Academic Web publishing is a complex and difficult challenge. It is not surprising that most universities find it necessary to provide different types of Web publishing infrastructures for their constituents, such as conventional, do-it-yourself Web and database services, as well as template-driven solutions that include portals, course management…

This article discusses how, in the new world of the information age, libraries must seek to bring relevant services to their technically savvy patrons. This includes designing a library that can serve not only the geographic community, but also the virtual online community. Software used to create online communities is known as social software and…

The authors present a stakeholder-driven method, the earliest anticipated timeline of impact, which is designed to assess stakeholder expectations for the earliest time frame in which social programs are likely to affect outcomes. The utility of the anticipated timeline of impact is illustrated using an example from an evaluation of a…

This article proposes a general latent variable approach to discrete-time survival analysis of nonrepeatable events such as onset of drug use. It is shown how the survival analysis can be formulated as a generalized latent class analysis of event history indicators. The latent class analysis can use covariates and can be combined with the joint…

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by adults with learning disabilities has been positively promoted over the past decade. More recently, policy statements and guidance from the UK government have underlined the importance of ICT for adults with learning disabilities specifically, as well as for the population in general,…

Background: Palmtop computers provide a promising mobile platform to address barriers to computer-based supports for people with intellectual disabilities. This study evaluated a specially designed interface to make navigation and features of palmtop computers more accessible to users with intellectual disabilities. Method: The specialised…

Employing elements of both radio and blogging, podcasting has enormous potential for providing learning experiences for children. At its most basic level, podcasting involves a person (or team) recording an audio program and saving the program as an MP3 file then uploading the file to the Internet and placing a link to the file in a Weblog. The…

The GGUM2004 computer program estimates parameters for a family of unidimensional unfolding item response theory (IRT) models. These unfolding IRT models predict higher item scores to the extent that a respondent is located close to an item on an underlying latent continuum. This prediction is often consistent with responses to traditional…

In this article Gary Hepburn and Jan Buley outline different approaches to implementing open source software (OSS) in schools; they also address the challenges that open source advocates should anticipate as they try to convince educational leaders to adopt OSS. With regard to OSS implementation, they note that schools have a flexible range of…

Although word prediction software was originally developed for individuals with physical disabilities, little research has been conducted featuring participants with physical disabilities. Using the Co:Writer 4000 word prediction software, three participants with physical disabilities improved typing rate and spelling accuracy, and two of these…

Increasingly, colleges and universities are turning to open source as a way to meet their technology infrastructure and application needs. Open source has changed life for visionary CIOs and their campus communities nationwide. The author discusses what these technologists see as the benefits--and the considerations.

The present study investigated the utility of employing computerized speech content analysis software to detect feigned depression in psychologically healthy adults. Twenty-two subjects between the ages of 19 and 54 years old, who scored lower than 10 on the Beck depression inventory (BDI, 1996), were asked to speak freely in response to a neutral…

This paper reports on a field-based study of online help systems at the University of Maryland. After collecting data by means of interview, observation and focus group, analysis is grounded on the contextual data, thus shedding light on particular organizational and human behavioral issues on online help systems. The objectives of this research…

Technology Roadmapping is a consensus-driven process to identify, evaluate, and select technology alternatives to satisfy the needs of a particular group of people. It serves as a high-level planning tool to support the development, implementation, and communication of technology development strategies and plans. The outcome of a technology…

This article describes an activity for secondary school students that may constitute an appropriate opportunity to discuss with them the idea of proof, particularly in an algebraic context. During the activity the students may experience and understand some of the roles played by proof in mathematics in addition to verification of truth:…