Digital Commons Network^™

A Different Way To Hear: The Role Of Children’S Literature In Promoting Asl And Deaf Awareness, Joslyn Harrington

Honors Projects

A Different Way to Hear is a 32-page children’s storybook project designed to promote early exposure to American Sign Language (ASL) and foster cultural awareness of Deaf identity. The story follows a hearing child who, through friendship with a Deaf peer, learns to experience the world through senses beyond sound. Inspired by research on ASL acquisition, Deaf Studies, and inclusive education practices, the book naturally integrates ASL into the narrative and illustrations to model visual communication strategies for young readers. This project responds to a lack of children’s literature that authentically portrays Deaf characters outside of deficit-based narratives. Through careful …

Enhancing A Client’S Website Design Through Research On Executive Function Skills: Informed Decision-Making In A Service-Learning Context, Jacob Irelan

Honors Projects

This synthesis project explores how research on executive function skills can inform effective website design in a service-learning context. Executive function skills—including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility—are foundational to learning and development. By conducting a comprehensive literature review and engaging in service-learning through a client-based web design project, the study bridges interdisciplinary knowledge between education and visual communication technology. The project involved redesigning a client’s website focused on supporting individual's executive function skills, enhancing both its usability and search engine optimization. Hands-on, service learning experience supplemented by academic research allowed for the development of practical skills such as …

The Diegetic Purpose Of Humor In Superhero Media, Ella Ramsey

Honors Projects

Superheroes draw fans in with their fantastic powers, but also their humanizing personalities. Humor is one such trait often used to endear viewers of superhero media to the title characters. However, why do these characters maintain their witty personas and cheerful nature as they fight against evil? This question may seem to have a few simple answers, but there is a lack of research explaining the in-depth psychological reasoning for humor in the context of a superhero’s reality. This study investigates the multiple roles humor can play in a hero’s development as a human being. By studying the psychology of …

Fashion And Film: The Art Of Costume Design, Abigail C. Stalder

Senior Honors Theses

A costume designer’s job is to create wardrobes that fit the film’s aesthetic, context, and personality of each character. Costume designers take inspiration from trends, incorporating them into their work through their own creative process, inspiring fashion designers and trend-setters to implement the styles in new ways. Thus, producing an endless cycle — an ecosystem wherein both fashion and film thrive off each other, continuously evolving to create beauty on and off the screen. Aligning my creativity and knowledge of both fashion and film, I participated in the making of six student films, costuming over 30 named characters as well …

Effective Communication For Intubated Spanish-Speaking Patients In The Intensive Care Unit, Renee Dooley

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

An Interview With Disability Activist Samuel Healy, Nia Jones, Samuel Healy

Proceedings of GREAT Day

This original 3 minute silent narrative film was created for a visual communication class and tells the story of college student with a disability and their long walk through campus to get to their final destination, filled with mundane trials and tribulations of topography that able bodied students might not notice. The film offers a thoughtful take on the practicality and reality of Geneseo's branding as it follows a student with cerebral palsy on his walk to the Office of Accessibility.

Equipping Teachers To Support Comic Literacy: An Analysis Of The Educational Potential Of Toon Book, Kayla Whitlock, Jewel Yoder Kuhns, Sara Kersten-Parrish Dr.

SANE journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education

Teachers frequently reach for leveled readers to help facilitate their guided reading groups; however, there can be limits in using these leveled readers. One such limit relates to enjoyment and engagement. An answer to this is using TOON books during guided reading time. TOON books are graphic novel leveled readers and were created in response to a need for high quality books for readers of all levels. However, in reading these books teachers need to be aware of the comics form and how those features impact the reading process. In this article, we outline the features common in graphic novels …

Exploring Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Peoples' Perspectives On Tasks In Augmented Reality: Interacting With 3d Objects And Instructional Comprehension, Sanzida Mojib Luna, Jiangnan Xu, Garreth W. Tigwell, Nicolas Lalone, Michael Saker, Alan Chamberlain, David I. Schwartz, Konstantinos Papangelis

Articles

Tasks in augmented reality (AR), such as 3D interaction and instructional comprehension, are often designed for users with uniform sensory abilities. Such an approach, however, can overlook the more nuanced needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) users who might have reduced auditory perception. To better understand these challenges, our study utilized the single-player AR game Angry Birds AR as a probe to explore how 11 DHH participants and 15 hearing participants experienced AR interactions. Our findings highlight that DHH users prefer interaction based on context, effective haptic cues, audio cue substitutes, and clear instructional design. We, therefore, propose …

Lunch Break At Bore Ink., Lee Bezehertny

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

It's been my experience that when transitioning into adulthood, we are conditioned to desaturate ourselves to become more easily digestible for the sake of being taken seriously in corporate settings. My illustrative design work and printmaking in my BFA exhibition focus on the exploration of identity through maturity and how the societal expectations associated with age impact the ways we limit self expression and playfulness as we grow. The exhibition, titled "Lunch Break at BORE INK.," is set in the break room of my fictional office supply company, BORE INK.

I utilize illustrative storytelling, dynamic typography, and the hand-printed production …

Beyond Remission, Moira C. Johnson

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

In my artistic practice, I delve into the intricate layers of childhood and medical trauma, navigating its impact on my present experiences and highlighting how the lasting effects, both physical and emotional, can be just as painful, isolating, and life-altering as the illness itself. My work merges design, branding, and personal experience by creating service posters, therapeutic products, a website, etc. for a counseling brand that supports people who have suffered from Leukemia or Lymphoma. I use colors that symbolize the illness suffered, balanced with calming tones, and bold shapes that serve as both accents and metaphors.

Graphic design has …

Talk - Anothermountainman

V Music Magazine

No abstract provided.

Vol. 2 Full Issue

V Music Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Unique Light: The Presence, Salience And Portrayal Of Unique Religious Values On College Football Television Broadcasts, Joseph Bradford Hovey

Theses and Dissertations

A mixed-methods content analysis case study of BYU football broadcasts (2023-2024), guided by agenda setting and framing theories, was conducted to determine to what extent the unique Latter-day Saint religious values of BYU were present and salient, as well as how they were framed, on BYU football television broadcasts. Using the university's 2024 brand messaging guide as a standard for topics indicative of such religious values, the 25 game broadcasts were analyzed and coded for presence or absence of religious values along with sentiment valence in each case. Frequency tests determined that 56% of games over the two seasons included …

The Enterprise Work Management Framework’S Impact On Organizational Effectiveness, Jessica J. Crowley

JWU Dissertations & Theses

Organizations need to be effective to stay relevant in a constantly changing environment (Mergel et al., 2019). No pre-existing theoretical frameworks provide leaders with a tested, holistic work management strategy that is proven to positively impact organizational effectiveness (Mergel et al., 2019). Without structured work management practices, organizations experience low levels of work visibility which translates into reactive decision-making and decreased organizational effectiveness (Burke, 2024).

The newly created Enterprise Work Management (EWM) framework provides leaders with a holistic work management strategy that is proven to positively impact organizational effectiveness. The findings from this study address a gap in organizational effectiveness …

Responsible Research Impact: Ethics For Making A Difference, Eric Allen Jensen, Mark S. Reed, James Daybell, Louise Rutt, Aaron M. Jensen, Gabriella Arrigoni, Marta Ballesteros, Sadiq Bhanbhro, Bethann G. Merkle, Caitlin Hafferty, Philly Iglehart, Sawsan Khuri, Andrzej Klimczuk, Ian D. Marder, Daniel Milosavljevic, Josmel Pacheco-Mendoza, Ursula Pool, Simon Robinson, Lindsay C. Stringer, Steve Taylor, Anne H. Toomey, Daniela Martin, Lisa Louise Taylor-Sayles, Andrew N. Makohon-George, Russell T. Rodrigo

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

The need for ethical guidelines that support and empower researchers who aim to enhance the societal impact of research has become critical. Recognizing the growing emphasis on research impact by governments and funding bodies worldwide, this article investigates the often overlooked ethical dimensions of generating and evaluating research impact. We focus on ethical issues and practices that are specific to the process of intentionally working to develop societal impacts from research. We highlight the complexities and ethical dilemmas encountered when researchers engage with non-academic groups, such as policymakers, industries, and local communities. Through a combination of literature review and insights …

Mind The Gap: An Exploration Into The Accessibility, Ease Of Use, And Design Of Public Transport Wayfinding, Jack Nierenberg

Honors College Theses

Wayfinding, an essential aspect of public transport, is not always accessible, user-friendly, or well-designed. Because of this, people with disabilities, language barriers, or other difficulties understanding information or navigating public transport are put at a disadvantage. This thesis explores prior research and projects, as well as in-depth case studies of three cities' public transport systems, to identify best practices and guiding principles for enhancing accessibility, ease of use, and design. These principles can be incorporated into a unifying standard to improve public transport wayfinding and bridge gaps in existing systems.

From Data To Impact: Integrating Research, Data Analysis, And Data Visualizations To Shape The Future Of Stroke Rehabilitation, Abigail Mcnaughton

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

This capstone project highlights the essential role of research in advancing occupational therapy (OT) practice and underscores the importance of data analysis and visualization in enhancing the communication and dissemination of research findings. Grounded in the Myers and Lotz Framework for Evidence-Based Practice and the CO-OP approach to problem-solving, the experience was structured around three core pillars: (1) gaining hands-on experience as a research therapist, (2) conducting in-depth data analysis, and (3) creating effective data visualizations to support scientific communication.

As a research therapist, I contributed to two ongoing studies: the Cognitive Priming (Cog-P) study and the Patient Quality Rating …

Hydrologic Decision Support In The Nile Basin: Creating Status And Outlook Products From The Geoglows Hydrologic Model, Rachel Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Decision makers and stakeholders need information about current and future streamflow to make informed decisions and we show how the GEOGLOWS Hydrologic Model, known as River Forecast System (RFS), can be used to provide hydrologic status and outlook products to inform these decisions. We examine a specific use case of RFS in the Nile River Basin and how RFS is used to provide users with hydrologic status products. We work with stakeholders at the Nile Basin Initiative to assess their needs for this information. We use basic low flow calculations to compute the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI) and the 95th …

Fearfully And Wonderfully Made, Addressing The Lack Of Special Needs Leadership At Fusion Church In Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Christina Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Problem this student seeks to address is that Fusion Church in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, lacks special needs leadership services.

The world views special needs individuals as a burden, but God views them as anointed sons and daughters. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus tells his disciples to let the children come to him and not to hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. This serves as a reminder that he wants every one of his followers to come to him with the hearts of children. Special needs children and adults have hearts filled with …

Deaf Community, Cochlear Implants, And Language Access, Amelia Segroves

Honors Theses

This thesis looks at how getting a cochlear implant can affect a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing person’s identity, language development, and sense of belonging. It compares people who see deafness as part of a rich culture (big “D” Deaf) with those who see it more as a medical condition (little “d” deaf). By reviewing studies and articles, the research explores how early exposure to language, school environments, and family choices influence how people communicate and see themselves.

This thesis looks at how getting a cochlear implant can affect a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing person’s identity, language development, and sense of belonging. It …

Program Review Report 4-15-25, Angela Brock

Program Review Committee

No abstract provided.

Ucc Minutes 4-15-25, Angela Brock

UCC Agendas/Minutes

No abstract provided.

Using Human Computation And Harmonic Expansions For Characterization And Design Of Grain Boundary Networks, Christopher W. Adair

Theses and Dissertations

Grain Boundary Networks (GBNs) are a high-dimensional feature in polycrystalline microstructural materials that are formed from the crystallographic degrees of freedom. This feature affects multiple material properties such as diffusivity, fracture, elasticity, heat transfer, and others. The link between the crystallography and the material properties is called the structure-property linkage, and allows for simulation and design of materials. While it is possible to use the structure-property linkage to design materials for better performance, the high-dimensional nature of the interconnected grain boundaries preclude the use of many common optimization algorithms for efficiency or local minima considerations. This work shows how the …

Ai & Xr Explorations To Support Social Interactions: Speculative Design For Ubiquitous Workplace Space By And For Neurodivergent Employees, Dominique Michaud, Alejandro Reyes, Jonathan Proulx Guimond, Fafadzi Akpene Agbe, Valérie Payen, Diane Gabrielle Tremblay, Marie Claude Leblanc, Claude Vincent, Geoffreyjen Edwards, Caroline Brassard, Marie Helene Parizeau, Valéry Psyche, Martin Caouette, James Hutson, Piper Hutson, Julie Ruel, Julien Voisin, Jocelyne Kiss

Faculty Scholarship

This study explores the potential of interdisciplinary theories and advanced technologies, such as augmented realities and artificial intelligence, to address the socio-professional integration challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the autism spectrum. It investigates the design of personalized, functional spaces that integrate interconnected living environments and intelligent systems tailored to support communication needs. Using speculative design methodology, the research adopts an experiential framework to examine alternative solutions, starting with a central hypothesis and testing it through debates with researchers, experts, neurodivergent individuals, and knowledge users. The premise is rooted in the recognition that neurodivergent individuals encounter significant barriers …

Development Of A System Model For Determining Optimal Personnel Interaction Strategy In A Production Industry, B. Kareem, A. Adekiigbe

The Journal of Engineering Research

Manufacturing organizations have become more complex in recent time as a result of technological advances. Communication among production workers operating in an environment marked by increased organizational complexity may require planning for the economically appropriate selection of network channels/media with enhanced productivity. This paper examines traditional and modern communication channels (media) and their comparative advantages over one another in their adoption in manufacturing organizations. In this framework, six media (human messengers, mobile-phones, intranet, fixed-internet, mobile-internet, and private branch exchange [PBX] phone systems) were subjected to analyses using five identified network patterns (all-channel, chain, Y, wheel, and circle) of interactions in …

Structural System Identification In The Time Domain Using Evolutionary And Behaviorally Inspired Algorithms And Their Hybrids, S. Sandesh, Abhishek Kumar Sahu, K. Shankar

The Journal of Engineering Research

In this study, parametric identification of structural properties such as stiffness and damping is carried out using acceleration responses in the time domain. The process consists of minimizing the difference between the experimentally measured and theoretically predicted acceleration responses. The unknown parameters of certain numerical models, viz., a ten degree of freedom lumped mass system, a nine member truss and a non-uniform simply supported beam are thus identified. Evolutionary and behaviorally inspired optimization algorithms are used for minimization operations. The performance of their hybrid combinations is also investigated. Genetic Algorithm (GA) is a well known evolutionary algorithm used in system …

Grapholinguistics In Graphic Design, Cameron Schumann

Student Research Symposium

Writing systems function as more than linguistic tools; they serve as powerful cultural and aesthetic symbols that influence branding, fashion, and multimedia design. Through an examination of typographic symbolism, foreign scripts evoke themes of mystery, exoticism, brutalism, constructivism, and authoritarianism, shaping consumer perception and artistic narratives.

Agency, Bias, And Representation: Undergraduate Students' Understanding Of Critical Visual Literacy, Caitlin Stewart, Heather Koopmans

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Critical visual literacy (CVL) is the ability to evaluate and deconstruct the sociocultural contexts in which visuals are produced and viewed, and is a core skill for students to develop. This poster will present prominent definitions of CVL, compared against the results of a research study in which undergraduate students critically analyzed a children’s picture book and developed their own definition of CVL. Associated research and instructional methods will be discussed. Attendees will learn about CVL as an interdisciplinary concept and will be encouraged to adapt the authors’ methods to advance their own understanding of and teaching with CVL.

Challenging The Status Quo: Disability In Australian Children’S Picture Books, Karen Glasby, Tracey Chamlin, Martin Kerby, Margaret Baguley, Alison Bedford, Eseta Tualaulelei, Emerson Zerafa-Payne

Kritika Kultura

This article will analyze a range of Australian picture books that both explore the topic of disability and serve as educational tools for exploring diversity issues. The books were identified in a survey administered by the State Library of New South Wales (NSW) public library service, which identified 62 books that deal with diversity. Thirteen of the 62 books were assessed as having characters with a disability—including autism, mental illness, dementia, spina bifida, neurodiversity, physical disability, deafness, and implied but unidentified disabilities. This article will analyze the approach adopted in each of the picture books using Rudine Sims Bishop’s three …

Review Of African Design Futures: Decolonising Minds, Education, Spaces, And Practices, Ashley Ajumoke Stewart

Book Reviews

No abstract provided.