Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Elevators: How The New York City Subway System Can Better Serve Blind, Deaf And Cognitively Disabled People, Ethan B. Stark-Miller

Capstones

Many blind and visually impaired, deaf and cognitively disabled New Yorkers face challenges when using the subway. A large portion of the system is still missing key accessibility features that would make the subway usable for these groups. And while this problem is on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) radar – the MTA has launched a pilot program to address it – the agency still has no clear plan or timeline for quickly expanding these features to the entire system. Link to full project: https://medium.com/@tough_coquelicot_muskrat_287/beyond-the-elevators-132c31e3ef48

A Critical Review Of The Literature On The Accessibility Of Music Therapy In Rural Areas In The Usa For Families With Children With Special Needs, Carolyn Artesani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis explores the topic of the accessibility of music therapy in rural areas of the United States for families with children with special needs. Through a critical review of the literature on this topic, it was found that the small body of knowledge on music therapy in rural parts of the USA focused on populations other than families with children with special needs (Brotons & Marti, 2003; Leist, 2011; Levy, Spooner, Lee, Sonke, Myers, & Snow, 2018; Sisk, 2016). Literature from music therapy journals as well as related health professions were analyzed and synthesized to further understand why …

Barriers To Job Satisfaction Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Employees: Implications For Creating Deaf-Friendly Work Environments, Yunhe Bai

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Employment has long been a serious, far-reaching social problem within the deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) population. To unearth potential issues that contribute to such a problem, I conducted an honors capstone research on barriers to job satisfaction of D/HH employees, in which job satisfaction is a direct evaluation method of the relationship between nature of organizational structures and expectations that employees have of their work. Using a qualitative design with a review of existing literature, semi-structured interviews of 11 participants, a data transcription of American Sign Language interviews into English, and an interpretive analysis of interview discoveries, I …

Perceived Supervisor Accessibility And Its Effects On Authentic Leadership, Kasey Gallant Ma

All Student Scholarship

As technology develops, professionals will have a greater opportunity to work remotely; often using multiple modes of technology to attend meetings, workshops and communicate with colleagues and superiors. The present study explores leader accessibility as it is experienced by remotely located employees verses on-site employees, in relation to their direct supervisor’s perceived Authentic leadership.

Universal Design And Accessibility In Taipei City: Definitions, Design, And The Disability Rights Movement, Hannah Goulette

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Abstract

In Taiwan, the disability rights advocacy movement has existed since the 1980s. The lift of Martial law in 1987 allowed multiple social movements to flourish. Specifically, the disability rights movement adopted language developed by other global social movements, such as Universal Design. This social movement worked closely with the government to make effectual infrastructural change to institute accessibility in Taipei, the capital city. However, a close review of government objectives and initiatives in published works, and the goals and initiatives of disability advocate groups, reveals that there has been a shift in the definition of accessibility in the advocacy …

How Can Occupational Licensing Reforms Improve Access To Dental Care?, Jacob M. Caldwell, Brian Isom

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Occupational licensing laws have a large effect on the American economy and requirements affect all levels of professional work, from hairdressers and plumbers to doctors and lawyers.Those laws vary by state and exist to protect consumers from asymmetric information problems. Yet a growing body of literature finds that occupational licensing raises costs for consumers without necessarily raising the quality of service.

The dental field is one such sector of employment that commonly is licensed. Oral health is an important indicator of overall individual health and general wellbeing. Unfortunately, consumers lack access to dental care in many parts of the United …

Perceived Supervisor Accessibility And Its Effects On Authentic Leadership, Kasey Gallant

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

As technology develops, professionals will have a greater opportunity to work remotely; often using multiple modes of technology to attend meetings, workshops and communicate with colleagues and superiors. The present study explores Authentic Leadership as it is experienced by remotely located employees, and its relationship with Job Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Turnover Intention through the construct of perceived supervisor accessibility. Current research on Authentic Leadership fails to explore the quality of remotely located employee/supervisor interactions and whether there is a relationship between Job Satisfaction, leadership style, and intention to leave a position. The present study seeks to fill the gap …

Accessibility And Academic Libraries: A Comparative Case Study, Claire Burrows

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Although individuals with disabilities represent more than 22% of the Canadian population over the age of 15, they remain underrepresented in higher education, and especially in the university setting. Although some library and information science (LIS) research has focused on creating accessible webpages, resources for individuals with print disabilities, and the physical infrastructure of libraries, few studies have included the perspectives of disabled individuals themselves or attempted to understand how libraries are conceptualizing disability and accessibility. By incorporating a disability-studies lens into this study, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the obstacles that arise in the pursuit of …

The Working Public’S Perceptions Of Service Dogs: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Gatekeepers’ Experiences, Angela M. Dial

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to capture the essence of the working public’s experiences with, and perceptions of service dogs. The population for the study was the working public of Kentucky, who through their employment, have experienced first-hand the phenomenon. A phenomenological framework informed the research design. In-depth, unstructured interviews were conducted to obtain data. Interview transcriptions were analyzed according to suggestions from Moustakas (1994) and Hycner (1985) regarding phenomenological research. The results of this research study naturally formed into five themes. Findings showed prevalent misunderstandings, confusion and lack of knowledge regarding service dogs, including how to identify a …

Transit Access Equity In Richmond, Va, Rachel Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the extent of public transit access equity issues in Richmond, VA. The City of Richmond has an established public transportation network system, and the thesis explores the level of access for urban residents to use existing public transportation services. Technologies and programs have begun to emerge across the United States to help solve transit accessibility challenges. The thesis assesses the level of transit access equity that exists in Richmond and introduces technologies and services that could help improve accessibility and equity. The thesis uses a mixed methods approach that will consist of …

Accessible Design In Rural Health Care: Usability Profile Of Outpatient Health Care Facilities In Rural West Virginia., Jordan E. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. Since then, research has shown that people with disabilities continue to experience environmental, systematic, and structural barriers to health care. The purpose of this research is to explore the prevalence of barriers in rural West Virginia health facilities and the relationship between building characteristics (like age and purpose) and accessibility. The researcher evaluated ten rural outpatient member-sites of the West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network using a survey to understand building characteristics and a tool to measure essential features for a facility to be considered ‘usable’. Findings included a negative correlation …