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Background and Study Aim: Social changes and contemporary global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing armed conflicts, have heightened the importance of inclusion in all areas of life, including sports. Sports can play a significant role in promoting social integration. Nevertheless, many individuals, especially those with atypical physical, psycho-emotional, social, and other characteristics, and thus with special educational needs, continue to face systemic exclusion in sports. Coaches, as key figures in the sports environment, have the potential to implement inclusive practices in their teams, but their readiness to do so remains insufficiently researched. The COM-B model, which considers capabilities, opportunities, and motivation as key determinants of behavior, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and enhancing coaches' readiness to work inclusively. By addressing three research questions, this study aims to identify, using the COM-B model, the perceptions of Ukrainian coaches regarding their capabilities, opportunities, and motivation to coach athletes with special educational needs. Material and Methods: A survey conducted between September 2023 and March 2024 involved 379 Ukrainian coaches across 58 sports. Of these, 217 (57.3%) were men and 162 (42.7%) were women, with an average age of 37 (±14) years. The survey was based on the COM-B model, data collection was carried out using Google Forms, and statistical calculations were performed using Microsoft Office Excel 2010. The methods applied included questionnaires and a range of general scientific and statistical (descriptive statistics) methods. Results. Among the components that determine behavior according to the COM-B model, coaches rated their motivation the highest. However, a low level of capability and opportunities for working with athletes with special educational needs (SEN) was also identified, indicating existing challenges that hinder the effective implementation of inclusivity in the training process. Approximately half of the respondents believed that they had not received adequate training (54.9%), lacked appropriate equipment and conditions (52.8%), and did not have the necessary methodological resources (46.2%) for coaching athletes with SEN. About 20% of the surveyed coaches acknowledged having a strong desire (20.6%) and intention (17.7%) to coach athletes with SEN, as well as possessing the necessary interpersonal communication skills (19%). These percentage results are supported by central tendency measures at levels below the median value. Conclusions. The survey results indicate the need for further measures to change coaches' behavior, taking into account their perceptions of their capabilities, opportunities, and motivation to coach athletes with SEN. This will not only improve the quality of training for all athletes but also contribute to the sustainable development of inclusivity in sports.

Greater provision of inclusive education is an important goal for education systems internationally. Frequently identified barriers to progress include a lack of resources to support students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream education settings. This study from Spain sought to gain insight into the availability of educational resources to support students with SEN in mainstream schools in the region of Murcia, by exploring the perceptions of stakeholders. Participants were 27 stakeholders involved in the development and operation of special classrooms in mainstream settings for students with SEN who require highly specialised attention. Perceptions were gathered from participants across 18 mainstream centres in the region, via semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Data were analysed qualitatively, according to an existing categorisation that distinguished between material, human and teaching space resources. In-depth analysis suggested that, according to many stakeholders, an insufficiency of educational resources constituted one of the main barriers to achieving inclusive education. Participants believed that material resources in education centres should be increased to support students with SEN, reporting a lack of digital resources and the necessary teacher education for their application in the classroom. Limited availability of human resources was also highlighted, with participants desiring a more substantial presence of professionals in mainstream centres and a deeper commitment towards inclusion. They considered that there should be more space in the centres to conduct multisensory and motivating activities for students with SEN. Catering to the diverse learning needs of all students is a key concern globally. This study underscores the significance of different types of resources in inclusive provision. It draws attention to the importance of increasing the availability of resources in mainstream educational settings to support students with SEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SEN students have some characteristics that differentiate them from Typical Development (TD) in social aspects. They tend to have poor social skills and sometimes come up with behavioral problems. Children with TD and sometimes teachers have overall negative attitudes that make their social life even more difficult. This study aimed to prove is there any differences between SEN and TD primary school students’ social participation and factors that influenced it. 252 regular and 30 SEN students involved in a causal-comparative study for four aspects of social participation. Fieldwork used two sociometric questionnaires and a Peer Social Self-Concept instrument. Results indicated that there are differences between social interaction, peer acceptance, reciprocal friendship, and peer social self-concept. Explanatory case studies in two schools with positive and negative social participation revealed that peer acceptance, reciprocal friendship, and social interaction influenced by disabilities type and negative attitude towards SEN. Besides, peer social self-concept influenced exclusively by negative attitudes towards SEN. School management, education about social matters for SEN, TD, and parents expected to improve social participation in SEN.

Background and Study Aim. Social changes and contemporary global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing armed conflicts, have heightened the importance of inclusion in all areas of life, including sports. Sports can play a significant role in promoting social integration. Nevertheless, many individuals, especially those with atypical physical, psycho-emotional, social, and other characteristics, and thus with special educational needs, continue to face systemic exclusion in sports. Coaches, as key figures in the sports environment, have the potential to implement inclusive practices in their teams, but their readiness to do so remains insufficiently researched. The COM-B model, which considers capabilities, opportunities, and motivation as key determinants of behavior, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and enhancing coaches' readiness to work inclusively. By addressing three research questions, this study aims to identify, using the COM-B model, the perceptions of Ukrainian coaches regarding their capabilities, opportunities, and motivation to coach athletes with special educational needs. Material and methods. A survey conducted between September 2023 and March 2024 involved 379 Ukrainian coaches across 58 sports. Of these, 217 (57.3%) were men and 162 (42.7%) were women, with an average age of 37 (±14) years. The survey was based on the COM-B model, data collection was carried out using Google Forms, and statistical calculations were performed using Microsoft Office Excel 2010. The methods applied included questionnaires and a range of general scientific and statistical (descriptive statistics) methods. Results. Among the components that determine behavior according to the COM-B model, coaches rated their motivation the highest. However, a low level of capability and opportunities for working with athletes with special educational needs (SEN) was also identified, indicating existing challenges that hinder the effective implementation of inclusivity in the training process. Approximately half of the respondents believed that they had not received adequate training (54.9%), lacked appropriate equipment and conditions (52.8%), and did not have the necessary methodological resources (46.2%) for coaching athletes with SEN. About 20% of the surveyed coaches acknowledged having a strong desire (20.6%) and intention (17.7%) to coach athletes with SEN, as well as possessing the necessary interpersonal communication skills (19%). These percentage results are supported by central tendency measures at levels below the median value. Conclusions. The survey results indicate the need for further measures to change coaches' behavior, taking into account their perceptions of their capabilities, opportunities, and motivation to coach athletes with SEN. This will not only improve the quality of training for all athletes but also contribute to the sustainable development of inclusivity in sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El objetivo del artículo es analizar el concepto geométrico de radián a través de un fenómeno de transposición de conocimientos, el cual se investiga en diferentes obras elementales. Situamos el concepto en la configuración general de las producciones a lo largo del siglo XIX y nos interesamos por su uso en otras disciplinas. Las definiciones del concepto que aparecen en las obras de matemáticas, así como aquellas dedicadas a otras profesiones, son caracterizadas en el escrito desde la Teoría Antropológica de lo Didáctico por praxeologías matemáticas y praxeologías prácticas, en el sentido de Chevallard (2007) y Castela (2009), respectivamente.

Copyright of Wielogłos is the property of Jagiellonian University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Education, Health & Sport is the property of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of MLS Educational Research is the property of MLS Journals S.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The need for counseling in school is an obvious one, because the student's activity can be marked by the appearance of certain problems, for the approach of which the experience, knowledge and guidance of a specialist are needed.

Worldwide, more than 1.5 billion students had to switch to distance learning in 2020. Education took place at home, where parents attended to their children, and teachers taught their students in digital mode, while minors were physically and socially isolated from their peers. Concerning the situation in Austria, several quantitative studies expose two central challenges: First, the comprehensive lack of digital infrastructure disrupted (digital) distance learning. Second, the Covid‐19 pandemic particularly affected vulnerable students and extended educational inequality. The state of the art emphasizes a lack of qualitative studies demonstrating different perspectives on the educational situation of vulnerable students in general and with SEN in particular during the pandemic. This leads to the following research question: How do professional actors map the situation of inclusive and digital education during the Covid‐19 pandemic in Austria? To research this unprecedented situation, four focus groups with diverse stakeholders (teachers, principals, psychologists, and school board employees) discussed their experiences in the school years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Data were analyzed according to the Grounded Theory method of the postmodern approach referred to as “situational analysis.” The study visualizes various parallel discourses and voices within the situation of (digital distance) learning during the Covid‐19 pandemic. The theoretical context of the intersection of inclusive and digital education frames the empirical findings. Central findings relate to missing or discriminatory guidelines and policies, a lack of digital infrastructure, and altered professional‐pedagogical support that minimized or disrupted inclusive education during (digital) distance learning.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common childhood dermatological diseases. Its characteristic clinical feature is intractable pruritus, which causes an urge to scratch the skin, and the occurrence of skin lesions which are typical in their morphology and location. It is characterised by its chronicity, difficulty of treatment and numerous psychosocial consequences which affect not only the patient, but also all family members. The child's severe pruritus and visible skin lesions result in sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue, difficulties in intra- and extra-familial relationships or problems in the family's financial situation. The effectiveness of treatment provided is highly dependent on the parents' commitment, knowledge and skills, as well as their mental condition. Caring for a child with AD is demanding and disrupts many aspects concerning the quality of family life. This article addresses the impact of AD on child and family functioning and the burden of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Litteraria Universitatis Iagellonicae is the property of Jagiellonian University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To optimize the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) for an ultra-thick slab mold, a mathematical model has been established. The molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion transports, and meniscus fluctuation have been investigated through the model. Compared with the concave-bottom SEN cases, the convex-bottom SEN decreases the imping depth of the jet flow and increases the horizontal velocity and temperature on the meniscus. However, the remelting of the solidified shell is dramatic for the convex-bottom case. The well depth of the concave-bottom SEN and the SEN's submerged depth have little influence on molten steel flow and solidification. The effects of SEN port shape and port angle on the molten steel flow are significant. As the port shape changes from rectangle to square or the port downward angle decreases, the imping depth of jet flow decreases, the horizontal velocity and the temperature on the mold free surface increase. For the ultra-thick mold, a square-shaped-port SEN with a −10° downward angle is more beneficial by comprehensive consideration of molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion removal, and mold powder melting. The optimized SEN has been applied to the actual caster and its performance has been assessed, indicating that the SEN optimization is efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, special educational needs (SEN) policy and practice in the UK have been in flux as a succession of governments vacillates with competing social, political and economic agendas. The simultaneous pursuit of educational standards, inclusion and equity has created a fragmented system, as well as cognitive and ethical dilemmas for schools. Moreover, a divisive ‘corporation’ and lucrative SEN industry have been established, contributing to unsustainable growth of the SEN populace and political angst around SEN overidentification. Indeed, the extant literature suggests that for every pupil correctly diagnosed with SEN, another is misdiagnosed, diverting resources from pupils with genuine needs.

The Zero Reject Policy (ZRP) was policy introduced by Ministery of Education in Malaysia, December 2018 purposely to adhance the implementation of Education for All Policy in Malaysia. Through this policy Special Education Need (SEN) students were give an opportunity to study in mainstream classes without any rejection. Therefore, this pilot study aims is to identify the level of teacher's acceptance and readiness among mainstreams teachers in implenting ZRP spesifically in rural school in Malaysia. This quantitative studies involved 120 mainstream teachers whose randomly selected in Kapit, Sarawak. The questionare distributed randomly in 43 primary school teachers in Kapit District and the data analyzed using SPSS V23. The research findings indicated that the level of teachers acceptance and readiness bothly in the moderate level. The top down policy making encougare teachers readiness in implement any new policy. However, the level of readiness also influence by level of acceptance of teachers. Therefore, more exposure about ZRP thru courses and workshop should conducted in order to increase teachers acceptances and readiness to implement ZRP in rural school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, more than 1.5 billion students had to switch to distance learning in 2020. Education took place at home, where parents attended to their children, and teachers taught their students in digital mode, while minors were physically and socially isolated from their peers. Concerning the situation in Austria, several quantitative studies expose two central challenges: First, the comprehensive lack of digital infrastructure disrupted (digital) distance learning. Second, the Covid‐19 pandemic particularly affected vulnerable students and extended educational inequality. The state of the art emphasizes a lack of qualitative studies demonstrating different perspectives on the educational situation of vulnerable students in general and with SEN in particular during the pandemic. This leads to the following research question: How do professional actors map the situation of inclusive and digital education during the Covid‐19 pandemic in Austria? To research this unprecedented situation, four focus groups with diverse stakeholders (teachers, principals, psychologists, and school board employees) discussed their experiences in the school years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Data were analyzed according to the Grounded Theory method of the postmodern approach referred to as “situational analysis.” The study visualizes various parallel discourses and voices within the situation of (digital distance) learning during the Covid‐19 pandemic. The theoretical context of the intersection of inclusive and digital education frames the empirical findings. Central findings relate to missing or discriminatory guidelines and policies, a lack of digital infrastructure, and altered professional‐pedagogical support that minimized or disrupted inclusive education during (digital) distance learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Colloquia Germanica Stetinensia is the property of University of Szczecin Press / Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study focused on evaluating the application of digital tools with features of gamification, aims to evaluate the efficacy, in terms of motivation, engagement and improvement of crucial life skills, reading and writing abilities. The training involved children who attended the Primary School both with typical development and Special Educational Needs (SEN), in particular Specific Learning Disorders. Statistically significant differences emerged – before and after the training – highlighting improvements in the reading and writing abilities in all groups analysed. There was no statistical effect regarding the mediation of motivation on final learning performances; however, children reported high engagement and fun in the gamified activity. In conclusion, this strategy it can be a useful implementation both in the school and in the clinical environment to improve reading and writing abilities, also in children with SEN. L’uso della gamification per il potenziamento delle abilità di letto-scrittura nella Scuola Primaria. Questo studio ha come obiettivo quello di valutare l’efficacia, in termini di motivazione, coinvolgimento e potenziamento di alcune importanti life skills, quali la letto-scrittura, dell’utilizzo di strumenti digitali con caratteristiche di gamification. La presente ricerca ha coinvolto bambini frequentanti la Scuola Primaria sia a sviluppo tipico che con Bisogni Educativi Speciali (BES), in particolare Disturbi Specifici dell’Apprendimento. Sono emerse differenze statisticamente significative – prima e dopo il training – evidenziando dei miglioramenti nelle abilità di letto-scrittura in tutti i gruppi indagati. Non sono emersi degli effetti significativi di mediazione della motivazione sulle performance finali, ma i bambini hanno riportato un elevato coinvolgimento e gradimento dell’attività gamificata. In conclusione, tale strategia può essere un’utile implementazione all’interno dell’ambito scolastico e clinico per potenziare le abilità di letto-scrittura, anche in bambini con BES.

Background: Hearing loss and hypertension are leading causes of disability, affecting over 360 million people. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of factors such as vitamin D and sleep disorder on the risk of hearing loss among hypertensive patients. Material and methods: This prospective cohort study involved 885 patients aged between 25 and 65 years old who visited our ENT and Endocrinology departments. The study was based on biochemical tests, physical examination, hearing assessment, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index test. Statistical analysis used bivariate and multivariate stepwise regression. Results: Of 855 hypertensive patients, 184 (21.5%) had hearing loss. There were statistically significant differences between hypertensive patients with and without hearing loss in terms of BMI, smoking, family history of diabetes, tinnitus, vertigo, and headache. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between hypertensive patients with hearing loss versus those with normal hearing in terms of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, potassium, fasting glucose, HbA1C, HDL, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, microalbuminuria, and sleep quality. Among hypertensive patients, a multivariate regression analysis (stepwise method) indicated that vertigo, systolic blood pressure, vitamin D deficiency, numbness in the hand, tinnitus, vigorous activity, metabolic syndrome, sleep disturbance, and obesity were all risk predictors of hearing loss. Conclusions: Controlling hypertension, vitamin D level, sleep, and lifestyle might lower the risk of hearing loss among hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of ABE: Advances in Building Education is the property of Departamento de Tecnologia de la Edificacion, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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The aim of the study was to illustrate the impact of teachers' implementation of differentiation and individualization (perceived by students) on students' perception of their inclusion regarding their social inclusion, emotional wellbeing and academic self-concept. The study sample comprised 824 third-to-eighth-grade students [255 males (31%) and 569 females (69%)]. Around 10% of the sample (82) had special educational needs (SEN). Students' perceived inclusion levels and academic self-concept were examined with the Arabic version of the Perceptions of Inclusion Questionnaire (PIQ-S-AR). Students' ratings of inclusive practices in their classroom were examined using the Arabic version of the Inclusive Teaching Practices Scale (ITPS). SEN students expressed lower perceived social inclusion, emotional inclusion, and academic self-concept in comparison with non-SEN students. Moreover, high levels of inclusive teaching practices strongly predicted students' perceived emotional inclusion, social inclusion, and academic self-concept. The results of the study supported the importance of school-level inclusive teaching practices and their relation to students' school experiences. It also highlighted the need for schools and teachers to work towards improved school-level inclusion experiences for SEN students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim of the study was to illustrate the impact of teachers’ implementation of differentiation and individualization (perceived by students) on students’ perception of their inclusion regarding their social inclusion, emotional wellbeing and academic self-concept. The study sample comprised 824 third-to-eighth-grade students [255 males (31%) and 569 females (69%)]. Around 10% of the sample (82) had special educational needs (SEN). Students’ perceived inclusion levels and academic self-concept were examined with the Arabic version of the Perceptions of Inclusion Questionnaire (PIQ-S-AR). Students’ ratings of inclusive practices in their classroom were examined using the Arabic version of the Inclusive Teaching Practices Scale (ITPS). SEN students expressed lower perceived social inclusion, emotional inclusion, and academic self-concept in comparison with non-SEN students. Moreover, high levels of inclusive teaching practices strongly predicted students’ perceived emotional inclusion, social inclusion, and academic self-concept. The results of the study supported the importance of school-level inclusive teaching practices and their relation to students’ school experiences. It also highlighted the need for schools and teachers to work towards improved school-level inclusion experiences for SEN students.

This paper reports the findings of research that the author conducted in order to investigate the development of English communication skills in learners with autistic spectrum disorders. Information and background about the issue is followed by a brief analysis of theory as presented in the literature. In the first part of the paper, the authors examine the relationship between appropriate therapy, understanding the disorder, using specific teaching methods, and the effective learning of communication skills in English. As shown in the literature, learning a language can bring therapeutic benefits and the use of particular teaching techniques has great effects on the development of English communication skills in autistic children. Furthermore, the subsequent part of the paper presents the results of the author's work with a student suffering from Asperger's syndrome. The paper ends with conclusions drawn as a result of the case study.

Sen's Capability Approach is one of the most significant theoretical contributions to welfare analysis across a range of disciplines. A part of the literature argues that its conceptual linear flow—from resources to 'functionings', which result in well-being—potentially ignores more complex relations with the feedback loops where a single item could be viewed as having a different role by different people, in different contexts. We explore perceptions of existing feedback relationships in interviews with 74 women from nine seaweed farming villages in Indonesia, engaged in two distinct activities: seaweed farming and artisanal seaweed processing. We find that capability sets required for farming and for processing are distinct and in both cases we observe feedback loops. Several factors, notably social networks and transportation (motorbikes), were mentioned in almost all contexts indicating that not all resources are of equal 'value' and might yield different levels of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research study occurred because of the many observations made by the researcher while working in international schools in East and Southeast Asia. Although multiple studies have investigated teaching assistants in public schools, there is little research dedicated to the study of teaching assistants in international schools. The purpose of this research study was to look at classroom practices, student language acquisition, professional development, and teaching assistant wellbeing in international schools through the lenses of locally-hired teaching assistants and to discover what they consider to be barriers in their positions as a teaching assistant. Further, comparisons were made between teaching assistants in English-only and multi-lingual schools and between teaching assistants in schools that are for-profit and non-profit. Data acquisition for this mixed-methods study occurred through a thirteen question survey that was completed by 135 teaching assistants working in international schools in East and Southeast Asia. The main findings of this research study were that many teaching assistants in international schools desire relevant professional development, fairer working environment, more equitable salary conditions, and more professional and career opportunities.

Copyright of Językoznawstwo is the property of Akademii Humanistyczno-Ekonomicznej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Critical Hermeneutics: Biannual Journal of Philosophy is the property of Universita degli Studi di Cagliari and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents areas of convergence in the thoughts of Amartya Sen and Slavoj Žižek on how violence is culturalized and consequently mystified. First, Žižek's ideas on the culturalization of politics are explicated. Second, Sen's notions on the mystification of identity and his conception of rationality are discussed. Third, Sen's and Žižek's common criticisms of the clash of civilization theory in relation to religious violence are elaborated. Lastly, from synthesizing Sen's and Žižek's thoughts, key theses are provided on how the culturalization of politics and identity mystifies violence by rendering its axiomatic, universal, and rational political dimension as cultural, particularist, and non-ideological. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To optimize the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) for an ultra-thick slab mold, a mathematical model has been established. The molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion transports, and meniscus fluctuation have been investigated through the model. Compared with the concave-bottom SEN cases, the convex-bottom SEN decreases the imping depth of the jet flow and increases the horizontal velocity and temperature on the meniscus. However, the remelting of the solidified shell is dramatic for the convex-bottom case. The well depth of the concave-bottom SEN and the SEN’s submerged depth have little influence on molten steel flow and solidification. The effects of SEN port shape and port angle on the molten steel flow are significant. As the port shape changes from rectangle to square or the port downward angle decreases, the imping depth of jet flow decreases, the horizontal velocity and the temperature on the mold free surface increase. For the ultra-thick mold, a square-shaped-port SEN with a −10° downward angle is more beneficial by comprehensive consideration of molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion removal, and mold powder melting. The optimized SEN has been applied to the actual caster and its performance has been assessed, indicating that the SEN optimization is efficient.

Background: Attitudes toward peers with disabilities play a crucial role in implementing inclusive education. This study examines how students' attitudes are associated with gender; having relatives with disabilities and the frequency of contact with them; attending a class that includes students with special educational needs (SEN); and having previous contact with SEN students through joint activities.Methods and Procedures: The participants included 652 elementary school students (grades 4–6) who completed a short version of the Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Toward Children with Handicaps (CATCH) questionnaire in Arabic.Outcomes and Results: Students in inclusive classes express more positive attitudes in comparison with students in regular classes. However, previous contact through joint activities was associated with more positive attitudes. Females were more likely to hold positive views than males. Having relatives with disabilities had no effect; however, a high frequency of contact with them was associated with more positive perspectives.Conclusions and Implications: The findings on students' attitudes indicate that joint activities between students with and without disabilities are important to promote positive attitudes. Planned opportunities to increase frequent contact, and to promote joint activities between students with and without SEN are recommended.

Mak pojawia się w mitologiach, bajkach, obrzędach oraz krótkich formach folkloru europejskiego wyjątkowo często, jako swoisty konstrukt kulturowy. W artykule dokonuję analizy znaczeń i kontekstów, w jakich roślina ta pojawia się w polskich bajkach ludowych, odnosząc to także do praktyki kulturowej, jak i wiedzy fitoterapeutycznej, będącej źródłem symboliki łączącej mak ze światem snu, śmierci, istot demonicznych oraz inicjacji w tradycyjnym folklorze. Żywotność maku w świadomości etnobotanicznej Polaków zdecydowanie wyróżnia się na tle pozostałych ziół, co udowadniają m. in. przeprowadzone na potrzeby artykułu ankiety. Zmieniające się realia gospodarcze i kulturowe wpłynęły na gwałtowny spadek wiedzy zielarskiej, zanikanie obrzędów i praktyk magicznych (w tym z użyciem nasion maku) w Polsce, niemniej mak wciąż należy do roślin, których działanie lecznicze oraz istotne miejsce w czasie świąt (najczęściej Bożego Narodzenia) znane jest w Polsce niemal każdemu. Współczesny folklor ustny z komponentem „mak” odnosi się głównie do domowej produkcji środków odurzających z opium, tworząc nowe treści fabularne (także z elementami komicznymi), których fragmenty zamieszczam w artykule. Wątki te wzbogacają zasoby polskiej literatury oralnej dotyczącej roślin.

Background: Attitudes toward peers with disabilities play a crucial role in implementing inclusive education. This study examines how students' attitudes are associated with gender; having relatives with disabilities and the frequency of contact with them; attending a class that includes students with special educational needs (SEN); and having previous contact with SEN students through joint activities. Methods and Procedures: The participants included 652 elementary school students (grades 4–6) who completed a short version of the Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Toward Children with Handicaps (CATCH) questionnaire in Arabic. Outcomes and Results: Students in inclusive classes express more positive attitudes in comparison with students in regular classes. However, previous contact through joint activities was associated with more positive attitudes. Females were more likely to hold positive views than males. Having relatives with disabilities had no effect; however, a high frequency of contact with them was associated with more positive perspectives. Conclusions and Implications: The findings on students' attitudes indicate that joint activities between students with and without disabilities are important to promote positive attitudes. Planned opportunities to increase frequent contact, and to promote joint activities between students with and without SEN are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comply with the United Nations’ (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities teaching units have to be universally accessible to all students. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers one possible way of creating an inclusive teaching unit that should be accessible to as many students as possible. New technologies and media are very suitable for providing flexible materials and are therefore of particular importance to the UDL. To investigate the effect of a digital multimedia learning environment on students with and without special educational needs (SEN) we developed a learning software according to the UDL for two 90 min courses for the lower secondary chemistry course. We examined the learning environment in inclusive German classrooms with n = 89 students at the age of 13–15, including n = 16 SEN-students. For this, we used a chemistry performance test in form of a multiple-choice test in a pre-post-follow-up-design as well as a test for the attitude of the students towards the learning software. Additionally, we recorded the activities on the screens of selected learners. The chemistry performance concerning chemical reactions significantly increased through the intervention. Moreover, the students gave a positive feedback on the learning software. The results of the study suggest that the digital learning unit is suitable for learning about chemical reactions. The analysis of the videos shows that students with and without SEN use the functions of the software mostly adequate. In this paper first results are presented, further analysis will follow.