Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Information And Physical Positioning On Attitudes Toward An Individual Who Is Nonspeaking And Physically Disabled, Paige M. Lepak

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of printed information and four physical positions in space on attitudes of individuals who are nondisabled toward a person who is nonspeaking with severe physical disabilities. Employing a 4 (positions in space) X 2 (presence/absence of information) factorial design, subjects were presented with four photographs depicting a male who is both physically disabled and nonspeaking having a communicative interaction with a male who is nondisabled. Subjects in Condition 1 viewed 4 photographs depicting the individual who is nonspeaking sitting in a chair; Condition 2 subjects viewed photographs of the individual sitting in a wheelchair; Condition …

The Multiple Voices Of Frederick Douglass, Gesthemane Vasiliadou

Masters Theses

In this rhetorical analysis of Frederick Douglass' style, I argue that the power of his language comes from the multiplicity of voices arising from his work. I specifically concentrate on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845), as well as on some of the speeches he delivered soon after the book was published.

Coming from a different culture, I was intrigued by my reaction to Douglass' writing style. I find him a writer with very strong rhetorical skills which have a tremendous appeal to any reader. My personal response explores the reasons …

Superintendent Evaluations: Superintendent And Board President Perspectives, W. Robert O'Dell

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field experience was to examine the formal evaluation process of superintendents from the perspective of superintendents and school board presidents. A survey of 72 public school district superintendents and board presidents in six counties in Southern Illinois was conducted. Those surveyed were asked to respond to questions concerning the evaluation instrument itself, the frequency and purpose of the evaluation, and criteria used to evaluate the superintendent.

In addition, a review of current literature associated with superintendent evaluations was presented. Included in the review were articles related to the importance of a good evaluation procedure to both …

Development Of A Physical Ability Test For Screening Mental Health Technician Trainee Candidates, Brett Andrew Dolezal

Masters Theses

This study was designed to establish a valid physical ability test for use by the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to screen job applicants for the position of Mental Health Technician Trainee. Physical ability tests to determine physical qualifications for jobs requiring substantial physical effort are permitted under current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines if the required physical standards are job related and consistent with business necessity. In order to determine the physical demands encountered by Mental Health Technicians, a job analysis was conducted. The job analysis phase included: (i) …

The Effect Of Age On Recovery Of Heart Rate After Exercise, Shari A. Delisle

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if heart rate recovery, following exercise, of active women aged between 50-63 years was significantly slower than the recovery of active women aged 23-24 years when both groups exercised at the same relative perceived intensity. Ten female subjects, five young and five older, were tested during a five minute bout of treadmill exercise while working at a rating of perceived exertion(RPE) of 14. Heart rate was measured prior to and during testing and into recovery using the Vantage Performance Monitor. The time, measured in seconds, it took for each subject to drop …

The Effects Of Nest-Box Visibility And Proximity On The Frequency Of Brood Parasitism In Wood Ducks, Roger W. Jansen

Masters Theses

I studied the effects of nest box visibility and clustering on the rate of intraspecific brood parasitism (IBP) in Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) at Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Area in Moultrie County, IL from 2 March 1992 to 22 June 1992. Sixty-eight percent of the nest boxes sampled were used and 33% of the nests were destroyed by predators. Mean clutch sizes of unparasitized (x = 9.2) and parasitized (x = 15.2) nests were significantly different. The parasitism rate in Wood Duck nests was 54%. More visible boxes had a tendency to be parasitized at a higher rate than …

Growth And Survival Of Larval Fishes: The Role Of Zooplankton Abundance And Competition, Michael T. Welker

Masters Theses

Interactions among larval gizzard shad, bluegill and zooplankton prey were examined via a controlled mesocosm experiment and field sampling in Lake Shelbyville, Illinois. In the mesocosm experiment gizzard shad growth and survival were negatively correlated with shad density and positively correlated with macrozooplankton prey. Bluegill growth was also positively correlated with prey availability, but survival was uniformly high despite differences in zooplankton abundance and fish density. Declines in macrozooplankton and copepod biomass were related to fish density. In Lake Shelbyville limnetic overlap of larval gizzard shad and bluegill was limited to a three week period, with the interval of greatest …

Women's Communication In Country Music, Heather Elizabeth Yarbrough

Masters Theses

The lyrical content of female performed country songs was evaluated in this study. Female soloist performer's songs ranking in the top hits of each year between 1950 and 1989 were examined. After indepth research into the history of country music and the female role in country music, several songs performed by females and listed as hits between the years 1950 and 1989 were analyzed. The characteristic found in most female songs was relationships with men and family and how women react to the positive and negative aspects of these relationship.

Mentoring Relationships In The Real Estate Industry: A Descriptive Analysis, Angela Jacqueline Sweeney

Masters Theses

Mentoring is an old phenomenon which dates back to ancient Greece. It has recently gained the attention of researchers in organizational and business settings. The study examines mentoring relationships in the real estate industry. The purpose of this study was to identify whether mentoring takes place in a particular occupation, specifically real estate, and to further investigate the functions and qualities of the mentoring relationships. Sixty-three questionnaires were distributed to local real estate agents. Twenty-seven were returned yielding a response rate of 42%. Six follow-up interviews were conducted to compliment the quantitative data from the questionnaire. Results indicated that 80% …

The Effects Of Partner Training On Request Behaviors With An Aac User, Amy J. Fiala

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to examine the effects of partner training on request behaviors with an AAC user. A review of literature indicated that AAC users are often placed in respondent roles rather than initiator roles. Additionally, speaking individuals tend to dominate conversations over individuals who are nonspeaking. Such domination puts AAC users at risk for a loss of independence in communication of the basic communication interactions. Thus, inadequate social interaction skills are a common problem among AAC users. Utilizing communication partner training as an intervention target may serve to increase active participation in all areas of communication. The purpose …

Perceptions Of Lifeguard Training Programs From Park District Aquatic Managers In Illinois, Erika L. Smith

Masters Theses

The responses from park district personnel concerning the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training program (ARCLTP) and the Ellis & Associates National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training program (E&ALTP) were examined and analyzed in this study. Subjects were employees from park districts, which are members of the Illinois Association of Park Districts and/or the Illinois Park & Recreation Association. Data were collected by a questionnaire, which measured each lifeguard training program's rescue procedures in terms of: l) emergency action plans, 2) communication systems, 3) entries, 4) approaches, 5) rescues, 6) risk management and 7) legalistic concerns. Demographic data were analyzed by …

An Electromyographic Study Of Forward Vs Retrograde Stair Climbing On The Stairmaster 4000 Pt Machine, W. Lynette Rasmussen Thornburgh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through electromyography, whether forward or retrograde stair climbing on the StairMaster 4000 PT machine demonstrates a greater muscle contraction duration, differences in intensity of muscle contractions, or variation in initiation of muscle contractions. The muscles examined were the Rectus Femoris, Vastus Medialis, and Biceps Femoris. A gender difference was also evaluated.

Twenty-one subjects apparently healthy volunteered for this study. There were two groups of ten male subjects and eleven female subjects. Subjects were assigned to subgroups according to gender. The subgroups determined which position the subject was tested in first.

The descriptive …

Children Of Alcoholics And Group Counseling In The Schools, Melissa E. Valtierra

Masters Theses

Alcoholics are not the only persons in the family affected by alcoholism. It has been estimated that four to six out of every twenty-five children in any given classroom are children from alcoholic homes. Children often learn dysfunctional patterns of behavior in a home affected by alcoholism. A smaller number of children have also been found to learn patterns of behavior that make them resilient and appear to protect them from psychological damage.

Counseling can help children of alcoholics who need help in dealing with their alcoholic homes. This type of intervention helps children vent and explore feelings, share experiences …

"And The Woman Is A Stranger": The Double-Voiced Discourse In Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea And Voyage In The Dark, Hsiao-Chien Lee

Masters Theses

As the daughter of an English father, Jean Rhys inherited from her father and his sister the assertion that England was her motherland. On the other hand, growing up in Dominica which is inhabited mostly by African-Caribbean people, and surrounded by black servants--some of whom were her childhood playmates, Rhys naturally identifies herself with blacks. In her unfinished autobiography (Smile Please 1979), Rhys points out that she used to envy black people, feeling that they laugh a lot and seem to have a better time than whites do. Nevertheless, the problematic tensions of colonial and postcolonial society obstructed the …

Training Of Elementary Education Teachers In Physical Management Of Students With Physical Disabilities, Laura L. Gregory, Marnie S. Wittenbach

Masters Theses

This study was designed to examine what training regular elementary teachers receive and need in the physical management of students with physical disabilities who have been mainstreamed into their classrooms. This study also attempted to determine when this training should be provided. A questionnaire was sent to 57 teachers within two counties and forty-one were returned and utilized. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about the following areas: (a) demographics, (b) competency in physical management, (c) knowledge of diagnoses, (d) knowledge of medications, and (e) need and support for training in physical management. The data was analyzed using the …

Information Obtained Regarding Pre-Employment Contracts By Physical Therapists In Michigan, Cindy Clapp, Teri Culver, Pamela Thelen

Masters Theses

Pre-employment contracts, which offer financial assistance to students in exchange for a work commitment after graduation, are becoming a popular means of recruitment in physical therapy. Concerns about contracts include limited student knowledge and preparation prior to signing a contract. The purpose of this study was to examine physical therapy students' preparation prior to committing to a pre-employment contract. Questionnaires were mailed to 225 randomly selected Michigan healthcare facilities, surveying graduates of 1988 through 1992 about pre-employment contracts. Sixty questionnaires were analyzed representing 31 identified facilities. Thirty-three percent signed a contract. Prior to signing a contract most respondents did not …

X.500 Directory Service Support For Electronic Mail, Mihai G. Sirbu

Masters Theses

"One of the difficult problems on the Internet is finding the electronic mail addresses of users. In practice, there are some indirect ways of finding these addresses such as the finger program in UNIX, but almost all of these methods require the user to know the exact host name of the destination. What is most desirable is an automated mechanism which provides the e-mail addresses of users if some minimal information about the destination site is known.

This thesis describes the design of such a directory service support system, based on the X.500 Series of CCITT Recommendation, for the elm …

Improved Global Routing Using ⋋-Geometry, Surendra Burman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Symmetric And "Mixed-Ligand" Homocyclopentadienyl Ruthenocenes, John Adjeiku Amanfu

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

An Efficient Over-The-Cell Routing Algorithm For High Performance Circuits, Sivakumar Natarajan

Masters Theses

In this thesis, we present a three-layer and a two-layer over-the-cell (OTC) channel routing algorithm (WILMA3 and WILMA2 respectively) for high speed circuits. This router not only minimizes the channel height by using over-the-cell areas but also achieves the net’s timing requirements.

We have implemented our routers in C on SUN Sparc 1+ workstation and tested it on MCNC benchmarks Primary I and II. Experimental results show that WILMA3 can achieve results which are 72% better (on the average) than the conventional two layer channel router, 61% better than two layer over-the-cell router and 51% better than three layer greedy …

Eztex: A Graphical User Interface System For Latex, Ravi K. Kosaraju

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Varying Weightload Intensities On Biceps Curl Technique, Jeffrey C. Gailhouse

Masters Theses

This study described biomechanical deviations from proper biceps curl technique specifically in the shoulder, trunk, body and knee angles, that occurred in response to varying intensities of an individual's 1 RM (repetition maximum). Ten college age males participated in the study. Subjects were required to perform one repetition at 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of his 1 RM. The only differentiating factor was the order in which the five intensities were performed. Condition order was randomized to minimize bias. Movement was filmed with a high-speed motion picture camera, digitized and then analyzed with computer software.

The findings indicated that …

A Study Of The Effects Of Polyacrylates On Water Retention And Binder Migration Tendencies Of Coatings, Wichan Charoenkitsupat

Masters Theses

Five commercial polyacrylate samples were used to study their effects on viscosity, water holding, and binder migration under non-pressure conditions. The polyacrylates used were different in acid level, degree of crosslinking, and type of polymer (copolymer and terpolymer). A series of coatings was prepared using a number two clay and three styrene-butadiene latexes of similar particle size and T⋁g but different degrees of carboxylation, then the polyacrylates were added at several levels. The coatings were evaluated for rheological properties, water loss rate and binder migration. The results show that with increasing amounts of polyacrylates, the viscosity increased and the water …

A Computer Simulation Of The Rotary Vacuum Filter Brown Stock Washing System Using Distribution Sampling, Edison G. Yiu

Masters Theses

A probabilistic model was utilized to simulate the brown stock washing system's error due to process variability and measurement noise. Mass balances of the washing system were performed using distribution sampling. This model relies on a nonlinear relationship between displacement and dilution, which permitted the generation of displacement ratio based upon wash liquor ratio. Experimental trials were performed on a pilotscale rotary vacuum single-stage washer. Nonlinear first-order relationship appears to characterize a pilotscale washer adequately. Differences were observed between the means and standard deviations of the measured results compared to the simulation output. Future work is needed to identify the …

Pargal: A Package For Parallel Graph Algorithms, Winston Anand-Kumar

Masters Theses

In this thesis, we have considered three graph problems namely, spanning forest problem, connected component problem and minimum cost spanning forest problem. Standard methods to solve these problems using sequential algorithms by various authors are presented for each problem. Efficient parallel algorithms for these problems have also been presented by various authors; however, most of these solutions demands a need for large number of processors, which immediately increases the cost of the hardware and in most of the cases it seems not very practical.

We present efficient solutions for the three problems on a hypercube parallel computer using p processors. …

The Effect Of Vestibular Stimulation On Expressive Language Of Pre-Schoolers With Down Syndrome, Tiffany Bergo

Masters Theses

Effects of vestibular stimulation, when presented prior to language therapy, on expressive language abilities in pre-school children with Down syndrome were examined. Two subjects participated; one subject completed the study. Vestibular stimulation was therapist- and child-initiated and provided by various types of equipment. The subject's expressive language use (verbal and non-verbal) was videotaped during fifteen minutes of language therapy across a six-week, eleven-session period.

Results of this study indicate that expressive language use increased or improved across many parameters during the vestibular stimulation phase of the study. The subject displayed greatest gains in the use of multiple word utterances and …

An Integrated Simulation Model Development Environment For Slam Ii Using Object-Oriented Paradigm, Rizvan Erol

Masters Theses

An integrated simulation model development environment was implemented to assist the modeler by automating certain activities of simulation modeling. The system included interactive model definition, experimental design, automatic simulation program generation in SLAM II. Object-oriented paradigm at software development stage was extensively used to conceptualize the structure, and rules of the SLAM II language in order to generate efficient, and modular program code. The present system targeted modeling of various probabilistic inventory control system problems. The remarkable advantages of the system were rapid model development time, and achieving reliable program code without requiring any knowledge in SLAM II. Object-oriented programming …

A Study Of The Effects Of Pigment Size And Shape On Binder Migration, Hee Jong Yang

Masters Theses

The effects of pigment size and shape on coating structure and binder migration has been investigated. Clays and ground calcium carbonates of different particle size distributions were used in coatings with 15 pph SB latex.

Coatings were applied to Mylar and a special Tyvek using a wire wound rod. The coatings were dried slowly under ambient conditions, and using hot air immediately or after having been allowed to reach immobilization through penetration into the Tyvek. The dried coatings were evaluated for water holding, relative pore size and migration using the UV technique to measure the increase in SB latex at …

An Arbitrary Matching Training Supplement To The Avc Discrimination Test, Charles P. Butler

Masters Theses

Kerr, Meyerson and Flora (1977) devised a series of small learning tasks that could be used to assess developmentally disabled individuals on the typical tasks to be performed in a school setting or sheltered workshop and required only very simple equipment. Davine (1990) suggested that there may be transitional skills between AVC levels IV and V not found by Kerr et al. Davine looked at four experimental steps designed to test this notion. The results of this study were inconclusive. Wilson (1991) tested the same notion by devising a series of non identity matching tasks which were generally found to …

Examination Of Community Mental Health Services For Persons With Serious Mental Illness: A Descriptive Study Of 31 Counties In Michigan, Pamela C. Werner

Masters Theses

Thirty-one out of 55 Community Mental Health Boards participated in a survey conducted by the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Michigan. This study examined a number of variables in the questionnaire using a product-moment correlational analysis.

Results indicated that family and consumer input is modestly correlated with comprehensive service delivery and staff/consumer education and training. Budget and the active number of mentally ill cases had a low correlation with comprehensive service delivery and staff/consumer education and training. Interagency collaboration was modestly correlated with program evaluation, and comprehensive services available to consumers. Weaknesses were noted in the management structure of …