Children with dysarthria due to cerebral palsy (CP) often face barriers to accessing speech research participation and clinical speech services. Utilizing at-home online videoconferencing may be a practical solution to these accessibility barriers if the speech signal yielded from online recordings is valid. This study aimed to determine the validity of acoustic and perceptual measures obtained from speech data collected (remotely) online from children with dysarthria due to CP. The speech of 17 children with dysarthria was recorded by means of two data collection methods performed simultaneously: 1) via Zoom video communications and 2) via a professional audio recording device sent to the children's parents. A calibration procedure permitted the children’s original vocal sound pressure level (SPL) to be represented in the speech signal. Acoustic and perceptual measures extracted from the two recordings were compared in order to determine the validity of speech data collected online from the children. The acoustic measures, obtained from 1,690 tokens of words and 605 tokens of sentences, were the second formant (F2) range of diphthongs, F2 slope of diphthongs, fricative-affricate duration difference, word duration/articulation rate, mean fundamental frequency (F0), F0 variation, SPL, shimmer, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and cepstral peak prominence (CPP). Perceptual measures were 187 adult listeners’ orthographic transcription accuracy and visual analog scale (VAS) ratings of the children’s speech, collected via an online crowdsourced platform. Acoustic measures of F2 range of diphthongs, fricative-affricate duration difference, word duration, and mean F0 reached the validity criterion of rrm-value .75 and demonstrated good agreement within the predetermined clinical criterion at both word and sentence levels. Moreover, SPL met the validity criterion and exhibited good agreement at the word level; however, it failed to meet the validity criterion and demonstrated agreement outside the clinical criterion at the sentence level. The F2 slope of diphthongs showed a strong correlation between online and audio-device recordings and reached the validity criterion; however, it did not show agreement within the clinical criterion at either word or sentence level. Perturbation-based, noise-based, and cepstral measures (i.e., F0 variation, shimmer, SNR, CPP) showed a wide range of correlation and agreement outside of clinical criteria between online and audio-device recordings. Both perceptual measures showed strong correlations between the two recording methods, reaching the validity criterion. Findings suggest that measures that reflect physiological aspects of speech production may be valid and appropriate to extract from online recordings. However, measures capturing noise and variability within the signal may not be valid when obtained from online recordings. Additionally, the results suggest that perceptual measures of listeners’ transcription and ratings from online recordings may be valid to use for research and clinical purposes. Therefore, careful consideration of the appropriate measures and their limitations is essential to obtaining accurate results when extracting measures from online recordings. These findings provide a valuable foundation of evidence supporting the use of online videoconferencing platforms for several acoustic and perceptual measures commonly implemented in speech research, clinical assessment, and treatment.

The importance of access to quality physical education (PE) among children is well-documented. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, resulted in significant shifts in PE curriculum delivery alongside a rapid uptake by PE teachers of new technologies. Although some research about integrating technology into teaching does exist, there is very little data about virtual learning in elementary school, particularly in the context of physical education. There are also clear gaps in the literature about teaching PE virtually during a pandemic. As such and in this study, I sought to fill a critical gap in the existing literature by identifying what specific factors shaped elementary physical education delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as barriers and facilitators to successful curriculum delivery, and I drew implications for future emergency response needs.This mixed-methods study examined elementary physical education teachers’ perceptions of teaching virtually during the spring of 2020 and/or 2020-2021 school year. The study’s sample drew on PE teachers from urban, rural, and suburban settings across the US, which included diverse experiences to explore teachers’ perceptions of virtual teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys and focus groups were utilized. Results from this study elucidated that physical education teachers were challenged by limited space, equipment, internet use, and distraction within the environment when teaching. However, teachers in this sample also discussed their tenacity to help their students stay active by delivering supplies to families, posting on social media, and teaching how to make alternative equipment. Teachers also reported that the more support they received (for example, via social emotional support and also specific technology support), the less stress they felt during remote teaching. At the same time, the higher the teacher perception on live lesson participation, the more efficacious the teachers felt. The expectations of PE teachers during COVID varied from region to region, and the ever-changing schedules made teaching PE that more difficult. Although there has been some research on teaching virtually, before the pandemic there was very little research about specifically teaching elementary PE virtually. The need to pivot to remote instruction is part of our future. The implication of this work helps support the need for further education of public health goals. The need for a platform that supports PE and elementary age children is needed to best support this work. Using technology as an enrichment and supplement for PE to help reach this goal could be a positive outcome of this pandemic. The use of virtual platforms will also help deliver PE content to families and allow for technology skill development through targeted practice for any future need to pivot to remote.

No description available.

In Sweden today there is an increase of newcomer pupils that need to be accommodated into the school system. This paper highlights remote education as a concept to support this process. Based on previous studies on videoconferencing and blended learning approaches as well as state of the art technology current remote education was explored. Conducted interviews and observations showed how technology is used in schools today through presentations, videos and tablet usage. They also explored the aspects of education that did not utilize technology e.g. whiteboards, physical material and the teachers’ use of the physical environment. A series of experiments were designed to transform specific aspects of the present teaching approaches into remote education. The study showed that the most important factor for remote education is to redesign todays face-to-face lessons based on the educational content. Physical practices will have to be transformed to fit the new format while already digital practices need fewer modifications. Remote education has the possibility to give pupils access to education otherwise unattainable. It could e.g. increase the number of mother tongue languages available to newcomer pupils and prevent pupils having to travel for their entitled education. / Sverige har just nu en ökning av nyanlända elever som måste integreras in i skolsystemet. Denna rapport lyfter fjärrundervisning som ett koncept för att stödja denna process. Aktuella metoder för fjärrundervisning har utforskats genom tidigare studier om videokonferenser och blandade lärmiljöer (eng. blended learning) samt relevanta teknologier. Intervjuer och observationer utfördes för att studera hur teknik används i skolan idag genom till exempel presentationer, videoklipp och surfplattor. Dessa visade också vilken del av undervisningen som inte utnyttjade teknik; så som whiteboards, fysiskt material och lärarnas användning av den fysiska miljön. En serie experiment utformades för att omvandla nuvarande undervisningsmetoder för fjärrundervisning. Studien visade att det viktigaste för fjärrundervisning är att omforma dagens klassiska undervisning baserat på det pedagogiska innehållet. Fysiska metoder måste omformas så att de passar det nya formatet medan redan digitala metoder behöver färre modifieringar. Fjärrundervisning har möjligheten att ge elever tillgång till undervisning som annars vore omöjlig att få tillgång till. Det skulle till exempel kunna öka antalet tillgängliga språk i modersmålsundervisning för nyanlända elever samt förhindra att elever behöver resa för att få sin berättigade utbildning.

Beaucoup de cégeps voient leurs programmes techniques menacés à cause de la baisse démographique et de l’exode des jeunes. Cette situation est directement reliée à l’offre de formation : 46,1 % ont dû quitter leur région, car le programme d’études choisi n’y était pas offert. C’est en Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine que pourrait s’effectuer la plus importante chute de clientèle, soit une baisse de plus de 40 % par rapport à l’effectif observé à l’automne 2008 (Bezy, 2011). Ce constat amène aussi son lot de questions quant au développement professionnel des enseignants. Un projet novateur se réalise dans cette région et pourrait aider à changer la situation. En effet, le cégep de la Gaspésie et des Iles a instauré une initiative de téléenseignement dans deux programmes (techniques de comptabilité et de gestion, soins infirmiers). Cette recherche vise à décrire les défis et obstacles auxquels sont confrontés les enseignants en processus de changement, ainsi que les avantages et bénéfices perçus de la pratique du téléenseignement, les changements de pratiques pédagogiques particuliers à la vidéoconférence, selon les différents niveaux d’adoption de la technologie. Pour mesurer ces différents aspects de leur pratique, le modèle CBAM (Hall & Hord, 2006) a été utilisé ainsi que le modèle de développement professionnel de (Clarke & Hollingsworth, 2002). Les résultats ont été obtenus par questionnaires (SoC et TAM) et entrevues (LoU et autres questions sur les principaux thèmes de cette recherche), ils permettent de dresser un portrait détaillé du rôle de ces enseignants tout en répondant aux objectifs de recherche. Des profils individuels et de groupes sont présentés pour cerner les caractéristiques de leur développement professionnel dans le cadre de cette innovation. Les résultats montrent de grandes similitudes entre les cas de l’échantillon (6 enseignants) et il ressort que les thèmes les plus préoccupants pour ces enseignants sont la gestion de classe et les défis techniques et pédagogiques que le téléenseignement implique. / Many colleges have their technical programs at risk due to demographic decline and the exodus of young people. This situation is directly related to the offer of formation: 46.1% had to leave their area because the chosen curriculum was not available. It is in Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine that the biggest drop customers could happen, a decrease of over 40 % compared to the observions at fall 2008 (Bezy, 2011). This finding also raises a lot of questions about the professional development of teachers. An innovative project is carried out in this region and could help change the situation. Indeed, the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Iles has established a distance learning initiative in two programs (accounting techniques and management, nursing care). This research is based on a sample of 6 teachers and aims to describe the challenges and obstacles faced by those, in the change process, and the benefits and perceived benefits of the practice of distance education. Also, the changes in individuals videoconferencing teaching practices according to different levels of adoption of technology. To measure these different aspects of their practice, the CBAM model (Hall & Hord, 2006) was used and the interconnected model of professional development (Clarke,2002). The results were obtained by questionnaires (SoC and TAM) and interviews (LoU and detailled interview on major topics of the study), they can provide a detailed overview of the role of these teachers while meeting the research objectives individual and group profiles portrait presented to identify characteristics of professional development in the context of this innovation. The results show great similarities between the cases in the sample (6 teachers) and it also show’s taht the most importants issues for these teachers are classroom management and technical and pedagogical challenges that distance learning requires.

Cette recherche s’inscrit dans le champ de la didactique du FLE et de la communication médiée par ordinateur (CMO). L’étude se place dans une perspective interactionniste de l’acquisition d’une langue seconde (L2), selon laquelle l'apprentissage d'une L2 est facilité par les interactions interpersonnelles qui se produisent durant la réalisation d'une tâche. La recherche s'appuie sur le projet d'enseignement-apprentissage du FLE le « Français en 1ère ligne », qui met en relation des tuteurs en France et des apprenants américains de Berkeley dans un dispositif de visioconférence. L’objectif de l’étude est d’évaluer le potentiel acquisitionnel de ce dispositif, à travers l’analyse des séquences métalinguistiques déclenchées aux cours des interactions. Celles-ci constituent des épisodes où les interlocuteurs traitent les problèmes de code liés à l’intercompréhension et à la production langagière. En nous appuyant sur les principes de l’analyse conversationnelle d’inspiration ethnométhodologique, notre étude est empirique et principalement descriptive. La catégorisation des séquences métalinguistiques, la description du contexte situationnel d’apparition et des configurations interactionnelles, ainsi que l’analyse de la nature discursive des procédés utilisés pour solliciter l’aide du partenaire et réparer interactivement les obstacles linguistiques indiquent que les interactions vidéographiques en ligne sont susceptibles de déclencher des séquences métalinguistiques, similaires à celles produites en face-à-face. L’analyse de la multimodalité du dispositif, et plus précisément la façon dont les interlocuteurs ont recours aux différents modes de communication pour résoudre les problèmes de communication, montre les effets positifs de celle-ci sur l’apprentissage d’une L2. En effet, la multimodalité permet à l’apprenant une meilleure focalisation sur la forme et une prise de conscience plus efficace des écarts entre son interlangue et la langue cible. / This research contributes to the field of teaching and learning French as a Foreign Language and computer-mediated communication (CMC). Acquiring a second language (L2) is studied from an interactional perspective, according to wich learning a second language is facilitated through interpersonal interactions that occur during the execution of a task. The research builds on the teaching-learning project of the FFL " Français en 1ère ligne ," which connects tutors in France and American learners of Berkeley via a desktop videoconferencing tool. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential of desktop videoconferencing through the analysis of the metalinguistic sequence triggered during the interactions. These sequences are episodes in which interlocutors address code problems related to mutual comprehension and language production. Based on the principles of conversation analysis with an ethnomethodological inspiration, our study is primarily empirical and descriptive. The categorization of metalinguistic sequences, the description of the situational context of appearance and interactional patterns, and the analysis of the discursive nature of the processes used to solicit the help of partner and repaired interactively language barriers, indicate that interactions through videoconferencing may trigger metalinguistic sequences, similar to those produced in face-to-face. The analysis of multimodality, focusing on how interlocutors use different modes of communication to solve communication problems, shows the positive effects on learning a second language. Indeed, multimodality allows the learner to better focus on form as well as a better awareness of the differences between his/her interlanguage and the target language.

This research investigates scalable video communications and its applications to video streaming, conferencing and 3DTV. Scalable video coding (SVC) is a layer-based encoding scheme that provides spatial, temporal and quality scalability. Heterogeneity of the Internet and clients' operating environment necessitate the adaptation of media content to ensure a satisfactory multimedia experience. SVC's layer structure allows the extraction of partial bitstreams at reduced spatial, quality and temporal resolutions that adjust the media bitrate at a fine granularity to changes in network state. The main focus of this research work is in developing such extraction algorithms in the context of SVC. Based on a combination of metadata computations and prediction mechanisms, these algorithms evaluate the quality contribution of each layer in the SVC bitstream and make extraction decisions that are aimed at maximizing video quality while operating within the available bandwidth resources. These techniques are applied in two-way interaction and one-way streaming of 2D and 3D content. Depending on the delay tolerance of these applications, rate-distortion optimized extraction algorithms are proposed. For conferencing applications, the extraction decisions are made over single frames and frame pairs due to tight end-to-end delay constraints. The proposed extraction algorithms for 3D content streaming maximize the overall perceived 3D quality based on human stereoscopic perception. When compared to current extraction methods, the new algorithms offer better video quality at a given bitrate while performing lesser number of metadata computations in the post-encoding phase. The solutions proposed for each application achieve the recurring goal of maintaining the best possible level of end-user quality of multimedia experience in spite of network impairments.

Dans le domaine médical, la plupart des établissements (hôpitaux, cliniques, …) utilisent des applications distribuées dans le cadre de la télémédecine. Comme la sécurité de l’information est primordiale dans ces établissements,ces applications doivent pouvoir traverser les barrières de sécurité (passerelles sécurisées comme les proxies Web, les pare-feu, …). Le protocole UDP (User Datagram Protocol en anglais), qui est classiquement recommandé pour les applications de vidéo conférence ou toutes autres données soumises à la contrainte temps-réel, n’est pas utilisable par ces dispositifs de sécurité (sauf si des ports fixes sont explicitement configurés : ce qui est considéré comme une violation de sécurité au sein de ces établissements). Dans cette thèse, nous proposons une nouvelle plateforme appelée VAGABOND (Video Adaptation framework, crossing security GAteways, Based ON transcoDing) qui fonctionne de manière très efficace et originale sur la base du protocole TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). VAGABOND est composé de proxies d’adaptation,appelés des AP (pour Adaptation Proxy), qui ont été conçus pour prendre en considération les préférences utilisateurs des professionnels de santé, les hétérogénéités des périphériques,et les variations dynamiques de la bande passante dans un réseau. VAGABOND est capable de s’adapter tout aussi bien au niveau utilisateur qu’au niveau réseau. La loi binômiale et l’inférence bayésienne sur une proportion binômiale sont utilisées pour déclencher des adaptations de profils utilisateurs. Ainsi, nous souhaitons être plus tolérants aux fortes variations de la bande passante d'un réseau. Avec une précision plus fine et grâce à ces lois de probabilité,l'adaptation du profil utilisateur n'est déclenchée que lorsque des congestions réseau sévères surviennent.Enfin, TCP étant un protocole de transport fiable et en mode connecté,nous avons eu besoin de concevoir et d'utiliser de nouvelles stratégies d'adaptation intelligentes avec la transmission de données afin de faire face aux problèmes de latence et à la temporisation des sockets. / In the medical area, most of medical facilities (hospitals, clinics, ldots) use distributed applications in the context of telemedecine.As information security is mandatory, these applications must be able to cross the security protocols (secured gateways like proxies, firewalls, ldots). User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which is classically recommended for videoconferencing applications, does not cross firewalls or proxies unless explicitly configured fixed ports are declared. These fixed ports are considered as a security breach.In this thesis, we propose a novel platform called VAGABOND (Video Adaptation framework, crossing security GAteways, Based ON transcoDing) which works, in a very efficient and original way; on TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). VAGABOND is composed of Adaptation Proxies (APs), which have been designed to take into consideration medical experts videoconferencing preferences, device heterogeneities, and network dynamic bandwidth variations. VAGABOND is able to adapt itself at the user and network levels.The cumulative binomial probability law and the Bayesian inference on a binomial proportion are used to trigger user profile adaptations. In fact, we aim at being more tolerant to severe network bandwidth variations. With a finer precision and following these probability laws, user profile adaptation is only triggered when severe network congestions arise. However, as TCP is a reliable transport protocol, we needed to design and to employ new intelligent adaptation strategies together with data transmission in order to cope with latency issues and sockets timeout.

Cette thèse vise à décrire et analyser des interactions pédagogiques par visioconférence poste à poste ayant eu lieu dans le cadre d’échanges entre des apprenants de Berkeley (UCB) et des apprentis- tuteurs/enseignants de Lyon (Université Lyon 2). Notre travail accorde un intérêt particulier aux stratégies communicationnelles mobilisées par les tuteurs pour conduire des séances d’enseignement/apprentissage du Français Langue Etrangère à distance.Notre approche de la question puise des bases théoriques en sciences de l’éducation (formation à distance, concept de présence pédagogique à distance), en didactique des langues (acquisition d’une L2), et en sciences du langage (analyse des interactions pédagogiques) (cadre conceptuel, Partie 1). Les échanges pédagogiques ont été recueillis par le biais de captures d’écran dynamique et fournissent la matière pour étudier l’émergence de stratégies pédagogiques et communicationnelles (cadre méthodologique, Partie 2). Dans le cadre de ces échanges, les tuteurs produisent des énoncés et des actions qui orientent l’activité d’apprentissage. Nous décrivons ces régulations à partir du concept de présence pédagogique (décliné sous trois aspects : présence enseignante, présence sociale et présence cognitive) qui nous permet d’identifier les pratiques pédagogiques observables lors d’interactions par visioconférence poste à poste (analyse de la présence pédagogique, Partie 3). Cette recherche, menée à partir de transcriptions multimodales des données enregistrées, permet de mettre au jour certains des ressorts de la pédagogie synchrone en ligne. Elle aboutit, en outre, à proposer des critères d’évaluation des pratiques pédagogiques identifiées, décrites et analysées dans cette thèse en vue d’améliorer certains aspects de la formation au tutorat de langue en ligne. / The aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse desktop videoconferencing pedagogical interactions that took place as between, learners of French students in Berkeley (UCB) at one end and French as a foreign language instructor trainees in Lyon (University Lyon 2) at the other end. Our work particularly focuses on communicational strategies mobilized by the trainees to conduct distance teaching/learning language sessions.Our approach draws on theoretical issues in education studies (online education, the concept of pedagogical presence within the community of inquiry framework), second language acquisition, and language sciences (pedagogical interaction analysis) (conceptual framework, Part 1). Instances of educational exchanges were collected through dynamic screenshots and provide material for studying emerging pedagogical and communicational strategies (methodological framework, Part 2). As part of these exchanges, tutors produce utterances and actions that shape the learning activities. We describe these regulations from the concept of pedagogical presence -declined in three aspects: teaching presence, social presence and cognitive presence- that allows us to identify pedagogical practices observed during desktop videoconferencing interactions (analysis of the pedagogical presence, Part 3). This research, conducted with multimodal transcripts of the recorded data allows us to uncover some of the aspects of online synchronous teaching. It also allows us to propose criteria for evaluating the pedagogical practices identified, described and analysed in this thesis to improve some facets of language training in tutoring online.

Orientador: Max Henrique Machado Costa / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Eletrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T00:12:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GoncalvesNeto_Jahyr_M.pdf: 950657 bytes, checksum: f62691d16e5db013d1b8a9c4e4a32c88 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Nesta dissertação apresentamos o desenvolvimento de uma plataforma multimídia baseada no modelo cliente-servidor voltada para aplicações de streaming de áudio e vídeo. Essa plataforma deverá evoluir para um sistema de videoconferência em um projeto futuro. A plataforma permite a comunicação de áudio, vídeo e texto a partir de um ponto (o servidor) para vários outros pontos (os clientes). Uma das inovações do projeto está no desenvolvimento em Python, que é uma linguagem interpretada, orientada a objetos e dinamicamente tipada / Abstract: This dissertation presents the development of a client-server platform designed initially for audio and video streaming applications. This platform will evolve into a videoconference system as part of a future project. The platform allows audio, video and text communication from a point (the server) to several others points (the clients). One of the project innovations is the implementation Python Language, which is an interpreted, objectoriented and dynamically typed language / Mestrado / Telecomunicações e Telemática / Mestre em Engenharia Elétrica