US Air Force Air Logistics Centers: Lean Enterprise Transformation and Associated Capabilities

Student research poste

Inclusive Education For Students With Emotional Impairments: Factors For Success

Special education policy and practice are ever evolving to best meet the needs of all students in an inclusive environment. Since the implementation the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) thirty years ago, students with special needs have moved from restrictive, exclusionary placements to being educated alongside their same aged non-disabled peers. As we have moved towards viewing special education as a service, not a place, including more students with disabilities in the general education setting and curriculum has become the expected practice in the majority of public schools in the United States. Despite this progress, students with emotional impairments remain the most excluded population from inclusive education and continue to have higher dropout and expulsion rates. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to identify and examine what factors contribute to successful inclusion for students with emotional impairments. Through qualitative methods including classroom observations, review of records, artifact collection, and teacher and student interviews, characteristics of successful inclusion were examined. Teacher perceptions about including students with emotional impairments in their classrooms were explored as well as special education students\u27 attitudes and beliefs about being included in the general education setting. This study suggests that although past research shows that students with emotional impairments are the most excluded population from general education, this inequity can be changed. The inclusive culture at the research site was studied, providing a theory of the factors needed for successful inclusive practices. Six main factors were found across data sets to be necessary for successful inclusion to occur: (1) Communication and Collaboration, (2) Relationships, (3) Inclusive Classroom Environment, (4) Teaching Philosophy, (5) Coping Skills Acquisition, and (5) Student Self-Awareness. A commitment to creating and sustaining these components can lead to increased access to general education for students with emotional impairments

Humans of the Peace Corps: URI Edition

JESSICA COHEN (Political Science) Humans of the Peace Corps: URI Edition Sponsors: Kathleen Maher (Honors Program), Nancy Stricklin (Office of the Provost) The Peace Corps is a volunteer organization that was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. The Peace Corps’ overarching mission is to promote world peace and friendship. It achieves this by “helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women and helping to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served”. Volunteers have helped with major global issues such as fighting hunger and protecting the environment, while also making an impact at the local level within the community they serve. They educate and inspire community members with their service and involvement, and create lasting bonds between the host nation and the United States. Since its start, more than 235,000 Americans have served as volunteers (PCVs). PCVs range from newly-graduated college students to older adults, and each volunteer has a unique story that is worth sharing. After graduating, I plan to apply to volunteer with the Peace Corps. URI has had a long history of producing PCVs and, in fact, the university once housed the Rhode Island office for the Peace Corps. Today, URI is one of the topranked producers of PCVs, and is one of 120 universities that offers the Peace Corps Prep Program, which provides undergraduate students with a framework to develop core competencies which are highly valued in PCVs. For my Honors project, I am presenting a range of profiles and experiences of PCVs. Inspired by the popular “Humans of New York” book and social media page, I created my own “Humans of the Peace Corps” book. The book features various Peace Corps volunteers, all of whom are URI-affiliated. Each page shares a profile of the volunteer I interviewed, based upon a set of questions I asked them. The questions range from why they joined the Peace Corps to the most challenging part about volunteering. I realized that the best way to find out more about what it is like to be in the Peace Corps would be to talk with actual volunteers. I wanted to hear the good, the bad, the ugly, and the life-changing moments each volunteer had to share, so that I could better understand what this commitment entails. Another goal of this project is that the book may serve as a resource for URI students enrolled in the Peace Corps Prep Program. My hope is that they will be able to see their future selves in the profiles of past URI alumni, faculty, and staff who volunteered. From my interviews, I was able to see my future after URI. I was able to see connections and similarities between all the volunteers, even if they did not know each other. I saw how life-changing the Peace Corps was to each volunteer and how much the experience meant to them. I hope “The Humans of the Peace Corps” reflects this and does each volunteer justice

Defending Activists at Risk: Protecting Human Rights Defenders from Threats and Violence

This paper seeks to identify protection and security strategies that can be utilized to support human rights defenders. With the intention of making this paper useful to both human rights practitioners and grantmakers, we discuss important legislation, highlight case studies and conclude with a series of best practices drawn from our experience and the recommendations of experts in the field. We hope this work stimulates needed dialogue, enhancing the safety of human rights defenders and making them more effective in their tireless efforts on behalf of others

Development of an Art Therapy Protocol for Reducing Shame in Forensic Offenders

This research follows the development and implementation of the Shame Reduction for Offenders (SRO) art therapy protocol. The protocol is carried out in a group format with twelve participants with forensic backgrounds on an inpatient unit at a psychiatric state hospital. Using art therapy, the patients directly and indirectly address feelings of shame as well as fear of losing control. Due to the nature of art therapy, the non-verbal aspects of this protocol allow participants to confront these feelings in a less threatening space. This protocol allows participants to gain insight and communicate about the topics of shame and control more confidently during and after these sessions than in previous treatment, as reported by the treatment teams of the participating individuals as well as observations by the group co-leaders

Warner Robins and the Buy Purchase Request Process

Throughout the United States Air Force, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (ALC) has a reputation of being ahead of the game when it comes to lean implementation. Efforts on the shop floor have contributed vastly to that reputation. In addition, administrative accomplishments need to be recognized as a significant contribution to the lean effort at Warner Robins. At the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (ALC), the ultimate goal of every employee is to serve the warfighter effectively and efficiently through the maintenance and repair of aircraft. The ALC’s main work is in Program Depot Maintenance (PDM) which supports aircraft sustainment operations for seven Product Directorates. Within Product Directorates are the System Program Offices (SPOs), such as C-5 or C-130, of Air Force weapon systems. Sustainment is a dauntingly complex process for the Air Force involving the Depot and PDM efforts, movement and storage of parts, and the base repair process. In 2002, Warner Robins embarked upon a lean journey to improve the reliability, timeliness and costs associated with its repair operations. Within the context of that improvement attempt, this case study examines the efforts to maximize purchase request efficiency, (i.e., shorten the time needed to acquire parts)