Published Article / This study reports the findings of the doctoral studies on curriculum adaptations for learners with learning impairments. The researchers conducted a phenomenological study to examine how teachers apply curriculum adaptations for learners with learning impairments in the Foundation Phase through their teaching experience. The sample consisted of 20 Foundation Phase teachers and 22 learners. The authors Interviewed 20 teachers and observed interactions between teachers and learners as well as between learners. The findings suggested that although most teachers (18) claimed that they adapted the product, they in fact only adapted time and activities. The researchers recommends in-service training for teachers by Learning Support Advisors (LSAs) and Subject Advisors (SAs) on how to adapt curricula to the needs of learners with learning impairments in the Foundation Phase. The researchers designed a model on how Foundation Phase teachers could adapt the curriculum for learners with learning impairments in the Foundation Phase.

ITC/USA 2006 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Second Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 23-26, 2006 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / Many satellite payloads require wide-band channels for transmission of large amounts of data to users on the ground. These channels typically have substantial distortions, including bandlimiting distortions and high power amplifier (HPA) nonlinearities that cause substantial degradation of bit error rate performance compared to additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) scenarios. An adaptive equalization algorithm has been selected as the solution to improving bit error rate performance in the presence of these channel distortions. This paper describes the design and implementation of an adaptive baseband equalizer (ABBE) utilizing the latest FPGA technology. Implementation of the design was arrived at by first constructing a high fidelity channel simulation model, which incorporates worst-case signal impairments over the entire data link. All of the modem digital signal processing functions, including multirate carrier and symbol synchronization, are modeled, in addition to the adaptive complex baseband equalizer. Different feedback and feed-forward tap combinations are considered as part of the design optimization.

An investigation of concurrent validity of the Non-ah Speech Disturbance Ratio (Non-ah SDR) with the State Form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Twenty male college students talked on an anxiety-arousing topic before female audiences who rated observed anxiety. Each subject completed the State and Trait Forms of the STAI. Reliabilities were, by the Intraclass correlation for Raters on Day 1, .63 (p<.01) and Day 2, .20 (p<.05). Pearson's r for scorers was .98 (p<.01). The Non-ah SDR and all other measures of anxiety correlated. A partial correlation test found the naive ratings significantly determined by manifest speech disturbance, as measured by the Non-ah SDR. Certain categories of speech disturbance were only infrequently utilized and added little to the measure as a whole.

This study was an investigation of the relationship between the self-concepts of hearing-impaired children and the self-concepts of normal hearing children. Sixty-four hearing-impaired children and nineteen normal hearing children were given the Primary Self- Concept Inventory, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and were rated by a teacher using the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide. The differences between means were analyzed and tested for significance. It was concluded that there is no difference between the self concept of the hearing-impaired child and the self-concept of the normal hearing child. It was further concluded that the instruments currently available for measuring self-concept are poor and inadequate. Further research on the self-concept of the hearing impaired child was recommended.

This thesis deals with possibilities of education of adults with hearing impairment in the Czech Republic. The theoretical part of the thesis deals in the first chapter with the basic terminology of the branch. The second chapter focuses on communication of persons with hearing disabilities. The third chapter is devoted to problems of adult education, lifelong learning, tertiary education and also brings the greatest possible comprehensive list of organizations dealing with this issue and the current offer of education. The final chapter is devoted to the question of quality of life and the related job opportunities for these individuals. The main objective of this thesis is to analyze the current educational opportunities of persons with hearing disabilities. Partial objectives of this thesis is to analyze the sufficiency of existing supply of educational possibilities, the level of awareness of people with hearing disabilities about this offer and satisfaction with the applicability of the knowledge thus acquired in the labor market. The practical part of this thesis focuses on the evaluation of the survey, which was carried out in connection with completing of this thesis, and its conclusion focuses on comments on the results of the survey. The work should serve especially to the summary...

The aim of this thesis is to determine the influence of assisted therapy of dogs and horses for people with musculoskeletal disabilities and sensory impairments. The operational objective is to define the status and position of a therapy with the assistance of a dog and a horse in the context of the complex rehabilitation of a client. The theoretical part concentrates on the issues of zootherapy and zooasistance as supportive methods for easing muscle spasms, the development of fine and gross motor skills, development of verbal and nonverbal communication and development of orientation in space. In the research part of the thesis there are used qualitative techniques of data collection (history and observation), all rounded off by grounded theory. By the carried out research there were found positive manifestations in both the social and psychological areas, as well as in the areas of communication and development of fine and gross motor skills of children with disabilities.

L'art de l'Ancien Empire, ayant mis en place le canon dit « classique » du corps égyptien, est souvent décrit comme uniforme, fondé sur la répétition de la même image parfaite sur les murs des tombes. Pourtant, certains personnages se distinguent par leurs caractères physiques inhabituels, allant du détail corporel atypique à une infirmité évidente. Ainsi, des aveugles, boiteux, chauves, malades, bossus, nains ou encore obèses se dissimulent parmi leurs congénères dans les registres des programmes décoratifs. Une étude minutieuse des parois révèle une profusion de ces figures qui se distinguent par l'emplacement, la fonction, le rôle social, les attributs ou la nature de l'altération. Si certains groupes ont été largement étudiés ces dernières années comme les nains, d'autres demeurent moins connus voire à peine signalés dans les publications. Pourtant, ces images parfois crues et disgracieuses révèlent bien la volonté des artisans-artistes de cette époque de souligner un contexte spécifique et d'ajouter du sens à la scène. En rassemblant tous ces personnages en hors norme, en les comparant et en analysant leur iconographie, il est possible de tendre vers une vision plus proche de la réalité égyptienne, et notamment de la façon dont était perçue cette catégorie de population. D'autre part, la présence du handicap dans l'art égyptien pose une question essentielle : pourquoi avoir recréé sur les murs des tombeaux un univers fonctionnel non pas peuplé de sujets parfaits, mais parsemé d'êtres imparfaits ?Dans un champ d'investigation chronologiquement délimité (du Prédynastique au milieu du Moyen Empire), nous avons choisi d'analyser ces figures et leur apport à notre connaissance de la société égyptienne, et plus généralement à l'histoire et à la représentation du handicap dans l'art. Afin de mieux comprendre la perception du corps altéré chez les anciens Égyptiens, seront étudiés les mots qui les désignent, les causes médicales possibles, le développement et les innovations iconographiques qui ont pu se répandre dans toutes les nécropoles du pays. Le rôle de ses figures, les sens qu'elles recouvrent, ainsi que leur rapport avec les constatations médicales sur les restes humains nous en apprendront davantage sur la société égyptienne au temps des pyramides. Certaines figures, comme le bouvier émacié ou le notable replet, sont devenues les symboles d'une classe sociale particulière et ont connu une longévité dans l'art et la littérature. La reprise de certains motifs d'une sépulture à une autre, parfois distantes de centaines de kilomètres, révèlent également une stratégie fondée sur la référence et la citation.Ainsi, loin d'être un monde uniforme et régulier, les décors des tombeaux se révèlent finalement bien plus complexes et étoffés qu'une simple évocation de l'idéal égyptien. / The art of the Old Kingdom, having set up the so-called "classical" canon of the Egyptian body, is often described as monotonous, with the repetition of the same perfect image on the walls of the tombs. But some characters are distinguished by their unusual physical characteristics, ranging from atypical body detail to obvious disability. Thus, blind or lame people, bald men, sick characters, hunchbacks, dwarves or fat people hid among their congeners in the registers of decorative programs. A study of the walls reveals a profusion of these figures, which are distinguished by the location, function, social role, attributes or nature of their alteration. While some groups have been widely studied in recent years as dwarves, others remain less known or barely reported in publications. However, these images sometimes raw reveal the will of the artists to emphasize a specific context and add some meaning to the scene. By bringing all these characters together, comparing them and analyzing their iconography, it is possible to reach a closer vision of the Egyptian reality, and in particular the perception of disabled people. On the other hand, the presence of disability in Egyptian art poses an important question: why did they choose to recreate on the walls of the tombs a functional universe not with perfect subjects, but strewn with imperfect beings?From Predynastic to the Middle Kingdom, we chose to analyze these figures and their contribution to our knowledge of Egyptian society, and more generally to the history and representation of disability in art. In order to better understand the perception of the altered body among the ancient Egyptians, we will study the words that designated them, the possible medical causes, the development and the iconographic innovations that may have spread to all the necropolises in the country. The role of these figures, their meanings and their relationships to the medical findings on human remains will tell us more about Egyptian society. Some characters, such as the emaciated herdsman or the fat nobleman, have become symbols of a particular social class and had a longevity in art and literature. The reuse of images from one tomb to another, sometimes hundreds of kilometers apart, also reveals a strategy based on reference and quotation.Thus, far from being a uniform and regular world, the decorations of the tombs reveal to be far more complex and elaborated than a simple evocation of the Egyptian ideal.

Suite à une lésion (ex: blessure médullaire, accident vasculaire cérébral) ou une maladie neurodégénérative (ex: maladie de Parkinson), le système nerveux central humain peut être sujet à de multiples déficiences sensori-motrices menant à des handicaps plus ou moins lourds au cours du temps.Face aux méthodes thérapeutiques classiques, la stimulation électrique fonctionnelle (SEF) des muscles préservés permet de restaurer le mouvement et de fournir une assistance afin d’améliorer la condition des personnes atteintes et de faciliter leur réadaptation fonctionnelle.De nombreuses problématiques intrinsèques à la complexité du système musculo-squelettique et aux contraintes technologiques rendent néanmoins difficile la démocratisation de solutions de stimulation électro-fonctionnelle en dépit d’avancées majeures dans le domaine.Visant à favoriser l’utilisabilité et l’adaptabilité de telles solutions, cette thèse s’appuie sur un réseau de capteurs/actionneurs génériques embarqués sur le sujet, afin d’utiliser la connaissance issue de l’observation et l’analyse du mouvement pathologique des membres inférieurs pour étudier et valider expérimentalement de nouvelles solutions de commande de la SEF à travers une approche orientée-patient. / The human central nervous system (CNS) can be subject to multiple dysfunctions. Potentially due to physical lesions (e.g.: spinal cord injuries, hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke) or to neurodegenerative disorders (e.g.: Parkinson’s disease), these deficiencies often result in major functional impairments throughout the years.As an alternative to usual therapeutic approaches, functional electrical stimulation (FES) of preserved muscles enables to assist individuals in executing functional movements in order to improve their daily life condition or to help enhancing rehabilitation process.Despite major technological advances in rehabilitation engineering, the complexity of the musculoskeletal system and the technological constraints associated have led to a very slow acceptance of neurorehabilitation technologies.To promote usability and adaptability, several approaches and algorithms were studied through this thesis and were experimentally validated in different clinical and pathological contexts, using low-cost wearable sensors combined to programmable stimulators to assess and control motion through a patient-centered approach.

Nos últimos anos, a discussão a respeito do patenteamento de invenções de segundo uso tem gerado muitas discussões técnicas e acadêmicas. Dentre as partes divergentes, destacam-se o Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial, autarquia responsável pela concessão de patentes favorável ao instituto -, e a Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária ANVISA, agência cuja função é anuir previamente na concessão de patentes relacionadas à área farmacêutica - contrária a este tipo de privilégio de invenção. Na doutrina não é diferente. Alguns autores defendem a completa possibilidade de concessão dessas patentes, ao passo que outros apontam, desde o não preenchimento dos requisitos legais, até a incidência direta em impedimentos legais. O objetivo do presente trabalho é examinar tais requisitos e restrições e verificar se essas patentes podem ou não ser concedidas. Para tanto, analisaremos a história do sistema de patentes, sua natureza e funções. Em seguida, discorreremos sobre os aspectos constitucionais, concorrenciais e internacionais do sistema. Logo após, examinaremos os requisitos gerais da concessão de patentes e os impedimentos legais, a regulação do tema no Brasil, a doutrina contrária ao instituto e a possibilidade do patenteamento de segundos usos à luz dos requisitos e impedimentos legais. Abordaremos, ainda, projetos de lei, jurisprudência, direito comparado e discutiremos se os novos usos constituem ou não contrafação de patentes anteriores ainda em vigor. Em conclusão, questionaremos se as patentes de segundo uso atendem às funções do sistema de patentes. Nossa proposta é discutir a questão de forma técnica e desprovida de ideologias, procurando contribuir para a discussão do tema sob à luz dos sistema de patentes, que, em nosso entendimento, possui todas as ferramentas necessárias para o correto balanceamento dos interesses envolvidos e, caso corretamente aplicado, pode não só impedir eventuais abusos oriundos das patentes de segundo uso, como também transformá-las em um instrumento de incentivo tecnológico / Over the last years, the patentability of second use inventions has stirred extensive technical and academic debates. Conflicting parties include the Brazilian Industrial Property Institute - INPI (the Brazilian body in charge of granting patents), which advocates the patentability of second use inventions, and the National Public Health Agency - ANVISA (the regulatory agency in charge of giving prior consent to granting of patents in the pharmaceutical area), which stands against such privilege. And this also goes for legal writings. Some scholars defend that second use inventions are generally patentable, while others allege that second use inventions do not meet legal requirements and are even subject to legal impairments. This work examines these requirements and impairments to check whether second use inventions are patentable or not. To that end, this work will address the history of the patent system, its nature and functions. It will then turn to the constitutional, competition and international aspects underlying this system. Subsequently, this work will examine the general requirements and legal impairments attaching to patents, how this issue is regulated in Brazil, the legal writings contrary to such patentability, and the possibility of obtaining \"second use invention\" patents vis-à-vis the existing requirements and legal impairments. We will also look into bills, past court rulings and comparative law to discuss whether new uses should be viewed as a counterfeit to past patents still in force. In conclusion, we will question whether second use patents meet the patent system objectives. Our proposal is to give a technical and unbiased contribution to this matter and to the patent system as a whole, which apparently has the tools necessary for proper balancing of the interests involved and, if adequately applied, may not only avoid the abuse of second use patents but also turn them into a valuable instrument to foster technological improvements.

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