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The global economy's dependency upon engineers is exacerbated by a lack of qualified engineers. Most engineering students fail to complete the credential. According to the American Society for Engineering Education (2018), the high dropout rate has been correlated to satisfaction with the learning experience. Investigation of an international accelerated blended distance program designed for adult learners at a large southwestern university requiring a redesign of courses was selected for this study. The researchers wanted to identify the key components of satisfaction and student engagement, then develop an equitable instructional design model. The mixed-methods study utilized the three elements of the Community of Inquiry as the theoretical lens. The study attempted to identify the key course characteristics which could increase satisfaction and reduce dropout rates. Design components, grades, and satisfaction rates were studied. Performance data (grades) were examined and indicated no significant correlation between grades and satisfaction. Six suggested areas for enhancement were faculty interaction, authenticity, student-to-student engagement, feedback, multimedia, and homework. Through an evaluation of the quality of the courses and satisfaction, design standards could be established, resulting in quality-of-life enhancement.

The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate future special education teachers' preparation for effectively teaching mathematics. During the last semester of their program, pre-service special education teachers completed elementary level mathematics computation and problem solving assessments, a mathematics efficacy beliefs survey, and an open-ended question about their teaching methods. The assessments were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Analysis revealed that participants who described their instruction as solely procedural in nature rated their teaching outcome expectancies lower and achieved lower computation scores than other participants. The results and their implications will be discussed.

Individuals with barriers to employment such as people with disabilities or people who transition from prison to the community face different challenges in navigating the world of work. Participants in this study were incarcerated males (n = 87) who completed the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI) and the Self-Directed Search (SDS), in addition to self-reported demographic information including disability status. This study examined the relationships among positive or negative career thoughts using the CTI and career interests using the SDS. Results of this study provide a rich description of the sample and indicate statistically significant relationships among participants' generational affiliation and the CTI subscale, Commitment Anxiety. Statistically significant relationships were also identified among participant's race and the dominant career interest code as measured by the Self-Directed Search.

Social Role Valorization (SRV) posits that social roles influence how society perceives the value of individuals. Employment is a valued integrating influence that moves people from devalued social roles to the valued role of employee. Customized Employment and the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) models of supported employment are practices that lead to successful employment outcomes for people with the most significant disabilities. Aligning supported employment with the principles of SRV is needed to transform supported employment to increase employment access and outcomes for people with the most significant disabilities, thereby moving them into valued social roles. Keywords: Social Role Valorization, supported employment, individuals with the most significant disabilities, interagency collaboration, vocational rehabilitation, Stigma theory argues that the barriers faced by people with disabilities come from inequalities, negative attitudes, and devalued social roles caused from stigmatization rather than a diagnosis (Thomson, 1997). Stigmatization [...]

The educational background and work history of adult incarcerated males who were 90 days or less from release were examined in the present study. The Vocational and Educational History Questionnaire (VEHQ), the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised/Normative Update, and the Basic Achievement of Common Knowledge and Skills were given to offenders (n = 155) housed in two medium security prisons in central Alabama to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The results align with previous research indicating a lack of educational achievement and work history among inmates. Implications stemming from the inaccessibility for offenders to vocational and general educational opportunities are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

Background: The UK kidney offering scheme introduced a kidney donor risk index (UK-KDRI) to improve the utility of deceased-donor kidney allocations. The UK-KDRI was derived using adult donor and recipient data. We assessed this in a paediatric cohort from the UK transplant registry. Methods: We performed Cox survival analysis on first kidney-only deceased brain-dead transplants in paediatric (<18 years) recipients from 2000-2014. The primary outcome was death-censored allograft survival >30 days posttransplant. The main study variable was UK-KDRI derived from seven donor risk-factors, categorised into four groups (D1-low risk, D2, D3 and D4-highest risk). Follow-up ended on 31-December-2021. Results: 319/908 patients experienced transplant loss with rejection as the main cause (55%). The majority of paediatric patients received donors from D1 donors (64%). There was an increase in D2-4 donors during the study period, whilst the level of HLA mismatching improved. The KDRI was not associated with allograft failure. In multi-variate analysis, increasing recipient age [adjusted HR and 95%CI: 1.05(1.03-1.08) per-year, p<0.001], recipient minority ethnic group [1.28(1.01-1.63), p<0.05), dialysis before transplant [1.38(1.04-1.81), p<0.005], donor height [0.99 (0.98-1.00) per centimetre, p<0.05] and level of HLA mismatch [Level 3: 1.92(1.19-3.11); Level 4: 2.40(1.26-4.58) versus Level 1, p<0.01] were associated with worse outcomes. Patients with Level 1 and 2 HLA mismatches (0 DR +0/1 B mismatch) had median graft survival >17 years regardless of UK-KDRI groups. Increasing donor age was marginally associated with worse allograft survival [1.01 (1.00-1.01) per year, p=0.05]. Summary: Adult donor risk scores were not associated with long-term allograft survival in paediatric patients. The level of HLA mismatch had the most profound effect on survival. Risk models based on adult data alone may not have the same validity for paediatric patients and therefore all age-groups should be included in future risk prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity perceptions of human service professionals may be critical indicators of effective service provision. Specifically, this study explored the disability perceptions of counselors, rehabilitation providers, and teachers (N = 172) enrolled in a large, southeastern university. A 76% response rate was achieved in the study, indicating clear differences by human service providers' preparation area and perceptions of disability type. Implications for preparation and future research are discussed.

Leaders in pre-school and primary settings--administrators, directors, lead teachers, and others--often find themselves consumed by the numerous tasks that must be accomplished daily. Gardenswartz, Cherbosque, and Rowe state that "teams as well as individuals need to develop emotional intelligence skills that help enhance teamwork, improve group dynamics, and ultimately, increase performance" (2009, 44). Kremenitzer and Miller (2008) believe high emotional intelligence is crucial for the early childhood teacher. Effective early childhood teachers have the ability to observe situations in the classroom, reflect on what occurred during the day, and make needed adjustments. This article offers 10 tips from the Strengths-Based Coaching curriculum (Humbarger 2006) for early childhood directors, teachers, and others who support adults. The tips help leaders keep relationships positive and communication open as they continue their professional journey in creating an emotionally intelligent work environment.

In this study, the authors investigate the perceptions of general educators, special educators, and school counselors on the topic of overrepresentation of minorities (specifically, African American) in special education programs. The study took place in a rural school district in south central Alabama, where overrepresentation of African American students in the category of mental retardation had been identified as a chronic problem by the Alabama State Department of Education. Participants took part in focus groups that were held separately for each identified group (e.g., general educators: n = 5; special educators: n = 4; and school counselors: n = 4). Qualitative data collected from the focus groups were examined using content analysis, resulting in the identification of multiple overlapping themes related to overrepresentation. These themes included a lack of family involvement, misinterpretation of assessment results, a lack of understanding of overrepresentation, and unclear ideas about disability characteristics. Findings from the data include a discussion of variables related to systematic bias and susceptibility to disability labeling. Implications for professional development and educator training are presented. (Contains 2 tables.)

The diversity perceptions of human service professionals may be critical indicators of effective service provision. Specifically, this study explored the disability perceptions of counselors, rehabilitation providers, and teachers (N = 172) enrolled in a large, southeastern university. A 76% response rate was achieved in the study, indicating clear differences by human service providers' preparation area and perceptions of disability type. Implications for preparation and future research are discussed., As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, the challenge to provide culturally relevant services to individuals of diverse backgrounds becomes even more critical to human service professionals (Alston, Harley, & [...]