUD in the ED affect clinical practices. Across the four ecological systems, ED-initiated MOUD is shaped by multifaceted determinants. The microsystem underscores pivotal patient-HP trust dynamics, while the mesosystem emphasizes interdepartmental synergies. Exosystemically, resource allocation and standardized training remain paramount. The macrosystem reveals profound effects of stigma, insurance disparities, and evolving policies on treatment access and efficacy. Addressing these interconnected barriers is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes in the context of MOUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]