Web Accessibility: A Tutorial for University Faculty

Web accessibility is the practice of making Web sites accessible to people, such as the disabled, to access the Internet. Approximately 40 million Americans have some form of disability, and slightly less than 2.5 million are enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Since the instructional role of the Internet has become a central part of both conventional classroom instruction and distance education, it is imperative that instructional Web sites be designed for accessibility. The purpose of this article is to introduce Web accessibility issues to university faculty. The tutorial contains two main sections. In the first, we review the literature on the magnitude of the problem, empirical studies, and the legal mandates surrounding Web accessibility. In the second section, we discuss the standards related to Web accessibility, and the authoring and evaluation tools available for designing accessible Web sites

Desktop Management

Desktop management consists of the systematic activities performed by IS professionals to manage distributed computing resources throughout an organization. However, it does not appear that desktop management is being practiced extensively by organizations at this time. This paper, a comprehensive tutorial whose purpose is to raise awareness concerning the importance and potential of desktop management, examines the following issues: (1) What is the significance of desktop management? (2) What management practices constitute desktop management? (3) What are the benefits associated with implementing desktop management practices? (4) Why is desktop management not implemented? (5) What is the future of desktop management? The significance of desktop management is explored relative to total cost of ownership and the actions by the computer industry to support desktop management. Desktop management practice is described from two perspectives: (1) the software tools that enable and facilitate desktop management, and (2) the managerial activities associated with the discipline of desktop management. The benefits of desktop management covered in this paper include reduced cost of ownership, improved user productivity, and enhanced competitive advantage. However, desktop management is not widely practiced at this time, and the reasons for this state of affairs are examined briefly. Sales projections for desktop management software and interest in the topic on the Internet provide evidence that desktop management will be an important issue in the future. Issues that will impact that future include alternate ways of reducing total cost of ownership, increased use of mobile devices, and the emergence of enterprise system management tools

Technical Note: Desktop Management in Practice

Desktop management is the set of activities employed to manage distributed IT resources within an organization. Reports from the late 1990s indicated that desktop management was not widely used. This article presents the results of a survey about the extent to which desktop management functions and policies are currently implemented in practice and about the perception of the benefits of desktop management. The primary conclusion of this technical note is that desktop management, despite moderately favorable perceptions of its benefits, is still not extensively implemented. However, when our data are evaluated relative to earlier reports, it appears that the level of implementation increased somewhat between 1998 and 2002

Minimal Brain Dysfunction with Hyperactivity: a Comparison of the Behavioral and Cognitive Effects of Pharmacological and Behavioral Treatments

It was the aim of the study: to compare the behavioral and cognitive effects of pharmacological and behavioral therapies in the short-term, clinical treatment of minimal brain dysfunction; and, to compare the behavioral and cognitive effects of stimulant (methylphenidate) and antidepressant (imipramine) drugs in the short-term, clinical treatment of minimal brain dysfunction. Twenty-nine boys, ranging in age from 6 through 12 years, with the diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction with hyperactivity, were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: imipramine, methylphenidate, or behavior modification. The total time of treatment for each child was 6 weeks. For subjects within the imipramine and methylphenidate groups, medication dosage was individually titrated by a child psychiatrist. (Range: 75- 150 mg/daily of imipramine, 10- JO mg/daily of methylphenidate.) Parents of subjects within the behavior modification group individually met with an experimenter l hour per week. Behavioral principles were discussed, problem behaviors targeted, and behavioral programs devised for implementation during the treatment period. Subjects assigned to behavior modification were also individually seen once weekly. The first part of a session focused on behavioral control, following the method of behavior rehearsal. Working from problem areas targeted by parents, the subjects and experimenter discussed specific encounters, and then reenacted these incidents, rehearsing alternative, adaptive behaviors. The second part of a session was devoted to cognitive control, with training in self-directed verbal commands instituted. On tasks of trail making, matching pictures, and embedded figures, subjects verbally cued themselves to delay and to consider requirements before attempting a solution, with reinforcement contingent upon responses correct on initial trial. For all groups, prior to and following treatment, behavioral and cognitive measures were obtained: parents completed a behavior rating scale, the Parent's Questionnaire; teachers completed the School Report, assessing behavior and academic achievement; and subjects were administered a battery of psychological tests which included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Wide Range Achievement Test, Porteus Maze Test, Bender Gestalt Test, Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, and Draw-APerson. Analysis of the data from teachers' global ratings of behavior indicated the superiority of pharmacological treatment in comparison with behavioral treatment. Within the cognitive area, based on teachers' global ratings of academic achievement and the Porteus Maze Test, pharmacological treatment was again shown superior. Isolating specific group effects, contributing to the major portion of the variance between pharmacological and behavioral treatments was the superiority of methylphenidate to behavior modification. Further research was felt necessary concerning the therapeutic comparability or lack of comparability of imipramine and behavior modification treatments. Between imipramine and methylphenidate treatments, based on teachers' ratings of hyperactivity and global ratings of both behavior and academic achievement, differential effects, in favor of methylphenidate, were suggested. Thus, the comparability of imipramine and methylphenidate treatments in terms of both behavioral and cognitive effects was felt to be in question. Results were discussed in terms of the bounds of the design, procedure, and measurements. Qualifications were noted concerning statistical power, Type I error, the relative rather than absolute efficacy of the treatments, and the validity of the measurements. Application and research implications were presented. The need for continued research into the application of behavioral programs with MBD children, both independent of and in conjunction with pharmacological treatment, was stressed, with suggestions provided as to the clinic-based and, to a limited extent, school-based implementation of such programs

Paper 4: Pathways to Opportunity: Financial Flexibility and Workforce Readiness

This paper explores key factors that contribute to military family financial readiness—prior to transition—so that service members may exercise control over their finances and optimize their choices at transition to optimize their financial opportunities and minimize the risk of financial hardship. The goal for any service member is to maximize their range of options in transition by capitalizing on their unique assets (education benefits, intangible leadership skills, etc.) and limiting potential liabilities (limited professional network, advanced education or training) through sound financial preparation

2013 Military Family Lifestyle Survey: Comprehensive Report

Despite the drawdown of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the United States will continue to rely on an all-volunteermilitary for global stability and security for the foreseeable future. The Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey takes a proactive look at the current needs and priorities of military families and service members and what can be done to support them. The goal of the survey is to provide concrete data and information about prominent aspects of the military lifestyle so that decisionmakers can make informed choices on their behalf. After all, the first step in recognizing the unique and substantial contributions military families make to this nation's security and collective strength, is to understand their perspective and experiences while serving.Each year, Blue Star Families collects data and disseminates the results so that stakeholders can address military families with a timely and relevant perspective. In doing so, decision-makers may be able to target efforts for better reception, applicability, and successful outreach to military families in communities across the nation and around the world. This report details the results and analysis of the fourth annual Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey.The survey, which was conducted online in November 2012 with more than 5,100 military family respondents, was designed to reveal key trends in today's military families by examining, among other things, feelings of stress, financialreadiness, spouse employment, effects of deployment, levels of communication, behavioral and mental health, wellbeing, and civic engagement. !e results provide clear insight into the unique lifestyles of modern-day military families after more than a decade of continuous war

The Evolution of the Veteran Employment Landscape

This brief discusses five key highlights related to post-9/11 veteran employment

Paper 1: Work after Service: Developing Workforce Readiness and Veteran Talent for the Future

This paper covers several related topics such as: Understanding how the concept of workforce readiness applies to transitioning service members and veterans; examining interactions between career preferences, job matching, performance, and retention; exploring the links between financial readiness, spouse employment, and workforce readiness; and employer perspectives on workforce readiness and key factors and practices that influence retention and job satisfaction among veteran employees

Helping Military Spouses Find Careers that Move with Them

This paper focuses on job portability and what employers can do to not only recruit but also retain military spouse employees when they relocate. This study defines job portability, identifies gaps, and offers guidance to military spouses and potential employers. In collaboration with Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU), Helping Military Spouses Find Careers that Move with Them is #6 in a series of research products, focused on military spouse employment. This paper explores, barriers to sustained employment related to relocation and job portability, the essential role employers play in ensuring a workplace is “military spouse friendly,” how employers can benefit from job portability by retaining talent, and challenges that accompany the Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) when military spouses work overseas

Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) Overseas: A Portability Roadmap for Military Spouses and Their Employers

Within military families, military spouse employment also positively impacts service member retention. Like their civilian counterparts, military spouses often want and need to work. But, unlike most civilians, military spouses may relocate overseas where their employment options are influenced by diplomatic agreements called Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs). As a result, SOFAs may present unanticipated and sometimes insurmountable barriers to military spouses who wish to work after relocating overseas. This paper gives insights to the military spouse as well as their employer