KiwiChat camp : experiences and perceptions of children with complex communication needs and their family/whānau : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Speech-Language Therapy at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Children with complex communication needs (CCN) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) require a significant amount of intervention to achieve communicative competence. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of 16 children with CCN and their families who attended KiwiChat Camp, an intensive 5-day camp focused on using AAC in everyday contexts. Very few studies have explored the perceptions and experiences of camp interventions. KiwiChat camp involved explicit training sessions for parents and small group intervention for children who use AAC. All of the family members (parents, siblings and children who use AAC) were immersed in aided language stimulation throughout the day. They interacted with other families of children who use AAC and older AAC mentors. Pre-and-post data were collected through camp surveys for parents and children who use AAC and semistructured interviews with parents and siblings. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were analysed using a general inductive approach. The results indicated that families enjoyed the camp experience and parents experienced increased motivation, inspiration and empowerment following camp. However some felt overwhelmed during camp. They also perceived an increase in a range of communication outcomes (increased AAC use, confidence and knowledge) and sociocultural outcomes (connections with others who use AAC, a sense of belonging and development of identity). Recommendations for future camps and research studies are outlined

Map of research reviews: QCA Building the Evidence Base Project: September 2007 - March 2011

This is one of the major outputs of CUREE's literature review in the first year of the project to develop an evidence base for the curriculum in September 2007. As part of the Building the Evidence Base for a curriculum or the 21st Century project, this 'map' of existing reviews of research was aimed at harnessing evidence related to QCA’s new and wide ranging curriculum framework - it describes and analyses curriculum research; emerging key trends and patterns, results, methods, gaps in the evidence, and a bibliography

The stakes are high in the looming fight to replace Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court

The death late last week of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has further complicated the 2016 presidential race and threatened to bring even more gridlock to Washington DC with Republican Senate leaders pledging not to confirm any nominee sent to them by President Obama to replace Scalia. Lauren Bell looks at the battle that Obama administration now faces in getting a nominee confirmed, but also argues that a protracted nomination fight might end up working against the Republican Party in an election year

The Influence of terrestrial matter in marine food webs of the Beaufort Sea shelf and slope

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2015Terrestrial organic matter (OMterr) can function as a food source for Arctic marine consumers, though the relative contribution of OMterr to the structure and efficiency of marine food webs compared to marine production is unclear. Forecasted increases in OMterr inputs to the Arctic Beaufort Sea necessitate a better understanding of the proportional contribution of this organic matter source to the trophic structure of marine communities. This study investigated the relative ecological importance of OMterr across the Beaufort Sea shelf and slope by examining differences in community trophic structure concurrent with variation in terrestrial versus marine organic matter influence. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios (δD) of surface water, surface sediment particulate organic matter (sPOM), and selected benthic consumers were used as an exploratory assessment of freshwater and OMterr distribution in the Beaufort Sea. δD values of surface water confirmed the widespread influence of Canada's Mackenzie River plume across the Beaufort Sea; however, δD values of terrestrial and marine production were not sufficiently distinguishable to differentiate organic matter sources in consumers. Carbon stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C values) of pelagic particulate organic matter (pPOM) and marine consumers confirmed a significant decrease in OMterr presence and utilization by consumers with increasing distance from the Mackenzie River outflow. Food web length, based on the nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N values) of marine consumers, was longer closer to the Mackenzie River outflow both in shelf and slope locations due to relatively higher δ¹⁵N values of pelagic and benthic primary consumers. The absence of macrofaunal consumers at the lowest trophic levels of OMterr-influenced food webs was interpreted to result from the prior metabolic turnover of OMterr by the microbial loop, which was not sampled in this study. The inferred presence of strong microbial processing of OMterr in the eastern regions of the Beaufort Sea resulted in a higher proportion of relative epifaunal biomass occupying higher trophic levels, suggesting that OMterr as a basal food source can provide substantial energetic support for higher marine trophic levels. These findings challenge the current conception of low terrestrial matter contributions to the Arctic marine food web, and compel a more specific understanding of energy transfer through the OMterr-associated microbial loop

An Electrochemical, Fluidic, Chip-Based Biosensor for Biomarker Detection

Biosensors and their use in both the research and clinical field for the detection and monitoring of critical biomarkers are prevalent and constantly improving. However, continued research needs to be done to address shortcomings, such as low sensitivity, poor specificity, and poor readiness for integration into research use and patient care. The objective of this research was to create a combined fluidic, chip-based biosensor that could detect different biomarkers with high sensitivity and ease of use. For assessing the developed sensor, three separate biomarkers were tested: glucose, cholesterol, and oxygen. Both the glucose biosensor and cholesterol biosensor were combined with the microfluidic platform for biomarker detection testing. The oxygen biosensor was tested as a stand-alone chip, with future work including the combination with the microfluidic platform. Results of stepwise, amperometric tests prove the success of the microfluidic, chip-based biosensor for both glucose and cholesterol detection within the respective physiological ranges, with the glucose biosensor showing high sensitivity and a low limit of detection. The oxygen biosensor also proved successful in detecting changes in oxygen concentration in solution within physiological ranges of arterial oxygen partial pressure

Why blocking Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination may be damaging for Democrats in the long term.

This week President Trump announced the nomination of Court of Appeals judge Neil Gorsuch to fill Antonin Scalia’s vacant Supreme Court seat – a seat which has been vacant for nearly a year due to Senate Republicans’ refusal to approve President Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland. Lauren C. Bell writes that while the Democrats’ voter base may be calling for their party to do all that they can to block Gorsuch, this may push Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell to “take the nuclear option” and remove the remaining filibuster for Supreme Court nominations. That move, she argues, could mean the Democrats face an even more conservative Supreme Court in the years to come

The real danger of Harry Reid’s “nuclear” rules change in the U.S. Senate may be the fallout

On Thursday, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, invoked the long-awaited ‘nuclear option’ to effectively eliminate the threat of filibusters on most presidential nominations. Lauren C. Bell looks at the history of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate, finding that its occurrence greatly increased after the last change to Senate rules in 1975. She argues that despite the appearance that this new rule change will help the Senate to operate more efficiently, past experience has shown that obstructions in the chamber are likely to increase. Given the already polarized nature of Congress, bipartisanship and cooperation are likely to suffer even further

Trump is casting a long shadow over the narrow race for Virginia governor

Voters in the Old Dominion State will go to the polls on November 7th to choose their next Governor. Lauren C. Bell writes that in the age of Trump, the race between Democrat Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie is not a typical off-year election. With Gillespie tacking to the right, both national parties are watching Virginia's election to see if ..

The difficulties over Michael Boggs’ confirmation in the Senate have been made worse by the Democrats’ filibuster reform

Last year Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, forced the removal of the filibuster for judicial nominations except to the Supreme Court. This move may now be a headache for Reid and the Democratic Party, as the Senate considers President Obama’s nomination of Michael Boggs for the Georgia judiciary. Lauren C. Bell writes that Boggs’ nomination, vehemently opposed by many Democrats, due to his voting record as a state legislator, is part of an agreement with with the GOP to allow a vote on an appeals court nominee opposed by Republicans. She writes that despite many Democrats’ opposition to Boggs, the new filibuster rules mean that his confirmation may only require the votes of a small number of their colleagues who want to see their own nominees pushed through