Students with Visual Impairment (VI) s5ll experience barriers to educa5on despite the right to educa5on s5pulated in the United Na5ons Conven5on on the Rights of Persons with Disabili5es (UNCRPD). Challenges such as delays in the conversion of curriculum content to accessible formats, inaccessible online course sites and teaching and learning that is mostly visual. With the University of Cape Town (UCT) going fully online due to COVID-19 pandemic, it became necessary to explore how equitable access to the curriculum is understood. The research topic is: How do staff and students at UCT understand equitable access to the curriculum for students with VIs? Four conceptual framework components were used. The hidden and enacted curriculum was used to explore hidden curriculum aspects and their effect on the enacted curriculum. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework was used to explore enablers such as assis5ve technology (AT) and challenges such as inaccessible content. Eight elements of digital literacies were used to explore access to opportuni5es to acquire digital literacies and the UNCRPD to ensure alignment with the right to educa5on. A Q methodology study was conducted which is a hybrid of both quan5ta5ve and qualita5ve methods. It sta5s5cally groups viewpoints that are significantly similar to or dis5nct from each other, quan5ta5vely into factors, then qualita5vely interprets these factors thema5cally to reveal par5cipant views about the research topic. Data was collected from students with VI, lecturers, staff from Disability Services, ICT Services, Library Services, and the Centre for Higher Educa5on Development using Q sor5ng where par5cipants ranked sixty statements into disagree, neutral and agree. Focus group discussions were used to support the interpreta5on of the factors. Findings revealed that: accessible curriculum is also a technical issue which is not priori5sed at UCT, and lecturers struggle with compe5ng demands such lack of 5me, need for promo5on and research. Accessibility design from the start both for curriculum development and support services is not valued. The right to educa5on for students with VI is par5al, varying their experience of the curriculum. Tes5ng of a course site for accessibility and lack of AT nega5vely affects right to educa5on. This study argues that students with VI do not yet enjoy full par5cipa5on in the curriculum due to lack of understanding of the complexity involved. UDL can help academics move from a deficit view to an asset view of students with VI. UCT should change its opera5onal model to accessibility from the start. Then UCT will move closer to equitable access to the curriculum for students with VI.

Inclusive arts education policy considers the arts a viable entry point to a holistic educational experience. It encourages educators to engage with students on a social and emotional level. Several studies have explored challenges with policy implementation that identify educators' interpretation of policy or assimilation to existing policy as a barrier to the full actualization of policy. Through a rigorous convergent mixed-methods study using convenience sampling, I present a thorough analysis of data that reflects internalized values, beliefs, and ideas. Seven contributors, five educational leaders, and two alumni completed interviews, and twenty-one educational leaders completed surveys utilizing Qualtrics (www.qualtrics.com/), a web-based survey tool. The results identify contextual relationships and offer a comprehensive narrative encompassing knowledge and understanding, resource availability, beliefs, and psychological factors influencing the interpretation and implementation of whole-child arts inclusive policy. The results were: Insufficient policy awareness of federal and state policy, significant knowledge of teaching and general assessment practices, and remarkable administrative support coupled with resource limitations; challenges with structural design, prioritization of arts education despite financial challenges, students’ perspective reciprocates structure; and alignment with mission and past experiences in arts education.

This qualitative case study analyzes the underrepresentation of minority students in Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Virginia high schools and examines the influences that encourage school leaders to lessen the existing gaps at their assigned schools. Data from a division in southeastern Virginia summarizing each school's minority representation in its AP courses were analyzed. After identifying the schools' minority representation levels, qualitative research methods were used to determine the impact, if any, of school leaders on student participation rates. Additionally, qualitative data from individual interviews were considered to determine if school leaders who had a higher representation of minority populations at their schools demonstrated intentional actions to address AP participation in their schools. The results of this study indicate that principals believed that all capable students should have access to AP courses and that teachers and counselors influence students' decisions to enroll in AP courses. Additionally, principals found that sharing data reflecting their school's representation rates helped justify the need to improve student participation in AP courses. Principals with high participation rates placed importance on communicating to students the opportunities obtained by participating in AP courses and expected school staff to encourage students with potential to participate in more rigorous courses. Principals with higher minority representation rates in advanced courses were also found to frequently remind a variety of stakeholders to encourage students to participate in AP courses. Furthermore, principals with higher minority representation in AP programs used more "we," "us," and "our" statements and references to a team approach when asked about their work. Finally, this study found that specialized academies create environments where stronger student representation rates can occur in AP courses for all student groups. The results of the study have the potential to impact high school leaders as they seek to improve outcomes for the students they serve. / Ed. D. / This study analyzes the participation rates of African-American students in Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Virginia high schools and examines the actions school leaders take to lessen the existing gaps at their assigned schools. After identifying the schools’ minority representation levels from one school division, methods were used to determine the impact, if any, of school leaders on student participation rates. Additionally, information from individual interviews was considered to determine if school leaders with higher representation of minority populations demonstrated intentional actions to address AP participation in their schools. The results of this study indicate that principals believed that all capable students should have access to AP courses and that teachers and counselors influence students’ decisions to enroll in AP courses. Additionally, principals found that sharing data reflecting their school’s representation rates helped justify the need to improve student participation in AP courses. Principals with higher participation rates placed importance on communicating to students the opportunities obtained by participating in AP courses and expected school staff to encourage students with potential to participate in AP courses. Principals with higher minority representation rates were also found to frequently remind a variety of stakeholders to encourage students to participate in AP courses. Furthermore, principals with higher minority representation in AP programs used more “we,” “us,” and “our” statements and references to a team approach when asked about their work. Finally, this study found that specialized academies create environments where stronger student representation rates can occur in AP courses for all student groups. The results of the study have the potential to impact high school leaders as they seek to improve outcomes for the students they serve.

Submitted by Rosina Valeria Lanzellotti Mattiussi Teixeira (rosina.teixeira@unisantos.br) on 2016-10-11T16:44:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marlene Rosimar da Silva Vieira.pdf: 1831416 bytes, checksum: c917182b5f93d4be1e0811b5b97da67d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-11T16:44:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marlene Rosimar da Silva Vieira.pdf: 1831416 bytes, checksum: c917182b5f93d4be1e0811b5b97da67d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-28 / Universidade Católica de Santos - Católica de Santos / Introduction: The guarantee of the right to health includes access to medicines. In Brazil we can´t consider this access only with the public sector in view; because even being a country with universal health care system, 26% of the population is affiliated to the private health insurance and the drug purchasing expenses correspond to 48.6 % of the average monthly expenditure on health of Brazilian families. Objective: To analyze the use of medication and associated factors for the adult population in the municipality of Praia Grande, Sao Paulo. Methodology: Cross-sectional population-based study that included 985 adults of both sexes. Cluster sampling in two stages, in Praia Grande, São Paulo, 2012. The dependent variables were the use and access to medicines through the public health system. The independent variables were sociodemographic and health status characteristics. The Poisson model with robust variance was the method of analysis. Spending and commitment of the income generated by the acquisition in private pharmacies were also checked, and possible drug interactions. Results: The prevalence of drug use in the population studied was 47.9%. Elderly had a higher prevalence of drug use (61.2%) compared to adults (42.4%). Being woman, having attended a health service in the last year, have chronic disease, more than eight years of study and consider bad health were variables associated with the use of drugs. The drugs used were obtained in its entirety in public pharmacies by 58.7% of users, which was associated to have chronic illness, have attended a health service in the last year, not having private health insurance and being female. The monthly private spending on drugs was on average R$ 17.00 and the commitment of income was higher for males, with higher education, the private health sector as a reference, with health insurance and chronic illness. The possibility to have a drug interaction was associated with the highest number of drugs used and not with the model of health service used, public or private. Conclusions: The prevalence of drug use in the city was similar to the national. The public health system is promoting access to medicines in the city, especially for patients with chronic diseases and women. Private spending on drugs is higher with the share of the population with the highest incomes. Incorporating the practice of assessing possible drug interactions in primary care, especially for some groups of patients, may be a strategy to improve the quality of pharmaceutical care. / Introdução: A garantia do direito à saúde inclui o acesso a medicamentos. No Brasil não podemos pensar neste acesso apenas tendo em vista o setor público, pois mesmo sendo um país com um sistema de saúde universal, 26% da população está afiliada ao setor de saúde suplementar e os gastos com compra de medicamentos correspondem a 48,6% da despesa média mensal com saúde das famílias brasileiras. Objetivo: Analisar a utilização de medicamentos e fatores associados pela população adulta no município de Praia Grande, São Paulo. Metodologia: Estudo transversal de base populacional que incluiu 985 adultos de ambos os sexos. Amostra por conglomerados em dois estágios, em Praia Grande, São Paulo, 2012. As variáveis dependentes foram o uso e o acesso aos medicamentos através do sistema público de saúde. Como variáveis independentes as características sociodemográficas e de condições de saúde. O modelo de Poisson com variância robusta foi o método de análise. Os gastos e o comprometimento da renda gerados pela aquisição em farmácias privadas também foram verificados, assim como possíveis interações medicamentosas. Resultados: A prevalência de utilização de medicamentos na população total estudada foi de 47,9%. Idosos apresentaram uma prevalência maior de uso de medicamentos (61,2%) quando comparados aos adultos (42,4%). Ser do sexo feminino, ter frequentado um serviço de saúde no último ano, ter doença crônica, mais de oito anos de estudo e considerar a saúde ruim foram variáveis associadas à utilização de medicamentos. Os medicamentos utilizados foram obtidos em sua totalidade em farmácias públicas por 58,7% dos usuários, o que se mostrou associado a ter doença crônica, ter frequentado um serviço de saúde no último ano, não ter plano de saúde privado e ser do sexo feminino. O gasto privado mensal com medicamentos foi, em média, R$ 17,00 e o comprometimento da renda foi maior para os indivíduos do sexo masculino, com maior escolaridade, com o setor privado de saúde como referência, com plano de saúde e doença crônica. A possibilidade de acontecer uma interação medicamentosa foi associada com o maior número de medicamentos utilizados e não com o tipo de serviço utilizado, público ou privado. Conclusões: A prevalência de utilização de medicamentos no município foi semelhante à nacional. O sistema de saúde público está promovendo o acesso aos medicamentos no município, principalmente para os portadores de doenças crônicas e mulheres. Os gastos privados com medicamentos são mais elevados com a parcela da população com maiores rendas. A incorporação da prática de avaliar possíveis interações medicamentosas na atenção primária, principalmente para alguns grupos de pacientes, pode ser uma estratégia para melhorar a qualidade da assistência farmacêutica.

This thesis examined the complex socio-ecological dynamics in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on the mechanisms that allow Amazonians to access natural resources along the gradient of urbanization. While Amazonian conservation and development policies have traditionally targeted rural areas, there is a growing need to consider the interconnectedness between urban, peri-urban (i.e. the area surrounding the urban center) and rural communities as the region urbanizes. The overall research question that guided this thesis research was "How does urbanization affect access to natural resources and how does access affect natural resource use?". We aimed to address key aspects of these relationships and the implications for sustainable development and conservation efforts. The first chapter explored the mechanisms by which rural, peri-urban, and urban populations in the Amazon access natural resources, focusing on the varied resources they use as food. Using the Theory of Access' framework and 33 semi-structured interviews with participants selected by snowball sampling in Manaus and Carauari (Amazonas, Brazil), we identified physical, knowledge, structural, social, and rights-based mechanisms as key to understanding resource access. The findings indicate that materiality (i.e. the presence and quality of a given resource), and knowledge were salient for rural and peri-urban people, who live in close proximity to natural resources, to establish access. Technology, such as mobile phones and internet access, further facilitated exchanges across the urbanization gradient. We also found out that the combination of mobility and social relations resulted in greater access to natural resources for those not living in physical proximity to such resources, for those not recognized as legitimate users, or for those that do not know how to extract natural resources. Across the gradient, people made use of social mechanisms and power to reinforce reciprocity among peers and access food. This study contributed to the advancement of the Access Theory by highlighting that people holding power, because of customary, social, institutional, political, and commercial power, accessed or controlled other people's access to natural resources, despite of legal constraints. By extending the notion of access to natural resources as bundles of diverse structural, knowledge, social, power, and rights-based mechanisms, novel policies can be designed to foster sustainable resource use while addressing power disparities for the development of the Brazilian Amazon. The second chapter examined the prevalence and quantity of wildmeat consumption, barter trade, and monetary trade across rural, peri-urban, and urban areas in the Brazilian Amazon. Through an indirect questioning technique, we surveyed 782 randomly selected households in Manaus and Carauari. We revealed substantial wildlife use throughout the urbanization gradient. In urban households, the rates of wildlife consumption, barter trade, and sale are significant (Manaus: 22%, 17%, 21%; Carauari: 57%, 30%, 7%, respectively), with higher market access in Manaus, the big city. Additionally, we found that wildlife trade occurred in both urban areas assessed, with an estimate of 21% (7-34%: Carauari) and 16% (6-26%: Manaus) of urban households trading wildmeat. Participation of peri-urban households in wildlife trade was high, especially close to Manaus. Results point to a need for inclusive wildlife policies, which regulate subsistence hunting, integrate fish and wildlife management within community-based conservation, implement measures to curtail illegal trade, and promote urban-rural development strategies. Together, these chapters highlight the importance of a collaborative and inclusive approach to conservation in the Amazon, recognizing the interconnectedness of rural and urban communities. To foster sustainable development, conservation strategies must prioritize equitable access to natural resources and promote the active participation of rural, peri-urban and urban inhabitants in shaping conservation outcomes. / Master of Science / In this study, we examined how people in the Brazilian Amazon access natural resources. Imagine living in a place with rich rainforests, rivers, and unique animals. Immersed in this forest matrix are one big city and several small towns where people have markets to obtain their food, commute to work and school in crowded roads, use mobile technologies such as internet and mobile banking. In this thesis, we studied how Amazonian people in different places get the food they eat, like animals, fish, açaí berries, and Brazil nuts. In order to do so, we asked people living in the rural and highly forested areas, in the areas within and around a small town, Carauari, and one big city, Manaus, how they were able to obtain these foods. We divided this study in two chapters, which are presented below: Chapter 1: How people obtain natural resources We talked to people in different parts of the Amazon, from rural villages to a big city, to understand how they get access to natural resources as food. We found that people who live close to the resources, such as those in the rural areas, can easily collect food. Others use their knowledge and social connections, sharing food with friends, family, and people they trust. Technology, such as mobile phones and the internet, also helps them exchange resources. People frequently move among the countryside and the city to access natural resources. Influential individuals, such as politicians, environmental agents, and merchants, can get natural resources whenever they want or easily control what others can access. Our findings highlight the importance of social relations, power, and technology in accessing natural resources and suggest new policies to promote fair and sustainable use in the Amazon. Chapter 2: Wildlife in the big city, in the small town, and in the rural areas We also looked at the amount of wild meat from birds, mammals, and river turtles and tortoises that people consumed, sold, or exchanged with others. Around a quarter of families in the big city, Manaus, and more than half of the families in the small town of Carauari consumed wild meat. We also found that they may share or sell them, especially in the surrounding areas of the big city, where the amount of people demanding wild meat can be high. This can be a problem for wildlife and for people if there is not enough meat for everyone to eat, share or trade. So, to create a sustainable pathway for wildlife and people, we suggested conservation policies that: promote the inclusion of city people in sustainable plans for wildlife, make the use of people's contribution in strategies to protect wildlife, and that ensure that everyone has what to eat as an ally of wildlife conservation. Conclusion: Working together for the Amazon Conserving the Amazon rainforest is a team effort. Rural and city communities are connected, and we must share resources fairly. By doing this, we can help the Amazon thrive while taking care of its people.