The goal of the Research and Evaluation Unit is to support evidence-based practice that will impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities. All the research projects undertaken by the Unit are thus tied to the development of model treatments and programs.
Research and Evaluation Projects: Studies Published in 2008
Compliance of children with moderate to severe intellectual disability to treadmill walking.
This study examines the effectiveness of paired modeling and positive reinforcement on the willingness of children with intellectual disabilities to exercise on a treadmill. The issue is important as individuals with intellectual disabilities tend to passivity and this has health implications later on in life. 15 children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities participated. We have used these findings to develop a special sports program to encourage children to improve their physical fitness.
Youth Leadership for Changes in Attitudes Towards People with Disabilities.
This study evaluates the effects of Beit Issie Shapiro's Chen Youth Leadership program on attitude changes towards people with disabilities. 164 9th graders-from various regions in Israel-participated. The study shows that the program generates significant positive change in attitudes towards people with disabilities.These findings have been presented to the Ministry of Education, which is interested in extending this program nationwide.
Integration in Community Centres' Programs for Young Children.
This booklet presented The Israel Association of Community Centres' approach to integrating children with special needs within its programs. It also presents models of existing integrated programs and work processes.This is a basic practical book for professionals on how to implement successful integration of children with special needs.
Effect of Sensory Adaptation on Anxiety of Children with Developmental Disability.
Beit Issie Shapiro is a leader in the field of multi-sensory controlled therapy (Snoezelen). After researching and validating the method,it set about applying its principles to various environments. One of these was the dental clinic. Sensory adaptation was introduced to alleviate anxiety related to dental procedures, particularly prevalent among children and adults with intellectual difficulties. This study assesses the impact of sensory adaptations to the clininc environment, training dental hygienists to modulate the way they talk and relate to the patient and on reducing dental anxiety amongst children undergoing scaling and polishing by a dental hygienist. Results showed a significant reduction in anxiety.
The exciting effect of the use of this method is that it helped us achieve a situation whereby 90% of dental treatments to people with special needs are given without general anaesthetics (quite an achievement!) and our clients are able to co-operate with the dentist without sedation.
Development and Disseminating Knowledge Through Research and Training-Continuing Research Projects
Quality of Life Project
Beit Issie Shapiro has been involved in major international research investigating the quality of life for families of children with disabilities. In 2008,this research, which was first published in 2007, was translated into the following languages:Flemish, Bosnian, Dutch, Slovene, Chinese, Hebrew, Italian, and Japanese, and is in the process of being translated into Farsi and Spanish.
The research identifies the following as the most important variables affecting family quality of life:
- Health
- Financial Stability
- Relationships in the Family
- Services
- Information and support
- Employment
- Spiritual beliefs
- Community involvement
- Leisure time activities.
Of these, the most important appear to be financial issues, relationships in the family and the availability of services.The recent results will be published in a prestigious special edition of the Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, to be issued in the summer of 2009.
This information forms the basis of our strategy for developing our model of support services for families throughout the country.
Impact: Worldwide
The Parent Perspective on Co-operation between the Multi-Disciplinary Team, and Parents of Young Children with Special Needs in the Early Intervention Centre.
Although in 2001 Israel passed a Rehabilitative Daycare Centres law, entitling young children with special needs to early intervention, no tools yet exist to assess family and staff satisfaction with this intervention. This study aims to develop a tool to assess parent and staff attitudes to and satisfaction with the co-operation between them. The parental attitude measuring tool has been deb\veloped and used in a pilot survey. The issue of the relationship between professionals and clients is essential to the work done with their children and contributes to better practice.
Researchers: Dr Dana Roth and Lili Levinton of BIS, in co-operation with Dr.Iris Manor-Binyamini, Haifa University.
Evaluation of the Hydro-Snoezelen Treatment Method
Hydrotherapy is a known and accepted treatment for children with special needs. The multi-sensory controlled therapy-Snoezelen-has also been validated as an effective treatment method. Beit Issie Shapiro has combined the two methods by equipping a small hydrotherapy poool with sensory adaptations including special lighting and sound equipment. The study aims to examine the efficacy of this environment compared to regular hydrotherapy pools. We have completed three case studies involving children with developmental disabilities and analysis of the results has begun. The next stage is to expand the study to more children with complicated disabilities.
Developing a research-based assessment tool for hydrotherapy intervention for infants
Infant activities in pools have become routine in Israel. Currently, there are no professional tools for assessing the child's capability to cope with the water or for assessing whether getting into the water will help or harm him/her. Our goal is to develop a tool to screen infants before participation in water activities. This is the first valid and reliable assessment instrument and potentially has great value to the field. The tool has been developed and tested in an extended pilot.
Researchers: Dr Dana Roth, in collaboration with Eliya (Association for Blind Children) and the Physical Therapy Department,School for Health Professions, Tel Aviv University.
Evaluation of the Home Community Inclusion Program for Young Children
Beit Issie Shapiro's Home Community Inclusion Program involves matching each participating child with a regular nursery school located near to his/her home. The child then joins this nursery school for activities on a weekly basis.
The Reserach Unit developed an assessment tool in 2006, and in 2007-8 evaluated the program through "before and after" questionnaires given to the parents of our special children. The questionnaires were also given to the educational aides and the staff of the integrating nursery schools. Analysis is in progress.
Safety of Caregivers to Children with Disabilities (Family Members and Professionals)
The issue of the safety of caregivers of children with complicated disabilities has yet to be examined. In the first stages of the study,we held two focus groups of caregivers for preliminary mapping of trends and safety needs.
The study is in collaboration with Tel Aviv University, California University in San Francisco and the Bern University, Switzerland.
Other Projects
IASSID World Congress 2008
Jean Judes,Beit Issie Shapiro Executive Director, and Dr. Dana Roth attended the international conference of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, held in Cape Town, in August 2008. They presented Beit Issie Shapiro's study on quality of life of families with developmental disabilities (see above).
There is interest in South Africa to learn more about applying the results of this research to the work of professionals with families. We are in touch with several South African professionals in this regard.
The Kemach Special University Project
The Kemach program is a participatory research project for young adults with severe learning and adjustment disabilities. It is based on a model in which students design and carry out a research project. It is a pioneer program where the students work in collaboration with the Director of the Research and Evaluation Unit. The students study,carry out research, analyze data and write up the results in fully accredited publications, such as "Sachish", an Israeli journal focusing on special education.
The research relates to fields of interest identified by the students themselves. In the past, they have studied "Social Acceptance and Rejection" and "Attitudes of Employers toward the Employment of People with Disabilities" as research topics.
In 2008, the students chose to learn more about the study of intimacy, and what factors are important for developing and sustaining relationships. Their specific area of inquiry related to the ability of people with severe learning difficulties and significant adjustment difficulties to form a romantic relationship and sustain it, in the context of body and self image.
The research methodology used compared the experiences of young people with learning disabilities to a control group of students without apparent difficulties.
As of this point, the students have completed developing the questionnaires that they will use in their study. In 2009, the students will have the questionnaires filled by sample groups.
Ten students participated in the research group in 2008. | 
