Digital Commons Network^™

Recommendations For A Policy Regarding Online Searching At The Cape May County Library, Linda L. Melroy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to ascertain and compare the methods used by other New Jersey public libraries in order to best serve their patrons' needs in a technological society. The libraries of today, including Cape May County Public Library, are facing the challenge of providing online services to an ever more sophisticated clientele. At the same time, the funds for these services may be difficult to obtain.

A questionnaire was sent to fifteen New Jersey public libraries, twelve of whom responded. Questions involving the type of online searching being done at their institution were raised. Also questioned were …

A Study Of The Implications Of The Internet Upon Two-Way Symmetric Communication In Public Relations, Tarek M. El-Kharboutly

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the implications and ramifications of the advent of online communication technologies, such as the Internet, on the profession of public relations.

As brokers of information, public relations professionals must adapt to and incorporate online tools into their arsenals. As the consumer public takes to the Internet in search of information, the Internet provides a means by which organizations can gauge which issues are of concern. It is the only alternative to falling out of touch with a restless consumer public that demands ever-higher levels of customer service.

The author presented a case study of the Pentium microprocessor …

A Study Of Public Relations Practice In The Tobacco Industry: Misuse And Social Responsibility, Andrew M. Casper

Theses and Dissertations

The study's major purpose was to improve the quality and reputation of public relations practice in private industry. The study examined needed improvements m public relations by focusing on the ineffectual and negative practices of the tobacco industry, Also, the study reviewed public and media perceptions of tobacco companies.

The research involved telephone inquiries, information from not-for-profit organizations, and a review of 108 publications using the headings, "Public Relations" and "Tobacco Industry."

Other research included an opinion survey administered to 100 undergraduate students at Rowan College of New Jersey.

Survey results found that a majority of students, smokers, and nonsmokers …

A Survey Of The State Of Teacher Effectiveness In Four South Jersey High Schools, Maryanne A. Knudsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' subjective perception of their teaching effectiveness and the factors that facilitate and/or inhibit their sense of efficacy in four South Jersey high schools. In addition, two problems were examined as to the impact of class size on teaching efficacy and does experience in teaching affect a teacher's sense of effectiveness?

The sample was selected from high school teachers in a two county area in southern New Jersey. Teachers were given a questionnaire to complete which was designed to identify important attitudes toward teaching efficacy. A total of 275 questionnaires were distributed …

Measures Of Psychological Androgyny In Female Paramedics, Lynn M. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether female paramedics were found to be more psychologically androgynous than female non-paramedics. The study group consisted of forty-two female paramedics. The control group consisted of forty-two females from occupations typically considered to be "feminine" professions. All subjects were administered the Bem Sex Role Inventory and asked to rate themselves on the sixty (60) personality characteristics contained within the instrument. Independent samples t-tests were performed on the androgyny scores and the masculine and feminine scores for the questionnaire. The results were contrary to prediction and found that the control group was …

Effects Of Active Or Passive Error Correction Procedures On The Learning, Generalization And Maintenance Of Math Facts By Students With Multiple Handicaps, Barbara J. Trzaska

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of active or passive error correction procedures on the learning, generalization and maintenance of math facts by students with multiple handicaps. The hypothesis stated that students actively involved will exhibit greater success in learning their facts. Using an alternative treatment design, six students from Midway School, Lumberton, New Jersey, were introduced, taught and tested on ten flashcards each week for four weeks. Students received the correct answer from an instructor when an error was made. They in turn, either repeated the problem and answer or listened attentively to the instructor's corrected answer. Active Student Responses …

Secondary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Increased Mainstreaming: Use Of Effective Instruction For Students With Learning Disabilities, Nancy Tartaglione

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of instructional strategies offered in mainstream classes. Twenty mainstream teachers of academic subjects in grades 9 through 12 were asked to complete a self-evaluation concerning instructional strategies used in their general education classes. Also, the teachers completed a questionnaire concerning their attitudes toward mainstreaming and their perception of the success of the mainstreaming program in their school. Results indicate that over one third of the teachers felt no strong commitment to mainstreaming and did not utilize many instructional modifications that are proven to benefit students with disabilities. Implications of these …

Does Secondary Educational Programming As Reflected In The Iep Differ For Students Classified Emotionally Disturbed And Those Classified Perceptually Impaired?, Diane Saaybe

Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study of three K-12 school districts was designed and conducted in order to determine how educational programming, as reflected in the IEPs (Individual Education Plan) of secondary students, differed for students classified as Emotionally Disturbed and Perceptually Impaired (Learning Disabled). In each of these three districts, six files of students classified ED and six files of students classified PI were pulled at random and examined as to content in particular areas.

Specifically, the congruency of the IEP, or how the annual goals were related to assessment data and vice versa, was examined, as were related services recommended, and …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Compliance Rates And Service Delivery Rates In Early Intervention Programs, Barbara Mcclintock

Theses and Dissertations

A comparative analysis was constructed to look at the compliance rates and service delivery rates of children who were enrolled in a center-based early intervention program in relation to children in a home-based early intervention program. The subjects were 29 children between the ages of six months and three years old. Data was collected from each subject's IFSP and attendance record. The subjects were divided into home-based or center-based groups as designated by their IFSP. A compliance rate and service delivery rate was calculated for each group. The results of an independent t-test using a .05 significance level suggest the …

Increasing The Involvement Of Parents Of Special Needs Children By Establishing A Parent Resource Center, Anne S. O'Donald

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a parent resource center, with related activities, on the parental participation of special needs children. Surveys consisting of seven questions were used as the initial data collecting instrument. Thirty-five parents received these surveys. Twenty-one parent surveys were returned. Information gathered here yielded percentages of parental participation during the last school year (1994-95).

Personal interviews were accomplished at school, at homes or by telephone at the discretion of the parents. These percentages gave numbers for the present school year (1995-1996).

When results from the survey and the interviews were compiled …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Pupil Assistance Committee's Interventions In A Secondary High School In New Jersey, John P. Taima

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to determine if Pupil Assistance Committee interventions reduce student classification and entry into special education. Also as part of the research project was the statement that the Pupil Assistance Committee intervention process enables students to succeed in the secondary school systems of the state of New Jersey. Success, for the purpose of the research project, was defined as a reduction of behavioral referrals, academic improvement and achievement, and resolution of crisis situations. The school that the Pupil Assistance Committee served was a secondary school in a suburban section of southern New Jersey. Observations, …

The Effects Of Premenstrual Syndrome On Women With Mental Disabilities, Richard H. Doughty Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that P.M.S. has a negative effect for women on many aspects of life. P.M.S. seems to affect social situations, family life, stress, mood, substance abuse, and crime. The purpose of this one way analysis study is to evaluate the effects of P.M.S. on women with mental disabilities with non-compliant behaviors. Fifty women, whose intelligence quotient levels range between severe and profound, who reside in an institution for individuals with mental disabilities were selected for this study. Each woman has some type of non-compliant behavior. Each female has been placed on a behavior modification program plan to reduce …

Family Preservation Services: Aftercare Services That Help Families Maintain Success, Mary S. Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This research reports placement outcomes at 6 months post intervention for a sample of sixty families enrolled in a family preservation program. Families with at least one child who is "at imminent risk" of being placed in the community participated in the family preservation program. During the intervention, families were introduced to several skills(communication and discipline skills) that would enable them to diffuse any crises that may arise due to parent/child conflict. After the families successfully completed the intervention, forty were referred to either another in-home based counseling program or outpatient therapy. Twenty families received no aftercare services. Follow-ups were …

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Nondisabled Students Toward Their Severely Disabled Peers Before And After Inclusive Intervention, Regina Jane Johns

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the attitudes of nondisabled students toward their severely disabled peers could be positively affected following their involvement within a public school inclusion activity. The hypothesis was that the inclusion activity would result in positive attitude changes.

Two separate groups of nondisabled students were used for this study. The fifty-two students in Group One were 9th through 12th grade members of a high school band class. Group Two was made up of seventeen 7th graders of an instrumental music class. Both groups were located in suburban type school districts with a variety …

The Adaptive Behavior Scale: A Correlation Study At A Residential Treatment Facility, Simone Bey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine correlation of scores on the American Association on Mental Retardation Adaptive Behavior Scale-School Second Edition (ABS-SE:2) across two settings. The sample consisted of thirteen males and seventeen females who participate in a Behavior Disorders program. It was hypothesized that scores would be significant at the .05 level (p<.05). Previous research on adaptive behavior scales has resulted in mixed findings. Partially this is due to problems and differences in methodology. First, there are four versions and editions of the AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scales that have been utilized in research within the last twenty years. Second, differences in sample variations affected these results. For example, subjects were included with a range of intellectual functioning (severe to normal) and classification (e.g., conduct disorder). Further, correlation between settings (school and home) in previous research had ranged from low to high. About half of the studies reviewed indicated significant correlation between parent and teacher scores. The other half indicated an insignificant relationship between these scores. Score correlations were computed with the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient(r). The results indicate significant correlations on seven Domains. Also, residential counselors rated subjects higher on six Part Two Domains.

The Head Start Program And Subsequent Reading And Math Achievement Of First Graders, Marisa B. Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of the Head Start Preschool Program on fist graders' academic achievement in math and reading. A literature review reported the results of other studies and the effect of early educational experiences on at-risk students' elementary school achievement. In general, these studies found that early educational intervention increased cognitive gains in the primary grades, but these gains were not sustained in the upper grades. Also, students from low socio-economic areas demonstrated greater gains than middle class children, In the present study, the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills was administered to first grade students of low socio-economic …

A Study Examining Social Skills Ratings In A Special Education Classroom, George J. Rafferty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of relationship between students' self-ratings scores and their teacher's and teacher assistant's scores. Ten students classified ED were chosen, along with a social comparison group of ten regular education students. A correlational matrix was computed to measure the degree of association between students' self-ratings and their teachers' ratings of them. The same was done for the regular education sample. Two t-tests for independent samples were used to (1) measure any differences between the ratings of the special education teacher and the regular education teacher, and (2) measure any differences between …

Classroom Management Skills And Teacher Locus Of Control, Sandy Sheard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of a relationship between locus of control of early childhood teachers and their behavior management skills. Subjects in the study were 55 group teachers in child care centers serving children ages 3 to 5 in low, middle and high socioeconomic communities in Camden County, New Jersey. The teachers were rated by their supervisors on the Classroom Management Rating Scale (CMRS), a 13 item Likert like scale developed for this study. Teachers completed a self rating on the CMRS and Rotter's I-E Locus of Control Scale. The Rotter I-E scores and …

Transition Services And Their Effectiveness, John E. Mccarty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if transition services as they are currently performed in a large suburban regional high school district are effective in helping classified students make the transition to the world beyond high school.

A review of current literature on transition shows that services vary in scope and effectiveness from state to state and from district to district. Interviews with district personnel reveal no follow-up once a student has left the district through graduation or "aging out."

A survey instrument was compiled and mailed to 200 former students who were classified while attending school in …

The Validity Of The Beck Depression Inventory-7 In The Crisis Center Setting, Ross Feld

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness and validity of the Beck Depression Inventory-7, a seven question multiple choice self report questionnaire that measures the severity of depression in a crisis center setting, in order to lend support to whether or not a patient's self report of symptoms matches a clinical evaluation of their chief complaint, done with the Prime MD Mood Module. The sample consisted of fifty subjects, 23 females and 27 males. All subjects presented to the emergency room an initial chief complaint of depression, suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt. Upon arrival in the …

The Effectiveness Of A Social Skills Program, Sharon D. Hetzell

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of a social skills program to reduce aggressive behavior in special education students. The need for such intervention has been established, however, the empirical evidence to support educational programs which promote effective social skills is just beginning to emerge.

Instruction of social problem solving and role-play activities were used in this intervention. Alternatives to aggression were taught and role-played daily for a five week period. Two special education students from a resource room were the subjects of the study. Pre and post intervention assessment was conducted by students and teachers. Time outs …

A Study Of General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Ability To Provide Effective Instruction In An Inclusive Model, Judith A. Myers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if general educators felt they were meeting the diverse needs of classified students in the mainstream setting. The sample consisted of twenty teachers from an elementary school in an affluent community. The classification of the special education students ranged from perceptually impaired to emotionally disturbed. A questionnaire consisting of four open ended questions was distributed and content analysis methodology was used to analyze the responses. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed felt they had a positive experience teaching the special education student, while thirty percent expressed negative experiences and fifteen percent of the …

Teacher Expectations Of Bilingual Education Students In Mainstream Classes, Diana C. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if regular education teachers have lower expectations for bilingual students who have been in bilingual programs than for bilingual students who have not. Also, will the expectations of the teachers change as the teacher becomes more familiar with the student?

The sample consisted of twenty elementary classroom teachers from five different elementary schools. A teacher rating scale was devised to identify student behaviors in the following areas: Educational, Social Skills, Behavior, and Home. During the second week of school, each teacher was asked to complete the rating sheet on two students. One …

A Retrospective Study Of Preschool Handicapped Children, Tracey Lynn Miller

Theses and Dissertations

The hypothesis of this study is that preschool handicapped programs are indicative of what type of educational setting a child will be placed in during his future years of education. The data for this study was collected from three different school districts of varying size and socio-economic backgrounds. Children who were classified preschool handicapped during the 1989-90 school year were followed during their kindergarten and fourth grade years of school. It was found that it is difficult to predict where a child will be placed throughout his educational career by looking at his reasons for classification during preschool. Data from …

The Relationship Of Hardiness And Social Support In The Dialysis Patient, Julie K. Mcgauvran

Theses and Dissertations

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is present in over 200,000 people in the United States (United States Renal Data System, 1995). Most receive some type of renal dialysis. Nicholas and Webster (1993) studied hardiness and social support in HIV patients; however, these concepts have not been studied together in patients with ESRD. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social support and hardiness on the type of dialysis renal patients experience and the length of time on dialysis.

Pollock's Adaptation to Chronic Illness Framework guided this research. A convenient sample of 56 persons undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal …

Self-Esteem In Relation To Gender, Socioeconomic Status, Ethnic/Cultural Origin, Family Characteristics, And Academic Achievement In Middle School Students, Constance Black Kalanek

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a time of rapid developmental change and transition. It is crucial stage in the process of building self-esteem and preparing for adulthood. It is during this period that adolescents will develop a positive or negative perception of themselves.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self esteem and the variables of gender, socioeconomic status, ethnic/culture background, family characteristics, and academic achievement. The survey population consisted of 13,373 participants from 15 states. Nine middle school students were selected to participate in in-depth interviews. The majority of students were White (54.%), followed by Black (18.2%), Hispanic …

Written Guidance Document For Municipalities For Storm Water Permitting In Gloucester County, Krista Lee Fritz

Theses and Dissertations

To date, no such general permit has been issued to an individual municipality for stormwater dischargers. This thesis focused on the design of a stormwater characterization plan that was acceptable to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and provided the basis for municipal stormwater permitting by municipalities within Gloucester County.

The author produced a written guidance document that enabled individual municipalities located in Gloucester County to research data on and design on their own, using this step-by-step approach to stormwater permitting, a plan that is acceptable to NJDEP for a "General Municipal Stormwater" permit to control stormwater discharges within …

Development Of A Grant Proposal For Funding Of A Nonprofit Land Conservation Organization, Janet Eisenhauer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to solve the dilemma of how to acquire funding for operational expenses of a private nonprofit land conservation organization through foundation grants. A model grant proposal is also developed as part of the study.

The methods employed to determine strategies and to develop a grant proposal for funding of operational expenses for a private nonprofit land conservation organization include: review of literature on grantswriting, and interviews with foundation representatives, conservation organization grantswriters and others in the field of conservation organization fund raising.

Based on the literature review and interviews carried out, it was determined …

Adolescent Tobacco Use : A Generation Up In Smoke, Kay L. Provo

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent tobacco use is on the rise in the United States. It is a significant health problem. In spite of the fact that adult smoking has decreased dramatically since 1964, the number of adolescent smokers remains high and has not decreased for the last 7 years (Winkelstein, 1992). The purpose of this study was to investigate adolescent tobacco use among ninth-grade students in five rural communities. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. What is the incidence of tobacco use among ninth graders in rural communities?

2. Which variables influence rural adolescents' tobacco use?

3. Where and from whom do …

Effects Of Misinformation As Revealed Through The Concealed Knowledge Test, Susan L. Amato-Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Misinformation effects occur reliably in laboratory settings despite disagreement over the mechanism(s) responsible for such effects. Both memory impairment hypotheses (e.g.f Lindsay & Johnson, 1987; Loftus 1975, 1977, 1979; Loftus & Hoffman, 1989; Tversky & Tuchin, 1989) and non-impairment hypotheses (e.g., McCloskey & Zaragoza, 1985; Zaragoza, McCloskey, & Jamis, 1987) have been used to explain the phenomenon of misinformation. The present study examined the effects of misinformation on the Concealed Knowledge Test (CKT), a psychophysiological detection of deception technique. Furthermore, the psychophysiological measurements were used to elucidate the controversy surrounding the misinformation effect. Ninety-six subjects watched a videotaped crime used …