Yes / Viewing one’s smartphone whilst walking commonly leads to a slowing of walking. Slowing walking-speed may occur because of safety concerns or because of visual constraints. We determine how walking-induced phone motion affects the ability to read on-screen information. Phone-reading performance (PRP) was assessed whilst participants walked on a treadmill at various speeds. The fastest speed was repeated, wearing an elbow-brace (Braced) or with the phone mounted stationary (Fixed). An audible cue (‘text-alert’), indicated participants had 2 seconds to lift/view the phone and read aloud a series of digits. PRP was the number of digits read correctly. Each condition was repeated 5 times. 3D-motion analyses determined phone-motion relative to the head, from which the variability in acceleration in viewing distance, and in the gaze angles in the up-down and right-left directions were assessed. A main-effect of condition indicated PRP decreased with walking speed; particularly so for the Braced and Fixed conditions (p=0.022). Walking condition also affected the phone’s relative motion (p / Research Development Fund Publication Prize Award winner, Oct 2021.

The main aim of this thesis is to evaluate the effect of meridional blur, using refractive induced astigmatism, on visual performance at far and close distances. Visual performance was evaluated using letter discrimination tasks at distance and near (visual acuity, VA) and a reading task at near on subjects with pharmacologically blocked (young) or absent accommodation (presbyopic and pseudophakic). The effect of astigmatism was tested using positive cylindrical lenses oriented at 180 and 90 degrees, these simulating with- (WTR) and against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism. Other refractive status were also evaluated, namely, in-focus and spherical defocus. The visual performance data were correlated with biometric measurements (pupil size, anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal and ocular aberrations, corneal multifocality, patient age, axial length). Further, the functionality of meridional blur was evaluated for alphabets in addition to the standard Roman alphabet using a VA task. The results confirm that myopic astigmatism contributes to a better visual performance at closer distances, with ATR astigmatism providing higher performance for reading tasks compared to other forms of astigmatism. Anatomical factors such as pupil size, corneal multifocality and ACD were significantly correlated visual performance, while other ocular characteristics were not. Ray tracing modelling using wavefront data was a moderate predictor of VA and reading acuity. The results of the effect of meridional blur orientation on alphabets other than the Roman alphabet, suggest that visual performance is dependent on the interaction between blur orientation and letter's spatial characteristics. In conclusion, pseudoaccommodation is a multifactorial phenomenon with pupil size being the major contributor for the improvement in visual performance. Against-the-rule shows advantages over WTR astigmatism, by providing higher reading performance, however extending the present and previous findings for clinical application will require further investigation on the effect of meridional blur in common and socio-culturally adapted tasks.

This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate improving the reading performance of fifthgrade students through an afterschool reading program to determine whether it was effective in teaching Native American and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This study compared the reading performance of fifth-grade students who struggle with reading, with those who attend an afterschool reading program, and students in both conditions were taught to apply the strategies to reading comprehension, spelling, coached reading, and vocabulary, and then practiced the strategies to independent reading performance. Reading intervention was introduced to improve students who had difficulties with learning expository reading performance. The students‟ scores on the Florida Instruction in Reading (FAIR) were used as pre-assessment data and included the instructional sequences and practices with struggling readers as well as the data collected through classroom observation. It focused on improving the fluency and the reading comprehension of these students and FAIR was used as a post-test assessment. It addressed the problem of poor reading skills of students at Southeastern Elementary School (SES). Statewide tests had shown that fifth grade students at SES were reading on a third-grade level, and these students were reading below two grade level gaps as evidenced by test scores on the FCAT. The purpose of this study was to describe and investigate the long-term impact of the program on the student, as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores, in reading performance as well as report scores, in elementary schools in Florida

Response to Intervention (RTI) has become the gateway to identification for many students with specific learning disabilities. Those include students in the 17 states that require RTI as the source of eligibility data as well as many students in the 33 states that allow districts to choose RTI among other options (e.g., discrepancy). There is concern that the use of RTI may infringe on due-process protections and child-find responsibilities. Specifically, the number of days students must remain in RTI may delay their referral for comprehensive evaluation and, hence, potential eligibility for special education. In the present study, the authors surveyed District Directors of Special Education in selected states to determine whether guidelines or policies were present to govern referrals for a comprehensive evaluation and how long a student may remain in RTI tiers before referral or eligibility determination. The extent to which districts permit individual schools to enact their own policies was also investigated. Results indicate that (a) RTI is often used to identify specific learning disabilities without clear guidelines, (b) many aspects of RTI are implemented without being communicated within state and district administrative levels, and (c) RTI is the required specific learning disability assessment determinant in a significant percentage of districts in states that allow that choice. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

The main aim of this thesis is to evaluate the effect of meridional blur, using refractive induced astigmatism, on visual performance at far and close distances. Visual performance was evaluated using letter discrimination tasks at distance and near (visual acuity, VA) and a reading task at near on subjects with pharmacologically blocked (young) or absent accommodation (presbyopic and pseudophakic). The effect of astigmatism was tested using positive cylindrical lenses oriented at 180 and 90 degrees, these simulating with- (WTR) and against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism. Other refractive status were also evaluated, namely, in-focus and spherical defocus. The visual performance data were correlated with biometric measurements (pupil size, anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal and ocular aberrations, corneal multifocality, patient age, axial length). Further, the functionality of meridional blur was evaluated for alphabets in addition to the standard Roman alphabet using a VA task. The results confirm that myopic astigmatism contributes to a better visual performance at closer distances, with ATR astigmatism providing higher performance for reading tasks compared to other forms of astigmatism. Anatomical factors such as pupil size, corneal multifocality and ACD were significantly correlated visual performance, while other ocular characteristics were not. Ray tracing modelling using wavefront data was a moderate predictor of VA and reading acuity. The results of the effect of meridional blur orientation on alphabets other than the Roman alphabet, suggest that visual performance is dependent on the interaction between blur orientation and letter¿s spatial characteristics. In conclusion, pseudoaccommodation is a multifactorial phenomenon with pupil size being the major contributor for the improvement in visual performance. Against-the-rule shows advantages over WTR astigmatism, by providing higher reading performance, however extending the present and previous findings for clinical application will require further investigation on the effect of meridional blur in common and socio-culturally adapted tasks. / Bradford School of Optometry and Vision Sciences

Autostereoskopische Monitore ermöglichen das spontane dreidimensionale Betrachten des gezeigten Inhaltes, ohne dass zusätzliche Betrachtungshilfen notwendig sind. Eine solche räumliche Wahrnehmung kann auch für die Kartographie vielfaltige neue Visualisierungsmöglichkeiten bieten. Allerdings wurden dafür bisher kaum Gestaltungsregeln formuliert. Gerade das ist aber notwendig, um das Potential dieser 3D-Monitore richtig nutzen zu können. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Gestaltung kartographischer Inhalte auf autostereoskopischen Monitoren und soll damit einen Beitrag leisten, solche Monitore in naher Zukunft optimal für kartographische Zwecke einsetzen zu können. Nach der Beschreibung des Forschungsstandes hinsichtlich 3D-Visualisierungstechniken und Minimaldimensionen kartographischer Inhalte an Monitoren behandelt die vorliegende Arbeit zwei empirische Untersuchungen. Im ersten Teil werden verschiedene graphische Elemente hinsichtlich ihrer Mindestgröße untersucht. Angelehnt an bereits vorhandene Empfehlungen für 2D-Monitore sowie Untersuchungen an gedruckten Lentikulardisplays werden Schrift, Linien und einfache Zeichen verschiedener Größe bzw. Strichstarke bezüglich ihrer Lesbarkeit an einem Lentikularmonitor getestet. Um eine Mindestgröße sinnvoll festzulegen, soll hierbei das Kriterium erfüllt sein, dass 90 % der Befragten die gezeigten Wörter, Linien bzw. Zeichen in mindestens dieser Größe lesen konnten. Neben den Mindestgrößen wird in dieser ersten Studie zudem die Erkennbarkeit und Unterscheidbarkeit von verschiedenen Tiefenebenen untersucht. Anhand von Positionssignaturen, die sich blockweise in unterschiedlichem Abstand zum Betrachter befinden, d.h. in verschiedenen Tiefenebenen liegen, wird ermittelt, ob und wie gut eine Unterscheidung dieser Ebenen möglich ist. Insgesamt werden in dieser ersten Studie neun Hypothesenpaare überprüft. Die zweite empirische Untersuchung, die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt wird, befasst sich mit der Wahrnehmungsleistung in thematischen Karten an 2D-Monitoren und an 3D-Monitoren. Anhand von einfach gestalteten thematischen Karten werden die Antwortzeit und die Antwortgenauigkeit bei der Lösung einfacher Aufgaben analysiert. Getestet wird an dem gleichen Monitor, der bereits für die Untersuchung zu den Minimaldimensionen genutzt wurde und vergleichend dazu an einem ähnlich großen 2D-Monitor. In dieser zweiten Studie werden zwei Hypothesenpaare überprüft. Darüber hinaus werden die Ergebnisse mit einer parallel am Geografischen Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum stattgefundenen Studie verglichen. Die Projektpartner testeten unter sehr ähnlichen Bedingungen einen zweiten Lentikularmonitor. Anhand des Vergleichs beider Studien werden erste Schlussfolgerungen gezogen, die für eine Gestaltung kartographischer Inhalte an Lentikularmonitoren im Allgemeinen gültig sind. Die Ergebnisse der ersten Untersuchung zeigen, dass die Minimaldimensionen von Schrift, Linien und einfachen Zeichen am untersuchten 3D-Monitor weniger stark von den Empfehlungen für normale 2D-Monitore abweichen als im Vorfeld vermutet wurde. Bei der zweiten Studie hingegen lässt sich anhand der untersuchten thematischen Karte hinsichtlich der Wahrnehmungsleistung schlussfolgern, dass eine Visualisierung am 3D-Monitor zwar keine Verbesserung der Antwortgenauigkeit bewirkt, wohl aber eine deutliche Reduzierung der Antwortdauer. In der zweiten empirischen Untersuchung liegen Daten zu weiteren Testkarten vor, die die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Ergebnisse verifizieren konnten. In weiterer Analysearbeit sollen diese Erkenntnisse in naher Zukunft zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Darüber hinaus wird empfohlen, die Untersuchungen auf verschiedene 3D-Monitore auszuweiten, um eine Allgemeingültigkeit der ermittelten Erkenntnisse verifizieren zu können bzw. um detailliertere Empfehlungen zur Gestaltung thematischer Inhalte auf 3D-Monitoren geben zu können. / Autostereoscopic monitors allow spontaneous three-dimensional perception of the visualised content without the need of any additional viewing aids. Such a kind of spatial perception can also allow multiple new visualisation options in the field of cartography. So far, there are hardly any rules given for an optimal design of such cartographic visualisations. But, this is essential in order to use the potential of these 3D monitors correctly. Therefore, this work deals with the design of cartographic content on autostereoscopic monitors. Thus, it shall contribute to an optimal use of such a monitor for cartographic purposes in the near future. After describing the state of research regarding 3D visualisation techniques and minimum dimensions of cartographic content on monitors in general, the present work discusses two empirical studies. In the first study, several graphic elements are analysed regarding their minimal legible size. Some lettering, lines and simple symbols are tested regarding their legibility on a monitor which uses the lenticular foil technology. The test patterns are based on existing recommendations for 2D monitors and studies on printed lenticular foil displays. A simple rule was chosen to be able to specify minimum sizes for the tested elements: at least 90 % of the test persons have been able to read the test words, lines or symbols in this size. Furthermore, the first study investigated the ability to differentiate several depth planes. With the help of point symbol blocks which are located in different distances to the viewer, i.e. which are located in different depth planes, it is examined if the participants can differentiate these planes easily. Altogether, nine pairs of hypotheses are analysed during this study. The second empirical study which is presented in this work, deals with the map reading performance in thematic maps visualised on 2D monitors and on 3D monitors. Using thematic maps of simple design the response time and response accuracy are analysed for solving simple map reading tasks. The used 3D monitor was the same as for the first study. Further, the same questions were asked for the thematic maps shown on a normal 2D monitor with nearly the same size as the 3D monitor. In this second study two pairs of hypotheses are analysed. Moreover, the findings are compared with a similar study which was conducted at the Geographic Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum. The project partners tested the thematic maps on a second lenticular monitor under very similar conditions. Based on a comparison of both studies an attempt will be made to draw some conclusions that are generally valid for a design of cartographic content on lenticular monitors. The results of the first study show that for the examined 3D monitor the minimum dimensions of lettering, lines and simple symbols differ less from the recommendations for normal 2D monitors than assumed before the studies. The findings of the second study for map reading efficiency on thematic maps show that the visualisation on a 3D monitor reduces the response time of the questions. However, the correctness of the answers does not improve between the 2D monitor and the 3D monitor. In the second empirical study data of more test maps than used in this work is available. It shall be used in further analyses for trying to verify the results presented here. In addition, it is recommended to extend the studies on different 3D monitors to verify a general applicability of the findings or to give more detailed recommendations for the design of thematic content on 3D monitors.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:56:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Renan de Almeida Sargiani.pdf: 1879594 bytes, checksum: 30d53cbb220f22cadcfb3ef6f994cefd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-01-29 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Earlier studies showed that reading performance depends on phonemic awareness skills and visual attention span (VAS). Phonemic awareness refers to sensitivity and intentional control over the smallest speech sounds, i.e., phonemes. Visual attention span refers to the amount of distinct visual elements (letters) that can be processed simultaneously within a given set. There are hardly any studies on these two skills and their role in reading performance among Brazilian Portuguese speakers. This study aims at verifying (1) the existence of relationships between the skills of VAS and phonemic awareness and their relations with the reading performance of Brazilian children and (2) whether these relations would modify during their schooling years. The sample was made up of 48 students (1st, 3rd and 5th grade) from a public elementary school in Sao Paulo (Brazil). Children were assessed in three sessions through a battery of tasks which included single word reading, phonemic awareness, VAS, nonverbal IQ, verbal short-term memory and letter identification threshold. Results showed that VAS and phonemic awareness correlated with performance in reading of regular and irregular words and nonwords from 1st to 5th grade of elementary school. They also indicated that VAS and phonemic awareness play a more important role at the beginning of the learning of reading, i.e., in 1st grade, but continue to be of importance to reading ability in 3rd and 5th grade especially in reading of nonwords. It was also observed that there is a development of reading skills, phonemic awareness and visual attention span with the progress in schooling / Estudos anteriores demonstraram que o desempenho em leitura depende das habilidades de consciência fonêmica e de amplitude visuo-atencional (AVA). A consciência fonêmica se refere à sensibilidade e controle intencional dos menores sons da fala, isto é, os fonemas. A amplitude visuo-atencional se refere à quantidade de elementos visuais distintos (letras) que podem ser processados simultaneamente dentro de um conjunto. Ainda são escassas as pesquisas sobre essas duas habilidades e seu papel no desempenho em leitura em falantes do português do Brasil. No presente estudo, verificou-se (1) a existência de relações entre as habilidades de AVA e de consciência fonêmica e o desempenho em leitura em crianças brasileiras e (2) se essas relações se modificavam com o progresso na escolarização. Participaram desse estudo 48 alunos do 1º ano, 3º ano e 5º ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola pública de São Paulo. As crianças foram avaliadas em três sessões por meio de uma bateria que incluía tarefas de leitura de palavras isoladas, tarefas de consciência fonêmica, tarefas de EVA, Q.I. não verbal, memória verbal de curto prazo e limiar de identificação de letras. Demonstrou-se que a AVA e a consciência fonêmica se correlacionam com o desempenho em leitura de palavras regulares, irregulares e pseudopalavras desde o 1º até o 5º ano do ensino fundamental. Os resultados indicam que a AVA e a consciência fonêmica desempenham um papel mais importante no 1º ano da aprendizagem da leitura, mas continuam tendo um papel relevante no 3º ano e no 5º ano principalmente na leitura de pseudopalavras. Observou-se também que ocorre uma evolução das habilidades de leitura, consciência fonêmica e amplitude visuoatencional com o progresso na escolarização

Autostereoskopische Monitore ermöglichen das spontane dreidimensionale Betrachten des gezeigten Inhaltes, ohne dass zusätzliche Betrachtungshilfen notwendig sind. Eine solche räumliche Wahrnehmung kann auch für die Kartographie vielfaltige neue Visualisierungsmöglichkeiten bieten. Allerdings wurden dafür bisher kaum Gestaltungsregeln formuliert. Gerade das ist aber notwendig, um das Potential dieser 3D-Monitore richtig nutzen zu können. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Gestaltung kartographischer Inhalte auf autostereoskopischen Monitoren und soll damit einen Beitrag leisten, solche Monitore in naher Zukunft optimal für kartographische Zwecke einsetzen zu können. Nach der Beschreibung des Forschungsstandes hinsichtlich 3D-Visualisierungstechniken und Minimaldimensionen kartographischer Inhalte an Monitoren behandelt die vorliegende Arbeit zwei empirische Untersuchungen. Im ersten Teil werden verschiedene graphische Elemente hinsichtlich ihrer Mindestgröße untersucht. Angelehnt an bereits vorhandene Empfehlungen für 2D-Monitore sowie Untersuchungen an gedruckten Lentikulardisplays werden Schrift, Linien und einfache Zeichen verschiedener Größe bzw. Strichstarke bezüglich ihrer Lesbarkeit an einem Lentikularmonitor getestet. Um eine Mindestgröße sinnvoll festzulegen, soll hierbei das Kriterium erfüllt sein, dass 90 % der Befragten die gezeigten Wörter, Linien bzw. Zeichen in mindestens dieser Größe lesen konnten. Neben den Mindestgrößen wird in dieser ersten Studie zudem die Erkennbarkeit und Unterscheidbarkeit von verschiedenen Tiefenebenen untersucht. Anhand von Positionssignaturen, die sich blockweise in unterschiedlichem Abstand zum Betrachter befinden, d.h. in verschiedenen Tiefenebenen liegen, wird ermittelt, ob und wie gut eine Unterscheidung dieser Ebenen möglich ist. Insgesamt werden in dieser ersten Studie neun Hypothesenpaare überprüft. Die zweite empirische Untersuchung, die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt wird, befasst sich mit der Wahrnehmungsleistung in thematischen Karten an 2D-Monitoren und an 3D-Monitoren. Anhand von einfach gestalteten thematischen Karten werden die Antwortzeit und die Antwortgenauigkeit bei der Lösung einfacher Aufgaben analysiert. Getestet wird an dem gleichen Monitor, der bereits für die Untersuchung zu den Minimaldimensionen genutzt wurde und vergleichend dazu an einem ähnlich großen 2D-Monitor. In dieser zweiten Studie werden zwei Hypothesenpaare überprüft. Darüber hinaus werden die Ergebnisse mit einer parallel am Geografischen Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum stattgefundenen Studie verglichen. Die Projektpartner testeten unter sehr ähnlichen Bedingungen einen zweiten Lentikularmonitor. Anhand des Vergleichs beider Studien werden erste Schlussfolgerungen gezogen, die für eine Gestaltung kartographischer Inhalte an Lentikularmonitoren im Allgemeinen gültig sind. Die Ergebnisse der ersten Untersuchung zeigen, dass die Minimaldimensionen von Schrift, Linien und einfachen Zeichen am untersuchten 3D-Monitor weniger stark von den Empfehlungen für normale 2D-Monitore abweichen als im Vorfeld vermutet wurde. Bei der zweiten Studie hingegen lässt sich anhand der untersuchten thematischen Karte hinsichtlich der Wahrnehmungsleistung schlussfolgern, dass eine Visualisierung am 3D-Monitor zwar keine Verbesserung der Antwortgenauigkeit bewirkt, wohl aber eine deutliche Reduzierung der Antwortdauer. In der zweiten empirischen Untersuchung liegen Daten zu weiteren Testkarten vor, die die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Ergebnisse verifizieren konnten. In weiterer Analysearbeit sollen diese Erkenntnisse in naher Zukunft zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Darüber hinaus wird empfohlen, die Untersuchungen auf verschiedene 3D-Monitore auszuweiten, um eine Allgemeingültigkeit der ermittelten Erkenntnisse verifizieren zu können bzw. um detailliertere Empfehlungen zur Gestaltung thematischer Inhalte auf 3D-Monitoren geben zu können. / Autostereoscopic monitors allow spontaneous three-dimensional perception of the visualised content without the need of any additional viewing aids. Such a kind of spatial perception can also allow multiple new visualisation options in the field of cartography. So far, there are hardly any rules given for an optimal design of such cartographic visualisations. But, this is essential in order to use the potential of these 3D monitors correctly. Therefore, this work deals with the design of cartographic content on autostereoscopic monitors. Thus, it shall contribute to an optimal use of such a monitor for cartographic purposes in the near future. After describing the state of research regarding 3D visualisation techniques and minimum dimensions of cartographic content on monitors in general, the present work discusses two empirical studies. In the first study, several graphic elements are analysed regarding their minimal legible size. Some lettering, lines and simple symbols are tested regarding their legibility on a monitor which uses the lenticular foil technology. The test patterns are based on existing recommendations for 2D monitors and studies on printed lenticular foil displays. A simple rule was chosen to be able to specify minimum sizes for the tested elements: at least 90 % of the test persons have been able to read the test words, lines or symbols in this size. Furthermore, the first study investigated the ability to differentiate several depth planes. With the help of point symbol blocks which are located in different distances to the viewer, i.e. which are located in different depth planes, it is examined if the participants can differentiate these planes easily. Altogether, nine pairs of hypotheses are analysed during this study. The second empirical study which is presented in this work, deals with the map reading performance in thematic maps visualised on 2D monitors and on 3D monitors. Using thematic maps of simple design the response time and response accuracy are analysed for solving simple map reading tasks. The used 3D monitor was the same as for the first study. Further, the same questions were asked for the thematic maps shown on a normal 2D monitor with nearly the same size as the 3D monitor. In this second study two pairs of hypotheses are analysed. Moreover, the findings are compared with a similar study which was conducted at the Geographic Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum. The project partners tested the thematic maps on a second lenticular monitor under very similar conditions. Based on a comparison of both studies an attempt will be made to draw some conclusions that are generally valid for a design of cartographic content on lenticular monitors. The results of the first study show that for the examined 3D monitor the minimum dimensions of lettering, lines and simple symbols differ less from the recommendations for normal 2D monitors than assumed before the studies. The findings of the second study for map reading efficiency on thematic maps show that the visualisation on a 3D monitor reduces the response time of the questions. However, the correctness of the answers does not improve between the 2D monitor and the 3D monitor. In the second empirical study data of more test maps than used in this work is available. It shall be used in further analyses for trying to verify the results presented here. In addition, it is recommended to extend the studies on different 3D monitors to verify a general applicability of the findings or to give more detailed recommendations for the design of thematic content on 3D monitors.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore a possible relationship between remote learning with 1:1 devices and reading performance for third graders in a school district in Tennessee by comparing differences between universal screener reading data from fall 2020 and universal screener reading data from both fall 2018 and fall 2019. Star Reading universal screener Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) data from fall 2018, fall 2019, and fall 2020 from three elementary schools were used for the study. Results indicated that the third-grade students’ fall 2020 Star Reading universal screener NCEs were significantly lower than their fall 2018 first grade and fall 2019 second grade universal screener NCEs. The fall 2020 third-grade NCEs were not significantly different from the third-grade fall 2018 and fall 2019 NCEs. There were significant differences in reading performance by gender. The third-grade female students scored significantly lower on their fall 2020 Star Reading universal screener than on their first-grade fall 2018 and second-grade fall 2019 Star Reading universal screener. There were no significant differences in the Star Reading universal screener NCEs for the third-grade male students. Implications for practice and recommendations for further research are discussed.

No description available.