Comparative cognitive performance of orthopedic, delay, and intellectual disability cases: accommodations?

Many clients who appear for psychological assessment are found to be struggling because of physical or motor performance disabilities in addition to developmental delays or cognitive-processing disabilities. The effects of orthopedic conditions on testing have been known for decades (e.g., Briggs, 1960). Despite the attention to physical disabilities, there are few currently published studies of how developmental delays or motor performance affect performance on cognitive and achievement batteries exclusive of the studies reported in test manuals (e.g., Roid, 2003, on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition, [SB-5]). Often these groups are the smallest among the validation groups. Participants for the current study included individuals aged 3 to 18 from samples collected during the standardization of the SB-5: (a) 22 individuals with 01ihopedic disabilities (9 with cerebral palsy, and 13 with other motor disabilities); (b) 54 individuals with developmental delays; ( c) 104 individuals with documented intellectual disabilities; and ( d) 211 normative cases from a stratified random sample of the U.S. Instruments were the IO subtests of the SB-5 (Roid, 2003). The SB-5 consists of 5 each Verbal and Nonverbal tests representing 5 cognitive factors. Performance of the 4 samples was compared on each of the SB-5 subtests. The normative sample showed the highest level of performance on all subtests. The orthopedic cases showed higher levels of cognitive performance than the developmental delay and intellectual disability samples except on tasks requiring refined motor skills. These findings suggest that SB-5 subtests most clearly differentiate the orthopedic cases from Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, and Control when it involved the manipulation of forms. These included Nonverbal Visual-Spatial, involving the placement of pieces in a formboard or form completion using tanagram-style pieces, and the Nonverbal Working Memory, involving the tapping of blocks. Because response speed is scored for these subtests, it is concluded that standardized test procedures are biased against those whose motor skills are impaired. The separation of speed from cognitive ability is crucial for the fair assessment of cognitive abilities among individuals with physical disabilities (Braden & Elliott, 2003). Appropriate accommodations are needed to fairly assess cognitive functioning for individuals with orthopedic disabilities

Continuous Process Improvement at Tinker Air Logistics Complex

The Air Logistics Centers (ALC) represent the Air Force\u27s largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Operations. The ALCs strive to become leaner by reducing Work In Progress (WIP) inventory, reducing flow times, and increasing product quality to meet aircraft and engine demand levels. The Toyota Production System (TPS) is considered the best example of lean manufacturing by many. TPS utilizes the ingenuity of Toyota employees to generate Continuous Process Improvement (CPI). Achieving CPI can aid the ALCs in reducing operating capital while providing increased levels of service. The Air Force as a whole has made several attempts to get lean. Implementing lean tools without fully understanding their underlying philosophy has made it difficult to sustain process improvements. This thesis explores the softer, less tangible conditions that predicate successful CPI. A theoretical model was tested at Tinker ALC to identify focus areas for management. The researcher hypothesized that increased levels of the seven conditions tested would be positively correlated with successful CPI. Focusing on creating these conditions may aid in sustaining improvements. There was no evidence to suggest that any of the seven conditions are not positively correlated with CPI, although the degree of that relationship is very low. The data suggest that having Structured Improvement Processes most significantly impacts successful CPI. Anecdotal evidence also suggest that Drive for Improvement and Direction for Improvement also support CPI, although these conclusions were not supported by the data. Air Logistics Center managers should focus on those three conditions to aid successful CPI efforts in the future

Tell Me A Story: A Multi-Model Analysis of Select Lester Young Solos

A long history exists between improvisational analysis models and the jazz improvisation they seek to examine and evaluate. Though often undertaken as a comparison among a varied group of soloists, this qualitative research study employs existing research on improvisational analysis models to examine and analyze select solo transcriptions of tenor saxophonist Lester Young. The purpose of this research is to determine not only the presence and applicability of existing improvisational analysis models to his improvisational work but also identify the multiple unique characteristics of his influential improvisational approach and illuminate those accessible strategies musicians may implement to improve their improvisational understanding and technique. The results of this study demonstrate the extent to which Young’s improvisational approach reflects the characteristics of Chord-scale Base, Motivic Development, Formulaic Usage, and Midlevel improvisational analysis models. In an improvisational sense, results concerning chord-based motivic development and formulaic usage network could be far too general and thus less applicable when comparing Young\u27s improvisational approach to the improvisers before, during, and after him. However, Midlevel analysis results provide a substantially more significant, more accurate perspective of Young’s accomplishments, approach, and influence. An additional implication of this study serves to spotlight the accessibility of improvisation itself. A more precise understanding of the fundamental components of solo construction and performance would greatly benefit many musicians and music educators

GIFTED AND…: TEACHER REFLECTION AND TRANSFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO TEACHING GIFTED STUDENTS

12 teachers, representing five schools in a district, shared via individual interviews their insights regarding giftedness and the needs of gifted students. These interviews explored the characteristics of giftedness and gifted education, the needs participants identified through their experiences with their students, the choices participants made regarding these needs, and the various ways participants reflected on these choices. This study used reflexive thematic analysis and transformative learning theory to make sense of the data, and a reparative approach shaped the study’s approach to the collection and analysis of the data. This study found that participants tended to think in terms of students-as-individuals, using their relationships with students to identify and meet their unique needs. Knowledge of students’ lives and varying constructions of giftedness informed participants’ choices regarding services provided in gifted serving classrooms. Participants reflected on their choices; however, reflection was sometimes limited by few opportunities to discuss with and learn from other peers in gifted education. This study identifies implications for gifted education, teachers in gifted education, school and district leadership, and researchers. Teachers with school and district leadership would benefit by exploring ways to encourage and support peer feedback and discussions that provide opportunities to share their experiences and learn from each other. Researchers would expand the understanding of gifted education by including the voices of more stakeholders, including teachers, and better understanding the ways teachers make choices in relation to students’ needs. Also, this dissertation calls for a reparative approach to research, one that focuses on potential rather than deficits

Evening the Odds in Civil Litigation:A Proposed Methodology for Using Adverse Inferences When Nonparty Witnesses Invoke the Fifth Amendment

A nonparty witness who responds to questioning by invoking the privilege against self-incrimination seriously can impair the party against whom the response suggests an unfavorable answer. The possible injury to a party\u27s case is greatest when the invocation occurs unexpectedly at trial, but may cause equal damage when the privilege is relied on during discovery because the deposition of an unavailable witness may be read to the jury. In the past, courts and commentators generally opposed allowing such invocations in the jury\u27s presence based on the belief that invocations lack credible evidentiary value because witnesses can invoke validly for a variety of reasons; and despite some arguable relevance, the highly prejudicial nature of an invocation intolerably taints the fairness of the trial process.\u27 Consequently, those who opposed drawing conclusions about witnesses who rely upon the fifth amendment argued that the fact of invocation must be kept from juries, counsel must be prohibited from commenting on invocations that occur in court, and judges must be prevented from acknowledging that inferences may arise from the assertions of privilege. The belief was that the trial process must ignore a fifth amendment invocation regard-less of how unfair the result might be

Online Organizational Citizenship Behavior: An Exploration of New Avenues for Prosocial Behavior in the Digital Age

Internet use has changed modern workplaces and introduced new options for employee behavior, including organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). While prior research suggests the internet is a unique social environment, and not a simple extension of a traditional in-person workplace, OCB has not been studied in this context. This thesis aimed to identify and document the nature of online OCB and identify how it differs in form and function from traditional in-person OCB. This thesis used a mixed methods approach, with self-report data from 201 participants. Results indicate workers engage in OCB online at a lower rate than in person. Some traditional OCBs do not translate to online settings, but online settings do introduce new possibilities for OCB. Additionally, the nature of the relationships between OCB and other workplace constructs, such as cyberloafing, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, differ depending on if the OCB occurred in person or online. Directions for future research on online forms of OCB are discussed

Church and chapel for Newton College Newton, Massachusetts

Thesis (M.Arch.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture, 1956.Accompanying drawings held by MIT Museum.Bibliography: leaf 42.by William J. Rabon, Jr.M.Arch

#TransformFFA: An Analysis of Social Media Content During the 2016 National FFA Convention

The proliferation of social media has the ability to considerably impact stakeholders’ perspective of an organization’s brand. Due to this relationship, social media analysis is crucial to executing informed brand communication strategies. In October 2016, the brand communication strategies of the National FFA Organization were focused on promoting the 89th National FFA Convention. A large portion of these efforts and resources were dedicated towards the utilization of social media. This study was designed as a content analysis of the National FFA Organization’s social media presence during the dates of the convention. The goal was to identify the prominent themes of communication and the alignment of these themes with the organizational brand. Conversations on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat yielded a total of 344 posts for evaluation. The results indicated the presence of seven predominate themes: recognition, connectivity, appreciation, spirit, service, influence, and support. The researchers suggest opportunities exist for closer alignment between published social media content and the defined organizational and event brands. Specific attention should be placed on event-specific theme promotion. Renewed efforts to increase interactivity will allow for stakeholders to take part in the brand co-building process. It should be ensured that all communications are an accurate reflection of the brand’s image, connections, and reputation