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This dissertation describes the educational experiences of Congolese immigrant families and their children attending Philadelphia K-12 schools. The objectives of the study were to explore the educational experiences, needs and expectations of Congolese immigrant parents and their children in the U.S., and to confirm which of the many assimilation theories was applicable to this group of immigrants. The study aimed at providing American schools and curriculum developers with knowledge that they can use to meet the needs of this neglected group of immigrants. Although the number of Congolese immigrant families has been increasing in Philadelphia (Lewis Mumford Center, 2000), there is little knowledge and many faulty assumptions about African immigrants, and particularly, Congolese families. Most of what the American public and American teachers know about Congolese and African immigrants is based solely on biased media coverage, old stories, and myths that are not supported by valid research. African immigrants and their children have been especially excluded from educational research (Rong & Brown, 2002). Scholarship about Congolese immigrants from their African perspective is scarce, if not totally lacking. As a result of the lack of research about African immigrants and their children, not only have the special needs of these immigrants been neglected, but Congolese students in American schools continue to be victims of demeaning treatments and attacks, including violent attacks by some American students motivated by ignorance, prejudice, misconceptions and stereotypes (Traore, 2002; The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 2005). If the presence of Congolese immigrant children continues to be overlooked while the African immigrant population grows, many Congolese immigrant children may develop a dislike or disinterest in school which would place them at-risk for underachievement and dropping out (Stringfield & Land, 2002). The growing number of African immigrant children in American schools also poses new and different challenges for American education generally (Traore, 2002). Therefore, research on this group of immigrant children is much needed. A qualitative study using observations, individual and group interviews, and questionnaires was conducted among a group of African immigrants represented by families of Congolese immigrants including their children living in Philadelphia and neighboring areas. The study found that reasons for coming and staying in the U.S., the threat of losing Congolese identity and culture, parental role reversal, stereotypes, and misconceptions were the most important factors related to their children's experience in American schools. The accommodation `without assimilation' theory (Gibson, 1988) was found to be the most appropriate assimilation theory applicable to these Congolese families. This study provides American teachers, educational leaders and curriculum developers with knowledge and insights based on the voices and experiences of Congolese parents and children. This new knowledge and perspectives can be used to meet the educational needs and expectations of Congolese parents and their children who are experiencing schooling in America. / Urban Education

The search for rental housing can be a very stressful and complex process for veterans with service-connected disabilities. This process requires the evaluation of different factors, such as one's credit score, housing costs in relation to income and employment status, space requirements, type of housing structure, quality preferences, and neighborhood preferences. The purpose of this study was to investigate and document the housing search and occupancy experiences of veterans with disabilities. The study describes the current rental housing situation of these veterans and examines their satisfaction with their current housing. The contextual framework of this study was developed based on Morris and Winter's (1975, 1978) theory of housing adjustment which identifies the key role of housing satisfaction as a measure to evaluate housing against housing norms and specialized needs. Issues associated with veterans with disabilities and their experience with accessibility, discrimination and Fair Housing Act provisions were integrated into the analysis of satisfaction. Three major hypotheses were tested. Data collection occurred employing a mixed-mode survey design via a self-administered on-line survey and interviews, between October 9, 2012 and February 2, 2013. Eighty-three surveys were collected through job fairs and veteran community sponsored events, the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and other organizations. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and means) were used to provide profiles of the respondents, including demographic information, search process, current housing situation, accessible features, satisfaction with current housing, awareness of the FHAA, and military experience. One-way ANOVA, t-test, and Chi-Square were used to analyze associations when testing the three hypotheses. The study results demonstrate that these veterans could benefit from increased awareness of the provisions of the FHAA. Further, findings suggest there is a need to educate veterans about the value of filing formal complaints about housing discrimination in order to potentially reduce the frequency of housing discrimination behaviors against veterans with service-connected disabilities. OEF/OIF veterans with trauma-related injuries were more likely to be dissatisfied with their housing and more likely to have experienced discrimination during the housing search process. The findings from this research are useful to veterans looking for rental housing, property managers looking to attract and maintain veteran renters, and organizations looking to assist veterans with housing related issues. / Ph. D.

No / The aims of the research may be outlined as follows: to measure the degree of transient axial elongation during the accommodation response in emmetropic and myopic young adults. To evaluate the effect of refractive error and accommodative demand on transient axial elongation of the eye. Axial length of the right eye was measured in 30 emmetropes and 30 myopes, by using the IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA), while accommodative stimuli of 0, 2, 4 and 6 D were presented with a Badal optometer. Axial length increased in both emmetropic and myopic subjects during short periods of accommodative stimulation. Greater transient increases in axial length were observed in myopic than in emmetropic subjects. The mean axial elongation with a 6-D stimulus to accommodation was 0.037 mm in emmetropes and 0.058 mm in myopes (P = 0.02). The degree of transient axial elongation correlated well with the stimulus to accommodation in emmetropes and myopes. Anterior chamber depth decreased, on average, by 0.19 mm in emmetropes and 0.18 mm in myopes when observing a 6-D stimulus to accommodation. During relatively short periods of accommodative stimulation, axial length increases in both emmetropic and myopic young adults. At higher levels of accommodative stimulation, a significantly greater transient increase in axial length is observed in myopic subjects than in their emmetropic counterparts.