A Study of Assistive Technology Competencies of Specialists in Public Schools

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations. The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: (1) to what extent does the perceived level of AT knowledge differ among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public school setting, (2) to what extent does the perceived level of AT skills differ among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public school setting, (3) what are the AT specialists’ perceptions about their AT knowledge and skill levels, (4) what common competency sets are needed for the AT specialist, regardless of their occupational role, (5) what are the training opportunities among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida public schools setting, and (6) what type of training opportunities are essential among AT specialists from different occupations in the Florida school setting. In order to gather data of breadth and depth, the researcher disseminated an online survey, which 39 AT providers from the five Florida school regions completed. Interviews were conducted with seven of the survey respondents to triangulate interview data with the survey data. Results suggested that assistive technology specialists possess different levels of assistive technology knowledge and skills. Assistive technology specialists from different professional backgrounds and years of experience identified a lack of competence in several areas where they currently provide AT services. Assistive technology specialists should seek continuous in-service training to increase their assistive technology knowledge in the evaluation and recommendation of AT equipment and services for students with special needs in schools. This training is vital to meet their students’ assistive technology needs and legislation requirements for assistive technology services for students with disabilities. Recommendations for the improvement of assistive technology professional practice in schools are included in the study

Debilidades del control de créditos y cobranzas y su incidencia en la morosidad de la cooperativa de ahorro y crédito de cesantes, jubilados y activos del sector salud limitada La Libertad (Cejuassa – LL), periodo 2017

El presente trabajo de investigación titulado Debilidades del control de créditos y cobranzas y su incidencia en la morosidad de la Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito de Cesantes, Jubilados y Activos del sector salud limitada La Libertad periodo 2017, tiene como propósito verificar la influencia del control de créditos y cobranzas en la morosidad. La cooperativa brinda servicios de créditos a los asociados, los mismos que son servidores y cesantes del sector salud de la Libertad. Este trabajo se realizó a base de una investigación descriptiva – no experimental. El proceso de la obtención de los datos se reunió a través de guías de observación y entrevista, obteniendo los resultados de una muestra de la cartera de créditos, de los cuales principalmente se analizaron las políticas y procedimientos de los créditos y cobranzas y su implementación. Se pudo determinar que la administración de la cooperativa materia de la evaluación no ha establecido una adecuada gestión del crédito y la recuperación de los créditos; evidenciándose debilidades de control en el proceso de aprobación de los créditos, así como en el proceso de cobranza; situaciones que inciden en el nivel de morosidad que supera al promedio reflejado en el sistema cooperativo FENACREP; y consecuentemente los resultados de la Cooperativa se encuentran disminuidos por las respectivas provisiones efectuadas. Esta situación a su vez, genera limitación del cumplimiento de los objetivos sociales de la Cooperativa al no permitir otorgar nuevos créditos a sus asociados, con los recursos financieros en riesgo e inmovilizados.The present research work entitled Weaknesses of the control of credits and collections and its incidence in the delinquency of the Savings and Credit Cooperative of Discharged, Retired and Active of the limited health sector La Libertad period 2017, has as purpose to verify the influence of the control of credits and collections in the delinquency. The cooperative provides credit services to members, the same ones who are servants and dismissed from the health sector of La Libertad. This work was carried out based on a descriptive - not experimental research. The process of obtaining the data was gathered through observation and interview guides, obtaining the results of a sample of the loan portfolio, of which the policies and procedures of credits and collections and their implementation were mainly analyzed. It was determined that the administration of the cooperative subject of the evaluation has not established an adequate credit management and the recovery of the credits; evidencing control weaknesses in the loan approval process, as well as in the collection process; situations that affect the level of delinquency that exceeds the average reflected in the cooperative system FENACREP; and consequently the results of the Cooperative are diminished by the respective provisions made. This situation, in turn, generates limitation of compliance with the social objectives of the Cooperative by not granting new credits to its members, with the financial resources at risk and immobilized

Supported Employment and Other Work Programs in Developmental Disabilities

Here\u27s the first book of its kind to provide a comprehensive overview of the full range of occupational therapy interventions for work-related services. The authors build a foundation of knowledge based on the development of the worker role, the meaning and function of work in modern day society, and cultural interpretations of work. They then focus on specialized areas of occupational therapy assessment and intervention, including psychosocial and physical assessment and preventative programming.https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_ot_faculty_books/1013/thumbnail.jp

Programa de actividades experimentales para fortalecer las actitudes científicas en niños de 5 años de la Institución Educativa N° 40148, Gerardo Iquira Pizarro, del Distrito de Miraflores, Arequipa, 2016

TesisEl quehacer científico implica el desenvolvimiento de toda actividad que busque la comprobación de una idea mediante la experimentación, está actividad involucra un conjunto actitudes científicas; por ello, en la presente investigación planteamos un programa de actividades experimentales con el objetivo de, demostrar que la aplicación de un programa de actividades experimentales fortalece el desarrollo de actitudes científicas de los niños de 5 años de la institución educativa N° 40148, Gerardo Iquira Pizarro del distrito de Miraflores, Arequipa; por ello, desde diferentes teorías, enfoques y conceptos, se asume las siguientes actitudes científicas que los infantes de 5 años poseen: la curiosidad, la observación, la manipulación, el análisis y la comunicación. Mediante la metodología científica, nivel de investigación aplicada y diseño pre-experimental, con una muestra de 31 niños de 5 años, se inicia la investigación evaluando el nivel de aprestamiento de las actitudes científicas. De los resultados obtenidos al inicio se planifica, crea y ejecuta el programa de actividades científicas para así al finalizar este programa que consto de 11 talleres se evalúan los niveles de logro alcanzados por los niños. Finalmente, obtenidos los resultados del antes y después del programa de actividades experimentales nos han permitido corroborar la hipótesis planteada al inicio de la investigación; por medio de la prueba estadística Chi Cuadrado(X2); en la cual se asume, que mediante la aplicación de un programa de actividades experimentales se fortalecen las actitudes científicas de los niños de 5 años de la institución educativa N° 40148, Gerardo Iquira Pizarro del distrito de Miraflores, Arequipa

ssGBLUP Method Improves the Accuracy of Breeding Value Prediction in Huacaya Alpaca

Improving textile characteristics is the main objective of alpaca breeding. A recently developed SNP chip for alpacas could potentially be used to implement genomic selection and accelerate genetic progress. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the increase in prediction accuracy of three important fiber traits: fiber diameter (FD), standard deviation of fiber diameter (SD), and percentage of medullation (PM) in Huacaya alpacas. The data contains a total pedigree of 12,431 animals, 24,169 records for FD and SD, and 8386 records for PM and 60,624 SNP markers for each of the 431 genotyped animals of the Pacomarca Genetic Center. Prediction accuracy of breeding values was compared between a classical BLUP and a single-step Genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP). Deregressed phenotypes were predicted. The accuracies of the genetic and genomic values were calculated using the correlation between the predicted breeding values and the deregressed values of 100 randomly selected animals from the genotyped ones. Fifty replicates were carried out. Accuracies with ssGBLUP improved by 2.623%, 6.442%, and 1.471% on average for FD, SD, and PM, respectively, compared to the BLUP method. The increase in accuracy was relevant, suggesting that adding genomic data could benefit alpaca breeding programs

Integral Center for Science and Technology of Magdalena

La ciencia, la tecnología y la innovación a largo plazo deben ser prioridad en los proyectos que se deben impulsar, aún más para los países en vía de desarrollo como lo es Colombia. Por lo cual la problemática que hemos decidido abordar es el déficit en la promoción de ciencia, tecnología e innovación para el desarrollo y ejecución de proyectos de alto impacto, dónde el departamento del Magdalena figuró con un bajo aporte concentrando sólo un 9.1% de grupos de investigación en el país para estas áreas, prevaleciendo el comportamiento desigual en este tema en la región caribe. La propuesta contempla todos los diseños para una estructura principal de 4 pisos incluido un sótano, más la distribución de amplios espacios afines al centro integral donde se intervino favoreciendo áreas que garantizan un concepto importante de sostenibilidad ambiental, con un desarrollo importante de zonas verdes y la participación de energías renovables que contribuyen a la idea de innovación sobre el lugar, logrando un 80% de iluminación natural, gracias a una piel de fachada muy característica sobre el edificio principal, lo cual vislumbra la innovación en este proyecto. Alguna de las limitantes, tal vez fue establecer el proyecto sobre un lugar desconocido, pero se logró proponer y desarrollar con éxito coda uno de los capítulos de diseño, incluyendo un trayecto de 783 metros de pavimento rígido para conectar el proyecto. En ese orden de ideas se hizo posible la estructuración de un proyecto de alto impacto para el Magdalena y sus alrededores, logrando diseños seguros y aplicando la normativa vigente para cada una de las áreas desarrolladas promoviendo las buenas prácticas Ingenieriles y fomentando la competitividad frente a la solución de problemáticas con ideas que se pueden materializar cómo lo fue concentrar con calidad los espacios adecuados para el desarrollo científico de la región.Science, technology, and long-term innovation should be a priority in the projects to be promoted, even more so for developing countries such as Colombia. Therefore, the problem that we have decided to approach with this project is the deficit in the promotion of science, technology and innovation for the development and execution of high impact projects, where the department of Magdalena had a low contribution, concentrating only 9.1% of research groups in the country for these areas, prevailing the unequal behavior in this subject in the Caribbean region. The proposal contemplates all the designs for a main structure of 4 floors including a basement, plus the distribution of ample spaces related to the integral center where it was intervened favoring areas that guarantee an important concept of environmental sustainability, with an important development of green areas and the participation of renewable energies that contribute to the idea of innovation on the place, achieving 80% of natural lighting, thanks to a very characteristic facade skin on the main building, which glimpses the innovation in this project. One of the limitations may have been to establish the project on an unknown site, but we were able to successfully propose and develop each of the design chapters, including a 783 meters route of rigid pavement to connect the project. In this order of ideas, it was possible to structure a high impact project for Magdalena and its surroundings, achieving safe designs and applying the current regulations for each of the developed areas, promoting good engineering practices and promoting competitiveness in the solution of problems with ideas that can be materialized as it was to concentrate with quality the appropriate spaces for the scientific development of the region

Young adult outcomes in the follow-up of the multimodal treatment study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: symptom persistence, source discrepancy, and height suppression

Background: The Multimodal Treatment Study (MTA) began as a 14-month randomized clinical trial of behavioral and pharmacological treatments of 579 children (7–10 years of age) diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-combined type. It transitioned into an observational long-term follow-up of 515 cases consented for continuation and 289 classmates (258 without ADHD) added as a local normative comparison group (LNCG), with assessments 2–16 years after baseline. Methods: Primary (symptom severity) and secondary (adult height) outcomes in adulthood were specified. Treatment was monitored to age 18, and naturalistic subgroups were formed based on three patterns of long-term use of stimulant medication (Consistent, Inconsistent, and Negligible). For the follow-up, hypothesis-generating analyses were performed on outcomes in early adulthood (at 25 years of age). Planned comparisons were used to estimate ADHD-LNCG differences reflecting persistence of symptoms and naturalistic subgroup differences reflecting benefit (symptom reduction) and cost (height suppression) associated with extended use of medication. Results: For ratings of symptom severity, the ADHD-LNCG comparison was statistically significant for the parent/self-report average (0.51 ± 0.04, p  less than .0001, d = 1.11), documenting symptom persistence, and for the parent/self-report difference (0.21 ± 0.04, p  less than .0001, d =.60), documenting source discrepancy, but the comparisons of naturalistic subgroups reflecting medication effects were not significant. For adult height, the ADHD group was 1.29 ± 0.55 cm shorter than the LNCG (p  less than .01, d =.21), and the comparisons of the naturalistic subgroups were significant: the treated group with the Consistent or Inconsistent pattern was 2.55 ± 0.73 cm shorter than the subgroup with the Negligible pattern (p  less than .0005, d =.42), and within the treated group, the subgroup with the Consistent pattern was 2.36 ± 1.13 cm shorter than the subgroup with the Inconsistent pattern (p  less than .04, d =.38). Conclusions: In the MTA follow-up into adulthood, the ADHD group showed symptom persistence compared to local norms from the LNCG. Within naturalistic subgroups of ADHD cases, extended use of medication was associated with suppression of adult height but not with reduction of symptom severity. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Young adult outcomes in the follow-up of the multimodal treatment study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: symptom persistence, source discrepancy, and height suppression

Background: The Multimodal Treatment Study (MTA) began as a 14-month randomized clinical trial of behavioral and pharmacological treatments of 579 children (7–10 years of age) diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-combined type. It transitioned into an observational long-term follow-up of 515 cases consented for continuation and 289 classmates (258 without ADHD) added as a local normative comparison group (LNCG), with assessments 2–16 years after baseline. Methods: Primary (symptom severity) and secondary (adult height) outcomes in adulthood were specified. Treatment was monitored to age 18, and naturalistic subgroups were formed based on three patterns of long-term use of stimulant medication (Consistent, Inconsistent, and Negligible). For the follow-up, hypothesis-generating analyses were performed on outcomes in early adulthood (at 25 years of age). Planned comparisons were used to estimate ADHD-LNCG differences reflecting persistence of symptoms and naturalistic subgroup differences reflecting benefit (symptom reduction) and cost (height suppression) associated with extended use of medication. Results: For ratings of symptom severity, the ADHD-LNCG comparison was statistically significant for the parent/self-report average (0.51 ± 0.04, p <.0001, d = 1.11), documenting symptom persistence, and for the parent/self-report difference (0.21 ± 0.04, p <.0001, d =.60), documenting source discrepancy, but the comparisons of naturalistic subgroups reflecting medication effects were not significant. For adult height, the ADHD group was 1.29 ± 0.55 cm shorter than the LNCG (p <.01, d =.21), and the comparisons of the naturalistic subgroups were significant: the treated group with the Consistent or Inconsistent pattern was 2.55 ± 0.73 cm shorter than the subgroup with the Negligible pattern (p <.0005, d =.42), and within the treated gro