Strong future increases in Arctic precipitation variability linked to poleward moisture transport

The Arctic region is projected to experience amplified warming as well as strongly increasing precipitation rates. Equally important to trends in the mean climate are changes in interannual variability, but changes in precipitation fluctuations are highly uncertain and the associated processes are unknown. Here, we use various state-of-the-art global climate model simulations to show that interannual variability of Arctic precipitation will likely increase markedly (up to 40% over the 21st century), especially in summer. This can be attributed to increased poleward atmospheric moisture transport variability associated with enhanced moisture content, possibly modulated by atmospheric dynamics. Because both the means and variability of Arctic precipitation will increase, years/seasons with excessive precipitation will occur more often, as will the associated impacts

Student Engagement and Leadership of the Transition Planning Process

The Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) has been a longstanding leader and advocate in the field of secondary education for students with disabilities. This paper traces the history of student engagement in transition planning primarily through the lens of DCDT’s journal Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, now known as Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. Student engagement in the transition planning process implies meaningful student participation in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings, including both student leadership of IEP meetings and presenting IEP results during meetings, student engagement in the transition planning process, participation in and understanding of transition assessment results, and the attainment of annual IEP transition goals. The idea of student engagement in the transition planning process was initially delivered in a larger context, and then across the years, the topic became the primary focus of specific articles. We trace this development and conclude by speculating where student engagement in transition planning will go in the future. Suggestions are offered for both research and practice.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

A Randomized-Trial Evaluation of the Effect of Whose Future Is It Anyway? on Self-Determination

Promoting student involvement in planning has become best practice in the field of transition. Research documents the positive impact of such efforts on greater student involvement. Research also suggests that promoting student involvement results in greater student self-determination, but a causal link has not been established. This study used a randomized- trial, placebo control group design to study the impact of intervention with the Whose Future Is It Anyway? process on self-determination. The authors also examined the impact of intervention on transition knowledge and skills. Results indicated that instruction using the Whose Future Is It Anyway? process resulted in significant, positive differences in self- determination when compared with a placebo-control group and that students who received instruction gained transition knowledge and skills.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

A 3-Year Study of Middle, Junior High, and High School IEP Meetings

↵ JAMES E. MARTIN (CEC #456), Zarrow Endowed Professor in Special Education, Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment, University of Oklahoma, Norman. LAURA HUBER MARSHALL (CEC # 382), Project Coordinator, Center for Self-Determination, College of Education, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. PAUL SALE (CEC #1043), Dean, College of Education, Radford University, Radford, Virginia.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Establishing a Causal Relationship Between Intervention to Promote Self-Determination and Enhanced Student Self-Determination

Promoting the self-determination of adolescents with disabilities has become best practice in secondary education and transition services, but to date there have been no studies establishing a causal relationship between efforts to promote self-determination and enhancement of the self-determination of youth with disabilities. This article reports a randomized trial placebo control group study of 371 high school students receiving special education services under the categorical areas of mental retardation or learning disabilities. Students were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group (by high school campus), with students in the intervention condition receiving multiple instructional components to promote self-determination. Latent growth curve analysis showed that although all students in the study showed improved self-determination over the 3 years of the study, students in the intervention group showed significantly greater growth, though specific intraindividual variables affected this growth. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Effect of DEM Uncertainty on the Positional Accuracy of Airborne Imagery

The geometric and atmospheric processing of airborne imagery is a complex task that involves many correction steps. Geometric correction is particularly challenging because slight movements of the aircraft and small changes in topography can have a great impact on the geographic positioning of the processed imagery. This paper focused on how uncertainty in topography, represented by a digital elevation model (DEM), propagates through the geometric correction process. We used a Monte Carlo analysis, in which, first, a geostatistical uncertainty model of the DEM was developed to simulate a large number of DEM realizations. Next, geometric correction was run for each of the simulated DEMs. The analysis of the corrected images and their variability provided valuable information about the positional accuracy of the corrected image. The method was applied to a hyperspectral image of a mountainous area in Calabria, Italy, by using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-DEM as the topographic information source. We found out that the uncertainty varies greatly over the whole terrain and is substantial at large off-nadir viewing angles in the across-track direction. Also, positional uncertainty is larger in rugged terrains. We conclude that Monte Carlo uncertainty propagation analysis is a valuable technique in deriving quality layers that inform end users about the positional accuracy of airborne imagery, and we recommend that it is integrated in the operational processing steps of the Processing and Archiving Facilities

EUFAR goes hyperspectral in FP7

vTwo FP6 initiatives i) HYRESSA, hyperspectral remote sensing in Europe specific support action, and ii) EUFAR, European Facility for Airborne Research in Environmental and Geo-sciences, have joined forces in FP7. The FP7 Integrating Activity EUFAR (including HYRESSA) is now a network of 33 European airborne data providers and experts in airborne measurements. With the support of the European Commission, EUFAR provides European scientists with trans-national access to 6 airborne instruments (including hyperspectral imaging sensors) and 20 instrumented aircraft and early-stage researchers and university lecturers with training courses on airborne measurements. This paper reports on EUFAR activities and opportunities for European researchers with special attention to activities and opportunities related to airborne hyperspectral imagin