Research Paper on Americans with Disabilities Act free essay sample

Before starting this class and especially the research paper, I knew very little about the ADA. During the period of research and writing the paper I hope to obtain a better grasp on the ADA in general. But I also hope to learn some things that my current place of employment can improve our standards when it comes to those with disabilities. The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by then President George H. W. Bush. It prohibits discrimination based on disability and only disability. It is fairly similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Americans with Disabilities Act or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Blackwell Publishing. General Discussion Analysis The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a civil-rights law that was passed on July 26, 1990 (Acemoglu). Kathryn Moss suggests that the ADA is arguably the most important civil rights law for people with disabilities and the most significant since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA is a federal legislation that forbids discrimination of various sorts and allows the 43 million Americans with disabilities an equal opportunity for employment and services. It provides fairly similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines being disabled as â€Å"incapacitated by illness or injury; also physically or mentally impaired in a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education. The law was written enable people with disabilities to not only enter the job market but to also remain employed. In the late 1980’s, a House of Representatives report came to a conclusion that more than 8. 2 million disabled individuals were unemployed despite their desire to work. Also, those disabled individuals earned 36 to 38 percent less than their counterparts (Faillace). According to Gary Dessler, â€Å"employers with 15 or more workers are prohibited from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities with regard to applications, hiring, discharge, compensation, advancement, training, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. It also says that employers must make ‘reasonable accommodations’ for physical or mental limitations unless doing so imposes an ‘undue hardship’ on the business. † It not only prohibits discrimination in employment but also outlaws most physical barriers in public accommodations, transportation, telecommunications, and government services. Although the ADA does not specifically list any disabilities, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) guidelines state that when an individual has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity then the individual is in fact disabled. It goes on to state that impairments can include any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of several body systems, or any mental or psychological disorder (Dessler). Among the protected classes are persons with AIDS and substance abusers who are in treatment. Some 50 million current or potential workers are estimated to be covered by the laws provisions (Columbia Encyclopedia). However, the act does list some conditions that are not to be considered as disabilities. These include â€Å"homosexuality, bisexuality, voyeurism, compulsive gambling, pyromania, and certain disorders resulting from the current illegal use of drugs† (Dessler). The act has already been much litigated. In 1999, for instance, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that correctable conditions like eyesight requiring the use of glasses do not qualify as disabilities under the act, and a 2002 decision established that a disability must limit a persons ability to perform tasks of central importance not just in the workplace but in daily life (Fielder). Studies suggest that the number of disabled persons entering the workforce has not improved significantly, and that a contributing factor may be their reluctance to lose other benefits available to them on the basis of their disabilities (DeLiere). Although the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities reports that the cost of making an accommodation for an employee with a disability averages around $200 per employee with many costing less than $50. But espite this relatively small cost, many employers are still stereotyping disabled individuals and fear that the accommodations may disrupt the workplace (Blanck). Dale Brown states there are several myths regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act. He says the â€Å"ADA does not give you the right to a job because you have a disability. You must be qualified and compete and you may be rejected from a job just like anyone else. It does not give extra points in getting a job, the ADA is not an affirmativ e action statute. That is, its not intended to make up for past discrimination by requiring the employers hire a certain number of people with disabilities or giving them incentives to do so. It also does not allow any special privileges on the job. Although sometimes reasonable accommodation might look like special privileges to other people, you have the same responsibilities and challenges as your fellow employees. † In essence, you still must be as qualified or more qualified than a fellow prospective job applicant in order to receive the position. There will be no punishment for the employer if the disabled applicant is not hired because of the two applicant’s qualifications. TITLE I-Employment Title I of the ADA contains the law’s employment provisions. This is where the law states that private employers (the exact term in the law is covered entity) with 15 or more employees must not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person that can perform the essential duties and functions of a job or position with reasonable accommodations. One may see a potential loophole with the act based on those two words â€Å"reasonable accommodations. † The definition of reasonable accommodations along with any other possible complaint against a company is taking on a case by case basis. But such accommodations are required only if making them does not place an undue hardship on the employer (Moss). Title I applies to all aspects of one’s job including application procedures, hiring, promotion and discharge, worker’s compensation, job training, and more (Blanck). Another aspect of the job that is covered under the ADA is if a prospective job applicant is related o or associated with a person who has a disability. For example, if an employer will not hire someone because they may think the prospective applicant would be too consumed with taking care of the disabled person, it would be illegal for the employer to not hire the applicant for that reason (Brown). Cases filed against employers regarding Title I te nd to be not cases about fact but rather about personal and social attitudes because they tend to involve the â€Å"states of mind of the various players in the story† (Krieger). Krieger goes on to state that juries and judges are asked to imagine the state of mind of an employer who was faced with hiring an applicant or not hiring an applicant that is, for example, obese. Or to fire an employee who has â€Å"nonsymptomatic AIDS. † In many cases it comes down to the personality and presentation of the person or persons under trial rather than the facts, because there may not be any facts, just allegations. An employee must perform the essential functions, those activities that are intrinsic to a job. The essential functions are determined individually for each job. However, an employee is still considered as a qualified candidate or employee if it only takes reasonable accommodation to meet the functions of the job. According to Dale Brown, making reasonable accommodations usually means â€Å"removing obstacles from the job, the workplace, or the terms and conditions of employment that would otherwise prevent an otherwise qualified person with a disability from doing the job. † He goes on to give an example of what reasonable accommodation may be. He states that computers and calculators are reasonable accommodations that may help many people whom have learning disabilities or dyslexia with routine arithmetic and proofreading functions. Also, in order for an employer to make these reasonable accommodations to the workplace, they must have knowledge of the disability of the applicant or employee. If the employer is not made aware of the disability they may not be held responsible for any discrimination. The discrimination can not take place until the disability is actually disclosed. Even then, the employer is legally allowed to ask for medical documentation and evaluate it before they determine whether or not the request is appropriate (West). Meaning, the burden of proof that the disability substantially limits a major life role lies on the applicant or employee along with their health provider. Not only must the health care provider and applicant or employee prove that a disability is present, but must also prove that the requested accommodation is a necessity to perform their job. If the employer will not make the accommodations, the applicant or employee can pay for the accommodation out of their own pocket. Ruth Colker states that if an applicant or employee offers to pay for the accommodation, the employer can not say no unless it is disruptive. So again, it is up to the jury or judge to determine what is and what is not disruptive. This is again why each ADA case or complaint is handled differently and there is no real precedent in these cases. TITLE II-Public Services Title II has two different sections. One that covers public entities and the other is specific to public transportation provided by public entities. The section that covers public agencies includes local, county, state government and their departments and agencies. Title II covers all activities, services, and programs of the public entities (Americans). The first section includes entities like schools, city governments, and fire stations. Accessibility means that each program is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Program accessibility is necessary not only for individuals with mobility impairments, but also for individuals with vision and hearing impairments (Americans). Meaning leaders of the entities need to consider not only physical obstructions such as doors and restrooms but also visual and hearing barriers such as accessible building signage, public telephones and alarms with visible signals. The second section, which covers the public transportation of the aforementioned public entities, includes services operated by state and local government by regulations of the Department of Transportation. It also includes facilities used for the public transportation systems such as bus stations, railway stations and airports along with vehicles used in public transportation (Americans). Again, the basis for this title is that no qualified individual with a disability will be subjected to any sort of discrimination by a public entity. It also states that the individual not be deprived of any benefits of services or activities of the public entity due to the disability as well. Any sort of accessibility or service that is lacking from any of the public entities can be considered discrimination regardless of who it actually affects. TITLE III- Public Accommodations Title III of the ADA is the title that applies to private entities such as hotels, stores, gas stations, etc. It is very similar to Title II just in regards to the different type of business entity that it covers. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations and also in commercial facilities (Brown). It also prohibits the discrimination on the basis of disability by any person who owns or operates a place of public accommodation. However, entities that are controlled by religious organizations, including places of worship, and private clubs are both not covered by Title III. Although private clubs are not covered, their facilities are made available to customers of a place of public accommodation (West). The public accommodations must also provide auxiliary aids and services when they are necessary to ensure effective communication with those with hearing, vision, speech, or similar impairments. TITLE IV- Telecommunications Title IV of the ADA requires that all United States based local or long distance telephone services must provide a relay service for those individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing along with those with speech impediments. Also, people with TDD’s (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf ) and TTY’s (Teletypewriter) who are calling those with out TDD’s or TTY’s and vice versa can make a call through a relay service. The relay service will transmit the call using TDD/TTY or voice depending on the need (Joffee). Today, there are multiple sources of TDD’s and TTY’s available through the internet using broadband connections. TITLE V-Miscellaneous Provisions Title V includes miscellaneous provisions that relate to the application of the ADA. Some of the more notable provisions are: †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"The ADA shall not be construed to apply a lesser standard than that already in existence under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or to invalidate any state or local laws which have stricter provisions. †¢The ADA will not prohibit an insurance company from using sound actuarial data to administer risks, even if the effect is that people with disabilities will be charged more or denied coverage, but it must not be used as a subterfuge to deny coverage. †¢The ADA shall not be construed to require a person to accept an accommodation† (Acemoglu). Conclusion The ADA was instituted to help even the playing field for those with disabilities. But in some ways it has actually discouraged employers from hiring candidates with disabilities due to the perceived extra cost and effort it would take to hire a disabled person. Another reason for criticism is that many lawyers have made a living out of suing non-compliant businesses. There has also been research that concludes the number of disabled employed has actually declined significantly since the passage of the ADA. So while the ADA was instituted for all the right reasons, maybe the plan hasn’t been perfected and it is lacking some effectiveness to date.

Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Waste essays

Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Waste essays Nuclear energy is by far the most efficient and environmentally friendly of all the sources of electricity. Nuclear power provides economic and environmental benefits; "in particular, it can make an important contribution to what is likely to be the dominant environmental imperative of the twenty-first century - limiting emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide" (Nuclear Energy Agency [NEA], 3). The greatest advantage of nuclear power is its ability to produce so much energy from such a small fuel volume. One kilogram (2.2 pounds) of coal generates four kilowatts of electricity, as does a kilogram of oil, but a kilogram of uranium generates 400,000 kilowatts of electricity (Spun, 2002). One of the greatest problems with nuclear energy is the waste produced. Nuclear reactors produce tons of radioactive waste each year, and there is always the question of what to do with it. Nuclear waste is sometimes referred to as the Achilles' heel of the nuclear power industry an d for the industry to keep expanding; an effective solution needs to be found on how to permanently dispose of the nuclear waste produced. The main rationale for permanent disposal is the need to safeguard high-level wastes, to isolate them in perpetuity (Shrader-Frechette, 3). These wastes and spent fuels have many effects on the lives of people today. To the government and the environment, the nuclear waste that is building up is expensive to handle, and it is dangerous to use. The problem that is encountered when wanting to come up with a solution to permanently dispose of nuclear waste is that they have such a long half-life. Technitium-99 is produced during nuclear-reactor operation and nuclear-weapons production, and it has a half-life of 212,000 years (Gorman, 235). The half-life of a radioactive element is the time that is taken for half of it to decay to a stable form or into a less radioactive element in a kind of decay chain. Right now, al...

Operations Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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WEALTH MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Advanced manufacturing techniques and the advent of nanotechnology Assignment

Advanced manufacturing techniques and the advent of nanotechnology - Assignment Example Nanostructural elements are explained, with possible applications not only in the production process of physical goods, but at other phases of manufacturing, including assistance with environmental requirements due to efficiency. Nanotech has the potential for faster, cleaner industry with more effective options for waste removal and prevention of toxic emissions. Three tasks are discussed, with implications of nanostructures as they benefit circuit manufacture, factory waste-emissions, and miniaturization for ionic conductance components. The benefits as well as disadvantages are explained, with recommendations for further implementation and research. INTRODUCTION The principles of advanced manufacturing, as it pertains to manufacturing flexibility are widely recognized as critical. Retaining and maintaining flexibility in manufacturing and operational procedures boosts the organization's capability to respond effectively to ongoing customer issues and requirements, the goal being t o respond without the sacrifice of excessive time and money. A comprehension of the interaction between advanced manufacturing technology and flexibility in the manufacturing process are vital areas of investigation for any productive operation. Advanced manufacturing technology, hereafter referred to as AMT, is essential not simply in the production of more advanced consumer goods, but a more refined technical capability can also permit organizational agility, flexibility during functional operations. Modern research has produced statistical results that indicate a correlation between an organization's sourcing practices and manufacturing flexibility, essential for adaptation to both a changing marketplace, and shifting product demand at any given time. (Oberoi, et al. 2008) AMT allows control over sourcing practices. This methodology permits the achievement of desirable benchmarks in manufacturing flexibility, towards the objective of high agility organizational competitiveness. A n excellent modern example would be the growing prevalence of Nanomanufacturing. Nanotechnology and the manufacturing it entails constitute a series of chemical and mechanical techniques that allow the assembly of particles far smaller than any which could be assembled by purely hand-based tools. This paper will demonstrate a wide range of advantages afforded with nanotech and nanoscale manufacturing technology, and how this pertains to the goal of advanced manufacturing technology. Nanotechnology has the potential to act as a new methodology for reducing the energy costs and waste-production of manufacturing processes to benefit a variety of production interests. Potential uses include chemical, refining, automotive, and other heavy industries. There are projections which indicate nanotechnology yields the potential to save up to 1.1 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) and prevent over 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. (U.S. Department

Alternative Communication Intervention In Children Health And Social Care Essay

Alternative Communication Intervention In Children Health And Social Care Essay Children and youth who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or spinal cord injury (SCI) may have temporary or permanent disabilities that affect their speech, language and communication abilities. Having a way to communicate can help reduce a childs confusion and anxiety, as well as enable them to participate more actively in the rehabilitation process and thus, recover from their injuries. In addition, effective communication with family, care staff, peers, teachers and friends is essential to long-term recovery and positive outcomes as children with TBI and SCI are integrated back into their communities. This article describes how rehabilitation teams can use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technologies (AT) to support the communication of children recovering from TBI and SCI over time. 1. Introduction Children and youth who sustain a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or a spinal cord injury (SCI) often experience sequealae that can affect their ability to communicate effectively. In early phases of recovery, many children with TBI and SCI are unable to use their speech or gestures for a variety of medical reasons related to their injuries. As a result, they can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions that specifically address their ability to communicate basic needs and feelings to medical personnel and family members and ask and respond to questions. AAC approaches may include having access to a nurses call signal; strategies to establish a consistent yes no response; techniques that help a child eye point to simple messages; low-tech boards and books that encourage interaction with family members and staff; communication boards with pictures or words; and speech generating devices (SGDs) with preprogrammed messages, such as I hurt Come h ere, Help me please! Whens mom coming? As children with TBI and SCI recover from their injuries, many no longer will need AAC. However, some children face residual motor, speech, language and cognitive impairments that affect their ability to communicate face-to-face, write or use mainstream communication technologies (e.g., computers, email, phones, etc.). A few may require AAC and assistive technology (AT) throughout their lives. Having access to communication through AAC and AT enables these children to participate actively in the rehabilitation process and ultimately, in their families and communities. Without an ability to communicate effectively, children with TBI and SCI will face insurmountable barriers to education, employment, as well as establishing and maintaining relationships and taking on preferred social roles as adults. All AAC interventions aim to support a childs current communication needs while planning for the future (Beukelman and Mirenda, 2005). However, the course of AAC treatment for children who sustain TBIs and SCIs is different because of the nature of their injuries is different. In addition, the focus of AAC interventions will differ for very young children (e.g., shaken baby syndrome) who are just developing speech and language and for those who were literate and have some knowledge of the world prior to their injuries (e.g., 16 year-old involved injured in a motor vehicle accident). For young children, the AAC team will focus on developing their language, literacy, academic, emotional, and social skills, as well as ensuring that they have a way to communicate with family members and rehabilitation staff. For older children, AAC interventions build on residual skills and abilities to help remediate speech, language and communication impairments as well as provide compensatory strategi es that support face-to-face interactions and ultimately communication across distances (phone, email) with team members, family and friends. AAC intervention goals seek to promote a childs active participation in family, education, community and leisure activities and aim to support the establishment and maintenance of robust social networks (Blackstone, Williams, and Wilkins, 2007; Light and Drager, 2007; Smith, 2005). While a variety of AAC tools, strategies and techniques are available that offer communication access, successful AAC interventions for children with TBI and SCI also require that medical staff, family members and ultimately community personnel know how to support the use of AAC strategies and technologies because the needs of these children change over time. Speech-language pathologists, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physiatrists, pediatricians, and rehabilitation engineers work collaboratively with the childs family and community-based professionals to establish, maintain and update effective communication systems. Ultimately, the goal is for children to take on desired adult roles; AAC can help them realize these goals. 2. Pediatric TBI and AAC AAC intervention for pediatric patients with TBI and severe communication challenges is an essential, complex, ongoing and dynamic process. AAC is essential to support the unique communication needs of children who are unable to communicate effectively. It is complex because of the residual cognitive deficits that often persist and because many children with TBI have co-existing speech, language, visual, and motor control deficits (Fager and Karantounis, 2010; Fager and Beukelman, 2005). AAC interventions are ongoing and dynamic (Fager, Doyle, and Karantounis, 2007) because children with TBI experience many changes over time and undergo multiple transitions. Light et al. (1988) described the ongoing, three-year AAC intervention of an adolescent who progressed through several AAC systems and ultimately regained functional speech. DeRuyter and Donoghue (1989) described an individual who used many simple devices and a sophisticated AAC system over a seven month period. Additional report s describe the recovery of natural speech up to 13 years post onset (Jordan, 1994; Workinger and Netsell, 1992). 2.1. AAC Assessment and Intervention Assessment tools can help identify and describe the cognitive, language and motor deficits of patients with TBI and provide a framework for AAC interventions. The Pediatric Rancho Scale of Cognitive Functioning (adapted by staff at Denver Childrens Hospital in 1989) is based on the Ranchos Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning (Hagan, 1982). Table 1 describes general levels of recovery, based on the Pediatric Rancho Lost Amigos Scale, and gives examples of AAC intervention strategies that rehabilitation teams can employ across the levels as described below. Levels IV and V. AAC Goal: Shaping responses into communication In the early phase of recovery, pediatric patients at Levels IV and V on the Pediatric Rancho Scale are often in the PICU, the ICU, acute hospital or acute rehabilitation environment. At Level V (no response to stimuli) or Level IV (generalized response to stimuli) AAC interventions focus on identifying modalities that children can use to provide consistent and reliable responses. For example, staff can use simple switches (e.g., Jelly Bean ®, Big Red ® and Buddy Button from AbleNet), latch-timers (e.g., PowerLink ® from AbleNet) and single message devices (e.g. BIGmack ® and Step Communicator ® from AbleNet) to support early communication (see Table 1 for some examples). Because childrens early responses may be reflexive rather than intentional, the family and medical/rehabilitation team can also use AAC technologies to encourage more consistent responses. Families provide valuable input about the kinds of music, games and favorite toys a child finds motivating. The team c an then use these items to evoke physical responses from the child. For example, if the family identified the battery-operated toy Elmo ® from Sesame Street ®, the rehabilitation team might present Elmo singing a Sesame Street song and then observe to see if the childs responds. If the child begins to turn her head when Elmo ® sings, the team might attach a switch with a battery interrupter to the toy and ask the child to hit the button and play the Elmo ® song. In doing so, the team can learn several things. For example, the team may note that a child is able to follow commands, indicating cognitive recovery. The team may also begin to consider alternative access methods for children with severe physical impairments, i.e., head movement may become a reliable way to operate an AAC device or computer in the future. It is difficult to predict whether a child will recover natural speech during early stages of recovery. 2.2. Middle Levels II and III: AAC Goals: Increase ability to communicate with staff, family and friends and support active participation in treatment Pediatric patients at Levels III (localized response to sensory stimuli) and II (responsive to environment) become more engaged in their rehabilitation programs as they recover some cognitive, language and physical abilities. During this phase, long-term deficits that affect communication become apparent (e.g., dysarthria, apraxia, aphasia, attention, initiation, memory, vision, spasticity). Dongilli, Hakel, and Beukelman (1992) and Ladtkow and Culp (1992) also report natural speech recovery in adults after TBI at the middle stages of recovery. Continued reliance on AAC strategies and technologies is typically due to persistent motor speech and/or severe cognitive-language deficits resulting from the injury (Fager, Doyle, and Karantounis, 2007). AAC interventions at these levels focus on using a childs most consistent and reliable response to communicate messages, encourage active participation in the rehabilitation process and increase interactions with family and staff. AAC interventions always take into account the childs developmental level and interests. Table 1 gives some examples of AAC technologies employed during these Levels III and II. For example, Jessica was admitted to the hospital at 18-months with shaken baby syndrome. At Level II, she began responding to her parents by smiling and laughing and also began to manipulate toys with her non-paralyzed hand when staff placed a toy within her intact field of vision. However, she did not exhibit any speech or imitative vocal behaviors and her speech-language pathologist noted a severe verbal apraxia. Nursing staff and family members noted that Jessica seemed frustrated by her inability to express herself. Prior to her injury, she could name over 30 objects (toys, pet s, favorite cartoon characters) and was beginning to put two word sentences together (Momma bye-bye, Daddy home). AAC interventions included the introduction of a BIGmack ®, a single-message speech generating device (SGD) that enabled the staff and family members to record a message that Jessica could then speak during her daily activities(e.g., more, bye-bye, turn page). Because the BIGmack ® is a colorful, large and easy to access SGD, Jessica was able to press the button despite her upper extremity spasticity and significant visual field cut. Within a month, Jessica had progressed to using a MACAW by Zygo ®, an SGD with eight-location overlay that staff programmed with words she had used prior to her injury (e.g., mommy, daddy, more, bottle, book, bye-bye). Staff also designed additional overlays to encourage her language development by providing vocabulary that enabled her to construct two-word combinations (e.g., more crackers). Jessica began to express herself at a developmentally appropriate level, but she had residual memory deficits that required cuing and support from her communi cation partners. For example, initially, she did not recall how to use her AAC system from session to session so staff needed to reintroduce it each time. However, after several months, Jessica began to search for her SGD to communicate. Jessica, like many children with TBI at this level, was able to learn procedures and strategies with repetition and support (Ylvisaker and Feeney, 1998). 2.3. Level II and Level I. AAC Goals: Support transitions, recommend AAC strategies and technologies for use at home and in the community As pediatric patients transition from Level II (responsive to environment) to Level I (oriented to self and surroundings), they often move from an acute rehabilitation facility to an outpatient setting, home or a care facility. Thus, before discharge, AAC teams will conduct a formal AAC assessment and provide long-term recommendations for AAC strategies and technologies that can enable children to be integrated successfully back into community environments. Table 1 illustrates the types of AAC technologies and strategies employed at Levels II and I, as described below. For children who continue to use AAC and AT when they return to their communities, the rehabilitation team identifies a long-term communication advocate. This person, often a family member, becomes actively involved in AAC training and collaborates with rehabilitation staff to prepare the childs educational staff, extended family and other caregivers (Fager, 2003). Having a link between the rehabilitation team and community professionals is essential because most teachers and community-based clinicians have limited experience working with children with TBI and may need support to manage the cognitive and physical deficits often associated with TBI. For example, McKenzie, a 12 year-old with a severe TBI secondary to a car accident, was quadriplegic with severe spasticity and no upper extremity control. She also had cortical blindness and significant communication and cognitive impairments. As she recovered, McKenzie used a variety of AAC systems (e.g., thumbs up/down for yes no, two B IGmacks ® to communicate choices, and a scanning Cheap Talk by Enabling Devices with four messages to participate in structured activities). Prior to discharge, the rehabilitation team conducted a formal SGD evaluation and recommended the Vmax by DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, a voice output device. McKenzie was able to access the device via a head switch mounted to the side of the head rest on her wheelchair. Using auditory scanning, she could create and retrieve messages. Because she was literate prior to her injury and could still spell, the staff set up her device to include an alphabet page as well as several pages with pre-programmed messages containing basic/urgent care needs, jokes and social comments. Family and friends participated in her rehabilitation and learned to use tactile and verbal prompts to help her participate in conversational exchanges. Due to her residual cognitive deficits, however, McKenzie had difficulty initiating conversations and remembering where pre-stored messages were in her device. When prompted, she would respond and initiate questions and could engage in conversations over multiple turns. Over time, she began to participate in meaningful, social interactions, often spelling out two-three word novel phrases using her alphabet page While her parents were renovating their home to handle her wheelchair, McKenzie transitioned to a regional care facility that specialized in working with young people with TBI. The acute rehabilitation team identified McKenzies aunt as her AAC advocate because she had participated actively in earlier phases of McKenzies recovery, was proficient with the maintenance (charging, set-up and basic trouble-shooting) of the Vmax and could customize and program new messages into the system. The care facility staff met with McKenzies aunt weekly so they could learn how to support McKenzies use of the SGD. Specific training objectives included maintenance and basic trouble-shooting, set up, switch-placement and how to program new messages to use in specific and motivating activities. Staff learned how to modify the placement of her switch when McKenzie became fatigued or her spasticity increased. Additionally, McKenzies school staff (special education coordinator, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, and one of her regular classroom teachers) visited McKenzie at the rehabilitation and the care facilities to help prepare for her return home and learned how to support her in school, given her physical and cognitive limitations. 2.4. AAC themes in TBI When working with pediatric patients with TBI, three AAC themes emerge. 1. Recovery from TBI is dynamic and takes place over time. In early stages of recovery, most children with TBI have physical, speech, language and cognitive deficits that affect their communication skills. Depending on the nature and severity of their injuries, however, most recover functional speech, although some will have life-long residual speech, language and communication deficits. Acute rehabilitation teams can employ AAC interventions to support communication, as well as monitor the childs changing communication abilities and needs over time. 2. The cognitive-linguistic challenges associated with TBI make AAC interventions particularly challenging for rehabilitation staff, as well as for families, friends and school personnel. Because of the complex nature of the residual disabilities caused by TBI, collaborations among rehabilitation specialists, family members and community-based professionals are essential. Some children with TBI require AAC supports throughout their lives. Family members, friends and school personnel rarely know how to manage their severe memory, attention and/or initiation deficits that can affect long-term communication outcomes. 3. There is a need to plan carefully for transitions. Children with TBI will undergo many transitions. While research describing these transitions in children is not available, reports of the experiences of adults with TBI describe multiple transitions over time. Penna et al. (2010) noted that adults with TBI undergo a significant number of residence transitions particularly in the first year following injury and Fager (2003) described the different transitions (acute care hospital, outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, home with adult daycare services, and eventually assisted living) for an adult with severe TBI experienced over a decade, documenting significant changes in his cognitive abilities, as well as his communication partners and support staff. Children with TBI are likely to experience even more transitions over their lifetimes. 3. Pediatric SCI and AAC Pediatric patients with SCI often have intact cognitive skills and severe physical disabilities that can interfere with their ability to speak. In addition, they often have significant medical complications and may be left with severe motor impairments that make it difficult, if not impossible, for them to write, access a computer or participate in the gaming, online and remote social networking activities embraced by todays youth (e.g., texting, email). A subgroup may also present with a concomitant TBI sustained as a result of the fall, car accident or other traumatic event that has changed their lives. For them, AAC treatment must reflect guidelines that take into account both SCI and TBI. As with TBI, the growth and development inherent in childhood and adolescence and the unique manifestations and complications associated with SCI require that management be both developmentally based and directed to the individuals special needs (Vogel, 1997). Initially, AAC interventions typically focus on ensuring face-to-face communication when speech is unavailable or very difficult; over the long term, however, enabling children to write and engage in educational, recreational and pre-vocational activities using computers and other mainstream technologies becomes the focus. 3.1. AAC Assessment and Intervention The ASIA standard neurological classification of SCI from the American Spinal Injury Association and International Medical Society of Paraplegia (2000) is a tool that rehabilitation teams frequently use to assess patients with SCI because it identifies the level of injury and associated deficits at each level. This can help guide the rehabilitation teams clinical decision-making process for AAC interventions. As shown in Table 2, children with high tetraplegia (C1-C4 SCI) have limited head control and are often ventilator dependent. They often require eye, head, and/or voice control of AAC devices and mainstream technologies to communicate. While switch scanning is an option for some, it requires higher-level cognitive abilities, endurance, and vigilance and may be inappropriate for very young children and those who are medically fragile (Wagner and Jackson, 2006; McCarthy et al., 2006; Peterson, Reichle, and Johnston, 2000; Horn and Jones, 1996). Children with low tetraplegia (C5-T1 SCI) demonstrate limited proximal and distal upper extremity control. If fitted with splints that support their arm and hand, some are able to use specially adapted mouse options (e.g., joystick mouse, switch-adapted mouse, trackball mouse), large button or light touch keyboards and switches to control technology. These children are also candidates for head tracking and voice control of AAC devices due to the fatigue and physical effort involved in using their upper extremities. For example, a multi-modal access method to AAC technology and computers may include voice control to dictate text, hand control of the cursor with an adaptive mouse to perform other computer functions (e.g., open programs), and an adaptive keyboard to correct errors that are generated while dictating text. This multi-modal approach can be more efficient and less frustrating than using voice control alone for these children. Table 2 provides examples of appropriate access options to AAC and mainstream techn ologies. 3.2. Supporting face-to-face communication For children with high tetraplegia, being dependent on mechanical ventilation is frightening especially when they are unable to tolerate a talking valve (Padman, Alexander, Thorogood, and Porth, 2003). Thus, providing these children with a way to communicate is essential to their recovery and sense of well-being. As children with lower levels of injury are weaned from a ventilator, they may experience reduced respiratory control and be unable to speak (Britton and Baarslag-Benson, 2007). Medical specialists can provide access to AAC strategies and technologies, which enable these children to communicate their wants, needs and feelings throughout the day. This allows them to interact with direct care staff, participate in their rehabilitation process, and maintain relationships with family and friends. Pediatric rehabilitation teams may use a range of AAC strategies and technologies to support face-to-face communication in children with SCI. Some examples include low tech communication boards used with eye gaze or eye pointing, partner-dependent scanning, an electro larynx with intra-oral adaptor, or laser light pointing to a target message or letter on a communication board (Britton and Baarslag-Benson, 2007; Beukelman and Mirenda, 2005). Introducing AAC and AT technologies early in the recovery process, particularly for children who demonstrate high tetraplegia, will also begin to familiarize them with approaches they may need to rely on extensively throughout their lives, even after speech returns. For example, Jared, a 17-year-old high school senior, sustained a SCI in a skiing accident at the C2 level. In addition to his injuries, he developed pneumonia and a severe coccyx wound during his hospitalization, which lengthened his hospital stay. He was unable to tolerate a one-way speaking valve due to the severity of his pneumonia and decreased oxygenation during valve trials. Although Jared had minimal head movement, he was able to control an AccuPointà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ head tracker to access his home laptop computer and spell out messages he could then speak aloud using speech synthesis software. He used his AAC system to indicate his medical needs to caregivers and later reported that having the ability to communicate helped alleviate some of the anxiety he experienced due to his condition and extended hospitalization. After Jared recovered the ability to use a talking valve, his work with the AccuPointà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ focused on computer access to meet written and social communi cation needs. Once his wound had healed, he was able to return home 11 months later. At that time, all of his classmates had graduated. Using the AccuPointà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, Jared was able to complete his GED at home and enrolled in online classes at the local community college. 3.3. Supporting written communication and education At the time of their injury, some pediatric patients with SCI are pre-literate, others are developing literacy skills, and others have highly developed literacy skills. However, most children with tetraplegia will require the use of assistive technologies to support written communication because their injuries preclude them from using a pencil and/or typing on a traditional computer keyboard. In a report describing the educational participation of children with spinal cord injury, 89% of the children with tetraplegia relied on AAC to support written communication needs (Dudgeon, Massagli, and Ross, 1996). For example, Max, a 6 year-old boy who suffered a C6 SCI after an All Terrain Vehicle accident, was reading age-appropriate sight words and developing his ability to write single words prior to his injury. After the initial recovery period, formal testing revealed that Max had no residual cognitive or language impairments. However, he faced significant barriers not only to his continued development of age-appropriate reading and writing skills, but also to his ability to learn and do math, social studies, science, play games, use a cell phone, etc. Due to his tetraplegia, he needed ways to access text and write, calculate, draw and so on. Max learned to access a computer using a large button keyboard, joystick mouse, and adaptive hand-typers (cuffs with an attached stylus that fit on the ulnar side of the hand and allow the user to press the keys of a keyboard) to support writing activities and computer access. During rehabilitation, he was able to continue with his schoolwork by dev eloping the skills to use the technology and keep up with his classmates. He returned home during the summer and participated in an intense home tutoring program. By the fall, he was able to join his classmates and was able to perform at grade level in all classes. Essential to Maxs future educational success and development, as well as his future employment, may well depend on his ability to write, calculate and perhaps even draw using a variety of assistive technologies that support communication. 3.4. Support social participation and pre-vocational activities Access to assistive and mainstream technologies not only facilitates participation in education, but also has implications for future employment as these children transition into adulthood. Assistive and mainstream technologies are now available at modest cost that can help individuals with SCI to compensate for functional limitations, overcome barriers to employability, enhance technical capacities and computer utilization, and improve ability to compete for gainful employment In addition, these technologies also provide access to life-long learning, recreational activities and social networking activities. Specifically, computers are described as great equalizers for individuals with SCI to engage in employment opportunities and distant communication (McKinley, TewksBury, Sitter, Reed, and Floyd, 2004). Social participation in the current technological age includes more than face-to-face communication. Social participation has expanded with the popularity of social networking sites (e.g., Facebook à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢and MySpaceà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢), video web-based communication (e.g., Skypeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢) and instant communication and messaging (e.g., Twitterà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢). Advances in the field of AAC have allowed individuals with the most severe injuries access computer technologies to engage in these social communication activities. For example, Crystal was a 10-year-old who sustained a C1 SCI due to a fall. Crystals injury left her with no head/neck control and her only consistent access method to computerized technology was through eye tracking. With an ERICA eye gaze system from DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, Crystal quickly became independent with computer access. She emailed and texted her friends and family daily, communicated via her Facebookà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ account, and engaged in onli ne gaming programs with her friends and siblings. This technology allowed her to begin to communicate again with her school friends while she was still undergoing acute rehabilitation. Maintaining these social networks is an essential component to emotional adjustment children with SCI go through after sustaining a severe injury (Dudgeon, Massagli, and Ross, 1997). Additionally, Crystals friends began to understand that while her impairments were severe, she was essentially the same person with the same interests, humor, goals, and expectations as before her injury. 3.5. AT/AAC themes in SCI When working with pediatric patients with SCI, three AAC themes emerge. 1. For those with high tetraplegia, AAC may facilitate face-to-face as well as distant and written communication needs, depending on the developmental level of the child. Introducing AAC technology early, when face-to-face communication support is needed, helps the child become familiar with the technology they will need to rely on after natural speech has recovered. 2. Return to an educational environment is a primary goal with many children with tetraplegia returning to school within an average of 62 days post discharge (Sandford, Falk-Palec, and Spears, 1999). Development of written communication skills is an essential component to successful educational completion and future vocational opportunities (McKinley, Tewksbury, Sitter, Reed, and Floyd, 2004). 3. Introduction to methods of written and electronic communication provides an opportunity for patients with SCI to engage in social networks through email, texting, and social networking sites. As these children with severe physical disabilities face a life time of potential medical complications (Capoor and Stein, 2005), the ability to maintain and develop new social connections via electronic media allow them to stay connected during times when their medical conditions require them to be house or hospital-bound. 4. Conclusion Communication is essential for continued development of cognitive, language, social, and emotional skills. Children with TBI and SCI have physical and/or cognitive-language deficits that interfere with typical communication abilities. Their communication needs are supported through AAC strategies and technologies. A myriad of technology options are available that not only support face-to-face interactions, but equally important distant social networking and educational activities. AAC interventions in the medical setting that not only support communication of basic medical needs, but also facilitate engagement in social, educational, and pre-vocational activities will result in successful transition to home, school and community environments for these children.

Sound and Image in Motion Pictures Essay -- Sound Image Movies Films E

Sound and Image in Motion Pictures Motion pictures and television are audio-visual mediums and so of course engage both our visual and aural senses. The meaning and emotion of a piece is commonly thought to come from the image and that the sound at best just duplicates the meanings from the image. For example Aaron Copland has said that a composer can do no more than" make potent through music the film's dramatic and emotional value." (http://web.archive.org/web/20041210081146/http://citd.scar.utoronto.ca/VPAB93/) Sound does however perform much more important, intricate and complex functions than commonly accepted. Sound combines with moving pictures in various ways to create meaning but is diverse and has numerous other uses. This essay will show ways that sound enhances and creates meaning in combination with moving image as well as showing some of the many other possible functions of sound use combined with this medium The sound track is produced separately from the image and includes three ingredients: Dialogue/voice, sound effects and music. The three elements of the sound track can work together and independently to create meaning and to produce different effects. Music combines with, adds to and enhances moving image in many ways. It can heighten and refine emotion as well as meaning. Music, through tone and instrument selection can create the mood of a piece and of and towards its characters. Music is commonly used to give a sense of continuity and unity to a production and to possible sequels. Music can give a sense of time and place as well as to help create the ambience or feel to a piece. Another function of music is to create, replicate and increase or decrease the sense of rhythm to and of a piece. Music can act as a precursor to events in a story and also to direct the audience to a particular part/s of the image. Finally music can work independently and in combination with sound effects to give a sense of genre, time and setting. One way music combines with moving images to create meaning is through leitmotifs. A character, group of characters or action has a motif that explains who the good guys or bad guys are or that a specific type of situation or action is about to unfold. In Star Wars the rebels have a powerful, uplifting victorious sounding leitmotif that combines with the clothing worn by the rebels and ot... ...und. Composer Leonard Rosenman said, " There is a symbiotic catalytic exchange-relationship between the film and the music that accompanies it†¦. musically unenlightened people comment positively on a score after seeing the film. I have played these same people the same score without telling them that it came from the film they had seen. Their reactions ranged from luke-warm to positive rejection†¦" (http://web.archive.org/web/20041210081146/http://citd.scar.utoronto.ca/VPAB93/) Bibliography Bordwell, D, Thompson, Kristin. , (1990), Film Art, McGraw-Hill Bordwell, D., Thompson, K., Staiger, K., (1988), The Classical Hollywood Cinema: film style and mode of production to 1960, London, Routledge,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blandford, S. et al. (2001), The Film Studies Dictionary, London, Arnold. Gibbs, J., (2002), Mise-en-scà ¨ne, London, Wallflower Rene, C. , (1951), Reflexion faite: Notes cinematograhique, Paris: Gallimard. Stam, R. (2000), Film Theory: An Introduction, Oxford, Blackwell Publishers.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Web References: http://web.archive.org/web/20041210081146/http://citd.scar.utoronto.ca/VPAB93/ http://lavender.fortunecity.com/ hawkslane/575 /dialogue-and-sound.htm

Interpirtation of the short story “Lust” by Susan Minot Essay

In the short story, â€Å"Lust† by Susan Minot, the story begins with a young girl talking about the first time she had sex with a boy, as the story goes on she talks more and more about boys she is with and the different situations she in with them. She doesn’t talk about her interests very much outside of the boys she encounters. In the story I feel like the girl has low self confidence and low self esteem â€Å"Some things I was good as , like math or painting or even sports but the second a boy put his arm around me , I forgot about wanting to do anything else.† In this quote I feel like it’s a foreshadowing of the person she would become later, so involved in boys that she didn’t have a real meaning in life. She feels she isn’t a good enough to not have sex with the boys and is just doing it, because she thinks it’s a way to get them to love her. â€Å"I hate those girls who push away a boy’s face as if she were made out of Ivory soap, as if she’s much greater than she is.† I feel like this quote is very symbolic in describing how the girl feels about her self as well as other girls. I feel that the Ivory soap symbolizes girl who haven’t had sex and who are â€Å"clean and perfect.† I feel that in this quote she says, â€Å"she hates the girls who push away the boys faces† because ironically she is upset and angry at herself, that she never pushed the boys away and has regrets about sleeping with so many boys. I feel like she actually hating her self. Also what is ironic about this quote that she actually thinks the boys are greater than she is. Her perception of the boys is off. This shows her low self confidence and low self esteem â€Å"You begin to feel like a piece of pounded veal.† This quote goes with the argument of the story in the sense that she is having a constant battle within her self. Through out the progression of the boys she experiences I feel that she is constantly trying to fill a hole that she has inside of her self, by sleeping with so many boys in hopes that they will start to care and love her. â€Å"You make out the dim shape of the window and feel yourself become a cave, filled absolutely with air, or with a sadness that wouldn’t stop.† This hole could be caused by the fact that her parents are never around that she has been shipped off to some boarding school she could feel rejected by her parents and therefor could be trying  to fill the hole by being with so many boys feeling there approval. â€Å"My parents had no idea. Parents doing really know what’s going on especially when you’re away at school most of the time.† In this story I feel the girl is struggling to find happiness not within herself, but in other people and in sex. In the beginning of the story she is just experimenting with sex and as the story goes on she progresses into not even remembering some of the boys names because she is getting more sad, more empty, because the boys are giving her what she really wants happiness in herself. â€Å"I sat on the cracked chest by the open window and smoked and smoked till I felt even worse, waiting for something- I get for him to get back.†

Sentimental Essay

Sentimental Essay Sentimental Essay Celia Morales Ruiz Mr. Jeffrey L. Olson, Jr. AP English Language & Composition March 7, 2014 Being different is ok My dad has never understood that being different is never a bad thing. My older brother Hector, confessed to me last year before he left to travel the world with his new job as a flight attendant for American Airlines, that he liked men. Meaning he’s homosexual. Do I care? No because its his decision and not anyone elses. But here is how it all slowly began to build up. To begin with, my dad and brother have never had that all american father ­ son relationship as you see in movies nowadays. Hector ever since he was a child and lived in Mexico, has been the outcast of the family. You’d think that because he was a boy, the dad would love him to death. Not in this case, my dad would get grossed out when my brother would get home and want to eat because he did not eat at school all day due to financial issues. He would hate if he would go to the fridge more than twice a day, like everything he did bothered him. Nothing made my dad happy. If he was quiet he’d get yelled out for not talking, if he was loud he’d want to spank him. He would even get disrespected at the store in front of hundreds of people.When they arrived in the United States, Hector was in elementry school still and when he would ask my dad for help on his homework he’d yell at him for not understanding what was being asked, and would call him in spanish â€Å"estupido o un Idiota†. When he began high school at Agua Fria, he gained a lot of weight due to stress, anxiety, and everything else that my dad caused him. As he began his freshman year, he was doing better things for himself. He got his first job at McDonald’s. and lasted a couple months before he realized that one job was not giving him enough money for all his own expenses. He was working for himself since my dad could care less about him. So he got another job at Burger King, he still went to school, got good grades and all but it was never good enough for my dad†¦. ever. And I’ve always wondered why my brother has always had so much hatred towards life and the people, he’s forced to call family. But in all honesty its all my dads fault. My Mom reminds us constantly that we’re so lucky to have not have had Dad be like he was with Hector. He would shake in fear of not knowing what Dad was capable of doing.He never was allowed to go to college due to the fact of financial aid and Dad’s lack of being involved in our studies (still to this day). I do not mean to throw him under the bus at all. By the time senior year came, he did not have the money to pay for his cap and gown, prom tickets,or his tux for the night. Mom with her motherly instincts took money out of my dad's bank account and gave it to Hector so he could at least enjoy part of his senior year. When he turned 17, he moved out of the house and stayed in approximately 7 different condos/ apartments until about the age of 22 he bought a house in Tolleson about four or five years ago, and yes all on his own with no ones help. He later got a high paying Job in the medicare department and

Kate DiCamillo Biography and Books

Kate DiCamillo Biography and Books Introduction Kate DiCamillo is a renowned American writer for children’s literature. She has climbed the ladder in this field and has found her way to the New York Times bestsellers’ list. She has received numerous awards in line with her work. A good example was the Newbery Honor. She works in a bookstore and writing is her part time job (Margolies, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Kate DiCamillo Biography and Books specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Background Information Kate DiCamillo was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and grew in Florida. Kate DiCamillo together with her mother and brother moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Florida because she was suffering from chronic pneumonia and Florida was much warmer for her condition. In Florida people talked slowly and had an accent. She also had a dog called Nanette. She loved it so much and spent most of her time with it. Her sickly nature contributed to her growth as a writer. This is because she used story books to entertain her self at that early age. This developed a reading culture in her and she would read everything she laid her hands on. She went to the University of Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. In 2006, she delivered the commencement address in the same university. Since early in her life, Kate DiCamillo had a desire to write. This dream was later realized when she was employed in a book warehouse and was based on children’s department. It was then that she started reading children’s literature. She developed interests and she decided to write in this line. Up to date, Kate writes novel s as part time and she usually write two pages a day for five days in a week. In addition, she works at books store in children’s department. The job at the warehouse not only gave her the inspiration to write but also gave her the opportunity to meet the right people i n the field. For instance it was during this time that she met Candlewick press personnel who later took her first novel draft for processing to the complete novel. According to her, Florida was a great inspiration for her. Unlike what she was used to at her early age, Florida was small and thus people existed as a single family. At her twenties she moved to Minnesota and it is during this time that she missed the warmth that she had experienced in Florida.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Her first novel was Because of Winn-Dixie which is a praise hymn to dogs and friendship of the south. She wrote it in Minnesota. It was one evening when she was going to sleep when she heard a young girl singing the same praise hymn with southern accent. She listened to what India Opal Buloni was telling her and wrote her novel (DiCamillo, 2000). She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota . Children’s Literature Kate DiCamillo has won many awards. Her first novel; Because of Winn- Dixie led her to receive Newbery Honor. The second one, The Tiger Rising was a National Book award Finalist. The Tale of Desperaux, her third novel also won an award by the name Newbery Medal. In addition, Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride received Theodor Geisel Honor. Every novel she has written has had different inspiration. The Tale of Despereaux novel of 2003 was inspired by a friend’s son. From a single statement of a hero who had extra ordinary ears, Luke Bailey gave Kate an idea that developed into a whole novel (DiCamillo, 2003). Because of Winn-Dixie resulted from homesick for Florida. She missed her lovely dog. In some circumstances, characters just come from nowhere and they help in development of a story. Her childhood also influences the way she writes in one way or another. For instance separation from her father shaped who she was and is and the way she perceives th e world. Her novels are among the favorite in the market and this has continued to create more opportunities. For example her novels have been translated to films by other big companies. 20th Century Fox translated her first novel Because of Winn-Dixie into film. The Tale of Despereaux was made a film by Universal Pictures in 2008. New Line Cinema released the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane film (DiCamillo, 2006).The 20th Century Fox is working on her latest book The Magician’s Elephant. Conclusion Much of Kate DiCamillo’s time goes to creating of stories. She concludes that it has nothing to do with talent as she used to think in college when she was being complimented for her good writing. She now believes in hard work. Kate puts it that she never want to write but she is always glad that she has done it. The rewarding of it all is when the stories have an impact on the reader. Her greatest inspiration is when she feels that the small stories she writes impacts positively. In addition, Kate DiCamillo never fails to encourage upcoming writers. She urges them to write in smaller chunks every day. She also tells them that the stories are around them and that they only need to look around and develop novels.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Kate DiCamillo Biography and Books specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press. DiCamillo, K. (2006).The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press. DiCamillo, K. (2003). The tale of Despereaux : being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. Margolies, J.( 2006). Pleasantly Stunned, a Star Childrens Author Hits the Tour Trail Again. The New York Times. Retrieved from  https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/books/pleasantly-stunned-a-star-childrens-author-hits-the-tour- trail-again.html on 19th may 2011.

Informed Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informed Decisions - Essay Example They use the philosophical base of Karl Marx, the tactics of Adolph Hitler and the rhetoric of the Sierra Club. The American people have been assaulted from all directions by rabid environmentalists. School children have been told that recycling is a matter of life and death. There is nothing happening that is not the result of natural occurrences and that is that. 2. The earth does go through natural cycles of cold and warm. These can just be repeating patterns, or they can be triggered by catastrophic events like a meteor strike or major volcanic eruptions. What we see now, which has never been seen before, is the fact that a species on earth now has enough power to trigger one of these catastrophic events. That means us...So, while some of what we see happening to the climate is part of natural cycles, we are now adding to the problem at a remarkable rate - the natural rate of change would be much slower and less dramatic. My viewpoint is that global warming does exist. It is a matter of urgency because we have the ability to slow down a natural process by modifying our own behavior. Maybe one would argue that it's not a problem. Try that on the inhabitants of Tuvalu - it's the first island in the Pacific which is actually beginning to go under water as the sea level rises. Others are going to go under too, but it's happening to the Tuvalans right now. Many of the younger people are leaving, but older people feel they have nowhere else to go and are just appealing to the world to pay attention and change their carbon emissions now. D. Justification Through Evidence. The atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, have increased since pre-industrial times from 280 part per million (ppm) to 377.5 ppm (2004 Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center), a 34% increase. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are the highest in 650,000 years. Carbon dioxide is a by-product of the burning of fossil fuels, such as gasoline in an automobile or coal in a power plant generating electricity. Levels of atmospheric methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, have risen 145% in the last 100 years. Methane is derived from sources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel production. The year 1999 was the fifth-warmest year on record since the mid-1800's; 1998 being the warmest year. According to Thomas Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center (NOAA), the current pace of temperature rise is "consistent with a rate of 5.4 to 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit per century." By comparison, the world has warmed by 5 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit since the depths of the last ice age, 18,000 to 20,000 years ago. F. Three Specific Examples. Disappearing Glaciers: Ice is melting all over the planet. Glaciers are melting on six continents. If present warming trends continue, all glaciers in Glacier National Park could be gone by 2030. The park's Grinnell Glacier is already 90% gone. Pictured here is the glacier prior to its meltdown. Because of global warming, the glaciers of the Ruwenzori range in Uganda are in massive retreat. The Bering Glacier, North America's largest glacier, has lost 7 miles of its length, while losing 20-25%

Electric Health Record (EHR) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Electric Health Record (EHR) - Essay Example By using the HER, clinicians are in a position to track the patient’s data over some period of time enabling them to easily identify the patients who are supposed to undergo preventive screening, check on the patient’s progress on parameters like vaccines, readings on blood pressure as well as improving and monitoring of the entire care quality of the patients. Since its introduction, the use of EHR has arguably contributed positively in making record keeping of patients more accurate, easier, more efficient and comprehensive. Since the introduction of EHR more than 40 years ago, the device has met both support and opposition. Most people consider EHR introduction as a controversial adoption in the health sector which raises issues such as excessive involvement by the government and privacy invasion. They regard the device as invading the privacy of patients is inefficient and the storage of records is not secure. Other people believe that this introduction is a signifi cant step in improving healthcare services and processes. Those in support argue that the adoption has ensured better service coordination among healthcare providers and professionals, it is cost effective and offers safer recoding of patients information (Ohno-Machado, 2011). Advantages The use of EHRs in healthcare processes has greatly reduced errors that were characteristic of medical records. The records that were hand written in the past had many human errors as a result of illegibility, misspelling and varying terminologies. EHRs have made it possible for all the health records for patients to be standardized. The EHR introduction has also served as a solution for the problem of loosing paper records. Physical records were prone to destruction by floods, fire and other catastrophes that happen naturally leading to patients and clinicians losing data. By using EHR, the records are stored digitally thus can remain virtually stored forever and for the longest time possible. The device also helps in storing health information which the patients are fond of forgetting after some time such as previous medications, illness and inoculations. By consolidating all the relevant data, health care becomes cost-effective. Paper records that were previously used were stored in different locations thus accessing them was money and time consuming. There are also a significant deficit in the process of exchanging medical information between the physicians that are based in hospitals and the primary care physicians. One of the major benefits of EHRs in the health care is the role the system played in the children hospitalized with asthma. Before the introduction of EHRs, only 4% of the children managed to get the asthma plan of action before they were discharged. Upon implementation, the number significantly increased as more than 58% of the children had the chance to benefit from the asthma action plan before they left the hospital (Hebert, 2008). The use of EHRs has als o been credited for saving lives. This is because it ensures rapid identification of the patient’s risks and an easy access of the medical history of patients, enabling rapid treatment and diagnosis in all situations including emergencies. A good example is the case of patients with heart problems and diabetes who are prone to attacks and collapsing. The device is also useful in accident situations and other trauma cases where the victims involved are not in a position to respond to questions. This was evident in the Hurricane Katrina incident (Ohno-Machado, 2011). Disadvantages Among the main opponents of the EHRs are the groups advocating for privacy rights. Such