Yes / This Case Study paper presents the first exploration of Speculative Design as a participatory democracy method for navigating the future of ageing in Malaysia. Speculative Design in the context of Global South is emerging, but without much data on how it is applied within different socio-economic conditions from the Global North countries. This Case Study considers the challenges and opportunities of employing Speculative Design as policy identification and development method from the context of Malaysia, a Global South country with its own unique characteristics. The paper concludes by suggesting that the novelty of Speculative Design as a policy-design approach in Global South countries, such as in Malaysia, requires the right selection of provocations and culturally familiar content to ease introduction of the methodology. Also, the efficacy of this approach as a participatory design application would require further enculturation within targeted communities, as well as sustained engagement through Champions. / This work was supported by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council [grant number: AH/S005684/1].

Recent studies and research demonstrate the importance of play and play-based learning. There are many articles that have shown that play is an essential component of a child's development. Play-based learning is even more important for children with disabilities. Without play, special needs children may develop learning deficits that complicate the disabilities they are already experiencing. The benefits of play are inextricably related to the environments in which it occurs. Play environments need to be carefully designed to ensure that children are able to realize the full benefits of play. In the United States, public play areas are abundant. However, do these play areas stimulate the development of children? Have they been designed to be inclusive to those with special needs? The need to have play areas that are truly accessible is further amplified by recent statistics, which show that there is an upward trend in the number of U.S. students with disabilities. Consequently, there is a significant need for play spaces that are stimulating and inclusive to children of all abilities. This paper highlights the importance of play, play environments, and disability play. It provides an overview of disabilities in children and their effects on play. It critically examines the current state of play in America. Based on literature review, historical information, and critical analyses of existing play areas, this paper advocate for nature-based playgrounds. Through the design of a play landscape that is nature-based and inclusive to children with Autism, this paper demonstrates significant advantages of nature-based inclusive play space design and advocates for such play spaces over traditional play spaces designed with man-made materials. / Master of Landscape Architecture / Play is often dismissed as something that children engage in when they are young. Play is actually extremely important to a child’s development. Play contributes to physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of children. This paper highlights the importance of play for all children, including those with disabilities, and underscores the significance of a well-designed play environment in a child’s development. Play areas are abundant in the United States. The goal of this research is to understand whether such play areas are designed to help children realize the full benefits of play, and whether such play areas are inclusive and accessible for children with disabilities. Given the rising prevalence of autism in children, a nature based playground design that is inclusive for children with Autism is presented in this paper. The framework and design considerations presented here can be replicated to any generic play site to create a much more stimulating and inclusive play environment.

<p dir="ltr">Special education students are entitled to access the rigor of the general education classroom, which has created environments where special education teachers are co-teaching with general education teachers. Co-teaching has become the most common method for supporting students with disabilities while providing the same rigorous education that their non-disabled peers receive. This study aimed to understand what general education and special education teachers perceived as strengths and challenges in co-teaching.</p><p dir="ltr">Co-teaching is a common model used in public schools today to address the inclusion of students with disabilities into the general education classroom. Although research suggests that Co-teaching has positive effects, the outcomes are often not as successful as hoped.</p><p dir="ltr">Research has shown that there are many challenges with implementing coteaching, such as lack of common planning time, special education teachers' lack of content knowledge, control or “turf” issues, differences in teachers’ personalities, differences in teaching Philosophy, and disagreements about discipline and behavior management (Chitiyo, 2017, Scruggs & Mastropieri, 2017, Shin et al., 2016). Successful co-teaching requires general education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators working together for the greater good.</p><p dir="ltr">This research was conducted by a survey to identify what the teachers perceived as the biggest challenges with co-teaching. This study was based on a peer-reviewed literature review of scholarly journals about co-teaching perceptions in other middle schools. Data was collected from special education and general education teachers using a needs assessment survey. This research provided strategies for special education and general education teachers to collaborate successfully, share responsibilities, and choose the most effective co-teaching method in their classrooms.</p><p dir="ltr">This research provided a greater understanding of the strengths and challenges of co-teaching in two middle schools compared to previous research. The survey questions explored the perspectives of the general education and the special education teacher on the roles of co-teaching and preservice/in-service preparation. The survey data was organized looking for the themes or patterns to emerge, making note of each one. This process was completed using Qualtrics online survey software.</p><p dir="ltr">The results of the survey show that although co-teaching is the most common method used to support the inclusion of students with disabilities, the teachers need additional training. The number of years of teaching did not change the responses of the teachers. The survey results also showed that most of the teachers felt they needed adequate time together to plan effective co-teaching strategies in the classroom but were not given that planning time currently.</p><p dir="ltr">The findings of this study provided educators strategies for effective co-teaching collaborative learning teams. One strategy that is important to effective co-teaching is having the teachers gain knowledge of each other on a personal level. This will allow the teachers to understand the personalities within the co-teaching team. This helps build the mutual trust that is required for co-teaching to be successful.</p><p dir="ltr">One strategy for the administrators is to investigate the areas in which teachers may require additional training to increase the effectiveness of co-teaching collaboration.</p><p><br></p>

Statistics show the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental delay disorder, is now 1 in 110 children in the United States (Rice, 2009), nearing 1% of the population. Therefore, this study looked at ways modern technology could assist these children and their families. One deficit in ASD is the inability to respond to gaze referencing (i.e. follow the eye gaze of another adult/child/etc), a correlate of the responding to joint attention (RJA) process. This not only affects the way they appear to society, but it also affects social development, communication skills, and play skills later in life (Whalen & Schreibman, 2003), making early intervention of RJA is an integral part of a successful social skills program. This study developed design guidelines, as well as offered and evaluated a design framework, adding to the limited literature regarding technology and ASD intervention. The game was developed within behavior analytic framework, undergoing several iterations, developing a functional prototype that was analyzed in three parts. The first part identified which elements needed redesign in light of the study population. Second, a collaborative prototyping participatory design group was formed in which the elements from the previous part of the study were assigned guidelines. The final part of the study included an evaluation by those with ABA experience, evaluating if the game correctly encompassed and mirrored traditional face-to-face ABA interventions. The study's contributions were the finalized design guidelines and design framework, as well as additional research on harnessing technology in ASD interventions. / Master of Science

Globally, more than two billion people suffer from deficiencies in micronutrients that are essential for human health. Low-income populations in low- and middle-income countries are especially vulnerable to these deficiencies. There are three priority interventions used to reduce micronutrient deficiencies and improve overall nutrition status — supplementation, fortification, and diet diversity. As the share of food purchases made by low-income households has been increasing, there is increasing interest in the role the private sector can play in these interventions. Currently, there is little known about the potential for a market-based approach to contribute to improvements in diet diversity. Proven to be one of the most effective ways of improving nutritional status, increasing diet diversification among low-income populations will be essential for reducing micronutrient deficiencies in the long-term. The purpose of this research is to contribute evidence on the potential for a market-based approach to increase diet diversity among low-income households in Mozambique. This research starts by examining the extent to which low-income consumers in Nampula, Mozambique make diverse food purchases and the amount they are willing to pay for such diversity. Since diet diversification is intended to improve health, the connections between individual-level health constructs and diversity of food purchases is subsequently investigated. These studies are then used as the basis for a participatory community-based intervention that explores if health constructs influence modifications in food purchases and the barriers and enabling factors that exist to using the market to increase household diet diversity. The findings of this work reveal that there is potential for markets to contribute to the diversity of foods consumed by low-income households; however, concerted efforts between the private, public, and civil sectors will likely be required for the success and longevity of market-based approaches. / Doctor of Philosophy / Though we usually think of hunger in terms of not getting enough to eat, there is another form, known as 'hidden hunger', which refers to not eating enough of the right types of foods. This results in not getting enough of the nutrients, such as iron or vitamin A, that are essential for human health and development. People living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are especially vulnerable to this type of hunger, as their diet typically is comprised of calorie-rich but nutrient-deficient foods. One of the most effective ways to reduce hidden hunger, is to eat a variety of foods that are rich in micronutrients (e.g., fruits, vegetables, legumes, meat). In LMICs, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have created programs to encourage this so-called 'diet diversity' by encouraging households to produce different types of food crops or plant kitchen gardens. These programs have been successful in increasing diet diversity, however, significant portions of the population in LMICs still lack diversity in their diets. We now know that an increasing number of low-income households in LMICs are purchasing at least some of their foods from markets. Thus, there is increasing interest in the role that businesses and food purchases can play in increasing the diversity of the diet among households that may be suffering from hidden hunger. The purpose of this research was to explore this possibility. First, I investigated if low-income consumers are already purchasing diverse foods from the market in Mozambique, and, if they are, how much are they willing to pay for this diversity. Second, I explored how the diversity of these purchases are related to what individuals believe about the connection between diet diversity and health. Then I conducted a community-based intervention, where low-income households participated in a nutrition and food-purchasing education and worked with facilitators to find ways that worked for them to increase the diversity of the foods they purchased from the market. The findings of this study show that it may be possible to use the market and food purchases to increase the diet diversity of low-income households, but that support from governments and NGOs will likely be required in order to be successful in reducing hidden hunger in the long-term.

This thesis explores the design of a community center tailored for autistic adults, aiming to foster inclusivity and blur boundaries between neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse individuals. Through interdisciplinary approaches, it investigates spatial and sensory elements to create an immersive experience where everyone can perceive the world through an autistic person's perspective. By prioritizing sensory inclusivity and participatory design, the center aims to provide a supportive environment for exploration and interaction. Additionally, it explores how immersive experiences can cultivate empathy, bridging gaps and fostering genuine connections. Ultimately, this thesis advocates for a paradigm shift in community space design, celebrating neurodiversity and promoting unity. / Master of Architecture / This thesis explores the design of a community center tailored for autistic adults, aiming to foster inclusivity and blur boundaries between neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse individuals. Through interdisciplinary approaches, it investigates spatial and sensory elements to create an immersive experience where everyone can perceive the world through an autistic person's perspective. By prioritizing sensory inclusivity and participatory design, the center aims to provide a supportive environment for exploration and interaction. Additionally, it explores how immersive experiences can cultivate empathy, bridging gaps and fostering genuine connections. Ultimately, this thesis advocates for a paradigm shift in community space design, celebrating neurodiversity and promoting unity.

No description available.

No

Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν να μελετηθεί η ετοιμότητα μελλοντικών δασκάλων να ανταποκριθούν κατάλληλα και αποτελεσματικά στις απαιτήσεις μιας συμμετοχικής τάξης όπου μαθητές με ειδικές ανάγκες εκπαιδεύονται παράλληλα με μαθητές χωρίς ειδικές ανάγκες στο πλαίσιο της συμμετοχικής εκπαίδευσης. Τα ερωτήματα που τέθηκαν ήταν: (α) πώς διαμορφώνονται οι στάσεις, τα συναισθήματα και οι ανησυχίες των μελλοντικών δασκάλων για τη συμμετοχική εκπαίδευση των παιδιών με ειδικές ανάγκες; (β) πώς αποτιμούν οι μελλοντικοί δάσκαλοι το βαθμό της αποτελεσματικότητάς τους στη συμμετοχική πρακτική; Το δείγμα της μελέτης μας αποτέλεσαν 148 μελλοντικοί δάσκαλοι από δύο προγράμματα προετοιμασίας δασκάλων σε δύο χώρες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης: του Παιδαγωγικού Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών της Ελλάδας και του Τμήματος Πρωτοβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης του Πανεπιστημίου Palacký της Τσεχίας. Η αποτίμηση της ετοιμότητας των μελλοντικών εκπαιδευτικών μετρήθηκε με τις κλίμακες SACIE-R και ΤΕΙΡ των Forlin, Earle, Loreman & Sharma (2011, 2012) οι οποίες μεταφράστηκαν και χρησιμοποιήθηκαν κατάλληλα για τις ανάγκες της διερεύνησής μας. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι υπάρχουν σημαντικές διαφορές μεταξύ των δύο χωρών. Δευτερευόντως, δείχθηκε πως διαφορετικά δημογραφικά χαρακτηριστικά των συμμετεχόντων του δείγματος (όπως: (α) η επαφή με άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες, (β) η σχετική κατάρτιση στην ειδική αγωγή, (γ) η πρακτική διδασκαλία παιδιών με ΕΑ στη διάρκεια των σπουδών και (δ) ο χρόνος και η διάρκεια της φοίτησης στο πρόγραμμα) επηρεάζουν τις επιδόσεις των εκπαιδευτικών τόσο στη διαμόρφωση των στάσεων, των συναισθημάτων και των ανησυχιών τους για τη συμμετοχική εκπαίδευση όσο και στην αποτίμηση της αποτελεσματικότητας τους για συμμετοχική πρακτική. Τα αποτελέσματα της συγκεκριμένης έρευνας μπορεί να αποτελέσουν σημαντική ευκαιρία για ευρύτερη περαιτέρω επισκόπηση και αξιολόγηση των προγραμμάτων προετοιμασίας δασκάλων για τη συμμετοχική εκπαίδευση στις δύο χώρες. / The purpose of the preset study was the examination of the preparedness of future teachers to work in an appropriate way and effectively in an inclusive classroom where students with special needs are educated with students without special needs in the context of inclusion. Our questions were: (a) what are the attitudes, the sentiments and concerns of future teachers about inclusive education of students with special needs? (b) In which degree do future teachers consider they are prepared and effective at the implementation of inclusive practices? Our participants in the study were 148 future teachers from two departments of education in two countries of European Union: the Department of Primary Education at University of Patras (Greece) and the Department of Primary Education at Palacký University of Olomouc (Czech Republic). We used scales SACIE-R and TEIP (that were developed by Forlin, Earle, Loreman & Sharma, (2011, 2012)) to measure the readiness of future teachers. We translated and modified the scales for the necessities of our study. Results indicated that there are important differences between two countries. Secondly, it was approved that different demographic variables (like: (a) interactions with people with special needs, (b) training and knowledge in special education, (c) practice of teaching students with special needs during the program and (d) study period) impact on the performance of our future teachers in the variables of SACIE-R and TEIP scales. Implications of the study may be a good chance of further review and evaluation of programs that prepare teachers for inclusive education in both countries.

Les pays de la région Mena ont un point commun, la recrudescence du chômage de masse des jeunes diplômés. Ce problème lié à la dynamique et à la qualité de la croissance, à une carence chronique en démocratie, cause des déséquilibres socio-économiques qui menacent la stabilité et le développement dans la région. Les PM doivent transformer leur modèle de croissance actuel peu différencié, en un modèle à productivité globale des facteurs, où l’innovation améliore de façon continue la qualité et la combinaison des facteurs et permet d’emprunter un régime de croissance endogène fondé sur le progrès technologique. Après une introduction générale, le chapitre II présente les systèmes d’innovation des PM et leurs effets sur l’emploi dans une analyse en composantes principales, et une étude en panel des déterminants de la croissance. Dans les chapitres III et IV, les effets de l'économie de la connaissance sur l'emploi des jeunes sont soigneusement étudiés par une analyse en séries chronologiques en panel pour la région MENA, d'une part, et pour l’étude du cas tunisien, de l'autre. Le chapitre V donne les principales conclusions de l’étude. / Countries in the MENA region have been recently characterized by a common feature mainly the upsurge in the unemployment of young graduates. This is due to the dynamics and quality of economic growth, a chronic democracy deficiency, and socio-economic imbalances that threaten the stability and development wihtin the region. The PM must alter their current growth framework into a total factor productivity model, whereby innovation continuously improves, allowing for an endogenous growth regime based on technology progress to take over. After a general introduction, Chapter (II) highlightst the PM’s innovation systems and their effects on employment generation in a principal component analysis, and a panel study of the determinants of economic growth. In chapter (III) and (IV), the effects of the knowledge economy on youth employment are carefully studied though a time series analysis for the MENA region as a panel on one hand and for Tunisia a single case study on the other. Chapter (V) gives the mains conclusions of the study