The spirit of 1968 politicised everyday life. Discuss Essay

The spirit of 1968 politicised everyday life. Discuss - Essay Example From the streets of First World cities like Memphis, London and Paris to Communist ones like Belgrade and Warsaw, protests, many of them violent, marked the year that was 1968. Civil right protesters, students and instructors, professionals, labour union groups, all trooped to the streets to denounce what they saw was imperialistic, oppressive, repressive and simply unjust status quo. In short, 1968 was simply a year of chaos and anarchy. The Guardian called it the ‘Year of the Revolt’ and that was not an exaggeration. The events of 1968 were in themselves overwhelming, but more so because media, principally television, brought the images of these events into the intimacy of homes. The spirit of 1968 succeeded in changing the world chiefly because it changed the everyday life of people. It empowered, it prodded and it inspired people to take stock of their political world and go out in the streets and have a say on how things are done, whether rightly or wrongly. It simply politicised everyday life. Students became a power to be reckoned with, rattling and changing government policies and perspectives. Students, professionals, and the working-class were all part of the rampaging social segments that made 1968 the year that changed the history of the world. To start with, 1968 was no ordinary year. The global scene was awash with arresting and dramatic political developments that would have naturally stirred attention and emotions. At the very first month of the year, the North Vietnamese Army and the Vietcong caught the Americans by surprise when they launched the Tet Offensive, so called because it was made on the 31st of January, which happened to be Tet Nguyen Dan or Vietnam’s first day of the year and its most important holiday. The Vietnam War that the US government was waging had previously already earned mounting protests at home and overseas because Americans felt it was not their war to fight and people abroad

Persuasive Speech about Lowering the drinking age Essay

Persuasive Speech about Lowering the drinking age - Essay Example This is because, despite the fact that it is illegal for young adults below drinking age to drink alcohol, most people always start drinking before they reach the legal drinking age Credibility Statement: I have researched on the issue at lowering the drinking age in USA on the pros and cons, as well as their implications for over 30 years. As a result, I present this argument calling for the lowering of the age due to its benefits to society despite strong opposition from the public and other members of the society. The controversy on lowering the minimum legal drinking age has been raging for a long time and has attracted the attention of many. Many have been arguing that lowering the drinking age will encourage promiscuousness and irresponsibility, which is a mistaken stand since there is no direct relation between drinking and behaviors, as we will come to realize. A. The drinking age should be lowered because; in the early days, anyone was allowed to drink regardless of their age. The drinking age should be lowered because; in the early days, anyone was allowed to drink regardless of their age. 3. In the early times, consumption of alcohol was an event or act for anyone, why can we not let the memories of our ancestors come back to life by allowing all those with the ability to handle their liquor participate in the consumption. 2. This excludes the information that as long as one is over the age of eighteen years, one can be forced to join the Selective Service for possible drafting into the military and participating in war should one occur. 3. The implication of the above is that the government and the law recognizes the ability of eighteen year olds to make appropriate decisions regarding the welfare of the country at large, but not those that determine their own wellbeing.. 2. It also put one in the state of questioning the sincerity of the government, in giving

Role and importance of advertising

Role and importance of advertising Advertising is the most important weapon to market any product or service. To success an advertising campaign there should be creative minds to promote. Collecting and using information of customers as well as the competitors of your customer can create a huge advantage to take the competitive advantage. In this section we try to present, how effect for creative designing IS and through that we like to discuss what are the ting that world concern about advertising. In here we would like to introduce the way to success in creative designing using IS. The creative industries in which the product or service contains a substantial element of artistic or creative endeavour (Caves 2000) are industries that supply goods and services that we broadly associated with cultural, artistic, or simply entertainment value (Caves 2000). The media and advertising industries, in which creativity is seen as central are considered to be creative industries. At the same time, there has been petite IS research on creativity, in distinction to the sufficient literature on creativity in engineering, science, education, architecture, and psychology (Couger et al., 1993), and even less so in the organizational, managerial context. What is advertising? Advertising  is a type of  communication  designed to  convince  an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to buy or take several action upon goods, ideas, or services. It includes the name of a product or service and how that product or service could do well to the consumer, to convince a target market to obtain or to consume that particular  brand. These messages are generally paid for by sponsors and viewed by the use of various media. Advertising can furthermore provide to communicate an idea to a huge amount of people in an endeavour to encourage them to capture a certain action. Advertising theory Hierarchy of effects model It explains the goals of an advertising promotion and for each individual advertisement. The model suggests that there are six steps a customer or a business shopper moves through when doing a purchase. The steps are: Awareness Knowledge Liking Preference Conviction The actual purchase Means-End Theory This tactic suggests that an advertisement must have a message or means that leads the customer to a desired end state. Leverage Points It is considered to move the customer as of understanding a products benefits to connecting those benefits with personal values. Verbal and Visual Images Current Trends The Marketing Mix The marketing mix has been the strategic concept to advertising. The marketing mix was proposed by Professor  E. Jerome McCarthy  in the 1960s. The marketing mix contains of four basic components called the four Ps Product is the first P representing the real product. Price represents the method of defining the rate of a product. Place represents the variables of receiving the product to the customer like supply channels, market exposure and movement organization. The final P stands for Promotion which is the procedure of reaching the target audience and convincing them to go out and purchase the product. Niche marketing Another important tendency concerning future of advertising is the rising reputation of the  niche market  using niche or targeted ads. Also carried nearly by the Internet and the concept of  The Long Tail, advertisers will have an increasing talent to grasp exact audiences. In the earlier, the most effective way to convey a message was to complete the biggest  mass market  audience conceivable. But, usage tracking, consumer profiles and the rising popularity of niche content carried nearby everything from  blogs  to social networking web sites, afford advertisers with audiences that are lesser but much well defined, leading to advertisements that are more significant to viewers and more effective for companies advertising products. Most successful method to advertise The informal availability of the Internet has engaged the advertising world by tempest with several enterprises taking to the online standard to promote their goods and services to the worldwide market. Though, the up-to-date research records are demonstrating that the most effective advertising intermediate remains to be the Print Media. One of the top media agencies in England feels that by advertising in newspapers and magazines you can expanse a more dedicated group of customers who likes to buy your goods online. According to the agency, online business is well for making purchases due to the luxury level it deals in that publics do not have to drive long distances to buy goods. On the source of fashions and readings, some of the top commercial organizations feel that once it approaches to advertising, newspapers and magazines evidence to be more successful. This is for the reason that customers put more reliance in newspapers and magazines while compared to online promoting. They think that this happen because people who publicise in newspapers seem like more honest because they pay for advertising for their assistances. Advertising online is free in some cases, and therefore the probabilities of frauds will be high. Several of the best advertisement companies in the world create colour advertising reachable and cost effective for small and medium level businesses to advertise in top newspapers in the UK. The pages of advertising agencies, which publish in the weekend extra newspapers, are particularly dedicated to small and medium level businesses to promote their goods and services. These pages are read by an extremely dedicated group of customers who are beholding for good online deals which they can buy easily from their households. According to certain advertising firms, an effective advertising plan combines the influence of both online and offline methods. They recommend that web based businesses have to advertise in the magazines and newspapers to success over consumers and afford for online buying procedures so that they can buy from their home at any time they like. Online businesses can combine the finest of both mechanisms, by succeeding this strategy Furthermore, instead of publishing a classified ad on any page of a newspaper, firms can publish advertisements in completely dedicated space for online companies to advertise their products or services. As an example, certain dedicated pages of the advertising firms are read by educated and rich groups of individuals who know that this area is dedicated for online advertising offerings. Business firms can contact the agents of reputed advertising agencies who can support to choose the exact newspapers or magazines to publish advertisements, based on target audience. The Advertising agents make their approvals based on publication, demographics, location, etc. so that will increase the chance of success the target audience. By surfing a website that well know offline advertising firms, businesses can gain an awareness into the happiness level of online businesses who have published on the firms pages and observed a growth in circulation. By advertising in printed media and especially on the firms page, can also reach people who dont have technical knowledge enough to browse the Internet and looking for goods and services. These societies basically have to read advertisements on the dedicated agency pages, take the URL and log on to particular business website to create purchases. These can be taken as reasons that the modern tendencies in advertising use the printed media to drive online traffic where people can create purchases expediently without traveling big distances. Creative advertising benefits with IS, Case study Case Study,  26.02.08 INTRODUCTION Innovative use of Windows Live Spaces, together with creative advertising and a dedicated pet health microsite, helped to build a community of animal lovers around Nestlà ©s Purina ONE pet food brand. Advertising online with MSN raised message awareness by over eight percentage points, with purchase consideration rated as excellent. CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES Reach a target audience of women aged 35 and over Raise awareness of the Purina ONE brand Increase perception of Purina ONE as a high-quality pet food Drive brand association with health and nutrition Recruit long-term buyers through a one-month trial challenge. CREATIVE EXECUTION A combination of the MSN Lifestyle channel, Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces allowed Nestlà © to reach 1.2 million pet-owners with creative advertising directing them to a campaign microsite. For the site itself, MSN advertising created content focused around pet health and nutrition, with features such as Ask the Expert and Pet Guides. Innovative use of Windows Live Spaces allowed owners to keep diaries of their pets progress through the one-month trial challenge. RESULTS Advertising online with MSN generated 14,995 clicks to the Purina ONE microsite, with Dynamic Logics Advertising Effectiveness Report measuring major uplifts against the key campaign objectives: Brand awareness up 6.7 percentage points Online ad awareness up 7.1 percentage points Message association up 8.9 percentage points Purchase intent up 6 percentage points, greatly exceeding the pet food market average and earning a ranking of excellent.

William Blakes The Tyger Essay -- The Tyger Philosophy Literature Pap

William Blake's The Tyger Terror, in the eighteenth century, was commonly considered the highest manifestation of sublimity. "Indeed," writes Edmund Burke in his Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful (1757), "terror is in all cases whatsoever, either more openly or latently, the ruling principle of the sublime."(1) In Section VII of his aesthetic treatise, Burke tries to explain why this is so: "Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and danger, that is to say, whatever is in any sort terrible, or is conversant about terrible objects, or operates in a manner analogous to terror, is a source of the sublime; that is, it is productive of the strongest emotion which the mind is capable of feeling" (39). The chief effect of the sublime, according to Burke, is "astonishment"--"that state of the soul, in which all its motions are suspended, with some degree of horror," and in which "the mind is so entirely filled with its object, that it cannot entertain any other" (57). These effects are produced when we contemplate dangerous objects which we know cannot harm us. Burke finds examples of this that immediately bring William Blake's poem "The Tyger" to mind: "We have continually about us animals of a strength that is considerable, but not pernicious. Amongst these we never look for the sublime: it comes upon us in the gloomy forest, and in the howling wilderness, in the form of the lion, the tiger, the panther, or rhinoceros" (66). "The Tyger" is, indeed, a poem that celebrates the effects of that sublimity which Burke calls "the concomitant of terror" (66). In this aspect, the poem is reminiscent of one of Blake's Proverbs of Hell: "The roaring of lions, the howling of ... ...lake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, British Literature: 1780-1830, ed. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak (Forth Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996) 289. back (3) William Blake, "The Tyger," British Literature: 1780-1830, ed. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996) 301. All further quotations from this poem are given parenthetically in the text by line number. back (4) William Blake, "The Little Girl Lost," British Literature: 1780-1830, ed. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996) 282. back (5) William Blake, "The Lamb," British Literature: 1780-1830, ed. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996) 278. back (6) William Blake, "The Divine Image," British Literature: 1780-1830, ed. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996) 280. back

Children Education Special Needs Essay

This first chapter introduces you to an area of education that has greatly affected the lives of countless children in positive way. Together we will take a look at the radical change of thought that has taken place, not only in this country, but also in other parts of the world. This, in turn, has influenced our understanding of how we identify children who require special needs. Here you will see the unfolding scenario that greatly affects all of us as we are being introduced to various groups who are directly or indirectly associated with these children. They include parents, educators, legislators, and even our leaders. But in the very central spotlight are the children who are exceptional or who need special services. As you become acquainted with new terminology, keep your focus on the major trends outlined, especially as these are interwoven into later chapters, as they highlight issues related to groups of children with specific needs or exceptionalities. Focusing Questions 1. How have perspectives on treating individuals with special needs changed over time? 2. What are the major forces that affect individuals with special needs development? 3. How have families been instrumental in obtaining services for individuals with special needs or exceptional children? 4. What trends show that individuals with special needs or exceptional individuals are becoming more integrated into society? Chapter Outline 1. Who are the individuals with special needs or exceptional children? 2. Characteristics of those with special needs or Exceptional Children 3. Identifying students with special needs 4. Methods of educational provisions 5. Instructional strategies 6. Changing perspectives on special needs children or exceptional children 7. Environmental influences on special needs children or exceptional individuals 8. Families of special needs children or exceptional children 9. The special needs children and the school 10. The special needs children in the society 11. Issues Related To The Special Needs Children 12. Inclusive Education in Malaysia: Country Report 1. Who Are the Exceptional Children or Children with Special Need 2. Who Are the Exceptional Children or Children with Special Need Special education is the education of students with special needs or exceptional children in a way that addresses the students’ individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials, accessible settings, and other interventions designed to help learners with special needs achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success in school and community. Some of the common special needs of these children include: challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders. Special needs students benefit from additional educational services such as different approaches to teaching, use of technology, a specifically adapted teaching area, or resource room. We define a child with special needs or exceptional child as a child who differs from the average or normal child in 1) mental characteristics, 2) sensory abilities,  3) communication abilities, 4) behavior and emotional development, 4) children with multiple and severe handicapping conditions, or 5) physical characteristics. These differences must occur to such an extent that in order to develop his or her unique capabilities, the child requires a modification of school practices, or special educational services. Perhaps the definition given is quite general. You might be asking: what is meant by average or normal? What is special education? How do we decide whether the child requires special education services or not? 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIAL NEEDS OR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIAL NEEDS OR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Children are considered educationally exceptional only when it is necessary to alter the educational program. As an example, a child is considered exceptional if he or she is unable to read or to master learning in the traditional way; or a child becomes bored by what is being taught in the classroom because he or she is far ahead of others. The term exceptional child can mean different things in education, in psychology, or in other disciplines. In education we usually group children of similar characteristics for instructional purposes. Some typical groupings are as follow: 1. Intellectual differences: This includes children who have high intellectual abilities as well as those who are slow to learner 2. Sensory differences: This includes children with auditory or visual impairments or disabilities 3. Communication differences: This includes children with learning disabilities, or speech and language disabilities 4. Behavior differences: This includes children who are emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted. 5. Children with multiple and severe handicapping conditions: This includes children with combinations of impairments (for example – cerebral palsy and mental retardation; deafness and blindness) 6. Physical differences. This includes children with non-sensory disabilities that impede mobility and physical vitality When discussing a child as learner, we need to look at the complete portrait of the child itself, including the social and family context in which the child lives. These are the complex and unique forces which influence the child individuality. Once we recognize this, it is easier to choose the most appropriate instructional strategies and the most suitable learning environment. 3. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 3. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Some children are easily identified as candidates for special needs from their medical history – diagnosed with a genetic condition that is associated with mental retardation, brain damage, developmental disorder, visual or hearing disabilities, or other disabilities. Less obvious identification are students with learning difficulties. Two primary methods have been used for identifying them: i. discrepancy model – depends on the teacher noticing that the students’ achievements are noticeably below what is expected, and ii. response to intervention model – which advocates to earlier intervention. In the discrepancy model, a student receives special educational services for a specific learning difficulty (SLD) if the child has at least normal intelligence, and his academic achievement is below what is expected of with his or her intelligent quotient (IQ).. The discrepancy model recently has been criticized among researchers because diagnosing SLDs on the basis of the discrepancy between achievement and IQ does not predict the effectiveness of treatment. Low academic achievers who also have low IQ appear to benefit from treatment just as much as low academic achievers who have normal or high intelligence. Therefore an alternative approach has been identified. This approach i. identifies children who are having difficulties in school in their first or second year after starting school. ii. provides problematic children with assistance such as participating in a reading remediation program. iii. focuses on responses of these children on the intervention provided, then determines whether they are designated as having a learning disability. iv. ensures that those few who still have trouble may then receive designation and further assistance. Many experts believe that i. early remediation can greatly reduce the number of children meeting diagnostic criteria for learning disabilities. ii. the focus on learning disabilities and the provision of accommodations in school fails to acknowledge that people have a range of strengths and weaknesses and iii.most parents and teachers place undue emphasis on academics In helping these children, their individual needs should be given a priority. Some of the critical issues need to be taken into considerations are: i. Services for these children should be customized to address each individual student’s unique needs. ii. Special educators should provide a continuum of services, in which students with special needs receive services in varying degrees based on their individual needs iii. Programs need to be individualized so that they address the unique combination of needs in a given student iv.Educational professionals need to use Individualized Education Programs (IEP) when referring to a student’s need v. They are being assessed for educational purposes i. e. to determine their specific strengths and weaknesses vi. All placement, resources, and goals are determined on the basis of the student’s needs vii. Should plan for accommodations and modifications to the regular program which include changes in curriculum, supplementary aides or equipment, and the provision of specialized physical adaptations that allow students to participate in the educational environment to the fullest extent possible. 4. METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION 4. METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION This can be broadly grouped into four categories, (using North American terminology): i. Inclusion: Students with special educational needs spend all, or at least more than half, of the school day with students who do not have special educational needs. Since inclusion can require substantial modification of the general curriculum, most schools use it only for selected students with mild to moderate special needs. Specialized services may be provided inside or outside the regular classroom, depending on the type of service. Students may occasionally leave the regular classroom to attend smaller, more intensive instructional sessions in a resource room, or to receive other related services that might require specialized equipment or might be disruptive to the rest of the class, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or might require greater privacy, such as counseling sessions with a social worker. ii. Mainstreaming: The practice of educating students with special needs in classes with non-disabled students during specific time periods based on their skills.  iii. Segregation: The practice of educating students in a separate classroom or special school. Some of the typical features are: * students with special needs spend no time in classes with non-disabled students * students may attend the same school where regular classes are provided, but spend all instructional time exclusively in a separate classroom for students with special needs * if their special class is located in an ordinary school, they may be provided opportunities for social integration outside the classroom, e.g. , by eating meals with non-disabled students iv. Exclusion: A student who does not receive instruction in any school is thus excluded from school. Exclusion may be described as * Those children with special needs which have been excluded from school, and such exclusion may still occur where there is no legal mandate for special education services, such as in developing and under developed countries * Children who are sick and need to be hospitalized; housebound children, or those detained by the criminal justice system. These children may receive one-on-one instruction or group instruction in hospital, at home, or the place where they are being detained. However, students who have been suspended or expelled from schools are not considered excluded in this sense. 5. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES 5. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Different instructional techniques are used for some students with special educational needs. Instructional strategies are classified as being either accommodations or modifications. An accommodation is a reasonable adjustment to teaching practices so that the student learns the same material, but in a format that is accessible to the student. Accommodations may be classified by whether they change the presentation, response, setting, or scheduling. For example, the school may accommodate a student with visual impairments by providing a large print textbook. This is known as a presentation accommodation. Examples of accommodations i. Response accommodation. Typing homework assignments rather than hand-writing them (considered a modification if the subject is learning to write by hand). Or by having someone else write down answers given verbally. ii. Presentation accommodation. Listening to audio books rather than reading printed books. Agencies like Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and RNIB National Library service in the UK provide a variety of titles on tape and CD. These may be used as substitutes for the text, or as supplements intended to bolster the students’ reading fluency and phonetic skills. Similar options include designating a person to read text to the student, or providing text to speech software. Others include designating a person to take notes during lectures, using a talking calculator rather than one with only a visual display. iii. Setting accommodation. Taking a test in a quieter room. Moving the class to a room that is physically accessible, e. g. , on the first floor of a building or near an elevator; or arranging seating assignments to benefit the student, e. g. , by sitting at the front of the classroom. iv. Scheduling accommodations. Students may be given rest breaks or extended time on tests (may be considered a modification, if speed is a factor in the test). All developed countries permit or require some degree of accommodation for students with special needs, and special provisions are usually made in examinations which take place at the end of formal schooling. A modification changes or adapts the material to make it simpler. Modifications may change what is learned, how difficult the material is, what level of mastery the student is expected to achieve, whether and how the student is assessed, or any another aspect of the curriculum. For example, the school may modify a reading assignment for a student with reading difficulties by substituting a shorter, easier book. A student may receive both accommodations and modifications. Examples of modifications i. Skipping subjects: Students may be taught less information than typical students, skipping over material that the school deems inappropriate for the student’s abilities or less important than other subjects. For example, students whose fine motor skills are weak may be taught to print block letter and not cursive handwriting. ii. Simplified assignments: Students may read the same literature as their peers but have a simpler version, for example Shakespeare with both the original text and a modern paraphrase available. iii. Shorter assignments: Students may do shorter homework assignments or take shorter, more concentrated tests, e. g. 10 math problems instead of 30. iv. Extra aids: If students have deficiencies in working memory, a list of vocabulary words, called a word bank, can be provided during tests, to reduce lack of recall and increase chances of comprehension. Students might use a calculator when other students are not. v. Extended time: Students with lower processing speed may benefit from extended time in assignments and/or tests in order to comprehend questions, recall information, and synthesize knowledge. In addition to how the student is taught the academic curriculum, schools may provide non-academic services to the student. These are intended ultimately to increase the student’s personal and academic abilities. Related services include developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a student with special needs. This includes speech and language pathology, audiology, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, medical services as defined by regulations, parent counseling and training, school health services, school social work, assistive technology services, other appropriate developmental or corrective support services, appropriate access to recreation and other appropriate support services. In some countries, most related services are provided by the schools; in others, they are provided by the normal healthcare and social services systems. As an example, students who have autistic spectrum disorder, poor impulse control, or other behavioral challenges may learn self-management techniques, be kept closely on a comfortingly predictable schedule, or given extra cues to signal activities. 6. CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 6. CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN In the nineteenth and twentieth century, medical profession was the first profession that gave significant attention to exceptional children. The attention was on the unique characteristics of the children that helped to diagnose their condition and treatment. They gave very little attention to the environment, the family, the culture and its influences on those children. For example if a child was blind or mental retarded, it was accepted that the problem was entirely within the child. The basic problem was to find ways to help the child adapt to the surrounding world. As programs for exceptional children expanded, it became clear that exceptional child involved a mix of the individual’s characteristics which needed to  take into account the demands of the environment on each individual. With this, the concept of exceptionality moved from a medical model, which implies a physical condition or disease within the patient, to an ecological model which sees the exceptional child in complex interaction with environmental forces. 7. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS 7. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS In order to understand exceptional children, we have to understand the environment in which the child exists. The child is at the center of a complex network of forces: the family, the school, and the larger society. As the child develops, the impact of each of these forces changed. For example, the family may be very important in early years, but in later years, school and society become more important. Even though t he influence of parents on the child is undisputable, bur psychologists and educators also believe that children have a powerful influence on their parents. A child who is hyperactive or has difficulty giving attention can create negative reaction among other members of the family. This will increase the child problem. Thus we need to look at both the effects of the family and the personal characteristics on the child. On the other hand, the school environment exerts a significant influence on the developing individual. Social forces and values can also influence exceptional children. The acceptance or non acceptance of the society on the handicapped children can affect the parents to cope with the exceptional child. Thus we can say that family, school, and society leave greater impact on the ability to cope with exceptionality than the individual or the nature of the exceptionality itself. 8. FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 9. FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN One of the important elements in the ecological setting of any child is the family. For the exceptional child, the critical role of the family environment is more visible. For normal or able-bodied person, it is difficult to understand what it is like to have a handicapping condition. We can try to understand physical handicap, blindness and deafness through simulation. But still to those who have been handicapped from birth they do not have the visual, auditory and motor memories to help them. In fact it is harder to imagine what it is like to be mentally retarded – i. e. not to understand what is going on around them. Imagine failing at almost every tasks and what that does to an individual. Similarly it is hard to grasp the problems of the gifted of superior ability child, who cannot understand why others cannot see what is so obvious to him or her. Having exceptional children can happen to anyone, regardless of educational background, family status or financial standing. Society at large has begun to appreciate the pain and stress of parents having a child who is handicapped, and to realize the important of external support to maintain their equilibrium under those circumstances. Most parents with a severely handicapped child must cope with at least two major crises. The first is the symbolic death of the child who was to be – the loss of their dreams and hopes. Expectant parents have high hope for the unborn child – for success, for education, and for financial security. The second crisis is more challenging: the problem of providing daily care for their exceptional child. For example, the child who is autistic or cerebral palsied is often difficult to feed, to dress, and to put to bed. The thought that the child is not going to go through normal developmental process weighs heavily on them. 9. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL 9. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL School is not only a center for learning but also a social training ground. School provides opportunities for the child to develop skills and knowledge that will allow him to adapt to the society, to respond to adult requirements, to interact with his peers, to form friendships, and to learn how to work cooperatively with others. For exceptional children school becomes particularly important in getting special kinds of assistance to become productive adults. Schools should carry out the responsibilities of providing a free public education for all children. In the past handicapped students have been deprived of the education because of the perception that these children did not fit into the established program. However in recent decades the schools have accepted their role more positively in giving equal education for all. 10. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN THE SOCIETY 10. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN THE SOCIETY. The most revolutionary changes over the last few decades were the society’s view and acceptance of exceptional individuals as contributing members of society. However, it is helpful to understand the history of special needs children. The concept of giving education to every child to the highest performance possible is relatively new idea. The use of the term exceptional is itself a reflection of radical change in society’s view of those who differ from the norm. There are roughly four stages in the development of social attitudes toward children and adult with handicaps: 1. During the pre-Christian era where handicapped children were neglected or mistreated. 2. During the spread of Christianity, those children were protected and pities. 3. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where institutions started to be established to provide separate education for exceptional children 4. In the latter part of twentieth century, we see a movement toward accepting people with handicaps and integrating them into society to the fullest extent possible. 11. ISSUES RELATED TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 11. ISSUES RELATED TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. 1. At-Risk Students At risk students (those with educational needs that are not associated with a disability) are often placed in classes with students who have disabilities. Critics assert that placing at-risk students in the same classes as students with disabilities may impede the educational progress of people with disabilities. Some special education classes have been criticized for a watered-down curriculum. [ 2. Inclusion The practice of inclusion (in mainstream classrooms) has been criticized by advocates and some parents of children with special needs. This is because some of these students require instructional methods that differ from typical classroom methods. Critics assert that it is not possible to deliver effectively two or more very different instructional methods in the same classroom. As a result, the educational provision for these students who depend on different instructional methods in order to learn often fall even further behind their peers. Parents fear that their children would continue to lack behind from the rest of the class and thereby impair the academic achievements of all students. (NOTE: Discussion on Country Report) 3. Eligibility Criteria Some parents, advocates, and students have concerns about the eligibility criteria and their application. In some cases, parents and students protest the students’ placement into special education programs. For example, a student may be placed into the special education programs due to a mental health condition such as obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, panic attacks or ADHD, while the student and his parents believe that the condition is adequately managed through medication and outside therapy. In other cases, students whose parents believe they require the additional support of special education services are denied participation in the program based on the eligibility criteria. 4. Severely disabled children It is debated whether it is useful and appropriate to attempt to educate the most severely disabled children, such as children who are in a persistent vegetative state. While many severely disabled children can learn simple tasks, such as pushing a buzzer when they want attention, some children may be incapable of learning. Some parents and advocates say that these children would be better served by substituting improved physical care for any academic program. 13. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: COUNTRY REPORT MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA 14. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: COUNTRY REPORT MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA National Education Philosophy * To reinforce the direction and goals of national education. * It emphasises holistic and integrated education. * To nurture well-balanced students physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually Vision: Excellent Schools and a Glorious Nation. Mission: Developing Individual Potential through Quality Education Overview of the system: INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: Welcome all learners regardless of their characteristics or disadvantages and addressing the diverse needs of all learners by reducing barriers within the learning environment. Adopting more holistic definition of inclusive education Inclusive education means that all students in a school, regardless of their differences, are part of the school community and can feel that they belong. The mandate to ensure access, participation and achievement for every student is taken as given. (Department of Education, Tasmania, 2006) Building †¦ a school community where students are not only valued and respected but also involves social connectedness and creates a feeling of belonging among the students (DISABLED + NON DISABLED). Inclusive education in Malaysia is illustrated by the opportunity to gain access (without gender bias) to quality education for all, including ‘At Risk’ children/adults, namely: * Children with special education needs; * Indigenous children (Orang Asli & Penans); * Children in hospitals (Schools in Hospital); * Young convicts and juveniles (IS & HGS); * Undocumented or stateless children; and * Indigenous adults (Adult education classes) Malaysia Embraces Inclusive Education * 2003: Compulsory primary education * 2008: Free education or fully funded schooling (No school fees or examination fees) * Support program: Textbooks-on-loan, boarding facilities, scholarships, allowances, food & nutrition and school health. * Curricula for specific groups: Modified/alternative curriculum for children with special needs, special curriculum for indigenous pupils and special learning modules for indigenous adults * Remedial and enrichment programs to reduce gaps in 3Rs. LEGISLATION ACT 550 – EDUCATION ACT (1996) Chapter 3 – Compulsory Education: Minister to provide primary education for all 29A. (1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, prescribe primary education to be compulsory education. Chapter 8 – Special Education 40. The Minister shall provide special education in special schools established under paragraph 34(1) (b) or in such primary or secondary schools as the Minister deems expedient. Power to prescribe the duration of and curriculum on special education 41. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the Minister may by regulations prescribe —. (a) the duration of primary and secondary education suitable to the needs of a pupil in receipt of special education; (b) the curriculum to be used in respect of special education; (c) the categories of pupils requiring special education and the methods appropriate for the education of pupils in each category of special schools; and (d) any other matter which the Minister deems expedient or necessary for the purposes of this Chapter. Below are illustrations of the acts: ACT 685 – PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PWDs (Persons with disabilities) (2008). 36. (1) The Government and the private healthcare service provider shall make available essential health services to persons with disabilities which shall include the following: a. prevention of further occurrence of disabilities, immunization, nutrition, environmental protection and preservation and genetic counselling; and b. early detection of disabilities and timely intervention to arrest disabilities and treatment for rehabilitation INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION a. Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNESCO (12th December 1989) b. Jomtein World Conference on Education for All, UNESCO (1990) Article 1: Meeting Basic Learning Needs Every person – child, youth and adult – shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs c. Salamanca Statement 1994: School should accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions d. Dakar Framework for Action (2000) Article 7(i): Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children e. Biwako Millennium Framework for Action 2002: Towards an Inclusive, Barrier Free & Right-based Society for Persons with Disabilities f. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006 TYPES OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES 1. Children with Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD), Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder or PDD-NOS. 2. Children with Specific Developmental Disorders – Speech & Language, Cognitive Skills, Motor Function and mixed specific developmental disorders. 3. Children with chromosomal disorder : (Angelman/Prader Willi Syndrome, Down Syndrome , Klinefelter Syndrome†¦) 4. Children with other Developmental Disorders (Apert Syndrome, Goldenhar, Syndrome, Noonan Syndrome†¦) 5. Children with Specific Learning Difficulties – Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, etc. 6. Children with Emotional Behavioural Difficulties – ADD, ADHD, CD, ODD, etc. 7. Children with multiple disabilities. EARLY IDENTIFICATION & INTERVENTION Early Identification a. Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) b. Checklist (Screening instrument) : Identify children for special needs to be referred for diagnosis by registered doctors EARLY AND TIMELY INTERVENTION a. Special Education -. * Trained teachers, teaching styles, classroom environment, curriculum, extracurricular activities and assistive devices. * Special Education Service Centres Special Education Service Centre: a. Facilities: * Audiology room * Low vision room * Occupational therapy room * Physiotherapy room * Psychology room * Multi-sensory room * Common Rehab Corner and * Toy library. b. Personnel: * Audiologist * Speech pathologist * Peripatetic * Physiotherapist * Occupational Therapist * Educational and/or Clinical Psychologist. c. Services: * Audiology * Individual/Group Speech Therapy * hearing aids and Braille maintenance * low vision and mob.

Virgin Usa – Pricing Strategy

Marketing [pic] Virgin USA Francesco Marani Problem Statement Virgin mobile is entering the US mobile market. Low brand recognition in USA and limited financial resources for advertisement represents a constraint because to enter successfully in such a market Virgin needs to swiftly attract its potential target customer, in order to establish a critical mass and financial strength to defend itself from incumbent and/or other potential entrants (price-wars, dumping, etc†¦). The profile of target customers, youth in between 15 and 29 years old with low credit credentials and high income / price elasticity (sensitivity to changes in price and income), is in conflict with the need to retain customers for a minimum period of 17 months as currently in the market ($ 370 / [52-30] = 17), in order to breakeven recovering the Cost per Acquisition (CPA). Situation Analysis Competition – the Mobile Industry in USA: there are 6 national carriers, as well as other small regional providers. The market is overcrowded, mature, highly competitive and concentrated (3 largest carriers covering about 59% of the market – Exhibit 1); requiring large capital expenditure (CAPEX). High churn rate contribute to create uncertainty on the profitability of clients particularly because the carriers are perceived as utility providers rather than service providers. Advertisement expenditure by market leaders is high in order to capture unsatisfied customers. Customer – Market: Most of the new subscribers of mobile services (117 Mln in 2001) opt for a contractual agreement with mobile carriers, which implies hat the bulk of customers are locked into an agreement and potentially dissatisfied. Carriers make money with hidden fees, taxes and unexpected charge (calls during peak time and in excess of monthly allowance). Customer confusion, dissatisfaction and homogenous offer could be some of the reason behind the significant churn rate. We can assume that a significant chunk of the remaining subscribers (13 Mln) are mainly concentrated within the younger part of the population, in many instance unable to sign up for a contract given their lower credit credentials. Virgin aims at attracting 1 Mln of subscriber on the first year and is partnering with MTV, specialized magazines and selected trendy stores consistently with its target customers. Company – Virgin Value Preposition: The Virgin brand in other European market is associated to value for money, innovation, a hip and trendy image, and also ability to shake industry convention and status-quo. Virgin is planning to enter the USA market aggressively, where it has almost no brand recognition, focusing on understanding and meeting customer needs rather than operating the physical infrastructure (MVNO approach). By trying to differentiate its offer and value preposition from the flat and boring offer of established carrier Virgin is trying to change the concept and the perception of such service. Final goal would be reducing dissatisfaction and hence the churn rate, potentially increase the average spending per customers by in other entertainment services. Context: Virgin target customers are the youth between 15 and 29 years old, with less stable economic and consumer behavior, but a higher attitude to spend. On a comparative basis, penetration rate is expected to growth the most on Virgin’s target customer. Additionally revenues generated by entertainment services are expected to grow exponentially (annual growth above 100%) creating an additional revenue stream. Alternatives Clone the industry Prices: Adopting the same price structure available in the market seems to be a strategy consistent with the need of a simple communication, while differentiation will be based on transparency, attention to customer needs and additional services. Such price replicating strategy can be difficulty defendable in the long term. The owners of the network infrastructure, which in some instances is also a provider of mobile services, could easily cross-subsidize their mobile business and reduce its CPA to compete aggressively with Virgin, neutralizing its strategy given their superior rental network cost advantage. Any price war is likely to create an immediate change in customer preferences, in particular Virgin’s target customer (15- 29 years) is likely to be strongly affected given their traditional high sensitivity to prices change (price elasticity typically high). Price below the Competition: The option to adopt a quasi-similar pricing structure, with an exception for the bucket of consumption in between 100 and 300 minutes, has the same pros and cons of the one before mentioned, in addition to increase the probability of triggering an aggressive competitive reaction by incumbent (price wars). Both the above options fail to address three significant aspects: ? The high churn rate, which is one of the main problems in the service industry, is not addressed by any of the mentioned strategy. The limited advertisement budget may fail to create an impact and convey rapidly a clear message to any potential customers. ? The post-paid contract may be difficult to implement using the planned distribution channel. Lower sales commission could also implies less prepared sales representatives, which may fail to properly complete paperwork related to credit checks. Recommendations Virgin should adopt a brand new approach entering the mobile market to quick ly capture the favor of unhappy customers, as well as people unable to sign a contract given their low credit credentials. No contracts (pre-paid only), no hidden fees & taxes, an aggressive price strategy within the 100 – 300 minutes of consumption as a monthly allowance, with no difference between peak and off-peak charges. The average cost per minute in the industry is at the moment around 12 cents ($ 52 average bill per month / 417 min). By analyzing different possible scenario, including different retention rates and rebates in line with the market (Exhibit 2), Virgin can produce a positive Lifetime Value (LTV) offering a tiered price structure, by charging 0. 19cents for monthly usage below 100 minutes, 0. cents in between 100 and 200 minutes, or 0. 06cents between 200 and 300. This solution has been obtained by resolving the LTV formula, leaving the price as an incognita, and assuming a 6% churn rate, a rebate from client of the mobile cost at $30 (using similar proportion of rebate as other competitors), ? PROs: difficult to be replicated by competitors in the market in the short term. It best suits the need of youth people unable to pass credit checks, as well as teenagers and parents needs because it naturally limit their maximum spending in advance. LTV positive since the beginning and CPA at $160 (refer to the next section for further consideration on the CPA). Virgin can further reduce the cost per minute charges if we increase the upfront cost billed to customer for the phone (Exhibit 3), in case competitors start competing aggressively. ? CONs: pre-paid are typically associated with higher churn rate, which can result in a net loss for the carriers before having recovered the CPA. Pre-paid customer in some instances use the mobile phone less than traditional users. An appropriate (easy to reach and cheap) infrastructure needs to be in place to recharge the phone. Implementation Plan Price: an aggressive tiered price strategy, with price decreasing at increased consumption simple to communicate and sensitively lower than competitors (Exhibit 4). Any minutes in excess of 300 minutes can be charged at the same cost per minute applied for the 200 – 300 minutes of monthly consumption. No difference between peak and off-peak charges. Contract: no contract, no hidden fees and taxes. Every user will be charged only an upfront cost for the phone, which in an aggressive scenario is set at $30, (i. e. half of the minimum amount currently charged by other carriers – Exhibit 5). Communication: Virgin is entering the USA mobile market using selected affiliated partner (MTV, selected magazine, etc) consistent with its target customers. The planned advertisement investment is $60 Mln, lower than competitors, but significant for a new entrant. If we consider such t investment as a cost, the total CPA is around $160 (Exhibit 2). Nevertheless, from a financial perspective we should consider the $60 million initial investment as the only CAPEX required, which need to be remunerated by taking into account the company and market risk. If we assume a 16% rate of return on the CAPEX we would reduce the CPA at 109. 6 (Exhibit 6), close to the condition to make the present plan viable according to Morgan Stanley research. Success implementation of the strategy require Virgin entering and impacting its target customer swiftly, in order to build a critical mass and financial strength before being able to face any price-wars. Breakeven: currently the industry break-even is 17months. If we assume average consumption around 417 minutes per month, we can see that the breakeven will be significantly lower, and around 5 month. In the present calculation we have neither considered any extra revenues generated by VirginXtras, nor a reduction in the churn rate as a likely consequence of the improved customer satisfaction. Redu cing the churn rate is probably one of the most important objectives in the mobile industry sectors, also because gives additional space for price reduction as demonstrated (Exhibit 2, 3, 6). Exhibit 1 [pic] Exhibit 2 [pic] * Assuming 1 Mln of customers. $60 Mln /1 Mln customers = $ 60 per customer Exhibit 3 Intermediate Rebate [pic] Maximum Rebate [pic] * Assuming 1 Mln of customers. $60 Mln /1 Mln customers = $ 60 per customer Exhibit 4 Price Advantage against Market Average Prices [pic] *Mkt Adv = Market price per minute – Virgin price per minute. Exhibit 5 [pic] Exhibit 6 [pic] * Considering the investment on advertisement as a capital expenditure, with a 16% annual rate of return. ($60 Mln /1 Mln customer x 0. 16 = $ 9. 6