Tech for Understanding: An Introduction to Assistive Technology in the Classroom

Undergraduate Theoretical Proposa

Tech for Understanding: An Introduction to Assistive and Instructional Technology in the Classroom

This paper examines the different types of assistive and instructional technology available to students who are classified with one or more of the thirteen disabilities outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (referred to as, IDEA). While the roles of assistive and instructional technology are different, there are many instances where their uses may overlap. Thus, while these two categories will be discussed separately, it should be noted that some information may be applied to each category and more than one piece of technology. The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to the world of assistive and instructional technology for those who may be new to its concepts, particularly parents who have recently learned that their child may benefit from extra assistance and future educators who are interested in learning more about the devices they will be using to reach their students. Each of the thirteen disabilities will be discussed briefly, and then each disability will be assigned several types of assistive and instructional technology that serve it well. This will by no means be an exhaustive list of all types of technology available to teachers, parents, and students. However, it will attempt to provide a varied glimpse at some of the options that are available and how they may help children who are struggling to access the curriculum

A Spectrum of Tech: An Integrated Literature Review of Technologies to Target Social Skills in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have limited social or communication skills and, thus, need extra assistance in learning when and how to engage in appropriate interactions with those around them. However, because there are several different individual skills (e.g., joint attention, emotional expression, etc.) that fall under the categories of social and communication skills, and there are even more options of devices and programs to choose from within assistive technology (AT) and instructional technology (IT), it may seem daunting to find the right technology to meet a specific child’s needs and to determine whether that technology procedures lasting results. The purpose of this integrated literature review was to investigate whether devices used for social skills intervention in PreK-12 students with ASD function as either AT or IT, with the secondary goal of determining which technologies promote better maintenance and generalization than others in social skills interventions in PreK-12 students with ASD. Analysis of published research studies on Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Games, Video Modeling, Social Robots, and Wearable Assistive Technologies demonstrate that many of these technologies function as either AT or IT, depending on the context of the situation. Furthermore, it was found that certain devices, specifically Video Modeling and Social Robots, promote better maintenance and generalization

Dualism, Physicalism, and Professional or Alternative Health Seeking: A Gendered Perspective

Evidence supporting a range of 6-14 years between mental illness symptom recognition and psychological help seeking has spurred a substantial interest in help seeking barriers. The present study suggests that mind and body dualism, the perceiving of the mind as an entity distinct from the body, is one such barrier to help seeking. Despite the fact that beliefs in mind-body dualism or its opposite, that of physicalism, are evident in virtually all human cultures and religions, surprisingly little is known about the psychological and behavioral implications of holding such beliefs. An exception to this disparity is a study that demonstrated a connection between dualism and decreased engagement in healthy behaviors, such as exercise and eating habits (Forstmann et al., 2012). The aim of the present study was to expand on these findings by investigating the effects of mind-body beliefs and gender on attitudes towards professional psychological help and holistic or alternative medicines. In accordance with my hypothesis, a MANOVA indicated a main effect of gender, such that women felt more positively than men about seeking professional help for their own mental health problems as well as about the general value of therapy for others. A secondary analysis indicated that participants who self-identified as Jewish felt significantly more positive about psychotherapeutic treatment compared to Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist religious groups. Future research should continue to examine the links between mind-body ideologies, religion, culture, and help seeking through a large-scale correlational analysis utilizing naturally occurring mind-body beliefs

Developing a framework for critiquing health research

A new framework for critiquing health-related research is presented in this article. More commonly used existing frameworks tend to have been formulated within the quantitative research paradigm. While frameworks for critiquing qualitative research exist, they are often complex and more suited to the needs of students engaged in advanced levels of study. The framework presented in this article addresses both quantitative and qualitative research within one list of questions. It is argued that this assists the ‘novice’ student of nursing and health-related research with learning about the two approaches to research by giving consideration to aspects of the research process that are common to both approaches and also that differ between quantitative and qualitative research

Simulation of reactor pulses in fast burst and externally driven nuclear assemblies

textThe following research contributes original concepts to the fields of deterministic neutron transport modeling and reactor power excursion simulation. A deterministic neutron transport code was created to assess the value of new methods of determining neutron current, fluence, and flux values through the use of view factor and average path length calculations. The neutron transport code is also capable of modeling the highly anisotropic neutron transport of deuterium-tritium fusion external source neutrons using diffusion theory with the aid of a modified first collision source term. The neutron transport code was benchmarked with MCNP, an industry standard stochastic neutron transport code. Deterministic neutron transport methods allow users to model large quantities of neutrons without simulating their interactions individually. Subsequently, deterministic methods allow users to more easily couple neutron transport simulations with other physics simulations. Heat transfer and thermoelastic mechanics physics simulation modules were each developed and benchmarked using COMSOL, a commercial heat transfer and mechanics simulation software. The physics simulation modules were then coupled and used to simulate reactor pulses in fast burst and externally driven nuclear assemblies. The coupled system of equations represents a new method of simulating reactor pulses that allows users to more fully characterize pulsed assemblies. Unlike older methods of reactor pulse simulation, the method presented in this research does not require data from the operational reactor in order to simulate its behavior. The ability to simulate the coupled neutron transport and thermo-mechanical feedback present in pulsed reactors prior their construction would significantly enhance the quality of pulsed reactor pre-construction safety analysis. Additionally, a graphical user interface is created to allow users to run simulations and visualize the results using the coupled physics simulation modules.Mechanical Engineerin

In Children and Elderly Patients, What are the Effects of General Anesthesia on Neurological Health Compared with Procedural Sedation?

This paper will summarize the most recent research conducted comparing the best practices for anesthesia in these two populations. It will compare general anesthesia to intravenous procedural sedation and their effects on the cognitive function and long term health and well-being of elderly and pediatric patients