scholarly journals The Challenge of Accommodation in Higher Education: A Survey of Adaptive Technology Use in Ontario Universities

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Abreu-Ellis ◽  
Jason Brent Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Adaptive Technology ◽  
Disability Service Providers ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Available Technology ◽  
Adaptive Technologies

This paper provides an overview of adaptive technologies currently being used in Ontario Universities. Results of this study may help disability service providers in Ontario in understanding the current challenges of training students with disabilities in using adaptive technologies as well as improving service delivery methods. Participants were recruited through a listserv and asked to answer an online survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and anecdotal narratives. Results indicated that students with learning disabilities are not familiar with adaptive technologies that would best suit their academic needs and that training in adaptive technology occurred on an individual basis or in small group settings as opposed to large groups. Participants indicated that they use low-cost equivalents and adaptive technologies housed in open laboratories in order to serve students with financial needs. Challenges faced by Assistive technologists included: consistency in assistive technology use by the students they serve, effective training while semester coursework is in progress, and fitting individuals with very unique needs to the available technology. A series of best practices and accomplishments were identified by the participants.

scholarly journals Maximising engagement and participation of intellectual disability staff in research: Insights from conducting a UK-wide survey

2020 ◽  
pp. 174462952092414
Author(s):  
Claire Kar Kei Lam ◽  
Jane Bernal ◽  
Janet Finlayson ◽  
Stuart Todd ◽  
Laurence Taggart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Recruitment Strategy ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Dissemination Strategy ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Research Participants ◽  
Disability Service Providers

Aim: This article explores ways of maximising engagement of intellectual disability staff as research participants, research advisers and research implementers. Method: The authors describe and reflect on a three-phased strategy in recruiting front-line staff ( n = 690) working for intellectual disability service providers ( n = 25) to participate in a UK-wide anonymous online survey about death, dying and bereavement. Results: Important elements in engaging participants were: involving stakeholders at all stages of the research process, which includes: building relationships with participating organisations; enlisting organisational management support at all levels; an attractive and well laid-out collection tool; a well-structured recruitment strategy; time and flexibility; and a varied and targeted dissemination strategy. However, the recruitment method had limitations, in particular around representativeness, bias and generalisability. Conclusions: Staff in intellectual disability services can be enthusiastic and invaluable research participants. Active engagement between researchers, participating organisations and stakeholder groups is key to ensuring involvement of intellectual disability staff with research.

scholarly journals Accessible Computer Technologies for Students With Disabilities in Canadian Higher Education

2003 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine S. Fichten ◽  
Jennison V. Asuncion ◽  
Chantal Robillard ◽  
Myrtis E. Fossey ◽  
Maria Barile
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Disability Service Providers ◽  
Computer Equipment ◽  
Computer Technologies ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
Materials Used

Two studies explored how well English and French speaking colleges and universities in Canada address availability and access to new computer and information technologies for individuals with disabilities. In Study 1, 156 professionals who provide disability-related supports on campus responded to structured interview questions. In Study 2, 40 professionals who work in Quebec's Francophone junior/community college system (CEGEP) participated. Results showed that most institutions had specialized adaptive computer equipment, though colleges were less likely than universities, and loan programs providing adaptive computer equipment were seen as very effective. Respondents believed they were not very knowledgeable about adaptive computer technologies and those from Francophone institutions scored lower than from Anglophone institutions. The needs of students were seen as moderately well met, with Francophone respondents more favorable than Anglophone. Respondents from Anglophone universities expressed different needs than those from Anglophone colleges or Francophone institutions. Disability service providers wished students were better equipped and prepared for the postsecondary experience, computer based teaching materials used by professors were more accessible, and more extensive support services for adaptive hardware and software available. We provide recommendations based on universal design principles that are targeted at those involved in technology integration in postsecondary education.

scholarly journals Achieving Inclusive Field-based Education: Results and Recommendations from an Accessible Geoscience Field Trip

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D Feig ◽  
Christopher Atchison ◽  
Alison Stokes ◽  
Brett Gilley
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Field Trip ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Disability Service ◽  
Disability Service Providers

Learners with disabilities are often denied field-based learning experiences in naturalistic disciplines. Geology can present substantial barriers due to rugged terrain in difficult-to-reach locations. In 2014, a field trip was executed with the dual purpose of 1) designing inclusion in field learning and 2) demonstrating to college faculty an accessible field experience. Direct observations of participants on the trip, as well as pre- and post-trip focus groups, illuminate the student and faculty field learning experience. Geoscience faculty have little guidance or support in understanding what disability is, how to reconcile accommodation with field-geology learning goals, and they cited instances where disability service providers acted as gatekeepers. The net effect of these ontologies is to reduce faculty empathy with, and thus their ability to be inclusive of, students with disabilities in field settings. Recommendations for teachers include taking campus disability-services administrators on field trips, opening and maintaining communications with disability service providers, and designing pedagogically sound field trips that align as much as possible to principles of universal design. An advocacy approach is described, which focuses on the students and the educational process, instead of on institutional compliance. Finally, geoscience faculty should conceptualize disability service providers as accessibility service providers.

scholarly journals 22. UDL - From Disabilities Office to Mainstream Class: How the Tools of a Minority are Addressing the Aspirations of the Student Body at Large

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic Fovet ◽  
Heather Mole
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Educational Aspirations ◽  
Lecture Hall ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Disability Service Providers ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Remedial Work

Confronted by the increasingly changing and varied nature of disabilities in Higher Education (Bowe, 2000; McGuire & Scott, 2002), Disability Service providers across North America are progressively moving away from targeted remedial assistance focusing on the disabilities of students, to a less frontline role involving the sensitization of faculty around strategies that seek to widen access and develop awareness (Sopko, 2008).  Universal Design is hence often the model of choice (Rose, Harbour, Johnston, Daley & Abarbanell, 2006).  It incorporates extensive use of technology and seeks the implementation of winning conditions in the classroom space that reduce or eliminate the need for later remedial work with students (Burgstahler, 2006).  The hypothesis of this paper is that Universal Design, though conceived as a tool for a specific clientele, may quickly transpire to be the model best suited to serve the needs of the student body at large.The paper attempts to demonstrate how the core values underlying the Universal Design approach in fact meet wider educational aspirations of the 21st century.  Not only do its strategies and goals allow wider access to students with Disabilities, but they allow the integration of the ‘millennium learners’, encourage higher student retention, guarantee higher rates of graduation and establish greater equity and respect for diversity.  A model, designed to assist the minority, is quickly becoming a tool that has the capacity to open the class and the lecture hall to the diversity of the emerging and metamorphosing High Education learner, even if his/ her idiosyncrasies are still barely known (Howard, 2004).

Direct and Indirect Associations of Personality With Audiovisual Technology Acceptance Through General Self-Efficacy

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412199778
Author(s):  
Maria Manolika ◽  
Rigas Kotsakis ◽  
Maria Matsiola ◽  
George Kalliris
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Beliefs About Technology ◽  
General Self Efficacy

Increasing consensus among information systems researchers suggests that personality accounts for the effective use of several technologies, yet less is known about the process through which personality affects user perceptions of technology acceptance. This study, therefore, examined whether personality is associated with student perceptions of audiovisual technology acceptance, and whether general self-efficacy mediates this association. In total, 244 students completed an online survey including measures of personality, general self-efficacy, and perceptions of audiovisual technology acceptance. Canonical correlation uncovered significant associations between personality and student beliefs about technology use. Results further revealed that general self-efficacy fully mediated the effects of openness to experience and neuroticism on Perceived Ease of Use, whereas the association between agreeableness and Perceived Usefulness was partially mediated by self-efficacy beliefs. The fact that personality influences students’ perceptions of technology acceptance both directly and indirectly should not remain unnoticed, especially when designing intervention programs to enhance their academic performance.

User categories of mobile travel services

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Eriksson
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Travel Services ◽  
Online Data Collection ◽  
Barriers To Use ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This study aims to identify user categories of mobile travel services and analyze the differences between the categories based on individual characteristics, the individuals' perceived barriers to use internet-/mobile services during a trip and the individuals' preferred channel strategies. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive online survey in Finland was conducted to collect the data and a cluster analysis is used to identify the user categories. Findings – The study indicates that there are four user categories of mobile travel services: “info-seekers”, “checkers”, “bookers” and “all-rounders” and one group of “non-users”. Research limitations/implications – Due to the online data collection method and the self-selective process, the sample may be biased towards respondents finding electronic travel services important. It would be of value to conduct similar studies on a representative sample of the total population of different countries. Practical implications – The identified categories can be seen as consumer segments for which travel service providers can target mobile services. Originality/value – This study contributes with a categorization of mobile travelers and provides insights on the diffusion of mobile travel services.

Abstract NS1: Creating partnerships through the Kansas Initiative for Stroke Survival (KISS)

Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Sandt ◽  
Sarah E Brown ◽  
Colleen Lechtenberg ◽  
Cherie Boxberger
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Rate ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The State ◽  
Treatment Rate ◽  
Stroke Treatment ◽  
Feasible Alternative

Background and Purpose: Kansas is a rural state lacking geographically distributed Primary Stroke Centers. Of the 128 hospitals in the state, 88 are designated as Critical Access (< 25 beds). The IV r-tPA treatment rate in the state of Kansas is less than 2%. The pre-transport death rate for patients experiencing stroke is 55.4% .The Kansas Initiative for Stroke Survival (KISS) is a non-government task force with the goal of improving stroke survival among Kansans. The task force encourages hospitals to meet the criteria as Emergent Stroke Ready and based on this status engage with their individual communities, emphasizing the need to seek immediate assistance by EMS and arrive at the closest Emergent Stroke Ready hospital. Methods: The Kansas State Stroke Task force determined requirements for a facility to be considered Emergent Stroke Ready. This information was distributed to all acute care hospitals, asking them to attest to their current Emergent Stroke Ready status. Responding facilities were provided access to a 24 x 7 Stroke Support Line - providing access to stroke specialists for the purpose of guiding evaluation and treatment decisions for r-tPA administration or need to transfer to a higher level of care. Also provided is a community education kit. Data is reported through a monthly online survey or GWTG database. Results: In the first phase of the KISS project - forty-two hospitals attested as Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital or were certified Primary Stroke Centers representing an increase from 7% to 33% of hospitals in the state. The post-KISS implementation IV r-tPA treatment rate for the reporting Emergent Stroke Ready Hospitals was 48% compared with a pre-KISS treatment rate of 6%. The post-KISS implementation transfer rate was 26.7% compared with a pre-KISS transfer rate of 18%. Conclusions: The KISS program resulted in a significant increase in the number of Emergent Stroke Ready facilities, stroke patients reporting to their local hospitals, stroke specialist consultations and use of IV r-tPA. A low-cost, statewide program that provides standardized protocols and direct phone consultation can improve access to stroke specialists and approved stroke treatment while offering a cost effective, feasible alternative to telestroke.

scholarly journals Underwater Power Kites

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (06) ◽  
pp. 38-43
Author(s):  
David J. Olinger
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Power Grid ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Turbine Generator ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbines ◽  
Hydrokinetic Turbines ◽  
Available Technology ◽  
Economic Analyses ◽  
The Cost

This article discusses different features of underwater kites and its advantages in the turbine industry. The underwater kite moves fastest when it slaloms through the current in this way, much like a water skier. Electricity generated by the mounted turbine generator is transmitted along the tether to a moored, floating buoy, and then onto the power grid. This concept, now known as the Tethered Undersea Kite (TUSK), was first conceived by Magnus Landberg, a researcher in Sweden, in 2007. Underwater kites look to be feasible to build using commercial available technology. According to economic analyses conducted by other research teams, TUSK systems may be able to produce electricity at about half the current cost for fixed hydrokinetic turbines, and a bit below the cost of the power produced by offshore wind turbines. Those researchers attribute the lower costs to improved power-to-weight ratios derived from replacing the inner blades and support tower of a traditional turbine with a lightweight, low-cost tether.

Implementing the Australian Curriculum for Students With Disabilities in Specialist Settings: Teachers’ Professional Learning Experiences and Preferences

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (02) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie M. McMillan ◽  
Karyn L. Carson ◽  
Peter M. Walker ◽  
Anna G. Noble ◽  
Jane M. Jarvis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Special Schools ◽  
Australian Curriculum ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
Policy Practice

Commentary on the introduction of the Australian Curriculum (AC) has reflected a tension for educators of students with disabilities (SWD) between in-principle support for a curriculum that is inclusive of all students and the challenge of translating a general framework into relevant, individualised learning experiences appropriate for all SWD. In this paper, we report on findings from the second part of a national online survey in which we explored the perceptions and practices of 151 educators of SWD in specialist settings (special schools, disability units co-located at mainstream schools, special classes within mainstream schools) in relation to the AC. Specifically, these findings relate to the professional learning (PL) experiences and perceived needs of educators of SWD related to the AC and their advice to policymakers about the AC for SWD. Consistent with previous research, participants expressed a preference for PL experiences delivered on site, facilitated by content experts over extended periods, with opportunities for demonstration and targeted feedback, and in the context of collegial learning communities. In addition, participants raised concerns about the extent to which the AC is fully inclusive of all SWD. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

Utilizing the Push-Pull-Mooring-Habit framework to explore users’ intention to switch from offline to online real-person English learning platform

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsin Chen ◽  
Ching-Jui Keng
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Perceived Price ◽  
Real Person

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an extended Push-Pull-Mooring-Habit (PPMH) framework in order to better understand users’ intention of switching from offline to an online real-person English learning platform service. Design/methodology/approach Based on 301 valid responses collected from an online survey questionnaire, structural equation modeling was employed to examine the research model. Findings The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 3.0, and all study hypotheses were supported. The results show that push effects (learning convenience, service quality and perceived price), pull effects (e-learning motivation, perceived usefulness), mooring effects (learning engagement, switching cost and social presences) and habit effects (relationship inertia) all significantly influence users’ switching intentions from offline to an online real-person English learning platform. Practical implications The findings should help online English learning service providers and marketers to understand the intention of offline English learning users to switch to an online real-person English learning platform, and develop related theories, services and regulations. Originality/value The present study extends the prior research of an online real-person English learning platform by providing PPMH as the general framework and demonstrating its efficacy in explaining user switching intentions.

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