STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

This qualitative study explores the transition of students with learning disabilities (LDs) from high school to junior college, focusing on self-advocacy, self-determination, and the impact of transition services. Conducted with students aged 18 to 23 in Riverside, California, through semi-structured interviews, it employs hermeneutic interpretative phenomenological analysis to merge participants\u27 experiences with social justice theories. The research underscores the need for educational strategies that are inclusive and adaptive, catering to the unique challenges of students with LDs. Key themes found are Awareness and Application of Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination, the Role of High School Transition Services in College Preparedness, Guidance and Skill Development, Managing College Life, and Advice for Teachers and Students. These themes emphasize the critical role of transition programs and personalized guidance in fostering essential skills among students. The findings call for systemic reforms in education to ensure equitable support and opportunities for students with LDs, highlighting the importance of ongoing research and development in special education

Foundations of Empirical Software Engineering: The Legacy of Victor R. Basili

This book captures the main scientific contributions of Victor R. Basili, who has significantly shaped the field of empirical software engineering from its very start. He was the first to claim that software engineering needed to follow the model of other physical sciences and develop an experimental paradigm. By working on this postulate, he developed concepts that today are well known and widely used, including the Goal-Question-Metric method, the Quality-Improvement paradigm, and the Experience Factory. He is one of the few software pioneers who can aver that their research results are not just scientifically acclaimed but are also used as industry standards. On the occasion of his 65th birthday, celebrated with a symposium in his honor at the International Conference on Software Engineering in St. Louis, MO, USA in May 2005, Barry Boehm, Hans Dieter Rombach, and Marvin V. Zelkowitz, each a long-time collaborator of Victor R. Basili, selected the 20 most important research papers of their friend, and arranged these according to subject field. They then invited renowned researchers to write topical introductions. The result is this commented collection of timeless cornerstones of software engineering, hitherto available only in scattered publications

Factors shaping the evolution of electronic documentation systems

The main goal is to prepare the space station technical and managerial structure for likely changes in the creation, capture, transfer, and utilization of knowledge. By anticipating advances, the design of Space Station Project (SSP) information systems can be tailored to facilitate a progression of increasingly sophisticated strategies as the space station evolves. Future generations of advanced information systems will use increases in power to deliver environmentally meaningful, contextually targeted, interconnected data (knowledge). The concept of a Knowledge Base Management System is emerging when the problem is focused on how information systems can perform such a conversion of raw data. Such a system would include traditional management functions for large space databases. Added artificial intelligence features might encompass co-existing knowledge representation schemes; effective control structures for deductive, plausible, and inductive reasoning; means for knowledge acquisition, refinement, and validation; explanation facilities; and dynamic human intervention. The major areas covered include: alternative knowledge representation approaches; advanced user interface capabilities; computer-supported cooperative work; the evolution of information system hardware; standardization, compatibility, and connectivity; and organizational impacts of information intensive environments

Toward full life cycle control: Adding maintenance measurement to the SEL

Organization-wide measurement of software products and processes is needed to establish full life cycle control over software products. The Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL)--a joint venture between NASA GSFC, the University of Maryland, and Computer Sciences Corporation--started measurement of software development more than 15 years ago. Recently, the measurement of maintenance was added to the scope of the SEL. In this article, the maintenance measurement program is presented as an addition to the already existing and well-established SEL development measurement program and evaluated in terms of its immediate benefits and long-term improvement potential. Immediate benefits of this program for the SEL include an increased understanding of the maintenance domain, the differences and commonalities between development and maintenance, and the cause-effect relationships between development and maintenance. Initial results from a sample maintenance study are presented to substantiate these benefits. The long-term potential of this program includes the use of maintenance baselines to better plan and manage future projects and to improve development and maintenance practices for future projects wherever warranted

Closing the Digital Divide: Understanding Organizational Approaches to Digital Accessibility in Higher Education

Digital accessibility practices are becoming standardized in higher education as institutions seek to meet compliance with federal and state equal access laws. Students with disabilities have equal rights to access university programs and services in digital format. The widespread use of assistive technology, artificial intelligence, and content available in digital format brings forth ethical and legal concerns about equal access for individuals with disabilities. While broad approaches to digital accessibility in higher education are in the literature, there is a growing need for more studies to examine comprehensive approaches to digital accessibility across multiple units, disciplines, and the organization\u27s hierarchy. This case study examined individual participant interviews from 14 practitioners in different units and publicly available data to analyze how digital accessibility is addressed at three medium-sized public institutions of higher. During the inductive coding process, five main themes emerged related to implementing digital accessibility across the institutions, how it relates to people, practices, policies, and planning, and the larger body of literature on digital accessibility. The findings show there is no one-size-fits-all approach to digital accessibility. Institutions in higher education are motivated by risk management and compliance. A centralized and coordinated approach led to more organized efforts. Initiatives were largely led from the middle-level hierarchy. The availability of resources and funding affected the effectiveness of implementation efforts. The consistency of communication and uniformity of training affected the adoption of practices. Technology toolkits influenced the adoption of practices. Institutional policies and standards guided practices. Recommendations include prioritizing digital accessibility and student needs by designating a head of accessibility, coordinating efforts across units, centralizing processes, avoiding technology-only solutions, adopting the Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT), and enacting an official policy that drives practices, expanding training for faculty, and providing consistent assistive technology support for students. An overall institutional coordinated plan for digital accessibility could lead to consistent and regular communication about policies and procedures and provide for a system of metrics and benchmarks

Students with Learning Disabilities in a PostSecondary Education Setting: Identifying the Most Significant Supports

The purpose of this phenomenology was to understand the perceptions that postsecondary students with learning disabilities have in receiving academic supports and accommodations from their institutions in alignment with their educational goals. A significant disparity has occurred between the number of students with disabilities in higher education and the support services available to them. The central question of this study is: What are the experiences of students with learning disabilities in receiving academic support services from their institution? The theory that supports this central question and guided this study is Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. The design of this study is a hermeneutical phenomenological design with various units of analysis. The data was collected through interviews, a focus group interview, and a series of journal prompts. The participants consisted of 10 postsecondary students with learning disabilities who all attended private universities in the northeastern United States. The research revealed the importance of postsecondary students with learning disabilities utilizing academic support centers to achieve academic success. A recommendation for future research is to explore the perceptions that professors have toward their students utilizing the academic support centers by employing a similar qualitative method

Preventable hospitalization among type 2 diabetes patients in Kentucky before and after medicaid expansion 2010-2017.

Objectives: 1) Analyze county level variation in T2DM-PH rates in Kentucky before ACA (2010-2013) and after the ACA (2014-2017). 2) Analyze the relationship between county level socioeconomic factors (income per capita, percentage of uninsured people, percent of urban population, primary care and general preventive offices, population aged 65 and above, median age, household income, percentage in poverty, and unemployment rate ) and county level T2DM-PH rates before (2010-2013) and after (2014-2017) ACA implementation in Kentucky. Method: This research was conducted in two phases: Phase one of this study estimated the county-level PH variation among T2DM patients across eight years (2010-2017), four years (2010-2013) before the Medicaid expansion and the next four years (2014-2017) after the implementation of Medicaid expansion to estimate the ACA impact on health outcomes among T2DM patients in Kentucky. The second phase focused on objective number two, to analyze and compare the socioeconomic factors association with T2DM-PH rates Previ and Post-Medicaid expansion. All county level socioeconomic factors and T2DM-PH rates were extracted from the AHRF data (2010-2017) and merged with Kentucky Hospital Inpatient Discharge Databases (KID) (2010-2017) to estimate and compare the correlations pre- and post-Medicaid expansion. Results: When the overall T2DM-PH rates Pre- and Post-ACA were assessed, a significant reduction (8.38%) in T2DM-PH discharges rates was found in the period of the postexpansion (P = 0.001). However, The spatial statistics analysis revealed significant spatial clustering of counties with similar high rates of T2DM-PH in the southeastern region before and after the expansion. These Counties with cluster type high-high (HH) had high positive z-score, positive Moran’s Index values and p-value2) of the variation in socioeconomic factors. PC1 loaded with wealth variables, whereas PC2 laded with poverty variables. While counties with high PC1 scores were in the northern region of the State, counties with high PC2 were mainly in the southeastern region Pre- and Post-ACA. The regression coefficients show that there is a positive association between PC2 and county level T2DMPH rates in Kentucky. The scaled slope (B) indicates the degree to which the T2DM-PH rate changes with a one-unit change in PC2 Pre-ACA (B=0.972, SE=0313, p=0.002) and Post- ACA (B=1.01, SE=0.218, p=0.001). Conclusion: The Medicaid expansion was associated with reduced T2DM-PH rates at county level in Kentucky. The Medicaid expansion affected the health coverage, but not the economic expansion. Extremely disadvantaged rural counties in southeast Kentucky scored highest on the socioeconomic deprivation profile component (PC2) and was significantly associated with high T2DM-PH rates (

Universal design for learning in Saudi context Assessing faculty readiness

The absence of an inclusive learning environment raises concerns about the equitable educational outcomes for all learners. This study aims to assist educators in providing additional support to learners with disabilities attending public schools and accessing the standard curriculum. Consequently, the research will shed light on potential factors contributing to this deficiency within the context of Saudi Arabia. Assessing instructors' readiness to implement the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework may provide valuable insights into the state of educational institutions and their adoption of inclusive learning environments in higher education. The study's participants is faculty members from education colleges, drawn from 28 universities in Saudi Arabia. A survey was conducted involving 162 faculty members to collect data for analysis. This research design incorporates descriptive statistics, which enables the researcher to summarize data regarding instructors' familiarity with and use of the UDL framework in their classrooms. These statistics provide a quantitative description of the study's items. The online survey is the chosen research method for collecting data, well-suited for descriptive research. The results also indicated that more than half of the faculty members lack experience in teaching students with disabilities or have limited knowledge of UDL and creating accessible learning environments. There are calls for building redesigns to support disability accommodations and to enhance communication between faculty, students, and access centers. The study's findings underscore the significance of training in promoting more inclusive teaching practices, emphasizing the need for ongoing professional development. Many faculty members have limited experience in teaching students with disabilities, although some have had positive teaching experiences. Challenges include resource limitations, insufficient training, and inadequate infrastructure. Based on the study's findings, this research suggests implications for policy and practice, along with recommendations for improving UDL implementation involve training, accessible resources, and administrative support, and guiding future research

Diabetic Coaching Program to Improve African American Patients Glycemic Control

Practice Problem: The purpose of the practice problem was to find out if, among African Americans with type II diabetes who are over 18, adopting a diabetic coaching program that emphasizes diet management can result in better glycemic control over 10 weeks than for those who do not receive coaching. PICOT: In African Americans with type II diabetes over 18 years of age (P), does a diabetic coaching program on diet management (I), compared to no coaching program (C), improve glycemic control (O) over 10 weeks (T)? Evidence: The evidence used to guide this project came from databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and BioMed Central, were searched to obtain a broad range of relevant healthcare literature (Heath et al., 2021; MacFarlane et al., 2022). Also, pre-and post A1C data was collected and analyzed. Intervention: The intervention program used was a Diabetic Coaching Program. The program covered several diabetes management topics during the session, including medication management, blood sugar monitoring, and meal choices. Outcome: Using the tool Intellectus provided insight on the statistical impact of the coaching program. Analysis of the difference between pre-HBA1C and post HBA1C levels showed how the diabetic coaching program affected participants’ glycemic outcome. This finding suggested the difference in the mean of PRE-HBA1C and the mean of POST-HBA1C was not significantly different from zero. Conclusion: The diabetic coaching program aimed to improve diabetes awareness and diet management to enhance glycemic control among African Americans. The intervention\u27s clinical significance emphasized evaluating the effectiveness and efficacy of the diabetic coaching program. The outcome found that there was not a significant change in participants. The sample was small which was a limitation of the project