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This thesis aims to illuminate how paediatricians in the United Kingdom (UK) make difficult medical decisions when treating severely disabled children with complex health conditions. In particular, it examines the part played, if any, by law, rights, and ethics in those decisions. After drawing on jurisprudence of the English and European Human Rights Court, together with existing scholarship, to analyse the doctors' decision making, this thesis adopts a legal consciousness theoretical approach. Using this it looks at how the paediatricians make sense of and conceptualise law when making these decisions. It examines how decisions are, by the paediatricians' own accounts, commonly made at present and what the paediatricians say about how they and their colleagues make such decisions. This thesis addresses the following research questions: i) Which decisions do UK paediatricians find particularly difficult when working with disabled children and what makes those decisions particularly difficult? ii) What factors do UK paediatricians take into consideration when making difficult decisions for disabled children and what weight do they put on those factors? iii) What formal education in law, rights, and ethics have the doctors received and to what extent, if any, can we discern how this education impacts on their difficult decisions for disabled children? iv) How do UK paediatricians construct and understand the law, rights, and ethics when making their difficult decisions? This thesis makes an original contribution, being the first in-depth socio-legal study examining UK paediatricians' medical decision-making for severely disabled children, by identifying two distinct styles paediatricians adopt when approaching best interest decisions, and by recommending a new category of legal consciousness. It concludes by recommending research and changes both in doctors' training and approach to best interest decision-making to address the current challenges paediatricians describe facing when deciding for severely disabled children.

There has been much research on the physical barriers that those with disabilities experience. This research investigates the level of participation of disabled people in tourism and explores the perceptions of risks and barriers to participation in tourism for people with a disability. The barriers that were explored included information, economic, social, physical barriers and the perceptions of risks these barriers cause, within the concept of the 'Social Model‘ of disability (Shaw and Coles, 2004). Data was gathered from a sample group of 149 disabled people through an online survey and through face-to-face survey using paper questionnaires. Analysis of the questionnaire results showed that although the participation of disabled people in tourism has increased slightly, the estimated gap in participation in tourism between non-disabled tourists and the general population has actually increased in the previous eight years. Furthermore, the main barrier to participation in tourism was the lack of availability of sufficiently detailed information. This study found that other barriers to participation includes low level of income, increased price differentials and negative attitudes to disability in some cultures. This study discovered that a significant number of disabled people would prefer that existing tourist opportunities were made more accessible rather than specialised tours for tourists with a similar disability to theirs. All these barriers contribute to perceptions of risks. However, despite the feeling of not having a lot of control of risk, most respondents will sometimes overlook the risk involved in travel. This study has implications for travel agents and tour operators, who need to cater more for the heterogeneous needs of disabled customers and provide more information that is specific, personalised, easily accessible and readily available. To counteract social barriers, further training is required within the tourist industry focusing on the impact of 'cognitive dissonance‘ (discomfort in relating to the disabled results in avoiding getting into the position of the discomfort) on disabled tourists.

Objectives: (1) To ascertain whether adult siblings of disabled individuals are more prone to anxiety and depression symptomatology than a closely matched control group. (2) To examine the contribution that perceived parenting styles, attachment styles and personality traits play in the long-term affective outcome of these siblings. (3) To consider if the type of disability has a role in sibling affective outcome. Design: A cross-sectional, closely matched study design, with data collected through self-report. One-way ANOVAs, correlational analyses, moderation and mediation analyses were applied. Participants: Adult siblings of disabled individuals (SDI), were initially contacted through support groups, such as SIBS, the Down’s Syndrome Association, the National Autistic Society and the Prader-Willi Association (UK) and responded to a postal or e-mailed questionnaire; 150 participants returned the completed questionnaire. The 150 control group participants were closely matched on the variables of gender, age, marital status and when possible socio-economic status, in order to compare like with like. This group was contacted through friends, family, work colleagues and local businesses. Measures: All the participants completed a range of demographic questions; the SDI were additionally asked questions regarding their disabled sibling. The established measures used included the Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983), Experiences in Close Relationships (Brennan, Clark & Shaver, 1998), an adapted measure of the Descriptions of Parental Caregiving Style (DPCS, Hazan & Shaver, 1986) and the International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 1999). Results: The majority of SDI reported no increased anxiety or depression symptomatology, however, when compared the SDI did report higher levels of anxiety and depression symptomatology than the control group; also higher levels of perceived inconsistent mothering, attachment-related anxiety and neuroticism, with lower levels of extraversion than the control group. These variables mediated the path between having a disabled sibling and anxiety and depression, with the notable exception of perceived inconsistent mothering. This variable showed no association with any of the established measures for the SDI group; however, there were associations consistent with previous research for the control group. There was no moderation effect on anxiety or depression between the demographic variables and SDI. The autistic spectrum disorder siblings reported similar levels of anxiety symptomatology to Prader-Willi siblings but higher than Down’s syndrome siblings and the control group and they also reported the highest levels of depression symptomatology. Conclusions: The adult SDI’s higher propensity towards anxiety and depression is a cause for concern; particularly when explained through heightened levels of attachment-related anxiety, high levels of neuroticism and low levels of extraversion. The lack of association with perceived inconsistent mothering requires further investigation. These results can help guide interventions or clinical therapies; the emotional well-being of SDI is paramount as they will possibly be among the first group to assume responsibility for their disabled siblings.

Mobility is something able-bodied people take for granted. Approximately 132,500 people in the United Kingdom have disabilities which permanently confine them to a wheelchair; 40,000 of these require a powered wheelchair. The opportunity to lead a normal life and be accepted as an equal by the able-bodied population is limited by their reduced mobility. As much freedom of movement as possible is therefore crucial for these people. Powered wheelchair users' mobility depends upon the manoeuvrability of the chair. For optimum manoeuvrability a chair must be capable of moving in any direction. Currently no omni-directional powered wheelchairs are commercially available. This thesis describes the design and deVelopment of a powered base unit for a wheelchair, controlled to instantaneously move in any direction. The novelty is principally represented by the innovative design and configuration of four omni-directional roller wheels* (LUMAN wheels) which, when individually controlled, produce the omni-directional movement of the base unit. Further novelty within the design is a set of bi-directional angled roller couplings that simultaneously disengage the wheels from the motors, via a cable linkage mechanism, and simple control system. Mathematical data models illustrate the theoretical performance of the wheel configuration, and a prototype base unit is tested to prove these hypotheses.

This thesis attempts to highlight the Islamic position on man and society, particularly with respect to human efforts to construct a healthy and balanced society , by examining the Islamic approach to the problem of disability. It consists of four chapters. The first explores the Islamic view of man, both as an individual and as a member of human society, and of the ideal interaction of human beings in bringing this into existence and maintaining it. The second considers the nature of disability in general and Islamic approach to it in particular. The third is concerned particularly with pouerty, as the aspect of disability potentially damaging to society. The various Islamic methods of alleviating it, by means of voluntary aid and by means of what has been laid down as a religious duty for the Muslim are presented, together with the role played by the state. The fourth examines the other Islamic resouces for alleviating poverty and presenting an example for the implementation of these methods in a modern Islamic state, Saudi Arabia. People are encouraged to give for the cause of Allah; they are at the same time, encouraged to work, in order to be self-dependent . In addition to voluntary donations, certain charitable payments are also obligatory in Islam. This thesis explores the various resources that Islam offers in combating the social evils of disability and disadvantage. The methods adopted in Saudi Arabia for the implementation of Islamic teaching on this subject constitutes an example of Islamic practice at the present time.

This paper seeks to inform individuals of the importance of digital inclusivity, diminish the digital divide, and accessibility to technological services of college students who experience a form of disability. The United States has conducted minimal research on the digital disability rhetoric, promoted minimal disability-inclusive measures to protect the rights and well-being of college students, and minimal assistance to mitigate Coronavirus (COVID-19) impacts to this population subgroup. This subject can have a big impact on individuals who suffer from disability stigma, low accessibility issues, and who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Furthermore, this subject will benefit college students who argue in the favor of digital inclusion to help improve online rhetoric and become better equipped with communication technologies. Using survey research, this paper explains the experiences and solutions provided by college students to help alleviate the serious implications resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

CoDisA are present on our campuses, but not present within research. This autoethnographic study focuses on providing the foundation of the critical disabled cultural lens of a Child of Disabled Adults (CoDisA) for future study of CoDisA within higher education research. The findings of spaces and societal interactions are presented through the accessible format of autoethnodrama. This two act show is a fun and immersive way to take you on a college tour trip “up the 5," from San Diego, California to Rohnert Park, California in Sonoma County. Act 1, the findings chapter with thorough scene descriptions, helps frame where the general findings of spaces and societal interactions take place. The scenes themselves feature rich, descriptive findings of kindness not always being kind, forced intimacy, stigma, and the ways physical space made me feel at home or like a stranger due to my cultural foundations. Act 2, our discussion chapter, then creates dialogue between the characters of Young, Teen, and Adult Amelia-Marie, and audience members: a student affairs professional and a researcher. This chapter, styled like a theatre talkback, addresses how this study compliments and contrasts existing literature, the recommendations of practice, one example being using identity-first language, and recommendations for research, one example being further investigation of disabled culture present on campuses. Advisor: Stephanie Bondi

There is a lack of research about the lived experiences of self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and otherwise-identified (LGBTQ+) young adults with disabilities who use the Internet to achieve particular social aims. Using open-ended survey questions, the researcher applied multidimensional and overlapping frameworks of intersectionality, feminist-disability theory, and social work to answer the following: What are the lived experiences of disabled, LGBTQ+ young adults who use social media for social support and identity construction? Using secondary data, fifteen (N=15) cases of LGBTQ+ disabled young adults aged 18 to 31 living in the United States were selected, and data was analyzed using a phenomenological thematic analysis. The research revealed salient themes, such as community/belonging, access to “others like me,” positive identity formation and protective mental health factors to name a few, each of which respectively facilitated or complicated participants’ motives to use social media platforms. Implications of v the research findings for social science scholars and suggestions for future research are discussed.

AbstractNursing has been identified as a profession with rising student disability enrollment. Student attendance in post-secondary institutions is climbing, and as the disabled student population expands, students are seeking enrollment into undergraduate nursing programs. There is limited evidence about the experiences of disabled students in nursing programs, the impact they have on the program, and those that teach them. Nursing faculty are expected to educate disabled students enrolled into nursing programs and perform accommodations as needed on instructional content and testing strategies. Problem: An investigation is necessary to determine the viewpoint of nursing faculty on the impact of disabled students on educational coursework, nursing programs, and the nursing profession. Aim: This study examined the perspectives (attitudes and beliefs) of nursing faculty on enrollment and accommodations for undergraduate disabled nursing students using Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential Learning as the theoretical framework. Methods: The research design is a quantitative descriptive study. The sample was drawn from nursing instructional faculty employed in Northeast Ohio at Associate Degree Programs and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs with permission of the Program Administrators of these schools. Also, Institutional Review Board approval from Case Western Reserve University was obtained. The instrument is a six-point, self-administered, Likert type scale survey. The questionnaire included six sections, which contain: (1) faculty background demographics, (2) faculty experiences and prior exposure to the disabled population, (3) faculty attitudes on enrollment, (4) student disability manifestations, (5) faculty perspectives on course and clinical accommodations, and (6) disabled student impact on nursing programs and the nursing profession. Data Analysis: The SPSS software was used to describe the sample and key variables. Findings: The study results described the nursing faculty characteristics and demographics. Research questions were answered using descriptive statistics. Nursing faculty perceptions of enrollment, accommodation, information needs and benefits of the disabled nursing students were described. Conclusion: Findings indicated the need for increased knowledge, education, training, and research. This study may impact changes by guiding the education of faculty, generating curriculum changes, and initiating more research for the disabled nursing student.

This research explores how design can simultaneously reach people who are visually impaired, along with those who can see, by integrating inclusive design. Research reveals that the visually impaired are frequently overlooked by graphic designers. These findings further show that blind individuals feel excluded from society. The aim of this study is to generate a collection of work that effectively combines visual design and braille to provide visually impaired people with a similar experience to those who are not disabled. To determine the most effective way of combining design elements and braille, experiments within focus groups were conducted. This exploration demonstrates that expanding design to be more inclusive would further showcase the need of the visually impaired to be considered more consistently in visual communication.

Australia is undertaking a major, six-year reform of the nation-wide system of support and care services for people with disabilities. This research explores the implications of systemic changes at a microsystemic level – the provision of in-home disability support services by a Victorian municipality through the Home and Community Care program.

The intent of this thesis is to recognize the everyday victories of a child living with physical disabilities. This complicated subject matter has forced the exploration of a variety of media to successfully communicate the story; drawing, painting, china painting, altered books and sculpture have all become part of the process. At the age of 8 months the subject, Keren Hernandez, was diagnosed with Bilateral Closed- lip Schizencephaly, a rare disorder that inhibits development. Since the diagnosis seven years ago her family has struggled to overcome these challenges, committing to avail themselves to every resource possible. I began painting and drawing to incorporate the experiences of Keren's life into a body of work; eventually we began drawing together and collaboration has naturally evolved; she and her family are an integral part of this work.

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of students with special needs in the instrumental musical ensemble and to examine the effect of selected educator and institutional variables on rates of inclusion. An online survey was designed by the researcher and distributed electronically to 600 practicing K-12 instrumental music educators in the states of Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. While 13.6% of the total school-aged population nationwide received special education services, demographic data provided by respondents revealed that students with special needs accounted for 6.8% of all students participating in bands, orchestras, and other instrumental musical ensembles. The relationship between the rate of inclusion and selected educator variables (gender, age, level of education, special education coursework, primary teaching area, and teaching experience) and institutional factors (geographic location, community setting, institution type, and student population) was examined using multiple regression with backward elimination. The institutional factor ‘student population’ was found to be a significant predictor of inclusion; as the overall school population increased, the rate of inclusion among students with special needs in instrumental music classes decreased. Respondents also indicated that instructional and administrative aspects of teaching (scheduling, funding, allotted planning time, etc.) played a limited role in their ability or inability to include students with special needs. In the observations and experiences of instrumental music educators, special education students were most accomplished in the areas of public performance, exhibiting acceptable behavior, and movement, while the ability to sight-read, perform and/or read rhythms, and memorization were more problematic. Although 42% or respondents had no college coursework in special education, 97% were currently teaching students with special needs and most were willing to provide students with a variety of accommodations. Advisers: Brian Moore and Glenn Nierman

I explore the problem of using primary goods as the index for determining the least-advantaged members in a society in Rawls’s theory of justice. I look at the problems presented to Rawls by Amartya Sen and his capabilities approach. I discuss the solutions to Sen’s problems given by Norman Daniels, who argues that primary goods are able to take capabilities into account. Finally, I supplement Daniels, arguing that the parameters Rawls uses to define his theory limit Sen’s objection and that primary goods are the appropriate metric of justice in Rawls’s theory.

This research examines the factors that determine physician use in a physically disabled and the mentally disabled population using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Utilization. It also examines the predisposing, enabling and needs factors that are most important in determining physician use for this disabled population. The hypotheses for propose that predisposing, enabling, and need factors will individually have positive effects on physician use by the disabled in this study. Data are obtained from a survey of Oregon's disabled Medicaid population conducted in 1998 by a non-profit research organization. Only physically and mentally disabled individuals are included in the analysis (n=1266). A hierarchical approach is used to determine if individual concepts are significant predictors of physician use for these subgroups. Logistic regression is used to test the hypotheses. The data partially support the hypotheses. Widowed status (predisposing), presence of a regular doctor (enabling) and health status (need) are significant predictors of physician use for the physically disabled. Gender (a predisposing factor), presence of a regular physician (an enabling factor), and health status (a need factor) are significant predictors of physician use for the mentally disabled. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

This study identified and examined the service variable combination(s) provided by Student Support Services (SSS) TRIO program that had a statistically significant relationship with program participants’ academic performance and retention. SSS is a federally funded program designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate first-generation, low-income, disabled college students. While SSS has played a significant role in the retention of disadvantaged students, scarce empirical research exist which examine the combination of SSS services that affect students’ academic performance and retention. Considering SSS programs will probably not experience large increases in federal support in the future and given the limited resources available to projects (Eisener, 1997), the purpose of this study was to determine the most efficient combination of services that had a statistically significant relationship with program participants’ academic performance and retention. The target population for this study included 307 students who participated in the program for the 2003-2004 academic year. Multiple and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between the total minutes devoted to services provided by SSS and program participants’ academic performance and retention rates. The findings from this study indicate that in combination the variables total minutes devoted to the services cultural enrichment and personal counseling were found to have statistically significant with academic performance for all subjects in the study. Personal counseling, cultural enrichment activities, career counseling, tutoring and academic counseling were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the academic performance of specific subpopulations of subjects in the study. Personal counseling had an inverse relationship with academic performance for all combinations of services found to be statistically significant. With regard to student retention, the program had a 93.5% retention rate. Academic counseling predicted student retention. However, certain services predicted student retention for specific subpopulations of students. Implications and recommendations for SSS programs and higher education are presented.

The 1985 Christchuch secondary school wheelchair basketball programme was a pilot project integrating the recreation of disabled and able-bodied people. It required able-bodied people to play a sport under the same conditions or disabilities as people confined to a wheelchair. The programme was produced and implemented by a number of people from varying backgrounds and interests, There were no tried and true guidelines to follow in developing this programme. It was new ground for everyone associated with the project. Objectives were set and a structure and content formulated. The programme began in March 1985 and incremental changes were regularly made to improve it. This dissertation was produced as a record of the project.

This dissertation has concerned itself primarily with the relationship of attitudes and access and some means by which national parks and reserves can contribute towards the theme of full participation.

Observation of learning disabled students suggests that following identification and placement in a special education classroom, little progress occurs. To investigate this phenomenon, a group of learning disabled students (n = 614) from a large, urban, midewstern setting was examined, comparing intellectual, academic, and discrepancy measures over a three year period (discrepancy referring to the difference between the intellectual and achievement measures, used to identify learning disabled children). Multiple analysis of variance was used to examine the measures as a function of differences in gender, race, level of intellect, age at time of initial evaluation, classroom type (scores from subject areas taught in the regular or special education setting), and subject area (reading or math scores), with time of evaluation being a repeated measure. With regard to changes over time, the following conclusions were reached: (1) Females decreased in their full scale IQ scores, while all other groups remained stable; (2) All subject groups demonstrated regression on the verbal IQ score, whether male or female, black or white, high or low intellect, or younger or older at the time of initial identification; (3) Both males and students who were initially identified as learning disabled at an earlier age significantly increased their performance IQ measure; (4) There was no increase in academic standing relative to peers. For both the measures of standard score and discrepancy, half of the students in this study demonstrated a decline in relative standing, while for the other half, there was no change; (5) Complex interactions were present for the standard score and discrepancy measures, involving the factors of classroom type, subject area, and gender. There was no evidence to support the efficacy of learning disability programming. With the exception of males and students identified at an early age demonstrating an increase on the performance IQ, all other groups of students remained stable or decreased on intellectual and academic measures, over time. This lack of efficacy is thought to be related to teacher perceptions, motivational factors, the use of statistical formulas in identification, and/or inappropriate teacher training.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can improve the quality of life for individuals with severe disabilities. To design and prescribe AAC systems that provide users with the best performance, the principles of user-system interaction must be better understood. This dissertation focuses on user performance with a particular type of AAC interface known as word prediction. The goal of this work is to improve understanding of the conditions under which word prediction does and does not enhance text generation rate. This goal has been pursued through empirical measurement of actual user performance and by creating and validating quantitative models of user performance with word prediction systems. Two empirical studies were conducted in which a total of 20 subjects (14 able-bodied and 6 with spinal cord injuries) transcribed text with and without word prediction across multiple sessions. Use of word prediction decreased text generation rate for the spinal cord injured subjects and only modestly enhanced it for the able-bodied subjects. This suggests that the cognitive cost of using this word prediction system largely offset the benefit of the keystroke savings provided by the system. Three model implementations were developed and validated against the empirical data. Models 1A and 1B shared a structure which represented performance as a linear combination of two user parameters, keypress and list search time, while Model 2 used a revised model for list search time. For Model 1A, user parameter values were determined independently, while Models 1B and 2 used parameter values derived from subjects' data. All subjects had slower keypress times using word prediction as compared to letters-only typing, and spinal cord injured subjects had much slower list search times than able-bodied subjects. The average errors for Models 1A, 1B, and 2 in simulating subjects' word entry times were 27%, 16%, and 14%, respectively. The two-parameter model was used to simulate expected performance with word prediction across a range of usage conditions. These empirical and modeling studies have demonstrated that: (1) word prediction is not universally effective in enhancing text generation rate; (2) a simple linear model can accurately represent user performance; and (3) simulations using this model can help answer questions regarding the efficacy of word prediction.

The relationship between writing skills of learning disabled middle school students and word processing was examined using four components of writing: skill, creativity, attitude and a combination of these called multi-dimensional. A study conducted in a middle school located in a suburb of Detroit during the last thirty weeks of the 1986-1987 school year included fifty-one learning disabled students with comparable I.Q. and reading scores; they were randomly placed in group A, B or C. The students were pre-tested with four instruments: the Test of Written Language (TOWL) (skill assessment), Torrance Test of Creativity, Form A or B (creativity assessment), A Self-Appraisal of the Writing Process (attitude assessment), and Writing Sample Analysis (multi-dimensional assessment). The same instruments were used for intermediate testing after twenty weeks and for posttesting after thirty weeks. All three groups received special education support and conventional written language instruction for thirty weeks. Groups A and B received ten weeks of microcomputer/word processing instruction. In addition, Group B received ten weeks of instruction in the classroom application of word processing skills. Group C was the control group but received word processing after treatment and intermediate testing was completed. It was found that word processing has a positive effect on the written language development of the learning disabled middle school students. The most significant gains were found in the group which received two types of instruction: word processing and practical application of word processing skill in actual classroom situations. It was also found that while some areas of written language were improved with word processing; others were not. Skills relating to vocabulary, thematic maturity and word usage showed gains; spelling, punctuation and handwriting did not. Three aspects of creativity: fluency, flexibility and originality showed gains; elaboration did not. Attitude did not seem to be affected by word processing, and student/teacher perception of the microcomputer as a tool for writing remained unchanged. The microcomputer and word processing were found to be effective tools in teaching written language skills to learning disabled students; however, unless the application of word processing to subject areas is taught, the effectiveness is minimized.

This investigation examined the relationship between mother-daughter attachment, mother-daughter conflict, mothers' level of disability and adult daughters' commitment to caregive for their disabled mothers for the first time. In addition, employment and living arrangements were hypothesized as mediating variables in the equation. The theoretical framework was based on Rogers' model of unitary human beings, feminist theory, and family caregiving research. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses as well as quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized. Ninety-eight daughters caring for their mothers were identified from a larger sample of first time family caregivers. Data were collected from an initial screening interview, a Wave 1 interview within one month after screening, and a Wave 2 interview 3 months after the Wave 1 interview. In addition, eight daughters participated in a qualitative interview approximately one year into caregiving. Cross-sectional findings at Wave 1 using a path analysis model, indicated that mother-daughter relationships (attachment and conflict), predicted daughters' affective commitment to caregiving (positive and negative beliefs about caregiving), while mothers' level of disability and mother-daughter attachment predicted instrumental commitment (number of hours of direct and supervisory care). Living arrangements functioned as a mediator in the model while employment did not. Employment had a direct effect on both instrumental and affective commitment. Wave 2 path analysis findings were limited due to a drop in the number of cases, although the trend of the results mirrored Wave 1 findings. Longitudinal findings indicated that mother-daughter attachment and conflict remained stable during the transition to caregiving. Logistic regressions were used to predict three patient caregiving outcomes: (1) no longer requires care; (2) remains in care; and (3) died. Supervisory care, not direct care, was found to predict the odds of remaining in care and dying versus improving at Wave 2. Magnitude of mothers' limitation at Wave 1 was negatively related to mother improving at Wave 2. Finally, qualitative interviews supported and augmented quantitative findings especially those regarding living arrangements and the onerous responsibilities of supervisory care; they also enriched data on mother-daughter relationships during the transition to caregiving.