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Research targets and strategies
RESEARCH IN THE
NIILO MÄKI INSTITUTE
Project description
Research in the Institute focuses on learning disabilities
and, particularly, on neurocognitive disorders which prevent a child
overcoming his/her learning disabilities within a normal educational
environment.
The goal is to identify those disabilities and their
expressions in cognitive performance which are associated with
functional brain disorders or neurocognitive disturbances and are
connected to the incidence and severity of the learning disorders.
These disorders appear especially in the following areas of learning:
- reading (dyslexia)
- naming (dysnomia)
- linguistic functions (dysphasia)
- arithmetic (dyscalculia)
- visuo-spatial orientation (dysgnosia)
The Institute studies also neurocognitive disorders which
manifest themselves as attentional deficits. Recently, research has
focused particularly on the overlapping occurrence of apparently
different learning disabilities, i.e. comorbidity. The aim is to
identify, as early as possible, problems which may hinder the
acquisition of basic skills and the chains of difficulties these
problems may develop into. Development of remediation technology
constitutes a separate comprehensive field of its own. Research
attempts to define those neurocognitive mechanisms which tend to give
rise to learning disabilities and, if possible, of finding ways to
influence them.
Early neural and motor coordination has been an important
target for research in determining the neural background of learning
disabilities. More recently, early language development has been
identified as a significant research target in early diagnostics and
as a background factor in learning disabilities.
Research is founded on a data basis and the methodologies of
neuropsychology, developmental psychology, psycholinguistics,
psychophysiology, special education and cognitive psychology. Experts
on linguistics, child neurology and neurophysiology have also been
engaged in the projects, and the future will see the introduction of
another discipline, neuroradiological methodology, which will
radically increase our possibilities to detect the functional cerebral
sources of a variety of disorders. Amongst others, specialists in data
processing have participated in development of remediation and
research methodology. For example, they have contributed to the
development of multimedia applications.
Research on dyslexia
The research on reading disabilities looks for their
precursors and possible "causes". The methods used to achieve this end
are neuropsychological studies and a longitudinal study of children,
in which the follow-up extends from the birth of the child to
school-age. Another central area of research is the diagnostics of
reading skills and dyslexia focusing on computer-assisted assessment.
Research projects
- Early Language Development and the Genetic Risk of Dyslexia
•Features and background factors of developmental reading difficulty
• Computer-aided diagnostic methods for studying the sub-skills of
reading
- Development of group tests to evaluate the sub-skills of
reading
Research on dysphasia
Disorders of language development or dysphasias become
manifest as factors predicting difficulties in reading. The research
into dysphasia has created a possibility to outline the formation of
genetic language disorders (occurring in identical twins) under the
influence of the environment. Features of a learning disability
associated with language and the psycholinguistic environment have
also been studied by using methods of interaction research.
Research projects
- Diagnostics of reading/Reading disabilities in dysphatic
children
Mathematical learning disabilities
The study of special difficulties in learning arithmetic aims
at charting the cognitive mechanisms that can impede the achievement
of arithmetic skills. In order to diagnose developmental dyscalculia,
arithmetic skills assessment methods have been under development with
the aim of identifying the neurocognitive disorders that underpin
special arithmetic learning disorders.
Research projects
- Mathematical learning disabilities: a neurocognitive
approach
Disability in visuo-spatial
orientation
It is not an unusual discovery that children’s developmental
and neurological disorders are associated with disorders of spatial
orientation and visual skills. Their research is based on experimental
single case study projects. At the same time, educational remediation
has been investigated especially from the perspective of the
remediation tradition developed by Feuerstein in Israel, and
multimedia based computer software has been prepared in order to
provide training in orientation and visual skills.
Attentional deficits
The study of attentional deficits has focused on the charting
and documenting their manifestations and of the neurocognitive
disorders underpinning them as well as on the development of
remediation methods. (See Remediation.) The assessment efforts have
included development of computer-based procedures for measuring
attention-related processes and their individual variation during
performance.
Comorbidity
Research dealing with comorbidity (co-occurrence) of learning
disorders has covered the common tendencies of co-occurrence of
various combinations of attention deficits as well as reading and
arithmetic disorders. It has clarified the nature of the relations of
these disorders and also identified differential features supporting
the original diagnostic categories. One project connected with
comorbidity research maps out various problems related to MBD and
their remediation.
Research projects
- Mild developmental disorders, learning disabilities and
their comorbidity
- Follow-up study of children’s motor disorders
Psychophysiological research
In the Institute, psychophysiological methods, such as brain
event-related potential (ERP) and heart rate measurements, are used in
order to indicate brain functioning and environmental orientation in
groups of handicapped children who are unable to express themselves
through speech. The ERP studies are focused on auditory and
phonological processing affected in dyslexia and dysphasia. Several
heart rate studies, as well as many other clinical studies, have taken
the form of case studies.
Research projects
- Psychophysiology and reading disability
Research on remediation
The neurocognitive remediation of children’s learning
disabilities and the evaluation of the results obtained form an
essential part of the Institute’s research activities. The basic funds
for the implementation of this study have been granted by the Finnish
Social Insurance Institution for the years 1994 - 1996. The study of
remediation aims at mapping out the need for and the ways of providing
special knowledge and remediation, at developing data-assisted
diagnostics and remediation technology as well as appraising the
effects of remediation methodology through case study research. The
researchers in the Institute have also tried to develop experimental
single case study methodology for the study of learning disorders.
Research projects
- Remediation study of non-linguistic cognitive problems
- Development of Vista-multimedia programme package intended
for the remediation of visuo-perceptual functions
- Neurocognitive remediation of children’s attentional
deficits. Follow-up and assessment of the remediation process
- Physical remediation of children with motor clumsiness
- Evaluation of the impact of CDA-group remediation
- Parental interaction as related to children’s cognitive
skills
- Exploring ways to prevent school failures
- An experimental pre-school training program
- The family perspective to developmental disorders
CLINICAL SERVICES AND CONSULTATION
A Child Research Clinic specializing in learning disabilities
functions as a part of the Institute. The Clinic aims at providing and
developing clinical and consultation services which are related to
learning disabilities among children and adolescents as well as to the
assessment and remediation of different developmental disorders. The
Clinic assists in diagnosing children’s disabilities as well as in
planning and implementing training and remediation. Remediation
experiments using modern methods are performed in the clinic. For its
part, this Clinic is creating a continuous and natural interaction
between clinical services and clinically oriented research.
The Child Research Clinic works in close co-operation with the
Family Guidance Centers, children’s hospitals and schools. Children
who come to this Clinic in order to be examined have almost without
exception earlier gone through various examinations either in Family
Guidance Clinics or have been referred, for example, to school
psychologists. This means that these children have learning
disabilities which call for a more precise neurocognitive examination
in order for learning to proceed without difficulties.
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION
The Niilo Mäki Institute plays an important role as
an organization gathering and coordinating Finnish expertise and
knowledge of learning disabilities. The Institute contributes to
national and international co-operation between researchers: it
participates in different research networks and arranges scientific
meetings and conferences. The Institutes researchers publish their
research findings in internationally recognized journals. The
directors of the institute hold posts as consultant editors of the
"Journal of Learning Disabilities", the leading journal in the field.
Beginning in 1992, the Institute has also been engaged in co-operation
with developing countries at university-level training of expertise
and awareness raising related to learning disabilities and
neuropsychology.
Learning Disorders as a Barrier to Human Development
(COST A8)
This COST (European Co-Operation in the field of
Social and Technical sciences) A8 project is a network of European
researchers including the most important dyslexia research groups from
13 countries. The project aims at establishing European
multidisciplinary co-operation in the research of learning processes
and their disorders. One central objective is to take into account the
language and other cultural differences related to literacy. The
network functions in the following four domains: 1) cross linguistic
issues related to dyslexia research, 2) the cognitive aspects of
dyslexia, 3) neuropsychological/ psychophysiological aspects of
dyslexia and 4) issues related to treatment/intervention studies. The
initiative to launch the project was taken by the Niilo Mäki
Institute, which also coordinates the whole network.
E.S.C.A.P.E.
As a representative of Finland, the Niilo Mäki
Institute participated from 1993 - 1995 in the Child Neuropsychology
subgroup researching "Number processing and calculation in children"
within the EU’s project BIOMED (E.S.C.A.P.E.). The project aimed at
seeking opportunities to develop joint diagnostic instruments. The
teams at the University of Lausanne (professor Gaillard, dr. Tieche)
and of the Niilo Mäki Institute are continuing their co-operation
within a comparative study of 2nd - 4th
-graders’ numerical and calculation skills.
Nordles (net om lesehandicap - dysleksi)
The dyslexia network Nordles (net om lesehandicap)
is a network functioning under the auspices of the Nordic Council of
Ministers (Nordisk Ministerråd). The network aims to collect, analyze
and transmit information and expert knowledge concerning dyslexia
between national centers. This demands that every Nordic country
should develop a national centre of dyslexia and that co-operation
should exist between the different networks. In Finland, the Niilo
Mäki Institute is now assuming responsibility for the development of a
dyslexia centre and for the establishing of co-operation between the
various networks.
Developing rehabilitation services for learning
disabled children (in Africa)
During the years 1992 - 1994, in the course of the
project "Clinical Child Neuropsychology Programme" implemented by the
Niilo Mäki Institute, experts from five developing countries (Kenya,
Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Chile) were furnished with further
knowledge in neuropsychology and of children’s learning disabilities.
During the present stage it is the goal to expand this knowledge in
the target countries, so that the needs of each country will be taken
into consideration. The final aim is to plan services for children in
need and to construct the infrastructure required. In 1995 the project
has focused mainly on Zambia and Kenya, where the planning and
construction of Neuropsychological Assessment Centers has been
advancing well.
TRAINING AND INFORMATION SERVICES
The Niilo Mäki Institute actively aims to further
the collection of scientific information related to learning
disabilities and to the development of practical assessment and
remediation methods. With this goal in mind, the Institute arranges
scientific meetings, congresses, co-operation opportunities between
researchers, and training for psychologists, class teachers, special
educators, kindergarten teachers, speech therapists and occupational
therapists. The goal of the educational activities of the Institute is
to convey new information to representatives of different professions
who are engaged in work with children with learning disabilities. This
kind of education or training is often arranged in co-operation with
organizations and University departments.
The Niilo Mäki Institute is commencing its work,
supported by the National Board of Education, as a Finnish resource
center for persons with learning disabilities. Resource centers of
this kind already exist in other Nordic countries and the Institute
communicates with them through the Nordles network. The work of a
resource center includes the development of co-operation between the
networks, collection of data and dissemination of information, expert
training provided especially for teaching staff as well as development
and spreading of information on methods and different aids.
The research findings obtained in the Institute are
published usually in distinguished international scientific journals
and at scientific meetings and congresses in the form of presentations
and posters. However, another goal of the Institute is to give as many
users as possible access to scientific knowledge and to apply it in
their everyday work situations. For this purpose, assessment
instruments, remediation methods, learning materials and articles
describing development within the field are evolved and published.
It is possible to follow the work of the Niilo Mäki
Institute and to keep up with developments in this field by reading
the NMI-Bulletin, the only Finnish journal in the field. In 1995, a
double issue came out related to the methodology of remediation of
children. In addition, the work and research under way in the
institute are available also on World Wide Web pages, which are
regularly updated (http://www.jyu.fi/nmi).
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