Detection of difficulties and intervention programme for the improvement of visual-motor integration in preschoolers with special educational needs

Abstract

Many categories of children with special needs have difficulties with movement, orientation, balance and visual-motor integration. The aim of this study was to investigate the detectability of difficulties in visual-motor integration in preschoolers with special educational needs and, at the same time, to study the effect of an intervention program applied to children with such difficulties. The Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (6th ed.) was used to assess the children. Nine preschoolers, diagnosed with special educational needs and difficulties in visual-motor integration formed the experimental group. Nine preschoolers diagnosed with special educational needs and difficulties in visual-motor integration participated in the control group, CG-1, and thirteen preschoolers from the typical population participated in CG-2, respectively. The children in the experimental group were administered a ten-week intervention program and upon its completion, all children were reassessed. The intervention program administered was based on the Beery VMI educational tool, My Shape Book. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the performance of the children in the experimental group in visual perception as well as a significant improvement in their performance in motor integration following the intervention.