Universal Access-NY User’s Guide

What is Universal Access-NY? Universal Access-NY is a complete online planning toolkit, www.UniversalAccessNY.org, where a One-Stop Delivery System can assess its practices, and develop work plans to improve physical and programmatic accessibility for all One-Stop customers. This web site and manual was developed by Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute, through the support and guidance of the New York State Department of Labor, with funding from two U.S. Department of Labor Work Incentive Grants (WIG 1 and 2). This web site was designed for use in a collaborative manner, bringing together One-Stop personnel, agency partners, business leaders and customers with disabilities. Universal Access-NY supports continuous improvement, with features that encourage multiple uses and incremental systems change

Enhancing Transition for Students with Disabilities Across New York State: State Performance Plan #13 and the New York State Transition Quality Indicators

This policy brief describes the relationship between state reporting requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 and New York State\u27s process for continuous quality improvement, utilizing TransQUAL Online. The federal government established State Performance Plan Indicator #13 (SPP 13) so that states would report the percentage of students with Individualized Education Programs whose goals and transition services reasonably enable the student to meet measurable post-secondary goals. In New York State, Transition Quality Indicators (TQI) were established to help school districts collaboratively assess their current transition-related practices. TransQUAL Online is a password-protected organizational assessment tool that integrates the TQI with planning and reflection tools and resources, supporting a continuous improvement approach. The author identifies a process by which a school district planning team can infuse SPP 13 data into the TransQUAL collaborative process, bringing this mandated review into a broader context. Tables are included that directly link Transition Quality Indicators to elements of the SPP 13 measurement tool

Controlled crack growth specimen for brittle systems

A pure Mode 1 fracture specimen and test procedure has been developed which provides extended, stable, through-thickness crack growth in ceramics and other brittle, nonmetallic materials. Fixed displacement loading, applied at the crack mouth, promotes stable crack extension by reducing the stored elastic strain energy. Extremely fine control of applied displacements is achieved by utilizing the Poisson's expansion of a compressively loaded cylindrical pin. Stable cracks were successfully grown in soda-lime glass and monolithic Al2O3 for lengths in excess of 20 mm without uncontrollable catastrophic failure

In situ fatigue loading stage inside scanning electron microscope

A fatigue loading stage inside a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was developed. The stage allows dynamic and static high-magnification and high-resolution viewing of the fatigue crack initiation and crack propagation processes. The loading stage is controlled by a closed-loop servohydraulic system. Maximum load is 1000 lb (4450 N) with test frequencies ranging up to 30 Hz. The stage accommodates specimens up to 2 inches (50 mm) in length and tolerates substantial specimen translation to view the propagating crack. At room temperature, acceptable working resolution is obtainable for magnifications ranging up to 10,000X. The system is equipped with a high-temperature setup designed for temperatures up to 2000 F (1100 C). The signal can be videotaped for further analysis of the pertinent fatigue damage mechanisms. The design allows for quick and easy interchange and conversion of the SEM from a loading stage configuration to its normal operational configuration and vice versa. Tests are performed entirely in the in-situ mode. In contrast to other designs, the NASA design has greatly extended the life of the loading stage by not exposing the bellows to cyclic loading. The loading stage was used to investigate the fatigue crack growth mechanisms in the (100)-oriented PWA 1480 single-crystal, nickel-based supperalloy. The high-magnification observations revealed the details of the crack growth processes

TransQUAL Online User’s Guide

TransQUAL Online, www.transqual.org is a tool to support school district teams as they collaboratively review and improve their practices in career development and transition. TransQUAL is built on the New York State Transition Quality Indicators Self-Assessment (TQI), adapted from the work of Dr. Paula Kohler from Western Michigan University (see Taxonomy for Transition Programming: http://unix.cc.wmich.edu/~kohlerp ). The TransQUAL website is developed and maintained by Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute through the support and guidance of the New York State Education Department, Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (NYS VESID)

Implications of the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program for Young Adults

On December 17, 1999, President Clinton signed the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (P.L. 106-170) into law establishing in section 101(a) the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (Ticket to Work Program) as well as several other provisions to support the movement of beneficiaries with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) into employment. The Ticket to Work Program was established to expand the universe of providers available to beneficiaries with disabilities as they are afforded the opportunity to choose from whom they access their needed employment services and supports. The Ticket to Work Program also increased provider incentives to serve these individuals. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers this new program with the support of Maximus, Inc, the entity contracted with by the SSA to serve as the program manager. The SSA is currently contracting with agencies to serve as Employment Networks (EN). These ENs perform an array of duties under the law, including providing employment services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and other support services to assist individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment. Under this program, the SSA is directed to provide to beneficiaries with disabilities who meet certain eligibility criteria a Ticket they may use to obtain employment services, VR services and/or other support services from an EN of their choice. “A Ticket under the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program is a document that provides evidence of SSA’s agreement to pay an EN or a State VR agency for providing employment services, VR services and/or other support services to a Ticket recipient who requests such services.” (SSA 2001, p. 12) The Ticket to Work Program will be phased in nationally over a three-year period beginning in January, 2002, with beneficiaries in 13 states: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin. The remaining states will be included by January, 2004

Plume Contamination Measurements of an Additively-Printed GOX/ABS Hybrid Thruster

This thesis examines the impact of the physical contamination on optical surfaces of spacecraft by an ABS/GOX thruster. Plume contamination presents a significant operational hazard for spacecraft solar arrays and thermal control surfaces can lead to decreased power production and increased spacecraft temperatures. Historically, due to the lack of a reliable, on-demand, and multiple-use ignition methodology, hybrid rockets have never been previously considered for in-space propulsion. Recent advancements in hybrid rocket technologies, have made hybrid systems feasible for in space propulsion. However, prior to this study no research had ever been performed with regard to plume contamination effects due to hybrid rockets. This paper presents the results from a set of preliminary plume contamination measurements on a prototype small spacecraft hybrid rocket system, collected under both ambient and vacuum chamber conditions