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Computers help to teach disabled children
Dana Duran, 6, works with a touch pad for physically disabled people.
Federal grant extends reach of program
By Tracy Wilkinson Kansan staff writer
Children with physical and cognitive disabilities are being given new access to education andcomputer through a KU computer project.
The project, which began three years ago as FACTSS — Functional Applications of Microcomputer Technology for Students with Severe Disabilities — was initiated as an in-service training project to help improve and expand the use of computers in the instruction of the severely multiple disabled and deaf-blind. FACTSS is a project in the department of special education.
"Our goal is full utilization of computer technology as a tool to all teachers," said Barbara Thompson, principal investigator and project director at the University of Kansas. "We want to educate people to enhance not only the lifestyle of these people, but their total quality of life."
Thompson said the thrust of a recent federal grant was to maintain and expand FACTS.
Jami Hayes, project coordinator, said the new project was going to help the teachers and students already trained in FACTSS to better communicate with each other.
"We want to expand from microcomputer technology to assistive technology, which is a broader way of looking at things." Hayes said.
Thompson said the first project
was tested in 15 school districts during the past three years with children whose mental capacities varied from 5- to 9-years-old. The mental or physical age should be irrelevant as far as the teaching facilities are concerned, she said.
"No matter how mentally retarded a person is they still deserve the best of all possible instruction," Thompson said.
'You begin to assume that they
are as cognitively unaware as they are physically deficient," she said. "They can't really communicate their feelings, wants, and needs the way we do. At some point an individual like that will just shut down. They may be able to use the computer to help express themselves.
"There are a lot of people who are trapped in their bodies. We need to give them a way of expressing themselves. Instead of
everyone acting on them, through the computer they can act. I think of it as an interface."
The project, through teacher workshops, Thompson said, allowed teachers to develop programs to be student specific learning devices. They also were to learn how to use and interface computer hardware and software.
keyboards have been developed for student use. These switches come in different sizes and shapes in order to adapt more personally to a particular student's abilities to manipulate the computer, Thompson said.
The primary piece of equipment for student use is the computer. A variety of switches or expanded
"Some of the programs have had non-handicapped children helping handicapped ones. Teachers have set up cooperation programs." Thompson said.
KJHK disc jockeys groove for fun, not credit
Study focuses on KU traffic parking space
By Beth Behrens
Kansan staff writer
Road tubes to count cars rolling by on campus and students counting other students on the way to class may become a familiar sight during the next year.
A traffic safety board, formed at the request of Judith Ramaley, executive vice chancellor, met on Friday to discuss a feasible format for a traffic study on campus.
"We've had traffic studies in the past, but not since enrollment has changed so much." Ramaley said. "We've tried to provide adequate parking around campus and allow for deliveries.
"Now, we need to ask ourselves what would be a safe flow of traffic on campus. It's a question of policy of the regulation of traffic flow."
By Tracy Wilkinson
Board members are Tom Mulinazzi, associate dean of engineering, Joe Lee, professor of civil engineering, Allen Wiechert, director of facilities planning, Greg Wade, landscape architect for facilities plaining, Lt. John Mullins, KU police, Donna Hutton, assistant director of parking services, and Steve Grabow, professor of architecture and urban design
Kansan staff writer
Hutline said the board discussed the direction the study would take. She said they planned to decide the extensiveness of the study in the next few weeks.
Disc jockeys for radio station KJHK no longer receive class credit for participation in the program.
The decision to move away from a class-lab structure was made because of an effort to protect the academic integrity of the station, said Tim Mensendiek, KJHK general manager.
Max Utsler, chairman of the department of radio and television, said that the change was made to create a greater degree of professionalism at the station.
Mensendiek said some students still enrolled in upper-level classes did receive class credit for their work at the station. Only two of the 150 work positions are paid positions; the rest are filled by either upper-level journalism classes or by University students on a voluntary basis.
"We are going to have to sit down and study the situation to make sure we're fair to the students but at the same time preserve or protect the academic component of the radio station functioning as a laboratory," he said.
Mensendiek said the Journalism 188 class, which used to be taken for
credit, was now a staff meeting for KJHK on Wednesday nights.
Those members of the staff not enrolled in the upper-level classes have signed a participation contract. The contract states that the student agrees to comply and operate within the parameters set by the School of Journalism.
"This just serves to protect the academic integrity of the laboratory and to help foster greater compliance with FCC law." Mensendiek said.
"I've always wanted to do it," said Gillespie. "I really love getting to listen to college music. It too bad we don't get credit, but if you really want to do it, it doesn't matter. It's good experience."
"I'm not looking for a career," Hedrick said. "It is a good way to be up on the music and a great way to get into the college music scene."
Kris Gillespie, Lawrence freshman, and Scott Hedrick, Lawrence senior, both disc jockeys at KJHK, said they had no problem with
Gillespie said that he had listened to KJHK for five years, and when he finally had the opportunity to apply for a position, he took it.
neither getting credit nor money for their work on the station.
When hired, an assistant director for the office will coordinate cultural enrichment programs for minority students, said Caryl Smith, dean of student life.
Minority office seeks directors Two positions could be filled by mid-October
By Jennifer Metz Kansan staff writer
"We are in the process of hiring new positions," said Marshall Jackson, director of minority affairs.
The Office of Minority Affairs may have two new directors by mid-October who would help coordinate additional programs.
Smith said the assistant director also would oversee the peer counseling program and the mentor program for minority students.
The peer counseling program was designed to match transfer students and freshmen with students who have been at KU for at least one year, Jackson said.
Robert L. Jones, graduate research assistant at the office, said the peer counseling program helped build a network of people the new student could communicate with.
"When new students come to KU, they generally have feelings of going at it alone," Jones said.
"The mentor will serve as a role model but will also help the student achieve and enhance academic and scholarship goals." Jones said.
A mentor program for minority students also will be overseen by the assistant director, Jones said.
Jackson said he would like to match each minority student with a faculty member to build a helping relationship during the student's years at KU.
A second position to be filled at the office will be an associate director, Smith said. The associate director of the office will develop and coordinate off-campus activities, such as the outreach program based at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
The Minority Affairs Outreach Program at the Med Center serves as an advisory center to junior high and high school students in the Kansas City community, Jones said.
As more Soviet Jews emigrate, entering U.S. gets tougher
By Cory S. Anderson Kansan staff writer
Gene Fridman, Wichita sophmore, emigrated from the Soviet Union eight years ago. He said that when his family applied for visas to leave the Soviet Union, his father and mother lost their jobs and were forced to move from their home.
For Soviet Jews, immigrating to the United States is no easy task.
His family waited two years, was denied permission once and then finally was allowed to emigrate.
Changes in the Soviet Union are making emigration easier. he said.
"Things are happening now that were unheard of when we left," Fridman said.
He said that when his family left,
the U.S. government automatically gave most emigres refuge status.
Refugee status means that the U.S. government recognizes that an emigre has been persecuted in his or her home country and deserves to be allowed in the United States.
Now, many have a tough time attaining that status, and if the State Department has its way it may get even tougher.
Awaiting the approval of President Bush, Secretary of State James A. Baker III and Attorney General Dick Thornhurst is a State Department plan that would deny refugee status to Soviet emigrants who do not have U.S. relatives.
Judy Hellman, assistant executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau of Kansas City,
Kan., said the number of Soviet Jews that were being allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union had increased drastically in the past few months. Last month more than 6,000 emigrants were allowed out of the country, she said, but they were being delayed in Italy, where they applied for entrance into the United States.
"I expect that the number of Jews allowed to leave will be much greater than the number allowed in the U.S." she said.
Hellman said an increase not only in Jewish immigration but also immigration from several other countries might be one of the reasons the United States was tightening its guidelines for refugee status.
Also, she said, Israel had been vocal in its call for Jewish emigres
and may have been pressuring the United States to decrease the number of Jews it accepted.
In 1987, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Shamir asked President Reagan to deny refugee status to Soviet Jews so they would go to Israel instead.
"Iisrael has been very upfront and outspoken about how important it is for them to have new immigrants," Hellman said. "They see it as a chance to get skilled and talented citizens."
Hillary Wetz, chairman for Soviet Jewry for Hillel, said it was becoming easier for Soviet Jews to get out of the Soviet Union, but when they did leave, all they left with was a suitcase.
She said that once a family applied
or a visa to leave the Soviet Union, they usually lost their jobs and all of their privileges.
Hillel members try to help these families by organizing letter-writing campaigns to United States and Soviet officials. Hillel members helped free one man and a family, Weitz said.
But, she said, once a family was free, they had no money and sometimes ended up stuck in Italy, witing to obtain refugee status. This status gives the emigres access to U.S. funds for transportation and resettlement.
Another aspect of the State Department plan would move the application center from Italy to Moscow.
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