M.Ed. / The aim of this study is to investigate and determine the effect of a strategy like the computer in the equalisation of the educational opportunities for people with visual impairment. Furthermore, the study seeks to establish the effect of computer usage in subjects considered inaccessible to people with visual impairment. The attitude and perception of the educator toward) both the learner and the role the assistive device plays in the education situation will be examined. The perception that the person with visual impairment has about his potentials will be studied. Ultimately, educational opportunities constitute the core of the research. In other words, the focus of this study will be on what must be done to fully and in the best possible terms meet the educational needs of persons with visual impairment. What strategies must be employed to equalise educational opportunities for visually impaired people?

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Philosophy of Education in the University of Zululand, 1994. / The study contributes scientifically to the erudite debate still going on and problems facing the Government of National Unity about open schools. The study reveals the most central problem in open schools, that is, if education amongst its functions serves to enhance and maintain cultural identity, thus, are open schools culturally relative to maintain all cultural identities. The study further reveals alienation as a social problem suffered by African pupils in open schools and in their respective communities. Different perceptions and expectations by African parents are revealed in this study as well. Statistical imbalances in Black is to White enrolment ratio in these schools has been noted together with concomitant justifications by their predominantly White principals. The study consequently recommends that, since hitherto the integration has been such that only Black pupils move to White schools, therefore the Minister of Education should take into account the inadequacies and in some instances non-existence of vital facilities for effective teaching-learning to take place in African schools which is one of the pulling factors.

The central aortic blood pressure signal is an important source of information that contains cues about the cardiovascular system condition. Measuring this pulse wave clinically is burdensome as it can be only measured invasively with a catheter. As a result, many mathematical tools have been proposed in the past few decades to reconstruct the aortic pressure signal from the peripheral pressure signals that are usually easier to obtain noninvasively. At the distal level, the blood pressure signal is not directly useful since factors, such as length and stiffness of the arteries, play roles in changing the shape of the pressure signal significantly. In this thesis, multi-channel blind system identification techniques are proposed to estimate the central pressure waveform which vary in their accuracy and complex- ity. First, a simple linear method is applied by approximating the nonlinear arterial system as a linear time-invariant system and applying the cross-relation approach. Next, a more complicated nonlinear Wiener system is proposed to model the nonlinear arterial tree. Along with the channel’s coefficients, the nonlinear functions are estimated using cross-relation and kernel methods. Data-driven machine learning methods are tested to estimate the aortic pressure signals. In many cases, they suffer from underfitting problems. As a remedy, a hybrid machine learning and cross-relation approach is also proposed to add more robustness to the machine learning models. This hybrid approach is implemented by combining the cross-relation with any machine learning method, including deep learning approaches. The various methods are tested using pre-validated virtual databases. The results show that the linear method produces root mean squared errors between 3.40 mmHg and 6.24 mmHg depending on the cross-relation constraint and the equalization tech- nique. On the other hand, the root mean squared errors associated with the nonlinear methods are between 3.76 mmHg and 4.22 mmHg and hence more stable. For the hybrid machine learning and cross-relation approach, applying the cross-relation and the dictionary learning reduce the root mean squared errors up o 67% comparing with the pure machine learning models.

The question of whether increased funding pursuant to equity and adequacy court decisions has improved academic performance of at-risk students has sparked a lively and spirited debate. The landmark New Jersey case of Abbott v. Burke has been at the center of this debate. In Abbott, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that students in twenty-eight (28) “special needs” districts must receive the same funding per pupil as students in the two highest socio-economic district factor groups in the State. 149 N.J. 145 (1997) (Abbott IV). The question of whether the redistribution of State aid pursuant to Abbott IV has been efficiently and effectively managed has dominated public policy debates on education in New Jersey for the last two decades. The research questions are: 1. Did the court orders in Abbott v. Burke and subsequent reform policies adopted by the state in response to these orders increase funding and resources for economically disadvantaged students in the Abbott districts? 2. Have increased resources from Abbott v. Burke directly reached students in the classroom through enhanced instruction and student support services? 3. Have Abbott v. Burke and ensuing State reform policies improved the academic performance of economically disadvantaged students as compared to analogous low socioeconomic and working-class students in districts that are not covered by the court decision? 4. Have a specific set of programs and reforms, including intensive early literacy programs in the elementary grades mandated by the State pursuant to Abbott v. Burke been effective for at-risk students in Abbott districts? My study proceeds from descriptive analyses of revenues by source and expenditures per pupil by function to quasi-experimental models. My primary causal analyses involved applying a difference-in-differences (DD) approach using expenditures per pupil, student teacher ratio, state standardized assessment scores for fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade; SAT Verbal and Math district averages; and Graduating with the Class as outcomes. My secondary causal analyses entailed a comparative interrupted time series (CITS) approach using state standardized assessment scores for eleventh grades, SAT scores, graduation rates, and post high plans as outcomes. After an exhaustive study, wherein I built one of the most comprehensive district-level databases in the nation and utilized over twenty-five measures, I find that Abbott v. Burke as an intervention has strong positive effects on education spending, student performance (in the early stages), and the learning environment. Abbott v. Burke had a strong positive effect on education spending from the time the seminal case was decided in 1997 up until to the present date. The fact that Abbott districts are expending more on student support services per pupil in FY 17 than all other socio-economic districts across the State in raw dollars ($2,477) and on a percentage basis (12.7 percent) indicates that increased resources from Abbott v. Burke directly reach students through enhanced student support services. In New Jersey, increased funding and reform policies pursuant to the line of Abbott v. Burke court decisions has improved the academic performance of economically disadvantaged student in the Abbott districts as compared to low socioeconomic and working-class non-Abbott districts. The DD model suggests that Abbott IV increased the proficiency levels on fourth grade reading assessments of Abbott districts as compared to low socioeconomic districts between school year 1997-98 and 2001-02 (p<0.01). The DD model suggests that the IEL program increased fourth grade reading proficiency scores of the Abbott districts who were “high and medium implementers” of this policy as compared to low socioeconomic districts. In a confirmation that the IEL program is effective, the DD model also implies that the IEL program increased fourth grade reading proficiency scores of the Abbott districts who were “low implementers” of this policy as compared to low socioeconomic districts. Abbott IV increased the number of students in Abbott districts enrolling in two-year colleges as compared to low socioeconomic or working class districts between school year 1997-98 and 2001-02 means that Abbott students are more cognizant of the opportunities to attend college.

The influent to a water and resource recovery facility (WRRF) generally exhibits significant diurnal variations in flow rate and load concentration. This makes determining the operating parameters and subsequently the overall operation of plants difficult, especially in developing countries due to the lack of highly skilled operators. Hence, there is an incentive for the control and operation of WRRFs in developing countries to be improved. Flow equalization tanks were identified as a potential method to attenuate the diurnal variations in flow rate and load concentration into plants. The main aim of this research was to develop a viable dynamic simulation model for the operation of flow equalization tanks, within a plant-wide framework (to allow for the evaluation of design and control strategies). The next aim was to determine the benefits of equalization tanks towards design and optimised operation of future WRRFs via scenario analyses. Finally, the effects of the equalization tank on the performance of various unit processes in a WRRF were to be investigated. The model was developed in three steps; i) the development of the required equations to model equalization tanks, ii) mass balance throughout the model for internal consistency and iii) scenario analyses to determine if the model generated reasonable and scientifically sound outputs. The model was developed using Microsoft Excel Visual Basic (VBA) and WEST®. Two scenarios were considered to assess the equalization tank modelled. Scenario One involved the comparison of the capital cost, unit process sizes and total footprint of a balanced sludge age Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) system with and without an equalization tank. Scenario Two compared the plant performance of the MLE system designed in Scenario One with and without a flow equalization tank. A dynamic simulation model replicating equalization tanks was successfully developed. From scenario analyses, it was determined that using an MLE system and only considering equalization of flow, there was a reduction in the size of several unit processes by 8-9% (primary settling tank, biological reactors, secondary settling tank, flotation unit, anoxic-aerobic digester), due to the less conservative design values that could be used as the variations of the influent were decreased. Despite this, a 13% overall increase in the footprint of the WRRF was observed due to the addition of the equalization tank. The attenuation of diurnal flow variations also resulted in reduction of various plant parameters by up to 50% (flow, OUR, VSS flux). Finally, there was a 10% improvement in the performance of various unit processes due to the presence of the equalization tank. In conclusion, the inclusion of equalization tanks in WRRFs has significant positive effects. These results were obtained with equalization of flow only. Some other limitations were experienced during the project resulting in the following recommendations: further research will be needed to validate and calibrate the model, As the model was not successfully incorporated in a plant-wide framework, further developments in that direction are required, as well as including the equalization of load in the model.

Film audiences have expressed continuous criticism about film sound, claiming that in many situations dialogue is difficult to hear. This issue raises questions about the factors that have negative impact on speech intelligibility and points to investigate strategies that maintain dialogue intelligible in a 5.1. This study investigates how listeners, audio engineering students, experience dialogue intelligibility, when different mixing techniques as dynamic equalization and ducking are applied to the sound effect. The results show that both signal processing techniques, dynamic equalization and ducking, are able to improve dialogue intelligibility and furthermore, dynamic equalization has been proved as the most effective.

Wireless underwater acoustic (UWA) communications is a developing field with various applications. The underwater acoustic communication channel is very special and its behavior is environment-dependent. The UWA channel is characterized by low available bandwidth, and severe motion-introduced Doppler effect compared to wireless radio communication. Recent literature suggests that machine learning (ML)-based channel estimation and equalization offer benefits over traditional techniques (a decision feedback equalizer), in UWA communications. ML can be advantageous due to the difficultly in designing algorithms for UWA communication, as finding general channel models have proven to be difficult. This study aims to explore if ML-based channel estimation and equalization as a part of a sophisticated physical layer structure can offer improved performance. In the study, supervised ML using a deep neural network and a recurrent neural network will be utilized to improve the bit error rate. A channel simulator with environment-specific input is used to study a wide range of channels. The simulations are utilized to study in which environments ML should be tested. It is shown that in highly time-varying channels, ML outperforms traditional techniques if trained with prior information of the channel. However, utilizing ML without prior information of the channel yielded no improvement of the performance.

This thesis focuses on analysis, classification, simulation and assessment of the signal fading in the scope of terrestrial digital television reception. This is a phenomenon associated with signal multipath propagation caused by the reflection, dispersion and diffraction of electromagnetic waves in interaction with relief and artificial obstacles. Wave propagation issues in a specific landscape are not the central theme of this project. Signal transmission between the transmitter and receiver is defined by channel profile models. Attention is directed not only to static reception but also to portable and mobile reception. Simulation of this phenomenon takes place in the software environment of MATLAB. In the framework of this project program fundament was created which allows simulate the signal processing across the entire communication chain of television broadcasting, including its transmitting and receiving parts.

The work is focused on multitone modulation implemented by filter banks, which are alternative modulations to DMT and OFDM modulations. The paper describes the two proposed modulation schemes, non-overlapped FMT and half-overlapped FMT. This modulations utilize the benefits of implementing FFT algorithm in conjunction with a bank of polyphase filters that are derived from the prototype filter. To design the prototype filter a Matlab tool is developed. For both modulations the simulation models were created for xDSL systems and for wireless transmission channel. Non-overlapped FMT modulation proved to be a suitable modulation scheme for channels with narrowband interference and sharp edges in the transmission function of the channel. It was allowed by perfect separation of each subchannel and with preserving the orthogonality between subchannels using the FFT algorithm and utilization of appropriate filters. Half-overlapped FMT modulation allows as well as the DMT modulation optimal utilization of provided transmittion band, because the power spectral density of the signal is flat. But it is not suitable for transmission channels with roughly shaped by changes in the transmission function and narrowband interference. Optimization implementations were designed using parallel processing on the DSP Texas Instruments TMS320C67x series. It thus achieved almost ten-fold reduction in computational complexity. In FMT modulation both options ensure increased signal to noise ratio and thus allow the use of constellation diagrams with a large number of signal elements with the same transmit power and also higher transmission speed.