Proceedings of the 2nd European conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ECDVRAT 1998)

The proceedings of the conferenc

How do parents use health information with the aid of a knowledge broker when living with and caring for their young children with cerebral palsy?

This research aims to understand how parents use health information (such as those developed from the Move & PLAY study) with the aid of a knowledge broker when living with and caring for young children with cerebral palsy. This research was conducted under a qualitative case study methodology and used questionnaires and in-depth interviews to collect data. Findings include the complexity of both parental use of health information and the desire to use a knowledge broker. A provisional model has been created to help describe information use of parents with young children with cerebral palsy. This provisional model is an important addition to the field of knowledge translation and childhood rehabilitation, as it has implications for the facilitation of knowledge use in the everyday lives of families with children with chronic health conditions

Proceedings of the 1st European conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ECDVRAT 1996)

The proceedings of the conferenc

“Only if you were in my shoes, you'd see it the way I do!” Reflecting on Professional Identity and Improving Design Practice: An Autoethnographic Phenomenological Study of Disabled Residents in Second Life

ABSTRACT Reflecting on professional identity and improving design practice: An autoethnographic phenomenological study of disabled residents in Second Life Antonia Tzemopoulos, Ph.D. Concordia University, 2015 A limited number of studies have examined e-learning environments for people with disabilities. Essentially, these studies place emphasis on descriptions pertaining to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards and highlight interface design theory. Much has been said regarding interface design but little has been said regarding the interrelationship between the virtual environment, user emotions and the disabled learner. As spaces of learning are changing, going from the once traditional classroom environment to that of the virtual space, there is a growing need to understand how people with disabilities feel within the “pixelated” environment, thus allowing instructional designers to obtain a better understanding of what is a “good design” for people with disabilities. Virtual environments allow people with disabilities to participate in activities which would not be possible in real life, exploring regions that are bound by diverse aesthetical experiences, various stimuli and sociality. However, a number of questions still remain unanswered and can equally contribute to the improvement of the instructional design practice while fostering the idea of “doing good” for the disabled user. In this study, which extended over a period of one year, research was conducted on adults with various real life disabilities (visible or non-visible) who are active residents within Second Life, a 3D online environment. The researcher, also a resident of Second Life, had an opportunity to interact with members of Virtual Ability Island, an online environment that enables users with a wide variety of disabilities to obtain support, access to health information and develop mastery of navigation of the online world using different tutorials. Resulting from her multiple visits, friendships emerged prior to commencing the research journey. Reflecting as a researcher, she sheds light on some of the challenges she encountered during the research process and how interacting with people from Virtual Ability Island altered her perception of the meaning “designing for people with disabilities”. The methodology used is unique: a fusion of autoethnography, phenomenology, and narrative research combined with Tillmann-Healy’s Friendship as a Method. Using reflective journaling, casual conversations, field notes and virtual snapshots, the researcher’s thoughts parallel those of the disabled residents of the Second Life community. The Virtual Ability Island residents took the researcher on a visual, emotional and textual journey, sharing their experiences of Second Life. Although, the purpose of this study was intended to create dialogue, as well as evoke emotions, the underlying purpose was to demonstrate that alternative research methods can be considered as professional tools. These tools highlight active listening, emphasize ethical reasoning, and encourage critical self-reflection, while focusing on empathy, compassion and relationship building with the participant(s). They also aid in the interaction and gathering of data from people with disabilities in virtual environments such as Second Life

Young adults and disability: transition to independent living?

The study aims to explore young disabled peoples I concerns about independent living, and how they view the source of that independence. The transition to adulthood poses particular problems for young physically disabled adults and independent living is a widely shared goal. The independent living movement has spearheaded an increasing awareness amongst disabled people of their rights as human beings and citizens and has brought together ideas on independent living and ways of achieving it. The philosophy of independent living is based on four assumptions: that all human life is of value; that anyone, regardless of their impairment, is capable of exerting choices; that people who are disabled by society's reaction to physical, intellectual and sensory impairment and to emotional distress have a right to have control over their lives, with whatever assistance they need to do so; and that disabled people have the right to participate fully in society. Government policy is consonant with the aims of the independent living movement: to keep individuals in the community and to address their needs more appropriately. This study, which is based upon data from 42 young physically disabled adults uses qualitative methods which were inspired by the ideals of the Emancipatory Research Paradigm. Interviews were in-depth and informal and focussed on the periods before, during, and after transition. The work was conducted from the standpoint of the seven fundamental needs outlined in the social model of disability. To what extent had the young people achieved independent living? None of the sample had achieved independent living in its fullest sense in terms of employment, independent housing, financial and personal control of assistance, life style, relationships, educational qualifications or transport. A minority had achieved some of these. The majority had low self-esteem and had received inadequate support from families and the education system and had poor employment prospects. Most were reliant on benefits which were insufficient to meet the extra costs associated with disability and few had received support from social services. Most appeared destined for a life on the margins of society

Young adults and disability: transition to independent living?

The study aims to explore young disabled peoples I concerns about independent living, and how they view the source of that independence. The transition to adulthood poses particular problems for young physically disabled adults and independent living is a widely shared goal. The independent living movement has spearheaded an increasing awareness amongst disabled people of their rights as human beings and citizens and has brought together ideas on independent living and ways of achieving it. The philosophy of independent living is based on four assumptions: that all human life is of value; that anyone, regardless of their impairment, is capable of exerting choices; that people who are disabled by society's reaction to physical, intellectual and sensory impairment and to emotional distress have a right to have control over their lives, with whatever assistance they need to do so; and that disabled people have the right to participate fully in society. Government policy is consonant with the aims of the independent living movement: to keep individuals in the community and to address their needs more appropriately. This study, which is based upon data from 42 young physically disabled adults uses qualitative methods which were inspired by the ideals of the Emancipatory Research Paradigm. Interviews were in-depth and informal and focussed on the periods before, during, and after transition. The work was conducted from the standpoint of the seven fundamental needs outlined in the social model of disability. To what extent had the young people achieved independent living? None of the sample had achieved independent living in its fullest sense in terms of employment, independent housing, financial and personal control of assistance, life style, relationships, educational qualifications or transport. A minority had achieved some of these. The majority had low self-esteem and had received inadequate support from families and the education system and had poor employment prospects. Most were reliant on benefits which were insufficient to meet the extra costs associated with disability and few had received support from social services. Most appeared destined for a life on the margins of society

A Holmes and Doyle Bibliography, Volume 5: Periodical Articles--Secondary References, Alphabetical Listing

This bibliography is a work in progress. It attempts to update Ronald B. De Waal’s comprehensive bibliography, The Universal Sherlock Holmes, but does not claim to be exhaustive in content. New works are continually discovered and added to this bibliography. Readers and researchers are invited to suggest additional content. Volume 5 includes "passing" or "secondary" references, i.e. those entries that are passing in nature or contain very brief information or content

THE ROLE OF JAVANESE CULTURE IN CHARACTER BUILDING AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Nowadays, character education becomes a major concern in Indonesia. Character development has been done by various strategy, but the results is yet to be seen. Character development should beginin elementary school in order that the children's charactercould formed early so that it could be developed until they are mature. One of the efforts of character building is integrating the local wisdom in learning. One of them is the Javanese culture. Javanese culture has a variety of rules called the "unggah-ungguh" that always give good models to the public community, especially to the Javanese. Along with the times, the Javanese culture that upholds ethics began to degraded and replaced by foreign cultures that came later. The parents’ roles in instilling the Javanese culture to their children also decreased gradually. This paper will examine the Javanese culture’s roles toward the character building in elementary schools’ students. Descriptive method supported by a depth review of the literature and the previous studies is used in this paper as a method. Based on the results of these reviews, we obtain some information about the types and mechanisms of Javanese culture in character building of students, especially elementary school students