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Spoken language identification (LID) technologies have improved in recent years from discriminating largely distinct languages to discriminating highly similar languages or even dialects of the same language. One aspect that has been mostly neglected, however, is discrimination of languages for multilingual speakers, despite being a primary target audience of many systems that utilize LID technologies. As we show in this work, LID systems can have a high average accuracy for most combinations of languages while greatly underperforming for others when accented speech is present. We address this by using coarser-grained targets for the acoustic LID model and integrating its outputs with interaction context signals in a context-aware model to tailor the system to each user. This combined system achieves an average 97% accuracy across all language combinations while improving worst-case accuracy by over 60% relative to our baseline., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to ICASSP 2020

This study presents findings of longitudinal research that studied the predictive utility of five temperament constructs measured in preschool children and their subsequent behavioral adjustment 5 years later in elementary school. Adjustment as measured by composites of the Behavior Assessment System for children was predicted by parent ratings of children's temperament over a 5-year period. Consistent with previous research over a 3-year period by the same authors, emotional intensity was found to be the strongest predictor of all composites. Parentally perceived emotionality contributes to school perceived adjustment. These findings support the importance of early pro-social skill training of children to enhance adjustment. (Author/EMK)

The purpose of this paper is to describe a comprehensive psychological services model and outcome data supporting it. Due to their training in behavioral and affective interventions, counseling and consultation, learning theory, systems organization and intervention, program evaluation, and assessment, psychologists who practice in the schools have the skills to provide a large number of services to children, families, and teachers; however, activities relating to the assessment and placement of children with disabilities continues to dominate the practices of school psychologists. An alternative delivery system of psychological services in schools that capitalizes on all of the skills of professional school psychologists was initiated placing a psychologist in each building full time. Outcome data supporting comprehensive psychological services in schools were analyzed. Achievement from a standards-based assessment model showed increases in reading, writing, and mathematics over a period paralleling the implementation of the model. Placements of children identified as having emotional disabilities decreased by 17% over a 4-year period. A problem-solving model of discipline indicated a 77% decrease in referrals. Implementation of the models and explication of the methods are discussed. (Author/EMK)

In the United States, students with disabilities have moved from learning in a segregated environment to being included in the general education classroom. Legislative mandates have encouraged this shift to occur in public schools in order to equal the playing field for students with disabilities. Both general and special education students with learning disabilities (LD) have been affected from inclusion. This chapter describes the legal, historical, psychological, and instructional concepts shaping the way students with LD are educated today. [For the complete volume, "General and Special Education Inclusion in an Age of Change: Impact on Students with Disabilities. Advances in Special Education. Volume 31," see ED606160.]

The children born this year--2004--will be eleven years old in 2015--the age of primary school completion in most countries. This is the MDG (Millennium Development Goal) generation--for whom the international community has pledged that by 2015, all children will be able to complete primary schooling. Ensuring good early child development is the first essential step toward achieving these goals. The early development of these children will determine, to a large extent, whether they succeed in school and later in life. Investments before a child enters school (as compared with remedial programs) have high payoff. Well-targeted ECD programs cost less--and produce more dramatic and lasting results--than education investments at any other level. Early child development and education have positive effects on achievement, grade retention, special education, and high school graduation and socialization. These positive effects can change the development trajectory of children born into poverty. In developing countries, the barriers to success in school and society include malnutrition, ill health, HIV/AIDS, and war. This note series is intended to summarize lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education.

Since two thirds of the country's children reside in the countryside, improving child development services in rural areas is one of China's most pressing concerns. This report details the current situation of children in rural and urban China and identifies problems related to child development. The report also presents evidence of the effect of investment in interventions targeted to the early years, assesses the socioeconomic development of such investment, and outlines a program of interventions in both health and education to improve the outcomes for children in rural China. The proposed program calls for an information campaign to educate rural parents about infant care and development, preparation of children for school, and adequate and appropriate nutrition for young children. Interventions in the early years of life (ages 0-6) have the best chance of permanently enhancing children's cognitive skills, personality, and social attitudes and behavior. Early childhood education programs attack a root cause of poverty by helping to provide poor rural children (especially girls) with a fair start. (Contains 28 references.) (HTH)

Early childhood programs have been shown to enhance school readiness, increase the efficacy of investments in primary schools and human capital formation, foster beneficial social behavior and, thereby, lessen social welfare costs, and promote community development. The World Bank has directed investment toward young children, including supporting immunizations, basic health care, prenatal care, and nutrition services. This report, Chinese, provides an overview of programs around the world targeting children from birth to age eight. Covering both theory and practice, the sections are (in English translation): (1) "The Case for Early Intervention," including the scientific basis, socioeconomic returns, and policy implications; (2) "Approaches to the Development of Young Children," covering program design options and working with nongovernmental organizations and other agencies; (3) "Paying for Child Development Programs"; (4) "Educating Parents"; (5) "Training Caregivers"; (6) "Delivering Services to Children"; (7) "Reforming Formal Education Systems to Include Preschoolers"; and (8) "Educating through the Mass Media." Contains 104 references. (KB)

Early childhood programs have been shown to enhance school readiness, increase the efficacy of investments in primary schools and human capital formation, foster beneficial social behavior and, thereby, lessen social welfare costs, and promote community development. The World Bank has directed investment toward young children, including supporting immunizations, basic health care, prenatal care, and nutrition services. This report, in French, provides an overview of programs around the world targeting children from birth to age eight. Covering both theory and practice, the sections are: (1) "The Case for Early Intervention," including the scientific basis, socioeconomic returns, and policy implications; (2) "Approaches to the Development of Young Children," covering program design options and working with nongovernmental organizations and other agencies; (3) "Paying for Child Development Programs"; (4) "Educating Parents"; (5) "Training Caregivers"; (6) "Delivering Services to Children"; (7) "Reforming Formal Education Systems to Include Preschoolers"; and (8) "Educating through the Mass Media." Contains 104 references. (KB)

Early childhood programs have been shown to enhance school readiness, increase the efficacy of investments in primary schools and human capital formation, foster beneficial social behavior and, thereby, lessen social welfare costs, and promote community development. The World Bank has directed investment toward young children, including supporting immunizations, basic health care, prenatal care, and nutrition services. This report provides an overview of programs around the world targeting children from birth to age eight. Covering both theory and practice, the sections are (1) "The Case for Early Intervention," including the scientific basis, socioeconomic returns, and policy implications; (2) "Approaches to the Development of Young Children," covering program design options and working with nongovernmental organizations and other agencies; (3) "Paying for Child Development Programs"; (4) "Educating Parents"; (5) "Training Caregivers"; (6) "Delivering Services to Children"; (7) "Reforming Formal Education Systems to Include Preschoolers"; and (8) "Educating through the Mass Media." Contains 103 references. (BGC)

Designed primarily for World Bank staff and their colleagues in borrowing countries, this paper summarizes why investment in human capital formation through early child development is worthwhile. Chapter 1 introduces the importance of early childhood programs, noting events that have given new visibility to children's issues at the international level. Chapter 2 presents scientific support, socioeconomic reasons, the intersecting needs of women and children, and the synergistic effects of health, nutrition, and stimulation on early childhood development, as rationale for investment in early childhood care and development. Chapter 3 seeks to determine which early childhood programs provide the most reliable outcomes, given the resource constraints of a developing country. It examines program options and programming experiences with projects both inside and outside the purview of the World Bank. Chapter 4 reviews the essential minimum inputs and approaches to packaging such projects. Policy formation and targeting at-risk populations are considered key elements in any early child development strategy. The next chapter suggests three kinds of actions that the World Bank can take: (1) undertake more projects on integrated early child development; (2) support sector work and policy dialogue to assess needs of integrated child services; and (3) fund research and evaluation. The concluding chapter notes that the Bank should increase its lending for early child development investments. The report's three appendices include evidence from developed and developing countries that supports the case for early childhood care, a summary of Bank-financed projects, and examples of projects packaged with different design approaches. (BAC)

Examined data from 140 persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) to determine vocational status of persons with SCI living in the community. Of participants, 27% were employed, with 35% in unpaid productive activities, and 38% unemployed. Sex, ethnicity, education, and disability were statistically significant correlates of vocational status. (Author/NB)

Traditionally, long wavelength infrared (LWIR) detection in Si-based structures has involved either extrinsic Si or Si/metal Schottky barrier devices. Molecular beam epitaxially (MBE) grown Si and Si/Si(1-x)Ge(x) heterostructures offer new possibilities for LWIR detection, including sensors based on intersubband transitions as well as improved conventional devices. The improvement in doping profile control of MBE in comparison with conventional chemical vapor deposited (CVD) Si films has resulted in the successful growth of extrinsic Si:Ga, blocked impurity-band conduction detectors. These structures exhibit a highly abrupt step change in dopant profile between detecting and blocking layers which is extremely difficult or impossible to achieve through conventional epitaxial growth techniques. Through alloying Si with Ge, Schottky barrier infrared detectors are possible, with barrier height values between those involving pure Si or Ge semiconducting materials alone. For both n-type and p-type structures, strain effects can split the band edges, thereby splitting the Schottky threshold and altering the spectral response. Measurements of photoresponse of n-type Au/Si(1-x)Ge(x) Schottky barriers demonstrate this effect. For intersubband multiquntum well (MQW) LWIR detection, Si(1-x)Ge(x)/Si detectors grown on Si substrates promise comparable absorption coefficients to that of the Ga(Al)As system while in addition offering the fundamental advantage of response to normally incident light as well as the practical advantage of Si-compatibility. Researchers grew Si(1-x)Ge(x)/Si MQW structures aimed at sensitivity to IR in the 8 to 12 micron region and longer, guided by recent theoretical work. Preliminary measurements of n- and p-type Si(1-x)Ge(x)/Si MQW structures are given.