Masters of Science / The communication barriers between deaf and hearing society mean that interaction between these communities is kept to a minimum. The South African Sign Language research group, Integration of Signed and Verbal Communication: South African Sign Language Recognition and Animation (SASL), at the University of the Western Cape aims to create technologies to bridge the communication gap. In this thesis we address the subject of whole hand gesture recognition. We demonstrate a method to identify South African Sign Language classifiers using an eigenvector ap- proach. The classifiers researched within this thesis are based on those outlined by the Thibologa Sign Language Institute for SASL. Gesture recognition is achieved in real- time. Utilising a pre-processing method for image registration we are able to increase the recognition rates for the eigenvector approach. / South Africa

Hearing parents of deaf children who are reliant on Sign Language need to learn to sign to ensure communication mode-match with their children. Signing is vital for parent-child interaction, and has implications for the socio-emotional well-being and educational outcomes of the child. However, poor signing skills of parents is repeatedly reported in the literature, with the majority of children in signing educational programmes reported not to be exposed to signing in the home. Teaching parents to sign therefore appears a priority, with sign teaching strategies being debated in the literature. The learning of Sign Language as a second language by hearing parents of deaf children within the bilingual educational approach, which regards Sign Language as the first language of deaf children, raises the challenges of cross-modality language learning for hearing parents. Reports on teaching methods are mainly anecdotal with only a few studies addressing sign learning by hearing individuals. While the use of graphic representations of signs is a common practice in teaching signs, there is no empirical data on their influence on the learning of signs. This study explored the contribution of graphic representations of signs in sign teaching. The main aim of the study was to describe the impact of sign illustrations on the teaching of signs to hearing mothers. Two sub-aims were formulated to compare the conditions of sign learning with and without the use of sign illustrations in graphic displays in terms of (a) sign reception and sign production, and (b) the amount and nature of assistance required in learning signs. An Adapted Alternating Treatments Design (AATD), with four theme-based sign sets, and probes balanced for equivalence, was developed and used. Four biological mothers of three boys and a girl in a Grade Three class at a day school for the deaf in an urban area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa took part in the study. The results revealed no significant differences between the two training strategies for sign acquisition, in terms of sign reception and sign production post-training. There were however, significant differences between the two training strategies with regard to assistance required while learning signs. The graphics strategy required significantly less trainer assistance (p<0.05). In addition, there were significant differences in the nature of assistance provided with the use of graphic representations. Significantly fewer repeated demonstrations of signs were required by the participants during self practice (p<0.01). There was a significantly higher number of corrections with the graphics strategy (p<0.01) initially, and this decreased over time, unlike with the signing-only strategy. It would appear that the sign illustrations were redundant during the initial stages of sign learning using a multimodal approach, but that they were relied on to trigger recall of signs during the self practice phase. Thus, the study confirmed the supportive role of sign illustrations in sign learning. The use of theme-based graphic displays of sign illustrations emerged as a viable method in teaching signs. The implications of these results and recommendations for future research are discussed. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / unrestricted

This dissertation initially reviews the literature on Indigenous language planning (LP) with an emphasis on orientations, dispositions, and their roles in Indigenous society. Token policies pertaining to Indigenous LP are often mistaken for resolving the social ailments that cause language shift--none of which result in systemic, institutional, or effective changes to programs revitalizing Indigenous languages. The author argues for a focus on sovereignty, early childhood development, teacher training, curriculum, assessment, immersion, economic sustainability, and Indigenous epistemologies. Ethnographic studies are an important aspect of LP. Oftentimes Indigenous nations have little documentation of their historical efforts to reverse language shift (RLS), leaving newcomers uninformed about the achievements of their RLS predecessors. Therefore the collection and documentation of Indigenous RLS projects can potentially prevent future language planners from recreating historical obstacles, while presenting new methods that anticipate reoccurring problems. This study overviews Lakota language (LL) status while focusing on shifting centre-periphery authentication and healing Historical Trauma by implementing cultural continuity for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST). Much attention has been given to spoken lingua francas, but less has been given to signed lingua francas. The purpose of this research is to map distinct boundaries of Indigenous North America's signed lingua franca, emphasizing national boundaries and culture areas. Other goals include redirecting anthro-linguistic attention to the historically widespread eight dialects of Hand Talk and encouraging their hereditary signers to revitalize multimodal aspects of their respective cultures. Spoken language immersion is an effective method for RLS that usually incorporates multimodal instructional scaffolding through total physical response (TPR), and common gestures to mediate target language acquisition. However, spoken language immersion often overlooks sign language and its motor for ethnic gestures that can profoundly expand TPR's role to orchestrate holistic multimodal communication. North American Hand Talk (NAHT) is a sign language indigenous to the majority of North American Indigenous nations who are also attempting RLS among their spoken languages. Making NAHT the standard for multimodal RLS applications could increase target spoken language retention while redeveloping an Indigenous multimodal culture in North America.

This work discusses about configuration and integration of Single Sign On against to Active Directory which serves as an authorization into web applications for Air Navigation Services, CZECH REPUBLIC by company Ifield Computer Consultancy Limited. Part of the work is performed the results of testing of the performance these two type of implementations for two different applications. For the theory part I've been using relevant literature, but for some tools, namely Scimark and JMeter, there is none, so I had to settle with internet sources. The main benefit of this thesis is the result of testing of comparison two different implementations of the Single Sign On generated using NTLMv2 and SPNEGO/Kerberos.

M.Sc. / The aim of this dissertation (referred to as thesis in the rest of the document) is to investigate the concept of Single Sign-on (SSO) in heterogeneous computing environments and to provide guidelines and reference frameworks for the selection and successful implementation of SSO solutions. In doing so. it also provides an overview of the basic types of SSO, Secure Single Sign-on (SSSO) solutions, enabling technologies, as well as products currently available. Chapter 1 introduces the sign-on problem, the purpose and organization of the thesis and terminology and abbreviations used. The crux of the sign-on problem is that users are required to sign on to multiple systems, developed at different times and based on different technologies, each with its own set of signon procedures and passwords. This inevitably leads to frustration, loss of productivity and weakened security. Users frequently resort to writing down passwords or using trivial password that can easily be guessed. In Chapter 2 the concepts of Single Sign-on and a special subset of SSO, Secure Single Sign-on are defined. Five types of SSO solutions are identified, namely: Synchronization, Scripting, Proxies and Trusted Hosts. Trusted Authentication Server and Hybrid solutions. Of the available types of solutions, only Trusted Authentication Server and Hybrid solutions can provide Secure Single Sign-on if properly implemented. The security services for SSSO are identified as authentication, authorization, integrity, confidentiality, non-repudiation, security management and cryptographic services. Additional SSSO concepts, as well as the vulnerabilities, obstacles and pitfalls to introducing SSO solutions are discussed. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the most important SSO enabling technologies. The following technologies are discussed: OSF DCE, SESAME, Kerberos, DSSA/SPX, TESS, NetSp, Secure Tokens, GSS-API and Public key Cryptography. Chapter 4 discusses the Open Software Foundation's (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE). OSF DCE is one of the two open standards for distributed processing which are having a major influence on the development of single sign-on solutions and forms the basis of many existing SSO products. DCE is not a SSO product. but consists of specifications and software. The goal of DCE is to turn a computer network into a single, coherent computing engine. It is considered to be one of the fundamental building blocks for SSO solutions in the future. In Chapter 5 SESAME is discussed in some detail as another major enabling technology for SSO. Secure European System for Applications in a Multi-vendor Environment (SESAME) is an architecture that implements a model for the provision of security services within open systems developed by the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA). The architecture was developed and implemented on a trial basis, by Bull, ICL and Siemens-Nixdorf in an initiative supported by the European Commission. Chapter 6 presents a list of 49 commercial SSO products currently available, classified according to the type of SSO solution. A few representative products are discussed in more detail to give an indication what functionality a prospective buyer could expect. The 'Ideal Single Sign-on' solution is presented in Chapter 7. Detailed requirements are listed. These requirements are uniquely identified by a code and classified as essential or recommended functionality required. Chapter 8 assimilates the information in the previous chapters into a structured evaluation, selection and implementation plan for SSO solutions, consisting of nine separate phases. It also proposes a reference framework for the evaluation and selection process. Chapter 9 concludes the thesis. Findings and conclusions are summarized as to the importance and impact of Single Sign-on as well as the expected future directions to be expected. In addition, recommendations for the future implementation of SSO and SSSO solutions in heterogeneous computing environments are made.

Orientadores: Maria de Lurdes Zanolli, Maria Cristina da Cunha Pereira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T22:23:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_AngelicaBronzattodePaivae_D.pdf: 1534742 bytes, checksum: 994237be9adad41534252d79a1afc512 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar a relação entre a representação social da surdez por mães ouvintes e o desenvolvimento psicossocial de seus filhos surdos. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com dez mães que têm seus filhos surdos freqüentando um dos programas de atendimento do CEPRE ¿ FCM ¿ UNICAMP. Realizaram-se, também, observações da criança surda em grupo nas atividades no CEPRE, o que possibilitou verificar a sua interação com um professor ouvinte, com um instrutor surdo e com colegas surdos. O estudo caracterizou-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa, tendo como referencial teórico a abordagem histórico-cultural e a representação social. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo, na qual se estabeleceram quatro categorias temáticas: diagnóstico, concepção de surdez, aspecto da linguagem e desenvolvimento psicossocial. Na discussão dos dados constatou-se que o fato da surdez ter origem genética ou adquirida não interferiu na representação que a mãe tem de seu filho surdo. Percebeu-se que, apesar da complexidade do fato de ter um filho surdo, após um tempo de seguimento as mães revelaram que a surdez ¿não é um bicho de sete cabeças¿, demonstrando,assim, mudança na maneira de representar o filho surdo. Evidenciou-se que existe uma relação entre concepção de surdez da mãe e desenvolvimento psicossocial da criança surda, mas que esta não é direta. Duas mães demonstraram ter uma concepção mais definida em relação à surdez. Uma delas vê a surdez como uma doença; seu filho usa a modalidade oral e apresenta algumas dificuldades no seu desenvolvimento psicossocial. A outra mãe vê a surdez como uma diferença; sua filha tornou-se bilíngüe, pois usa as duas línguas, Língua de Sinais e Língua Portuguesa, e apresenta um bom desenvolvimento psicossocial. As outras mães, que não têm concepção clara da surdez, parecem estar imersas em um emaranhado de fatores que interferem nessa relação. Tanto as mães que têm uma visão mais clínica da surdez, como as que não a encaram como deficiência, mencionaram a importância do surdo adquirir as duas línguas (de sinais e portuguesa na modalidade oral). Em relação à representação do filho surdo, apesar de referirem que eles têm um desenvolvimento bom e são inteligentes, algumas mães têm também uma baixa expectativa e até um sentimento de descrédito em relação ao filho surdo, o que pode ser também resultado da representação social coletiva de surdez. Algumas mães representam o filho como sendo competente, capaz, apenas com a diferença de acessar as informações pela visão, o que inclui também a preferência pela Língua de Sinais / Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between hearing mothers¿ social representations of deafness and the psychosocial development of their deaf children. To this aim, semi-structured interviews were applied to ten mothers whose deaf children were being attended at CEPRE ¿ FCM ¿ UNICAMP. The deaf children were also observed in group activities at CEPRE, which enabled the researcher to look at the children¿s interaction with the hearing teacher, the deaf instructor and the deaf colleagues. This qualitative research study is based on a historical-cultural and social representation approaches. Content analysis was used to analyze the data, which was grouped into four subject categories: diagnosis, conception of deafness, language aspect, and psychosocial development. The data discussion showed the child¿s deafness having a genetic origin or having been acquired did not interfere in the mother¿s representations of deafness. Despite the complexities involved in having a deaf child, the mothers undergoing orientation reported that changes in their representations of deafness had in fact occurred. There is a relation between the mother¿s conception of deafness and the child¿s psychosocial development; however this relation is not direct. Two mothers seemed to have well defined conceptions of deafness. One of the mothers viewed deafness as illness; her son uses the oral mode and presents certain difficulties as to his psychosocial development. The other mother viewed deafness as difference; her daughter has become bilingual, for she uses both languages: sign language and Portuguese, and demonstrates good psychosocial development. The other mothers, who do not present dear conceptions of deafness, seem to be steeped in a knot of factors interfering in this relation. Both those mothers who have a clinical view of deafness, as well as those who don¿t face it as a disability mentioned the importance of the deaf acquiring both languages (Brazilian sign language and Portuguese in the oral modality). As to the representation of deafness in their children, even though they reported the children have developed well and are intelligent, it was evident in some of these mothers also held low expectations of their child as well as possible feelings of disbelief in their deaf child¿s full potential. This is possibly the result of collective social representations of deafness. Only a few mothers represented their children as being competent and fully able children, different only in that they accessed information visually, which also means a preference for sign language / Doutorado / Saude da Criança e do Adolescente / Doutor em Saude da Criança e do Adolescente

Globally, approximately 208 million people aged 15 and older used illicit drugs at least once in the last 12 months; 2 billion consumed alcohol and tobacco consumption affected 25% (World Drug Report, 2008). In the United States, 20.1 million (8.0%) people aged 12 and older were illicit drug users, 129 million (51.6%) abused alcohol and 70.9 million (28.4%) used tobacco (SAMHSA/OAS, 2008).Usually considered a problem specific to men (Lynch, 2002), 5.2% of pregnant women aged 15 to 44 are also illicit drug and substance abusers (SAMHSA/OAS, 2007). During pregnancy, illicit drugs and substance abuse (ID/SA) can significantly affect a woman and her infant contributing to developmental and communication delays for the infant and influencing parenting abilities (Budden, 1996; March of Dimes, 2006b; Rossetti, 2000). Feelings of guilt and shame and stressful experiences influence approaches to parenting (Ashley, Marsden, & Brady, 2003; Brazelton, & Greenspan, 2000; Ehrmin, 2000; Johnson, & Rosen, 1990; Kelley, 1998; Rossetti, 2000; Velez et al., 2004; Zickler, 1999). Parenthood is an expanded role that can be a trying time for those lacking a sense of self-efficacy and creates a high vulnerability to stress (Bandura, 1994). Residential treatment programs for ID/SA mothers and their children provide an excellent opportunity for effective interventions (Finkelstein, 1994; Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2005). This experimental study evaluated whether teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to mothers living with their infants/children at an ID/SA residential treatment program increased the mothers’ self-efficacy and decreased their anxiety. Quantitative data were collected using the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory showing there was both a significant increase in self efficacy and decrease in anxiety for the mothers. This research adds to the knowledge base concerning ID/SA mothers’ caring for their infants/children. By providing a simple low cost program, easily incorporated into existing rehabilitation curricula, the study helps educators and healthcare providers better understand the needs of the ID/SA mothers. This study supports Bandura’s theory that parents who are secure in their efficacy can navigate through the various phases of their child’s development and are less vulnerable to stress (Bandura, 1994).

There has been much philosophical debate about whether the meaning of pictures can be analysed using theoretical frameworks normally employed within philosophy of language. A specific question within this debate is the question of whether pictures can express propositions. Instead of addressing this question in of pictures in a broad sense, this essay focuses on a specific category of pictures referred to as pictorial signs. These signs constitute a pictorial form of communication that we use in our everyday lives. The question of whether pictorial signs can express propositions should, because of this communicative use, be more approachable than the same question applied to pictures in general. While a standard approach to the question has been to investigate the extent to which pictures may share some syntactic or semantic features with natural language, the approach in this essay is instead to look at how pictorial signs are used. The suggested strategy is to approach the question of propositionality by attempting to translate a particular sign into some sentence in natural language on the basis of how the sign is used, rather than analysing its structure.

The dissertation deals with requirements, analysis, description and integration of Single Sign-On solution based on SPNEGO/Kerberos protocol. The thesis provides an overview of the Single Sign-On basic principles and concepts and deals with the Kerberos authentication mechanism in more detail. After introducing the fundaments of the Kerberos protocol, its terminology and common implementations, attention is focused on the services and settings of Microsoft Kerberos implementation in Windows 2000/2003 environment. An authentication solution demonstration is performed on J2EE platform using the authentication filter and plug-in. The thesis also includes a brief overview of integrating the Single Sign-On solution into different architectures of corporate information systems and describes the implementation process of this solution. In conclusion, the usability of Kerberos Single Sign-On solution in today's business sector is analysed.

Understanding how a language expresses the existence and action of an entity represents a critical juncture in the development of cognition and the development of language. For deaf children learning a sign language, verbs of motion and location exemplify this critical juncture: these are complex structures that convey substantial morphological, syntactic and semantic information. This dissertation investigated deaf children’s understanding of linguistic representations of motion events as presented in a variety of verbs of motion and location in American Sign Language. The sample for this investigation consisted of 350 deaf children (of Deaf and hearing parents) enrolled in schools for the deaf in the United States. The subjects, who ranged in age from 4-18, were administered the Real Objects and Plurals Arrangement Task (ROPL) of the American Sign Language Assessment Instrument (ASLAI). The following research questions were addressed: (1) To what extent do deaf children understand each of the features of motion events (figure, ground, motion, path, manner, cause) expressed in verbs of motion and location? (2) What (if any) is the implicational structure of these features in the course of acquisition? (3) What role does exposure (i.e. early vs. late input) play on the acquisition of these features? Do age and parental hearing status influence the acquisition of these features? (4) Is there any difference in how deaf children learn to understand events in verbs of motion compared to verbs of location? Results revealed that deaf children's understanding of motion event features follows a sequential process, with features such as motion and figure being acquired in the earliest stages and path and ground being acquired later. Moreover, both age and length of exposure (to a signed language) influenced this acquisition process. These findings suggest that for deaf children, the acquisition of motion event structure in verbs of motion and location is a multifaceted process that is dependent on several factors.