<p> The purpose of this study is to use close textual analysis, informed by the neurodiversity paradigm and critical disability theories, to explore the coverage of CA in an introductory public speaking collegiate textbook to see how the experience is depicted and what thematic narratives about dis/ability are included in its coverage. This research is required to comprehend the phenomena more holistically and aid communication educators in creating curricula attentive to the needs of the high CA student, embodying best practice for a diverse set of students.  Incorporating dis/ability perspectives into public speaking pedagogy signals an opportunity to advance interdisciplinary knowledge about CA, mental health, dis/ability, neurodiversity, and education accessibility at large. By analyzing literary representations of CA, this research furthers the goals of critical dis/ability studies by de-naturalizing ideas about the binaries in which “ableness”/“disability” and “normality”/abnormality, are typically read and related to “success”. The overarching goal of this project is to demonstrate that these rhetorical representations of communication/performance bound anxiety are not only relevant, but of central importance for contemporary discussions on dis/ability within education.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:16:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SSO - Edgilson Tavares de Araujo.pdf: 3045876 bytes, checksum: 990c0810fc40ec19ba791001e4738149 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-09-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The proposal of this dissertation was to analyze the State and civil society speeches and practices. It is related to planning and management of partnerships directed to the educational attendance of people with disability, after the Lei das Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional / 1996 (Law of Policies and Standards of the National Education). In the context of ambiguities in public and private relationships, it was evaluated the way by which inclusion and integration proposals had been used for partnerships accomplishment between the Secretaria de Educação Especial / Ministério da Educação SEESP / MEC (Special Education Secretary / Education Ministry) and specialized organizations. By means of historical rescue of the facts that occurred in this area, it was possible to analyze the law impacts in the educational scope between 1996 and 2006, as well as evaluate the Special Education Policy execution and the proposals for inclusive education. It shows their main challenges and possibilities. The nature of methodology used is qualitative, considering also quantitative secondary data, documental reviewing, official statistics and interviews with managers of SEESP/MEC and specialized organizations. The data has been systemized using the technique of content analysis and thematic categorical analysis. The results point out the occurrence periods of greater or lesser approach and retraction between State and specialized organizations, as well as the types of the amplified or prompt partnerships. Convergent speeches are identified: concerning special education resignation and the roles of specialized schools, the super-valorization of the constitutive legality, constituted legitimacy of the specialized organization, the abstract morals of inclusion and the instrumental aspects required to pedagogical and management processes. The study was concluded pointing out the main dilemmas and present challenges between State and civil society for changing in the partnerships scenes, in order to guarantee the subjective right of education to people with disability: vision about education, concept of inclusion, comprehension about the public arena, special education and inclusion relationship, legislation interpretation, inter-sectorials relationships, financing, policies and management partnerships / Nesta dissertação buscou-se analisar os discursos e práticas do Estado e sociedade civil para o planejamento e gestão das parcerias direcionadas ao atendimento educacional das pessoas com deficiência, no período pós Lei das Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDBEN / 1996). No contexto das ambigüidades nas relações público / privado, avaliou-se como as propostas de integração e inclusão vêm sendo utilizadas para realização de parcerias entre a Secretaria de Educação Especial, do Ministério da Educação (SEESP / MEC) e as organizações especializadas. Por meio do resgate histórico dos fatos ocorridos na área, foi possível analisar o impacto das leis no âmbito educacional, surgidas entre 1996 e 2006, bem como avaliar a execução da Política de Educação Especial e as propostas de educação inclusiva, mostrando seus principais desafios e possibilidades. A metodologia utilizada tem natureza qualitativa, considerando, também, dados secundários quantitativos, por meio de análise de documentos, estatísticas oficiais e entrevistas com gestores da SEESP e de organizações especializadas. Os dados foram sistematizados utilizando a técnica da análise de conteúdo e análise categorial temática. Os resultados apontam os períodos de maior ou menor aproximação e retração entre Estado e organizações especializadas e os tipos de parcerias ampliadas ou pontuais. São identificados discursos convergentes quanto: à ressignificação da educação especial e do papel das escolas especializadas, à supervalorização da legalidade constituída, à legitimidade constitutiva das organizações especializadas, ao moralismo abstrato da inclusão e à instrumentalidade necessária à gestão e aos processos pedagógicos. Conclui-se apontando os principais dilemas e desafios atuais entre Estado e sociedade civil para mudança de cenários nas parcerias, visando à garantia do direito subjetivo à educação para as pessoas com deficiência: visão sobre educação, concepção sobre inclusão, compreensão sobre o espaço público, relação educação especial e inclusão, interpretação da legislação, relacionamentos intersetoriais, financiamento, gestão da política e das parcerias

Many individuals with severe motor impairments are cognitively capable, but because of their physical impairments, unable to express their intention through conventional means of communication. Access technologies are devices that attempt to translate the intention of these individuals into functional activity by harnessing their residual physical or physiological abilities. The primary objective of this thesis was to design and develop a novel non-invasive and non-contact access technology based on infrared thermal imaging. This access technology translates the local temperature change associated with voluntary mouth opening to activation of a binary switch such as a mouse click or key press. To this end, an algorithm based on motion and temperature analyses, and morphological and anthropometric filters was designed to detect mouth opening activity in thermal video in real-time. The secondary objective of this thesis was to introduce a mutual information measure for objective assessment of binary switch users’ performance. A model was suggested, in which combination of cognitive and physical abilities of the human user of a binary access switch constitute a communication channel. The proposed mutual information measure estimates the rate of information transmission in the ‘human communication channel’ during stimulus response tasks. Using this measure, in a study with ten able-bodied participants, the infrared thermal switch was validated against a conventional chin switch. Impairments in body functions and structures that may contraindicate the use of the infrared thermal switch were explored in a study with seven clients, with severe disabilities. Potential hard and soft technological solutions to mitigate the effect of these impairments on infrared thermal switch use were recommended. Finally the infrared thermal switch was tailored to meet the needs of a young man with severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, who had no other means of physical access.

Many individuals with severe motor impairments are cognitively capable, but because of their physical impairments, unable to express their intention through conventional means of communication. Access technologies are devices that attempt to translate the intention of these individuals into functional activity by harnessing their residual physical or physiological abilities. The primary objective of this thesis was to design and develop a novel non-invasive and non-contact access technology based on infrared thermal imaging. This access technology translates the local temperature change associated with voluntary mouth opening to activation of a binary switch such as a mouse click or key press. To this end, an algorithm based on motion and temperature analyses, and morphological and anthropometric filters was designed to detect mouth opening activity in thermal video in real-time. The secondary objective of this thesis was to introduce a mutual information measure for objective assessment of binary switch users’ performance. A model was suggested, in which combination of cognitive and physical abilities of the human user of a binary access switch constitute a communication channel. The proposed mutual information measure estimates the rate of information transmission in the ‘human communication channel’ during stimulus response tasks. Using this measure, in a study with ten able-bodied participants, the infrared thermal switch was validated against a conventional chin switch. Impairments in body functions and structures that may contraindicate the use of the infrared thermal switch were explored in a study with seven clients, with severe disabilities. Potential hard and soft technological solutions to mitigate the effect of these impairments on infrared thermal switch use were recommended. Finally the infrared thermal switch was tailored to meet the needs of a young man with severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, who had no other means of physical access.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:44:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4251.pdf: 1166459 bytes, checksum: d38cf6c48bdc7132f56145c98f84799f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-24 / In years 2000, stimulated for the Strategy Health of the Family and for the governmental investments in its had emerged ascending reflections on the Primary Health Care. In this context, the objective work to know the politics, the actions and the nets in health destined to the people with deficiency and people with mental suffering, in the city São Carlos, SP, are problem of the study in the scope of the Primary Health Care. As methodology resource it was used documentary analysis, specifically reports of the municipal conferences of health and the municipal plan of health, and interview half structuralized with civic, professional managers of health, such as: occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nutritionist, beyond users of the services, people with deficiency or people with mental suffering. One searched to portray the local context, weaveeing connections with the context of the Brazilian public politics, in the attempt to foment dialogues with realities of other cities of average Brazilian transport. 24 interviews, being 06 with managers, 12 with health professionals had been carried through (05 physiotherapists, 06 occupational therapists, 01 nutritionist), 06 with users of the services (03 people with deficiency and 03 people with mental suffering). The results show to a change in construction in the paradigm of the attention in health of the city, directed to the model of monitoring in health with qualification proposals of the Primary Health Care , centered in the Strategy Health of the Family, aiming at to the formation and joint of a Net School of Cares to the Health. However, the inexistence of politics and specific municipal lines of direction of care for the people with deficiency and the people with mental suffering, delicate the care in health destined for such populations. The Primary Health Care in São Carlos intention to be directed for the integral care, however, this speech, and the approach in the actions of promotion and prevention of health, determines not the priorities of actions come back toward specific and complex demands as those of the people with deficiency and the people with mental suffering. Specifically with regard to the occupational therapists, the data present that the initial actions of these professionals, just-inserted in the Primary Health Care, are come back in its majority toward the mental health, however also notice action next to other populations. These professionals act in the with Primary Health Care proposals of promotion of health, shelter and action of whitewashing. This professional in the becomes essential, that, commits itself to the problems and the concrete necessities of the population of each territory and to the social paper of its performance. He concludes yourself that in the scene placed for the Politics of Basic Attention in Brazil, its institutionalization convokes the construction of new plans of care in health and constants theoretical reflections to base the actions techniques, specifically come back toward not traditionally received populations in this scope. / Nos anos 2000, impulsionados pela Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) e pelos investimentos governamentais em seu entorno, emergiram reflexões ascendentes sobre a Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS). Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho objetivou conhecer as políticas, as ações e as redes em saúde destinadas às pessoas com deficiência e às pessoas com sofrimento mental, no município de São Carlos, SP, problematizando o estudo no âmbito da Atenção Primária em Saúde. Como recurso metodológico utilizou-se a análise documental, especificamente relatórios das conferências municipais de saúde e do plano municipal de saúde (2010-2013); e entrevista semiestruturada, com gestores municipais, profissionais de saúde tais como: terapeutas ocupacionais, fisioterapeutas e nutricionista, além de usuárias dos serviços, sendo elas pessoas com deficiência e pessoas com sofrimento mental. Buscou-se retratar o contexto microssocial local, tecendo conexões com o contexto macrossocial das políticas públicas brasileiras, na tentativa de fomentar diálogos com realidades de outros municípios de médio porte brasileiro. Foram realizadas 24 entrevistas, sendo 06 com gestores, 12 com profissionais de saúde (05 fisioterapeutas, 06 terapeutas ocupacionais, 01 nutricionista), e 06 com usuárias dos serviços (03 pessoas com deficiência e 03 pessoas com sofrimento mental). Os resultados mostram uma mudança em construção no paradigma da atenção em saúde do município, voltada ao modelo de vigilância em saúde com propostas de qualificação da APS, centrada na Estratégia Saúde da Família, visando à formação e articulação de uma Rede Escola de Cuidados à Saúde. No entanto, a inexistência de políticas e diretrizes municipais de cuidado, específicas para as pessoas com deficiência e para as pessoas com sofrimento mental, fragiliza o cuidado em saúde destinado para tais populações. A APS em São Carlos intenciona ser direcionada para o cuidado integral, entretanto, esse discurso, e o enfoque nas ações de promoção de saúde, determinam a não priorização de ações voltadas para demandas específicas e complexas como aquelas das pessoas com deficiência e das pessoas com sofrimento mental. Especificamente com relação aos terapeutas ocupacionais, os dados apresentam que as ações iniciais desses profissionais, recém-inseridos na APS em São Carlos, são voltadas em sua maioria para a saúde mental, porém notam-se também ações junto a outras populações. Esses profissionais atuam na APS, com propostas de promoção de saúde, prevenção de doenças, acolhimento e ações de reabilitação. Torna-se essencial que o terapeuta ocupacional na APS comprometa-se com os problemas e as necessidades concretas da população de cada território e com o papel social decorrente da sua atuação. Conclui-se que no cenário colocado pela Política de Atenção Básica no Brasil, sua institucionalização, convoca a construção de novos planos de cuidado em saúde e constantes reflexões teóricas para embasar as ações técnicas, especificamente voltadas para populações não tradicionalmente acolhidas nesse âmbito.

My work offers a view of the care allowance as one of the sources of funding for social services, which over time has become a support for people with disabilities, which greatly helps sustain the limited number of social services - residential or field. Allowance realy gives recipients purchasing power pay part of the service / private assistance at their decision. I perceive the care allowance as an important state support for people dependent on the help of another person and I consider it a tool that should help to live a free life for people with disability. The allowance became very non-individualized (inflexible) - it is unable to respond to changes or adapt to the needs of its beneficiaries. Act on Social Services is strict in the individual approach, setting, way of working with people in the framework of social services, but in the care allowance practice does not apply this. The granting and payment of contributions is not individualized, each of them must be assigned / be classifiable in four levels. Ruthless whether it needs it and it uses the level of support it need. The care allowance system does not have one problem, but several that they do a lot. This is nothing without which the system should not function, it's something that could be better.

<p dir="ltr">Institutions of higher education within the United States have not had a reputation of inclusivity. The discrimination and oppression of people with disabilities is an important topic of conversation within these educational spaces, not only to change the way that society thinks of disability on a whole, but to incite discussions surrounding the best ways to support students with disabilities and their educational goals. This paper will provide a deconstruction of what ableism is, how it impacts mental health and wellness and how it shows up within institutions of higher education. This paper will also provide details on a training course for higher education faculty members that provides practical applications of the ethical ways of creating a supportive learning environment for students with disabilities. This paper will explore how critical disability theory, the social model and some aspects of the medical model can be utilized to provide faculty and staff with the competency to understand and interact with students with disabilities in ways that not only support their learning but contribute to positive social change and the deconstruction of ableist actions.</p>

<p dir="ltr">This dissertation is a two-study dissertation divided into two chapters focused broadly on the help-seeking experiences of racial-ethnic minority caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In chapter one, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles that have studied barriers in help-seeking for racial-ethnic minority caregivers of children with autism. A broad literature search across four databases was conducted (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, Education Resources Information Center, and Child Development and Adolescent Studies). The coding team identified 17 articles on help-seeking barriers for racial-ethnic minority caregivers of children with autism. A thematic analysis was then used to synthesize the help-seeking barriers identified across these 17 studies. Four themes emerged from our findings: logistical barriers, provider competence, ASD literacy, and cultural stigma. We also provided clinical recommendations for healthcare providers working with families with racial-ethnic minority caregivers of children with autism.</p><p dir="ltr">The second chapter was informed by the results found in chapter one. In chapter one, we found little research on Asian American caregiver perspectives on help-seeking barriers to autism services. Using caregiver perspectives, this research study sought to understand the help-seeking experiences of Asian American families. In this study, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 Asian American caregivers with a child aged 3-17 diagnosed with ASD. Interviews were conducted virtually, audio recorded, transcribed, and coded by three researchers. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Our results indicated four themes in perceived barriers by Asian American caregivers of children with autism interviewees. Themes included: (1) logistical barriers, (2) provider level barriers competence, (3) ASD literacy, and (4) cultural stigma. We deliver clinical recommendations for providers to address the four barriers found in our study when working with Asian American families of children with ASD.</p>

Since 1994, various policies and guidelines, pertaining to the employment of people with disabilities have been promulgated. All of these policies highlighted the importance of employment equity and equality within the working environment. Despite all these policies and guidelines people with disabilities are still experiencing barriers within the working environment. These barriers prevent them from functioning optimally and equally alongside able-bodied colleagues. The requirements of people with disabilities are still not integrated into the general considerations of the workplace. In order to determine what factors people with physical disabilities perceive as important with regard to equality in the workplace, a combination of a qualitative and quantitative research approach were followed. Both convenient and Snowball/Chain sampling was utilised to identify the research participants. The data was gathered by means of an intensive literature study, as well as utilisation of surveys and interviews. After analysing the data, specific conclusions could be made. The sample was not representative of the total population, so these conclusions could not be generalised, it could however indicate certain trends. The conclusions with regard to the study could be utilised to improve the management of employees with physical disabilities in order to promote workplace equality. Certain recommendations in this regard have been made. Recommendations on how social workers could assist with the attainment of workplace equality for employees with disabilities have also been made. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Since 1994, various policies and guidelines, pertaining to the employment of people with disabilities have been promulgated. All of these policies highlighted the importance of employment equity and equality within the working environment. Despite all these policies and guidelines people with disabilities are still experiencing barriers within the working environment. These barriers prevent them from functioning optimally and equally alongside able-bodied colleagues. The requirements of people with disabilities are still not integrated into the general considerations of the workplace. In order to determine what factors people with physical disabilities perceive as important with regard to equality in the workplace, a combination of a qualitative and quantitative research approach were followed. Both convenient and Snowball/Chain sampling was utilised to identify the research participants. The data was gathered by means of an intensive literature study, as well as utilisation of surveys and interviews. After analysing the data, specific conclusions could be made. The sample was not representative of the total population, so these conclusions could not be generalised, it could however indicate certain trends. The conclusions with regard to the study could be utilised to improve the management of employees with physical disabilities in order to promote workplace equality. Certain recommendations in this regard have been made. Recommendations on how social workers could assist with the attainment of workplace equality for employees with disabilities have also been made. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)