Learning Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Learning Styles - Essay Example In this model there are five ways that our brain processes: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Gustatory, and Olfactory. According to Ellerton (2003), "these modalities are the primary ways we represent, code, store and give meaning or language (linguistic) to our experiences". (par. 1). However, we work with the Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic (VAK) areas most of the time, according to this model. The model states that we use more than one of these VAKS, depending on what we are doing. For instance, when we listen to music, we are feeling the music (kinesthetic), listening to it (auditory) and some picture is coming to mind (visual). Usually one of these is a "preferred" mode for a learner to use. Individuals have the ability to move from one to the other easily. According to this model Visual learners tend to be neat because they want to "look good." Their decision making tends to use visualization and they have insights that they share. They remember faces more than names and they want to see the big picture (Ellerton, 2003, par. 8). The auditory learner falls into two categories, either the Auditory Tonal or the Auditory Digital learner. The Auditory Tonal spends time listening to the tone of a persons voice and are paying attention to the total voice inflection. They are verbal processors and like to think out loud as they are working through a problem (Ellerton, 2003, par. 9). Auditory Digital learners usually are more thinkers and tend to work things out in their mind rather than on paper. It is more important for them to memorize "steps, procedures and sequences" (Ellerton, 2003, par. 11). Kinesthetic learners will use their senses of feeling to get in touch with their learning. They learn best by moving, touching and feeling. They also make decisions based on their feelings (Ellerton, 2003, par. 12). The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality test

A Reflection Paper on Animal Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Reflection Paper on Animal Minds - Essay Example I find this article very interesting and intellectually stimulating. As a human being, I often take for granted that animals respond to different external stimuli without really thinking. I hold the preconception that as opposed to humans, animals solely rely on their instinct and reflexes in order to survive. However, this article opens my mind into the possibility that maybe, at some points, animals also think and are conscious about their actions and emotions. The body of literature explored by the author appears very convincing that animals do share a level of consciousness even if it is largely limited compared to human beings. I agree with the claims that "some kind of mental activity is being attributed to animals: that is, there is considered to be some internal sifting and selection of information rather than simply the release of certain responses by a certain set of environmental conditions" (Griffin 10). This claim can be supported by human experiences and their interaction with animals. For instance, the argument that animals can process and retain information is evidenced by the fact that they can learn certain skills-parrots can be trained to speak specific words and dogs can be taught to perform funny tricks.

Solubility Characteristics Between Organic Compounds

Solubility Characteristics Between Organic Compounds Objective: The objective of this experiment is to study the relative solubility of organic compounds in various solvents. Besides, understanding on the effect of polar groups on a nonpolar hydrocarbon skeleton is the aim for the test. Introduction: The purpose of this experiment is to explore and understand the solubility characteristics between organic compounds and their relative solvents. The structure of organic compound indicates its solubility, acidity, basicity, reactivity, stability and so on. All of these properties can be called as â€Å"function† and different structure has different functions after reacting with solvents. It is important to know the solubility of reactant because it directly determines the recrystallization and reaction yields. In recrystallization process, an impure compound is dissolved into a highly concentrated solution at a high temperature. The mixture was left to cool to open air to filter out the insoluble impurities. After the further cooling of solution, the remaining amount of solute can no longer be held in solution forms, it will be purified into crystals, which can later be collected. This process has used the concept of solubility. In short, insoluble of reactants in solvent in dicates no reactions occur. In chemistry, there is a term in describing the solubility of polymer which is like dissolves like. The meaning is one substance is more likely to soluble in those solvents that are having similar properties. Polar compounds are generally soluble in other polar compounds; non-polar compounds are generally soluble in other non-polar compounds. Same goes to molecules that can form hydrogen bonds, they are generally soluble with other molecules that can form hydrogen bonds. To prevent unnecessary test, structure of reactants should be observed whether they are like dissolves like to predict the solubility before handing on the procedures. Acid-base extraction is a type of liquid-liquid extraction. Its basic concept is based on different solubility levels between organic solvent and water. In this case, the organic solvent may be any carbon-based liquid that have less solubility in H2O. The common used organic solvents are ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, or ether. Acid-base extraction is usually used to differentiate organic compounds from each other based on their acid-base properties. The assumption leans against this method is that majority of the organic compounds are likely to dissolve in organic solvent than that in water. However, if the organic compound is rendered ionic, it is eventually having high solubility in water compared to organic solvent because rendered ionic has the ability to easily transform into ions. It can be ionized into cation by adding a proton or becomes an anion by removing a proton (an H+ ion). The fundamental theory behind this technique is that salts, which are ionic, tend to be water-s oluble while neutral molecules tend not to be. If there is an addition of acid to a mixture of an organic base with organic solvent, the organic base will receive a proton to become cation while acid remains unchanged. Conversely, an addition of base into acid mixture together with organic solvent, acid will be deprotonated and transforms into anion meanwhile basicity remains the same. Both of these cation and anion will be dissolved in water and this aqueous layer can be eliminated after phase separation and the pure substance can be obtained. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy defines an absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet-visible spectral region. Its working theory is using light in the adjacent and visible (near UV and near infrared) ranges. The chemical inside the electromagnetic spectrum region will absorb the light which affects the perceived color of chemicals. At that moment, the light energy will be used by molecules to perform electronic transition. By going through Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, the compositions of organic compound can be identified. Diagram1 shows the energy distribution of each orbital inside a chemical compound. Diagram1 When UV light is passing through the compound, energy will be absorbed to promote the electron from either non-bonding orbital into anti-bonding orbital or that from bonding orbital into anti-bonding orbital. The energy of UV light was stored inside its wavelength whereas different wavelengths associate different strength of energy. The relationship between energy and frequency of light can be shown in the equation below: It shows the energy is directly proportional to frequency of light. Since UV spectroscopy is always giving the data of its wavelength instead of frequency. The relationship between frequency and wavelength needed to be considered. From next equation, it proves that the lower the wavelength gives higher frequency since they are inversely proportional: If large amount of energy needed to promote electrons, lower wavelength of UV light will be absorbed. Absorption spectrometer is only working in a range from about 200 nm (in the near ultra-violet) to about 800 nm (in the very near infra-red). Due to this case, when the electron is promoted from an orbital having weak energy (For example, pi bonding orbital has lower energy compared to non-bonding orbital), more energy is needed to help in transferring the electron. The wavelength of light absorbed will be shorter than 200 nm. Now the detection of functional group in this situation is ambiguous because the absorption of light does not happen in range. Non-bonding orbital requires lone pair of electrons inside the organic compound which means it may be containing oxygen, nitrogen or a halogen. The wavelength like 180nm will be absorbed to promote electron from pi bonding orbital into pi anti-bonding orbital while 290nm of wavelength will be used for promoting electron from non-bonding orbital. 290nm of wavelength will be picked because the spectrometer works in the range of 200 800 nm. Organic compound with different functional groups have their unique electrons configuration. The energy and wavelength of UV light required is also distinct. However, these properties prove that each composition has its own particular reading of wavelength absorption. From this, the composition of one unknown compound could be identified by testing the Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Here is some example of compounds with their wavelength absorption. Example1 Furthermore, Infra-red spectrum is also one of the methods used to identify the composition of organic compound. Diagram2 shows the setup of Infra-red spectrum: Diagram2 Detector will absorb the non-absorbed infra-red and produce a graph by its strength on different wavelengths. For example, if the sample absorbs 800cm-1 of infra-red, the remaining light that passing through the sample will be lesser. Hence the graph will show a large trough at 800cm-1 of wavelength because detector received less amount of infra-red. This is the typical Infra-red spectrum: From the example above, the trough at 3000+ cm-1 indicates there is absorption of infra-red by sample to excite bonds in the molecule to a higher state of vibration either stretching or bending. Observation on this trough can determine the functional group inside the organic sample because every functional group has their approximate range of infra-red absorption. The advantage of applying Infra-red spectrum is that it can detect the other smaller parts of differences between the molecules that having same functional group. For example, both propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol contain same OH group as functional group. These can be shown in two graphs below: They have almost the same troughs around the area at 3000 cm-1 which indicates the same functional group. However, the regions between 1500 and 500 cm-1 shows the distinct in composition. This region is called fingerprint region. The pattern in the fingerprint region allows the user to evaluate the compound.

Volunteering Changed My Life :: Contribution to My Community Service

Community Service is a great opportunity to make a difference in the area you live in. There are so many ways to volunteer. Some people are given chances to do community service when they need to pay off fines for tickets. Most people simply do because they love getting involved. It’s their way of making the community a cleaner, healthier place. Tutoring kids is one type of community service. I can say from experience teaching kids to learn is a great feeling. I know because I’ve been tutoring kids for almost seven months. You’ll be surprised how it makes you feel. To have one of your students’ parents thank you because there child has never been able to make an â€Å"A† in there reading or math class. Just hearing those words lets me know that I am already making a difference. The place that I volunteer at is Casa De Amigos and the children that go there really look up to you. Yes you’re helping them to be able to reach their goals but you’re also teaching them that helping the community can change so many lives. There are many activities that will help the community. Another way that I have experience is picking up trash. This one is very important because you are helping the environment and town that you live in. So why not help your environment to be able to apply for a scholarship. It’s also a fun way to meet people that enjoy making a difference. Picking up trash is one of the most common types of community service. There are so many volunteers a day picking up trash in their neighborhood and all around town. To be able to get involved all you do is call the Midland City Department and they will be glad to guide you where to go so you can help our community. Another service that I have done has been to volunteer at the West Campus Hospital gift shop. It was a great experience for me; if I had the time I would make the effort to volunteer again. For people that is good at socializing with others and love organizing I would recommend volunteering at the gift shop. Volunteering Changed My Life :: Contribution to My Community Service Community Service is a great opportunity to make a difference in the area you live in. There are so many ways to volunteer. Some people are given chances to do community service when they need to pay off fines for tickets. Most people simply do because they love getting involved. It’s their way of making the community a cleaner, healthier place. Tutoring kids is one type of community service. I can say from experience teaching kids to learn is a great feeling. I know because I’ve been tutoring kids for almost seven months. You’ll be surprised how it makes you feel. To have one of your students’ parents thank you because there child has never been able to make an â€Å"A† in there reading or math class. Just hearing those words lets me know that I am already making a difference. The place that I volunteer at is Casa De Amigos and the children that go there really look up to you. Yes you’re helping them to be able to reach their goals but you’re also teaching them that helping the community can change so many lives. There are many activities that will help the community. Another way that I have experience is picking up trash. This one is very important because you are helping the environment and town that you live in. So why not help your environment to be able to apply for a scholarship. It’s also a fun way to meet people that enjoy making a difference. Picking up trash is one of the most common types of community service. There are so many volunteers a day picking up trash in their neighborhood and all around town. To be able to get involved all you do is call the Midland City Department and they will be glad to guide you where to go so you can help our community. Another service that I have done has been to volunteer at the West Campus Hospital gift shop. It was a great experience for me; if I had the time I would make the effort to volunteer again. For people that is good at socializing with others and love organizing I would recommend volunteering at the gift shop.

An Observation of a Bat Mitzvah

The bar mitzvah is not actually a ceremony or rite of passage as many people believe. It is actually a boy of the Jewish religion who has attained the age of 13. It is thus a legal status that is automatically ascribed with no need for ceremony or any other religious rite. A parallelism would be attaining adult age, typically 18 in most societies.The bar mitzvah pertains to males while a bat mitzvah is to females, and females become bat mitzvot (plural of mitzvah) at the age of 12. Bar or bat mitzvah translates to a â€Å"coming of age† and signifies the transition of the child to that of beginning adulthood insofar as religious practice was concerned, and be counted as part of the minyan or quorum for public prayer. While it is widely practiced, there is actually no direct mention of it in the Talmud. Because women are traditionally not allowed to read from the Torah, it was a momentous occasion when in 1922 the daughter of Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan was the first bat mitzvah to read from the Torah in celebration of her 12th birthday. (â€Å"The first American bat mitzvah†) Today, many young girls celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah with a grandiosity that rivals that of a Sweet 16 birthday party. I. The Ceremony The synagogue was a study of the diversity in the US. On one side was the families of the two girls who were to become bat mitzvot and since one of the girls was an adoptee of Chinese descent and the adoptive mother was not Jewish, there were quite a few who were not. Among the congregation, many were not Jewish as well, guests of the girls and their families who were to join in the celebration. (Schapiro) A box of commemorative yarmulke or distinctive skullcap enabled male guests to help themselves to one because it is expected that they cover their heads when participating in the service. However, only Jewish males over 13 wore the ritual fringes called the talit. Aside from this, there did not seem to be a distinction in dress for Jews and non-Jews. Some small children were present, and were quite surprisingly free to get up and roam as they pleased as long as they behaved. The unruly ones were quietly led away to what can only be supposed is a playroom. On the eastern wall of the synagogue, the Ark is evident. This is the repository of the Torah, and above the Ark is a light called the Ner Tamid or eternal light. There is also a representation of the Tablets of the Covenant. On the bima, the raised platform on which the service was to be conducted. The two girls were seated on the right side of the altar. The girls’ fathers laid the prayer shawl on their respective daughter’s shoulders, signifying a transfer of power, or responsibility, whichever perspective works, and the choir raised their voice in a welcoming song in Hebrew. The rabbi commenced with the reading, and at each part the congregation was told when to sit or stand. This was especially helpful for non-Jewish participants of the service. The girls then were directed to approach the Ark where the Torah scrolls were kept. Each took their scroll and carried it around the sanctuary, as each Jewish guest touch their prayer books to it to signify love and devotion to its teachings. The girls then took their place at the bima in front of the congregation to read out the scrolls in Hebrew. This is referred to as the aliyah. The girls each read part of Chapter 21 of Exodus which was the reading for the Shabbat for that week. Afterwards, each girl gave a speech in English, a d’rash about how the experience preparing for becoming bat mitzvot had meant to them. Each girl then touched the fringe of their prayer shawl to the Torah before kissing it and returning to their seat. The parents (excepting the non-Jewish mother) spoke before the congregation thanking God for the blessing of freeing them from the responsibility for their child’s sins. This part was spoken in English. The rabbi then said a few words directed at the new bat mitzvot and the girls then proceeded with the concluding prayers, the Haftorah and then the ceremony was over. The next part of the celebration was the fun part, the Kiddush and seudat mitzvah that translates today to a party held outside the synagogue, where speeches and advice are liberally given for the elucidation of the new bat mitzvah.   Traditional gifts with associations with the number 18 (considered a â€Å"lucky† number in Jewish tradition, means also â€Å"life†) and more generic gifts were given at the reception. (â€Å"Bar and Bat Mitzvah†; Rich â€Å"Gifts†) II. Discussion Mitzvah is the word for â€Å"commandment,† and bat is â€Å"daughter† so a bat mitzvah is a daughter of the commandment. The whole point of this rite is to commemorate the child’s coming of age but the way it is practiced tends to be highly adaptable to the particular societal context. The ceremony itself has no mention in the Talmud so the rituals have evolved over time and application. (â€Å"Bar & bat mitzvah†) Preparation for the bar or bat mitzvah typically begins a year or more prior to the projected date, especially for modern Jews or those who are newly converted. This is to allow the child to become familiar with the Jewish commandments, prayer, history and the Hebrew language. A large portion of this education is overseen by the cantor, or scholar. The responsibilities of the bat mitzvah includes the keeping of the mitzvot or commandments as embodied in the Torah, all 613 of them. She is also expected to observe rituals such as fasting days. Interestingly enough, this is also considered the point in which the bat mitzvah can decide to remain or not within the faith. Because of this, a confirmation ceremony is slated for the 16th or 18th year of the bat mitzvah in   some communities. (â€Å"Bar/bat mitzvah†) More orthodox Jewish families prepare their male children for eventual emancipation by starting their preparations at kindergarten age and beyond the age of bar mitzvah. Orthodox Jews do not allow women to participate in religious services, so becoming a bat mitzvah in these communities does not include the service and is usually celebrated at home with a small party that merely commemmorates the child’s 12th birthday. Reformist sects take the cue from their spiritual leader, the rabbi. This was what happened to Judith Kaplan the daughter of Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, who believed women should be given equal consideration and importance in the community. However, for the longest time bat mitzvot usually celebrated on a Friday rather than on the Shabbat, or did not read directly from the Torah, so deeply ingrained was the bias against women in the Jewish orthodoxy. (â€Å"The first American bat mitzvah†) With the influence of American society and growing diversity in religion, however practice has been inevitably affected. The number of religious intermarriages is rising and many religious groups have seen the wisdom of adapting to the changing society. This is especially apparent in the ceremony described above. The bar mitzvot are now allowed to read from the Torah, and are instructed in this by the cantor with the benevolent overseeing of the rabbi himself. They participate fully in the ceremony, and the fact that one of the parents is non-Jewish is no longer a big issue as long as they play a passive role in the service itself. Outsiders are welcome to participate in a passive manner as well, and religious scholars are more than willing to explain the intricacies of the service to the clueless. There is even a growing trend among newly converted Jews who become bar or bat mitzvah in ceremonies held at any point in their life, some as old as 80. Because these people came into the faith late in life, they are considered to have attained a â€Å"coming of age† when they have mastered the basics of the Jewish religion. III. Conclusion For all children, rites of passage are important highlights in their lives. For Jewish children in particular, the concept of becoming a bar or bat mitzvah and the formal celebration of the event focuses on the importance of having a good knowledge of Judaism. At the same time, it serves as inducting a sense of belonging for children, which at this particular point in their lives is crucial for optimal development. Because survival of the congregation that is yearly becoming diverse, even the most stringent religious traditions have been compelled to unbend and accommodate the evolving population. The practice of commemorating the becoming of a bat mitzvah is a particularly good example of this accommodation. Works Cited â€Å"Bar and Bat Mitzvah†. Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence. 20010406. FindArticles.com. 17 Jul. 2007. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2602/is_0000/ai_2602000074 Bar & bat mitzvah. Jewish Celebrations. 2007. Mazornet.com. 18 July 2007 . Bar/bat mitzvah. Patriarchy Website.January 2000. Israel CS Lim. 18 July 2007 . Rich, Tracey. Bar Mitzvah and bat mitzvah. Judaism 101. 2005. JewFAQ.org. 18 July 2007 . Schapiro, Moshe. What is a bar or bat mitzvah? Jewish Lifecycles. 18 January 2000. Aish HaTorah. 18 July 2007 . The first American bat mitzvah. Jewish Virtual Library. 2007. The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 18 July 2007 .      

A Thesis Statement on the novel Candide by Voltaire Essay

Not everything is all for the best. The novel Candide by Voltaire delved into the miseries of men, politics and religion where every unfortunate event that happens to the individual is to be accepted since it is all for the best. Many times in the novel, Candide’s esteemed professor, Pangloss remarked that â€Å"Everything is all for the best†. For his part, Voltaire seems to be questioning the concept of fatalism. Fatalism is the view that individuals are powerless to do anything other that what we actually do. It seems ironic that Candide remains optimistic despite all that he had experienced; the banishment from the castle, the flogging by the soldiers and the sinking of the ship. All these events would have made a weaker man fall on his knees and curse the heavens; but not Candide. After all, everything is for the best. Nevertheless, Candide retains his goodwill, generosity and ironically, his optimism. The concept of fatalism is taking the easy way out. There are many instances where Candide could have avoided such unfortunate circumstances; like losing his sheep as well as his treasure. Not only that, he squandered his remaining treasure to unworthy individuals. Another instance was when Candide was flogged. He merely accepted it. He was thinking along the lines that everything is all for the best. But to think about it, how unjust is it to be lashed a thousand times for being misunderstood as deserting. In some way, Voltaire was criticizing citizens who could accept the unjust and irrational decisions of their government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In connection with the idea of fatalism is the concept of free will. If humans were given the gift of free will, then the idea that everything is all for the best would be inconsistent. A person who has free will would be capable of shaping his or her own destiny. In lieu of this, Candide should be able to change the events that weren’t suppose to happen to him or if they did happen, then the result would not have been so disastrous or it could have at least been minimized. One example had been where Candide stabbed the Baron, Cunegonde’s brother. He could have restrained himself and could have conducted an oral argument instead. What Candide did was rash and unwise that it was no surprise that it would end disastrously. Today, a person is expected to act and speak tactfully. There would be chaos if everyone wanted to have their own way. Another example was when Candide and his companion were nearly eaten by the Oreillons but were saved   because he killed a Jesuit, Cunegonde’s brother, the Baron. In this time, Candide thanked his good fortune for killing a Jesuit to avoid being eaten. It should have crossed his mind that if he had not stabbed the Baron, then they would have not been in that situation in the first place. It is easy to blame every happening in life as part of a grand plan. That everything is destined and fated. But if it is, then why is there free will? It could not merely be some trick to man to think that he has control over the events in life. Constant striving to be better is what makes the world go round. The discovery of unknown places and uncharted waters are the product of motivation and will of men. In essence, man’s free will is the reason. All the consequences of one’s actions are due to one’s interactions. Candide’s optimism, naivete and innocence may have drawn its source from Mademoiselle Cunegonde. She’s beautiful and charming and guileless. To Candide, she’s the one reason to remain living despite all the miseries of the world. In some ways, she had also been the reason why in the later part of the novel, Candide encountered many unfortunate events. He even left the utopian world of El Dorado just to be with his beloved Cunegonde. Cunegonde symbolizes Candide’s optimism. In the novel, Voltaire also portrays the human being’s love of life. The old woman was acknowledged as the person who encountered the most unfortunate miseries. However, in spite of all that, she’s admits that she still loves life and never would she have killed herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The â€Å"All for the best† concept was finally refuted and rejected by Candide. In the novel, Pangloss said to Candide â€Å"All events are linked up in this best of all possible worlds; for, if you had not been expelled from the noble castle by hard kicks in your backside for love of Mademoiselle Cunegonde, if you had not been clapped into the Inquisition, if you had not wandered about America on foot, if you had not stuck your sword in the Baron, if you had not lost all your sheep from the land of El Dorado, you would not be eating candied citrons and pistachios here†. Upon which Candide replied, â€Å"Tis well said, but we must cultivate our gardens†. (Voltaire, 1949)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This shows that nothing happens without a reason. Many times in the novel, cause and effect was mentioned. That is correct; everything that happens would have an equal effect. Every action has an equal reaction. Even as simple as growing fruits and vegetables is equivalent to days and nights of hard work. They did not just magically appear from the ground or fallen from heaven. It’s the same with what happened to Candide and his companions. Some events may have been the act of God, but it is up to man to ensure that everything would be all right. References    Rice, H., â€Å"Fatalism†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2002 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/fatalism/ Voltaire (1949). The portable Voltaire (B.R.Redman, Ed.). Canada: McMillan.

History of Gunpowder essays

History of Gunpowder essays It could easily be argued that one of the most important inventions or discoveries in history has been gunpowder. And there are many things that can be argued about gunpowder itself. Such as where was it originated, when was it originated, and how did it spread across the world. These are three questions I will be looking at in this paper. However the purpose of this paper is to prove that gunpowder gave rise to the powerful western world while it inevitably left the China and the Eastern World behind. It is generally determined that the discoverers of gunpowder were the Chinese. As early as in the T'ang dynasty (AD 618-906) there seem to have existed what were called "fire trees" and "silver flowers." Chinese legend has it that some herdsmen who were trying to keep warm saw their campfire leap and fizzle around like a torch. They soon discovered that the fire pit was built on sulfur with a rock containing potassium perchlorate, the ingredients of gunpowder. This soon became a common mixture to make fire. To transport the mixture with so much firepower, the herdsman used a hollow bamboo stick with mud at both ends. The stick, accidentally fell into a fire and exploded with a bang. Thus the fire trees and silver flowers were born. Later on in the year 1161, when the Chinese were suffering invasion from the Chin Tatars from the north some historical documents state that they successfully used explosives to defeat their attackers. This seems to be definite proof of a knowledge of gunpowder among the Chinese at this period. However there has been considerable argument as to whether these references to explosives indicate that the Chinese knew about the use of a cannon and also if the explosives were in fact gunpowder. Chinese records state that when the Mongols laid siege to the North China city of Kaifeng in 1232, the people within the city terrified the Mongols with ...

Free Essays on Life Of Leonardo

Leonardo was born in the small town of Vinci, in Tuscany, near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary and a peasant woman. In the mid-1460s the family settled in Florence, where Leonardo was given the best education that Florence, a major intellectual and artistic center of Italy, could offer. He rapidly advanced socially and intellectually. He was handsome, persuasive in conversation, and a fine musician and improviser. About 1466 he was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to many activities, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was entered in the painter's guild of Florence, and in 1476 he was still considered Verrocchio's assistant. About 1482 Leonardo entered the service of the duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, having written the duke an astonishing letter in which he stated that he could build portable bridges; that he knew the techniques of constructing bombardments and of making cannons; that he could build ships as well as armored vehicles, catapults, and other war machines; and that he could execute sculpture in marble, bronze, and clay. He served as principal engineer in the duke's numerous military enterprises and was active also as an architect. In 1502 Leonardo entered the service of Cesare Borgia, duke of Romagna and son and chief general of Pope Alexander VI. In his capacity as the duke's chief architect and engineer, Leonardo supervised work on the fortresses of the papal territories in central Italy. In 1503 he was a member of a commission of artists who were to decide on the proper location for the David (1501-1504, Academia, Florence), the famous colossal marble statue by the Italian sculptor Michelangelo, and he also served as an engineer in the war against Pisa. Toward the end ... Free Essays on Life Of Leonardo Free Essays on Life Of Leonardo Leonardo was born in the small town of Vinci, in Tuscany, near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary and a peasant woman. In the mid-1460s the family settled in Florence, where Leonardo was given the best education that Florence, a major intellectual and artistic center of Italy, could offer. He rapidly advanced socially and intellectually. He was handsome, persuasive in conversation, and a fine musician and improviser. About 1466 he was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to many activities, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was entered in the painter's guild of Florence, and in 1476 he was still considered Verrocchio's assistant. About 1482 Leonardo entered the service of the duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, having written the duke an astonishing letter in which he stated that he could build portable bridges; that he knew the techniques of constructing bombardments and of making cannons; that he could build ships as well as armored vehicles, catapults, and other war machines; and that he could execute sculpture in marble, bronze, and clay. He served as principal engineer in the duke's numerous military enterprises and was active also as an architect. In 1502 Leonardo entered the service of Cesare Borgia, duke of Romagna and son and chief general of Pope Alexander VI. In his capacity as the duke's chief architect and engineer, Leonardo supervised work on the fortresses of the papal territories in central Italy. In 1503 he was a member of a commission of artists who were to decide on the proper location for the David (1501-1504, Academia, Florence), the famous colossal marble statue by the Italian sculptor Michelangelo, and he also served as an engineer in the war against Pisa. Toward the end ...

Alexander The Great

Alexander The Great Essay Alexander The Great Essay is said to be one of the greatest conquerors of all time, and yet, his significance in battle showed up late in his life. His early years were spent in poverty, and as the years progressed, his dream of being a war hero grew dimmer and dimmer.Ironically, while he was later known as a war hero, he was still feared by all because of his reputation as a drinker and murderer. But first, his background. He was born in 356 BC. His parents were Philip, the brother of King Perdiccas III of Macedon, in Northern Greece. His mother was Olympias, daughter of King Neoptolemus I of Epirus, in modern Albania. He also had a younger sister, Cleopatra (not the famous Egyptian queen).However, this family was not as ordinary as one might think. In fact, his parents absolutely hated each other. Philip had complied with Macedonian tradition and had a few wives. Soon, one of his wives had a baby which had mysteriously become disabled after birth. It was said that the disability was due to poisoning from Olympias. Olympias sometimes told Alexander that Philip wasnt his real father, but this probably wasnt true.After all, Philip certainly did seem to care for Alexander as if he was his real son. He even appointed Aristotle himself as Alexanders first and only tutor. Yet, there were some things about Alexander that made Philip angry. He hated the fact that his was very skinny and the fact that he had a high-pitched voice. Still, Alexander felt lucky to have this man as his father and mentor. In 359 BC, when Alexander was three, Philips Brother, King Peridcaas III, died. It was originally planned that his son, Amyntas, was tosucceed him with Philip as his regent, but Philip usurped his nephews throne and made himself King Philip II. In a few decades, he proved to be a stronger king and he eventually conquered most of Greece. When he was in his teens, Alexanders father came to him one day and told him that he had to leave to fight in a war. Thus Alexander, being his regent, would have to serve for the time being. While his father was away, Alexander led an expedition to a wild region of modern day Bulgaria. Here, he found a race of wild barbarians, whom he later subdued. He, then, established his first city, Alexandropolis, at the site of this defeat. This made his strength apparent to everyone and consequently became general of his fathers army. However, things still werent amiable between father and son. On one occasion, Philip was attacked and hurt by rioters and he fell and played dead on the ground. Alexander shielded the attackers away and his father lived, but he never acknowledged the fact that Alexander saved his life. Alexander deeply resented him for this. Alexander was known for his many temper tantrums. One memorable one was during a dinner party celebrating his final marriage. His uncle gave a toast saying that he hoped that they would have a child to take over throne. Alexander replied,; so am I just a bastard?; and he threw his goblet at his uncle. This started such a great brawl between the two that Philip stood up and drew his sword at Alexander, but fell over drunk before he got even close to him. To this Alexander yelled, ;Look, men,hes about to cross from Europe to Asia, and he falls crossing from chair to chair.; This incident forced Alexander and his mother to leave Macedon, but, several years later, they reconciled with him and moved back. However, soon after their return, Philip was stabbed by the Captain of his bodyguards while he was entering the theater that his nephews wedding was being held in. The assassin fled across a vineyard. READ: Roman Aqueducts: An Engineering Brilliance Essay He might have escaped, but a vine caught his foot and he tripped. He was killed by some other bodyguards instantly. Philips death in 336 BC lead Alexander to succeed him and become King Alexander III. By this time, he was twenty years old. It was said that he was an incredibly handsome man and he always was clean shaven. Although he was a heavy drinker, he .

Influences of U.S. Infrastructure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Influences of U.S. Infrastructure - Assignment Example These lines are research works pertaining to data infrastructure and parties with diverse histories of international categorization of illnesses for biological research (Hall, Reed, and Torralba, 2002). Second, infrastructure stabilizes the degree to which they can offer adaptable and domestic usage by all sorts of users. At the same time, infrastructure sustains adequate consistency to facilitate organization through local places and various communities. Third, infrastructure reveals faults or failures in the second line of research on previously distributed features of cognition. One negative effect of infrastructure is the failure of power that leads to disruption. Power failure means some gadgets become unfeasible, causing members of the navigation team to regroup their activities and cater to the demands of a fast-paced fix series. Another negative result is the rise in the risk of many infrastructural collapses that go past topographic and practical limits. The third negative effect is the inability to predict conveniently the long-term impact of new infrastructure and disruptive technology (Martin, 2007). In conclusion, infrastructure in the United States has more positives than negatives impacts on research and emergency management. The effect of infrastructure on the general level of emergency management and disruptive representation mostly relies on the existing level of productivity

An Unforgettable Experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

An Unforgettable Experiences - Essay Example Watching a movie together is always fun, we sat holding hands, watching each other more than the movie. He said, After dinner, we went to the Johns bull store so that he would buy me a gift of my choice. This is the quality I value most about him, his acceptance. He never ever imposes his choice on me, be it clothes, or the movie we are going to watch or anything else. He always puts me first and then thinks about himself, what else could I ask for? Seriously, I never expected him to propose me, even though we are going around for some years and we enjoy each other’s company a lot. But whatever happens, happens for good, so, I thanked god in my heart for such a pleasant surprise. Hence, in order to mark this day I chose a promise ring for my self and a David Yurman jewelry set. We walked together hand in hand towards the car both of our hearts full with love and hope. Although I still couldn’t believe he proposed to me, really proposed? We never talked about it before. â€Å"He is going to set up a new branch in Paris as an expansion of his business, and he needs someone whom he can trust, to help him. He has even promised me that if I gain a good understanding about the branch’s operations and management he may make me the manager.† That was the last sentence I spoke that night. He held me while I continued to shed my tears on his shoulder. He assured me that everything will be alright and we can hope for a bright and beautiful future ahead. Then he took my hand and kissed the promise ring, which I was wearing and told me to have faith in our love. In this way, my birthday which has stared with a note of happiness and hope, ended with a note of promise and faith. And now, I can never forget that day, as the memory inspires me to keep going, with faith and makes me strong. Our love grows with each passing day and each passing

A Caucasian Man Changed by the Grace of God Essay

A Caucasian Man Changed by the Grace of God - Essay Example The paper talks about my feelings and the risk of being a Christian. It talks about my personal experiences and my way of life after being changed. The paper also contains the story when I entered into my High School life. It talks about the fears I had and the things I did that made me walked away from the presence of God. It tells about how I overcame those trials and testing in my life. It talks about the result of overcoming those trials.Before the world began, everything is nothing but then God created life and light throughout the world. Whoever repents, believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be saved and will receive the great joy of being a Christian.I was young and aggressive back then when I heard the most beautiful story that I have ever heard. It is the complete, enjoyable and touching story of Jesus Christ that was delivered by a very tiny and soft voice, the voice of my Sunday school teacher. As I was hearing the story of Jesus Christ’s suffering s with thirty-nine lashes and was tortured to death, I felt like I was a lost sheep that have gone astray. I was just like a lost sheep turning and running from nowhere. But then with the realization that God will accept me because of His grace and mercy, I willingly offered my life into His hands. That was the time that I have received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. In that very sincere prayer I uttered, I felt like I was floating on the air. I felt like I was free from any kinds of bondage. I felt like no one can defeat me because my life is already in God’s hands.

Iranian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Iranian Revolution - Essay Example It all started in 1974-75 when the Shah of Iran was informed of the Bathist regime in Baghdad. They were known to be supplied by weapons from the Soviet Union for controlling the northern Gulf their own way. Iran supported and funded the Kurds to rebel against Iraq to weaken them. He also provided sanctuary to Iraqi Kurds in Iran. Algiers agreement was signed in 1975, in order to redefine the boundary of Shatt al Arab. Shatt al Arab is found in the Basra Governorate of southern Iraq. The river also forms a border between Iran and Iraq just when the river discharges into the Persian Gulf. Two Iranian cities, Abadan and Khorramshahr, and the Iraqi city of Basra are located on the coastline of this river. One of the factors for the Iran-Iraq war was disputes on territorial claims. This waterway served as source of peace agreement between ancestors of Iran and Iraq. But Saddam Hussein violated the rules in 1980 and tried to invade the waterway and bring in into the Iranian territory. It also dislocated as many as 250,000 Kurds from their homeland. It can be related to the Israeli policies against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for over forty years now (Abrahamian, 2008). The outrage was set ablaze once again between Iran and Iraq with the onset of Iran Iraq War in 1991. ... The issue was propagated as Iraq being the Shia side of Islam and Iraq legalized as the Islamic republic of Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini made a direct appeal for the Iraqi Shia community to put an end to the rule of Saddam Hussein and bring forth an Islamic Republic. Saddam Hussein decided to bring a downfall to his government before he could get his power back. His decision had the support of US, oil-rich producers if Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states who did not like Khomeini’s revolutionary Islam. The invasion of Iran by Saddam Hussein continued to be a horrible long war costing many thousands of billions of dollars and much causality. Iran fought fearlessly for their rights. The war had crippled the Iraqi oil industry and reduced income levels. All in all, the conflict was a horrible one with thousands of lives lost during the years 1982-1988. Iranian war dead estimates were about 262,000 and those of Iraq were 105,000 (Wright, 2005). There were certain goals that the United States had for the Iraq war in 2003. They wanted to demolish a regime from Iraq that they believed was to develop and utilize weapons of mass destruction which further gave shelter and protection to terrorists who tend to give way to human right abuses. The US was of the opinion that all this did injustice to the United Nation’s demands and that Iraq must compel to the international regulations and obligations. This invasion was further backed up with the view that the present ruler of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was giving initiative to those weapons of mass destruction which was a big threat to the security of the neighboring countries and to the world as a whole. There were

Mathematics IB Internal Assessment Research Paper

Mathematics IB Internal Assessment - Research Paper Example The shipping services and product business takes place along the Qatar Bahrain Causeway which links Bahrain and Qatar. This is the longest marine causeway in the world. The country, Bahrain has a very basic economy. Only 1 percent of Bahrain is arable, hence, the country cannot produce sufficient food to sustain its ever increasing population. Therefore, the entire population majorly relies on imports. The major employers in this country are commerce, industry, and services. These fields take up 79 percent of workers, while 20 percent has been absorbed by the government. Farmers make up the remaining 1 percent of the population. The country has distinctive cost difference in shipping and products across the world due to its island nature and the existence of the Qatar Bahrain Causeway. However, it is important to note that most of these jobs are held by foreigners who make up 60 percent. This has made employment a continuous problem. The economy of Bahrain is largely based on the pro duction and processing of petroleum which makes up 60 percent of the exports. 30 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) also comes from the same. The well established and developed transport and communication is accountable for efficient shipping services and it being the center for finance and banking. Several multinational firms doing business in the area of Persian Gulf have their headquarters in Bahrain. The cost difference in shipping and products in Bahrain results from its fruitful commercial activities. Some of the country’s products shipped to other countries include vegetables and fruits, dairy products, poultry, fish, and shrimp which are sold along with handicrafts produced locally. On the other hand, Bahrain depends on tourism making up 9 percent of its gross domestic product and a great deal of international banking. The industries engaged in shipping services and products in Bahrain include the major industry, petroleum production, processing, and refining , offshore banking, aluminum smelting, tourism, and ship repairing. In addition, the products shipped to other countries include cement blocks, soft drinks, plastics, paper products, and asphalt. Although shipping and products across the world are somehow convenient to the major industries, shipping in Bahrain is efficient because of its location and availability of Qatar Bahrain Causeway which connects the island to the offshore main land such as Iran, Iraq among other countries. Some countries like China have made huge profits on their exports to other countries such as the United States. However, the imports and exports of Bahrain are approximately equal in value. Petroleum accounts for about 60 percent of the exports while aluminum makes around 7 percent. These exports are majorly shipped to Japan, South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. 40 percent of the country export is composed of crude oil processed within the country. However, Bahrain as well has im ports shipped into the country. The major imports of the country include transportation equipment, machinery, and food from Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The cost difference in shipping and products in Bahrain is also accounted for by the nature of division of labor. As mentioned earlier, 79 percent of the workforce is in industry, services, and

Report format- new product - UV protector spray for Billabong Company Essay

Report format- new product - UV protector spray for Billabong Company in Australia - Essay Example Billabong is an international clothing and accessories company based in Australia. The company operates in several overseas locations and primarily focuses on beachwear and wetsuits for both male and female customers. The company owns several brands such as RVCA, Element, Von Zipper, Xcel, etc (Billabong, 2015). The environmental analysis of the Australian market of beachwear and beach accessories suggests that it is capable of supporting the growth of the industry. The environment of Australia is relatively stable and attracts many tourists from overseas locations to enjoy Australian beaches. The stable political environment also suggests that there are no internal conflicts that may affect the business operations of the company. The stable economic condition of Australia indicates that the customers have the necessary disposable income to purchase the company’s products. Moreover, the social construct of Australia also reflects that people prefer to visit the nearest beaches and enjoy surfing in the sea (CIA, 2015). Thus, the customer base of beach wear and wetsuits is quite huge. The target customers of the company are mostly the young population who prefer visiting beaches and wear fashionable and trendy beach wear and accessories. The company has targeted the customers based on their age group, which mostly ranges between 15-35 years. The company caters its products to the upper middle class of society, who bears both the necessary disposable income and mentality to engage in leisure activities such as hanging out on a beach with friends. The marketing goal of the company is to increase its product portfolio so as to increase the customer footfall and improve its revenue generation and brand equity. This will be achieved by introducing a new product: UV protector spray. The marketing goals involving the new product launch will involve new promotional activities

Mathematics IB Internal Assessment Research Paper

Mathematics IB Internal Assessment - Research Paper Example The shipping services and product business takes place along the Qatar Bahrain Causeway which links Bahrain and Qatar. This is the longest marine causeway in the world. The country, Bahrain has a very basic economy. Only 1 percent of Bahrain is arable, hence, the country cannot produce sufficient food to sustain its ever increasing population. Therefore, the entire population majorly relies on imports. The major employers in this country are commerce, industry, and services. These fields take up 79 percent of workers, while 20 percent has been absorbed by the government. Farmers make up the remaining 1 percent of the population. The country has distinctive cost difference in shipping and products across the world due to its island nature and the existence of the Qatar Bahrain Causeway. However, it is important to note that most of these jobs are held by foreigners who make up 60 percent. This has made employment a continuous problem. The economy of Bahrain is largely based on the pro duction and processing of petroleum which makes up 60 percent of the exports. 30 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) also comes from the same. The well established and developed transport and communication is accountable for efficient shipping services and it being the center for finance and banking. Several multinational firms doing business in the area of Persian Gulf have their headquarters in Bahrain. The cost difference in shipping and products in Bahrain results from its fruitful commercial activities. Some of the country’s products shipped to other countries include vegetables and fruits, dairy products, poultry, fish, and shrimp which are sold along with handicrafts produced locally. On the other hand, Bahrain depends on tourism making up 9 percent of its gross domestic product and a great deal of international banking. The industries engaged in shipping services and products in Bahrain include the major industry, petroleum production, processing, and refining , offshore banking, aluminum smelting, tourism, and ship repairing. In addition, the products shipped to other countries include cement blocks, soft drinks, plastics, paper products, and asphalt. Although shipping and products across the world are somehow convenient to the major industries, shipping in Bahrain is efficient because of its location and availability of Qatar Bahrain Causeway which connects the island to the offshore main land such as Iran, Iraq among other countries. Some countries like China have made huge profits on their exports to other countries such as the United States. However, the imports and exports of Bahrain are approximately equal in value. Petroleum accounts for about 60 percent of the exports while aluminum makes around 7 percent. These exports are majorly shipped to Japan, South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. 40 percent of the country export is composed of crude oil processed within the country. However, Bahrain as well has im ports shipped into the country. The major imports of the country include transportation equipment, machinery, and food from Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The cost difference in shipping and products in Bahrain is also accounted for by the nature of division of labor. As mentioned earlier, 79 percent of the workforce is in industry, services, and

The Impact of Assistive Technologies as Learning and Teaching Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Assistive Technologies as Learning and Teaching Essay Traditional classrooms in which the teacher delivered content by standing before a class of students, patiently waiting to be filled, much like empty vessels, have long been noted for their inherent shortfalls in meeting the cognitive and developmental needs of each of the range of students in their care. Research has proven that such methods do not work effectively to the benefit of all learners in a classroom because each learner has specific cognitive needs that may not be met in such a situation. Theorists as recent as Howard Gardner with his multiple intelligence theory in 1989 have emphasized the point that no two children learn in the same. The implication of this is that the teacher has to incorporate a variety of teaching strategies, tools, aids and other facilities in the classroom in order to provide the students with the best possible learning environment. Moreover the challenges that students with disabilities face are in themselves several, thus it is an added strain for them to attempt to cope with traditional teaching and learning methodology. For each child in the general education system, but even more so for these special learners, instructional modes have to be adjusted to cater for the specific needs of each learner if the overall curriculum goals are to be achieved. The use of Assistive Technologies (AT) in the classroom contributes to improvements in the performance and motivation of students across subject areas. Assistive Technology refers to the range of equipment and products that a teacher can introduce to the teaching learning situation as a means of improving the capabilities of students with disabilities. Such technologies are numerous. Non electronic equipment such as picture and alphabet boards, as well as light pointers, can be introduced to the special needs classroom (Beck, 2002). Technological advancements have facilitated the development of a number of software packages that can be used to supplement the resources that the teacher already uses in the classroom. Speech synthesis and voice recognition software and other subject specific software that have been created for use in the classroom are useful tools that have the potential, when used appropriately and effectively to enhance the classroom environment. In this paper reference will be made to several specific researches that have examined the usefulness of Assistive Technologies in the general education classroom. Since most of the research was necessarily specific to students with special needs, they bear considerable relevance to meeting the needs of these specific students. The findings could, however, be easily used in a multicultural classroom where learners are of varying physical and cognitive abilities even if their disabilities are not extensive. Armed with the knowledge of these assistive technologies teachers have the potential to transform their classrooms into an environment that caters for the specific needs of all students, whether those needs come in the form of physical disabilities, cognitive, social, psychological or other peculiar needs. In this paper a number of researches conducted on the impact of the use of assistive technology in the classroom would be presented. The research discussed initially will highlight how in one classroom a teacher created material with the aid of several assistive technology tools and demonstrate the endless possibilities for their usage in the classroom. A further research will be more specific to the advantages of using individual personal computers in the classroom. Further research will demonstrate how this tool and other assistive technology, used along with other medium can improve learners’ literacy (reading, writing and speaking) and numeracy (geometry) skills. Additional research into the tools introduced into the classroom for two other specific subject areas (social studies and environmental science) will be discussed. The result of examining these researches will show that the use of assistive technology in the classroom does in fact contribute significantly to improvements in learners’ performance and motivation. The research that Beck (2002) discusses follows the progress of three-year-old students in the Preschool Education Program. The ten students observed in this case study demonstrated various physical and cognitive shortcomings. Multiple assistive technologies were used to help develop the literacy skills of these students and allowed them to participate in different learning activities eventually leading to improved performance (Beck, 2002). Beck (2002) argues that students with disabilities have more difficulty meeting their goals in literacy skills than other students in the general education system. To facilitate easier interaction in the classroom specific assistive technology tools were created and employed by the classroom teacher. One of the first daily classroom activities is modified using a piece of software a picture communication schedule. This shows the students a picture and written text of its meaning. This approach facilitated student’s reading as they were able to associate the words with the object depicted. The second type of assistive technology was implemented at the language learning center.   Class books for reading were modified and recreated into story boards. These story boards were placed in the classroom. Students could independently follow the book by examining the pictures created to match specific words. The creation of the picture boards was facilitated through the computer software Overlay Maker (Beck 2002). The BIGmack technology was also used. This allowed students to participate in group reading activities by replaying preprogrammed phrases from the book being read, while the rest of the class read aloud (Beck, 2002). Additionally through the use of Intellipics the teacher recreated stories from the class book by using pictures that include sound and animation when selected. Students were permitted five-minute rotations at a computer to practice recognition and reading independently as facilitated by the Intellipics program. Beck (2002) gives a broad assessment of students’ attitude and performance prior to using these technologies. She notes that before, students were not engaged effectively in the reading corner as they just browsed through books, making little attempt to read the pages. She observed that improved interest in reading is the most significant and pleasing result of the introduction of the assistive technologies. The success of the introduction of these equipments in the classroom, though not overly extensive is, nevertheless, informative. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of assistive technology in this classroom was done primarily in the form of observations, checklists and informal teacher observations. Following a rubric, students were rated on their ability to activate the switch on the BIGMack when appropriate, their ability to name and identify a picture symbol or point to a picture after hearing its corresponding word. The results showed that approximately 90% of the students activated the BIGMack switch and 80% were able to satisfactorily match picture to word. A similar 80% of students were able to correctly name the picture symbols (Beck, 2002). This clearly shows a significant improvement in student performance when the assistive technology was used. Though these observations were not very scientific they still give a good impression. Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) has become an important element in today’s classroom environment. This type of instruction is becoming a significant assistive technology tool when enhancing student learning in various subject areas. It must here be noted that most schools in the United States have a form of CAI in the classroom. The article presented by Boling Martin (2002), sought to determine the effects of CAI on the development of vocabulary on 21 first grade students from a mid-Atlantic elementary school. Ten boys and eleven girls were involved in this six week study. These students were determined to be of a low socio-economic status and had limited exposure to educational experiences outside the school. They were also of mixed ethnicity, thirteen (13) Caucasians, six (6) African-Americans, one (1) Hispanic and (1) Pakistani. The study randomly assigned students to one of two groups. One group the control group, had 10 students and the experimental group had 11 students. All students continued to receive regular reading vocabulary instruction by their teachers. During their assigned 20 minute drop everything and read (DEAR) program both groups read a total seven pre-selected stories. In the control group the story was first read to the students by the teacher, next they listened to it on tape while following in the story book, and finally they were permitted to read any preferred printed literature after the first two tasks were completed. The experimental group used a computerized story board to explore the story first with each student having access to a computer, mouse, keyboard and headphones. Students would read and follow a story independently and where unfamiliar words were met, a click on the word would give its pronunciation. The program used in this study was the WiggleWorks software that offered literacy curriculum based on a combination of speech, sounds, graphics, text and other features.   Students were also able to create word banks by clicking on a plus sign and later develop their own stories or sentences using those words (Boling Martin, 2002). Determining the success of one method over the other was dependent on the students’ performance on vocabulary tests administered before and after the commencement of the study, regardless of the assistive technology used. The results were examined using both pairs of tests. The results showed significant positive effect for both groups but students using the assistive technology software showed greater improvement in their ability to remember more vocabulary words. According to Boling Martin (2002), the experimental group gained significantly as reflected in the difference between the mean scores for the pre test 3.7 and the post test 16.9. Overall the experimental group benefited to a larger extent than the control group. The use of the computer in the learning corners in the Preschool Education program and the Computer Assisted-Instruction testify to the immutable usefulness of this piece of equipment – the computer in the classroom. Acknowledging this fact several laptop immersion programs have been initiated in a number of states across the U.S. including Maine, California, and South Carolina. The Microsoft Corporation caught on to this program in 1996. Report from these immersion programs has suggested that the incorporation of laptops in the general education system not only led to improvements in students’ motivation but have also shown increase in students’ participation and in the rate at which they complete scheduled tasks (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). While educators have been arguing about the utility of laptops in the classroom, some people have questioned the degree to which these have contributed to improvements in student performance. A study was conducted at the Harvest Park Middle School to ascertain what specific impact the use of laptops have on students overall learning, specifically on their individual class grades, grade point average, writing skills and scores on standardized and other external exams (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). This school participates in the laptop immersion program which involves parents and students first applying and then each parent is required to purchase the laptop for his/her child.   In cases where there is economic disadvantage there is the option of a one year loan of a laptop subject to application and approval. Training in the use of the computer is provided. Subsequent to that the students use their laptops independently across their specific subject areas to perform any variety of curricula-related tasks such as researching, preparing presentations, typing essays and note-taking. The school, located in Pleasanton, California has approximately 24% of its population enrolled in the program. Their grade levels range from sixth through to eighth. A representation of Asians, Filipinos, Whites and Hispanics are enrolled in the program (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). The data collected from test results of students enrolled in the laptop immersion program as compared to those not involved, shows something pretty impressive. Five categories of grades were collected for students in the program over a three year period and these were pitted against the grades obtained by students not involved in the program. Their end-of-course grades were collected for each subject and from this their G.P.A. was calculated averaging their grades for all courses taken by each student. Grades were also gathered from the district writing assessment for the sixth and eighth graders and from the California Standards Tests. For sixth and eighth graders this test is strictly multiple choice while for the seventh graders a writing test is included. The last set of grades came from a Norm-Referenced Test in which all three grade levels were tested in spelling, language, reading, and mathematics. The data reveals significant difference in the scores received for all these assessments between students involved in the program and those who were not. In the initial year not much distinction existed between grades but subsequently the laptop users began to showed marked distinction in their grades. The grades obtained by both groups for English Language Arts and Mathematics showed laptop users had higher GPA scores than non-laptop users.   Sixth grade students had a better significant score by 37 points, seventh grade students by 36 points, and eighth grade students by 16 points. The end-of-year grades for these same subject areas showed more A scores and fewer F scores than non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). There was a very considerable difference at the seventh grade level where students in the immersion program had 16% more A’s than non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).   In the eighth grade, however, there is a slight shift in statistics, non-laptop users actually received 3% more A’s than laptop users.   Overall, 90% of students in the laptop immersion program received a letter B grade or performed better in English compared to 79% among the non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). In the district writing assessment for sixth and eighth graders, a higher percentage of laptop-using students met or surpassed their grade level expectations by 16% in grade six and 8% in the eighth grade (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).   The study showed that students in the laptop program scored more Solid Consistency Scores, 3, than the others. In the state mandated exam, students in the laptop program scored at or above the national average in the mathematics and language arts part of the exam for all grade levels (Bulek Dermitas, 2005).   There was considerable difference also in the mathematics sixth grade category where it showed students in the immersion program had a higher percentage by 13 points. The California assessment exam also showed a significantly higher result in the scores of the laptop users compared to the non-laptop users in all grade levels.   Bulek Demirtas (2005) reveal that the laptop users scored higher by a difference of 17% in language arts and 18% in mathematics. The results obtained from the study of the Harvest Park Middle school prove that the laptop immersion program had a positive impact on student achievement (Bulek Dermitas, 2005). The potential uses of the laptop in coordination with other software and technological tools therefore present boundless opportunities for the classroom teacher to modify technique and vary delivery strategy so as to ensure improved student performance. In a study exploring the use of a word processor for teaching the academic outcomes of students with special needs that had been tested as having writing disabilities, Hetzroni and Shrieber (2004), further add merit to the argument for the use of assistive technology in the classroom. In a case study involving three 7th grade students with writing disabilities, the computer word-processing program, when used correctly, was proven to be effective in increasing their writing scores. In this study the researchers functioned under the premise that the slow completion of classroom tasks caused by weaknesses in writing skill could be compensated with the use of assistive technology tools. Three male students, aged 12 to 13 were selected for the study based on their noted learning disabilities and even though they all showed reading scores appropriate to their required age level, it was believed that poor writing skills significantly accounted for their consistent underachievement. They were also required to demonstrate basic keyboarding competence. The study aimed to compare the percentage of spelling and reading errors present in the students work at the end of each language arts and Bible class, the amount of work completed (by examining the exact number of words written) and overall organizational quality, with and without the use of a computer equipped with word processing software. The study was carried out in the two subjects specified and was conducted on the basis of two alternating phases. Phase A (separated further into A1 and A2) covered the period when the students worked independent of the computer and word processing tool. Phase B (separated further into B1 and B2) covered the period when the students were allowed to use a portable computer. The sequence of the program was in-class observation and evaluation of each student by the invigilator under phase A1, an intermediary training session for four 45 minute sessions on basic word processing followed, phase B1 was conducted involving in-class observation and evaluation of the impact of the use of the word processing tool on each student’s performance, in phase A2 the computer was removed and students had to resort to using paper and pencil/pen and then in the final phase B2 the computer was reintroduced. The results of this study proved that the three students improved their writing skills by 5%, reading skills by 3%, organization skills by 30% and decreased errors by 50% (Hetzroni Shrieber, 2004).   There was, however, no noticeable difference in the average number of words the students were able to produce when assisted by the word processor (Hetzroni Shrieber, 2004). While the sample used in this study was very small (only three) it is still important. It goes a far way in demonstrating that, because writing difficulties can impact performance, assistive tools catered to the needs of such students could potentially yield improvements in student’s performance. Even if this is only to a small degree, any improvement in students’ performance is welcomed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given that students who have a Learning Disability (LD) have demonstrated significant weaknesses in their writing and reading skills, probably more so than any for any other skill, the use of technology must continue to be integrated in the classroom to assist students with LD’s. In a study presented by Zhang Brooks (1993) the benefits of one particular writing assistive technology, called ROBO-Writer is examined. The purpose of this article was to study the effects of ROBO-Writer as a writing tool for students with LD’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study was conducted over a three month period in a mid-western school and consisted of thirty-three students classified as having a LD. These students included twenty-three male and ten female students ranging in age from 7.7 to 13.2 years in grades 2 to 6 (Zhang Brooks, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A week prior to the commencement of the study, students were requested to hand-write freely on any topic of interest. From the papers produced, students were matched based on their mechanics, organizational quality and length and placed into groups of three and then further dispersed randomly to form three distinct groups (Zhang Brooks, 1993). The groups were assigned to use three different writing tools over the three month period. One group (MS), used Microsoft’s Word Processing, the second group (RW), used the ROBO-Writer, and the third group (CT), used the traditional paper-and-pencil writing method (Zhang Brooks, 1993).   Assessment of the merits of one method over another would be dependent on the syntactical and linguistic quality of the texts produced by the students irrespective of the particular technology used during the study period. A one-week training in their assigned technology was provided for the students in the MS and RW groups. Three assignments were given initially. All students were required to produce essays on topics of interest, written during normal assigned class writing time lasting for approximately 20 minutes, using their assigned technology. Later the students had to compose and develop a story over the course of 2 weeks using eight twenty minute sessions. A week after completing this assignment they were given a third story to produce in only 20 minutes this time. The final writing assignment was done a month afterward. For this task students spent 30 minutes writing on a specified topic. Initial observation of the students revealed that the MS and CT made little attempt to revise or edit their work before submitting while the RW group were involved in editing their work using the tools available in the software. Assessment of the written work was done by graduate students enrolled in a holistic assessment seminar. The basis of assessment was a modified rubric because the students have learning disabilities (Zhang Brooks, 1993). The results of the study show that the method used to produce the tasks had a significant influence on the overall quality of the written products. The statistical results obtained from correlation of the scores reveal that there was a considerable disparity in the average performances on the last three tasks. Without exception the students in the RW group received considerably higher scores than those in the MS or CT groups (Zhang Brooks, 1993). The above studies testify to the benefits of using assistive technology in the form of special word processing software, as opposed to traditional paper and pen methods particularly for students with learning disabilities. The research discussed by Craddock and Eng (2003) broadens the scope by demonstrating that, while assistive technology could be useful, they must be catered to the specific need of each student if they are to be effective. In a study proposing to look at how assistive technology improved students’ grades and performance, Craddock Eng (2003) provided information on how assistive technology was effectively used in the classroom with students having disabilities. The study was done over a two year period but was not confined to the classroom. Students were also observed in their interaction outside of the classroom setting.   There were forty-five students with learning disabilities that participated in the study and more than 25 individuals engaged in evaluating the students during this period of time using different forms of evaluations including formal assessment, observations, and written reports (Craddock Eng, 2003). The students were selected on the basis of their special needs. These students were lacking in assistive technology that could prove beneficial. An initial evaluation was done to assess each student’s specific need (Craddock Eng, 2003).   After evaluation and approval, each student received a specific assistive technology. The range of assistive technology provided to the students included touch screens, alternate keyboards, Reading/Writing Programs, screen enlargements, and talking processors.   Subsequently the study focused on assessing whether or not the selected technology would effectively assist or had no effect on these students’ performance. Prior performance data was obtained for each student and this later formed the basis for comparison with performance after the introduction of the assistive technology. Later on, according to Craddock Eng (2003), data was collected periodically after students were capable of using the assisted technology. After students became relatively comfortable with using the technology, they were able to use their new tools to help them improve many skills in different areas such as reading, writing, and speaking. The students were formally assessed every six weeks. Since students were using different types of assisted technology and were in different classrooms, evaluations took different forms, for example, improvement in interaction was assessed for students with speech problems as they were now able to communicate with the teacher and other students using a talking processor instead of a writing pad. Other students who couldn’t write used a Word-Processor program that allowed them to type their answer or message. The evaluation of these students did not only focus on changes in their academic performance. Certain important achievements, not capable of being formally evaluated, such as their new ability to communicate with peers and teachers as never before, were quite evident (Craddock Eng, 2003).   The findings concluded that more than two-thirds of the assisted technologies provided allowed students to work, communicate, and interact in the classroom with students and teachers.   Students using a talking processor showed improvement particularly in oral exams (Craddock Eng, 2003). Those students using a Word-Processor program were able to communicate with others and increased speed in communication by typing their message. One of the most significant improvements for these students was speed in communication and response (Craddock Eng, 2003).   Students using these technologies improved their scores by over 30% because the appropriate technology allowed them to answer correctly and freely.   However, some of the findings concluded that some students did not improve in response time or student performance using the talking processor (Craddock Eng, 2003).   Some students were able to answer rapidly but their answers were incorrect.    This concluded that even if students had the appropriate assisted technology improvements on exams was not guaranteed.   These technologies were able to facilitate and improve interaction, communication, and response time as never before.   The study concludes that, besides improvement in their grades and performance, they were also observed to be better able to interact and communicate with others (Craddock Eng 2003). Most of the researches presented so far have focused primarily on the language arts program. This may suggest that assistive technology could only be useful in helping develop language skills. This, of course, is not a true picture. Three further articles expound on research of the use of assistive technology in other subjects areas, specifically social studies, mathematics and environmental science. In Funkhouser’s (2002/2003) presentation, he points out that Mathematics software is part of the growing demand on assistive technology. A thirty six week study at a large high school aimed to ascertain if student success in geometry could be improved with the introduction of assistive technology. The study aimed to compare effects of a constructivist approach to a behaviorist instructional approach using a mathematics software program as assisted technology (Funkhouser, 2002/2003). Forty nine tenth and eleventh grade student participated in the study including both males and females. Using a normal scheduling process students were divided into two groups. One was the control group and the other was the treatment group. The control group consisted of twenty-seven students and the treatment group contained twenty-two (Funkhouser, 2002/2003). Two different learning environments were created each using different textbooks one employing a constructivist and the other a behaviorist approach.   Both groups covered the same topics. However, only the treatment group used the Geometry Supposer software as assistive technology. The pre-test and a post-test evaluation of both groups, consisting of ten questions pertaining to math attitudes, student approaches, student procedures and geometric calculations performance showed that there was significant improvement in knowledge by the treatment group by a t-test value of 2.06 (Funkhouser, 2002/2003). The results on improving student attitude were not significant between both groups. However, according to Funkhouser (2002/2003), students received significant benefits from constructivist computer-assisted instruction. This next research, discussed by Boon, Burke, Fore Spencer (2006), involves the integration of technology in an effort to enhance learning in social studies classes. The researchers attempted to assess the impact of cognitive organizers, with the integration of technology, Inspiration 6 software, on increasing content-area learning for secondary students with and without disabilities in inclusive social studies classes. There were forty-nine tenth grade students who participated in the study that lasted three weeks. From this group, twenty students were classified as having a learning disability (Boon et al 2006).   This school was located in the southeast part of the United States.   A general education teacher and two special education teachers participated in the study.   The method consisted of comparing a pretest and posttest on the result of cognitive organizers opposed to traditional textbooks. The group of students was separated into two groups classified as a control group and an experimental group. Both groups used the same textbook. In addition to the text book the control group used were involved in group activities, used guided handouts, worksheets, and video presentations. The experimental group used desktop computers, disks, guided outlines, reading materials, and Inspiration 6 software (Boon et al. 2006). The teacher in this classroom was also provided with a folder containing presentations, templates, and lesson plans.   The teacher also participated in one forty-five minute training on how to use Inspiration software.   Students in this group were also trained on using the software and creating outlines, charts, webs, using the voice converter, and converting outlines into a cognitive organizer.   This software allowed them to insert photos, sound, graphics, highlight text, change backgrounds. In the experimental group, students were introduced to a new chapter and given a pretest consisting of thirty-five questions.   Students were provided with a cognitive organizer for writing the chapter’s attributes as a class guided activity.   When students finished the chapter, they were able to input all the information they wrote in an outline on the Inspiration software.   The software allowed students to transform it into a cognitive organizer and diagram (Boon et al. 2006).   Using this cognitive organizer, students were able to study the chapter’s concepts throughout the study.   At the end, the teacher administered the posttest with the exact questions as the pretest. In the control group, the students completed the same pretest as the experimental group.   Afterwards, the students read orally as a class discussing the chapter’s concepts and later completed a ten-question worksheet to review vocabulary, people, and important events (Boon et al. 2006).   Throughout the study, students watched videos, completed group activities, and read the chapter various times.   At the end, the teacher administered the same posttest as the experimental group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both tests administered consisted of grading each question using points from zero to two.   The same score procedure was used for students with learning disabilities.   Ã‚   The results indicated that prior to the technology intervention no major significance in scores was found.   After the technology interference, a major difference was found as students in the experimental groups scored a mean average of 52.54 compared to the 26.84 of the control group (Boon et al. 2006). Students in the experimental group also improved their scores between the pretest and posttest by 41 points.   Overall the students who use the cognitive organizers performed better that those who just used the traditional textbook instruction. The use of cognitive organizers therefore has the potential to notably improve content-area learning for students with and without disabilities (Boon et al 2006). In the third subject-specific research Chanda, Sharonda Briers (2003) discussed how technology programs implemented in a classroom of economically disadvantage students, including disabled, enhanced their performance on the subject of Environmental Science.   The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of classroom strategies involving computer use on the performance of economically disadvantaged students (Chanda, Sharonda, and Briers, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The setting for this study was the Pennsylvania Middle school.   There were 311 students ranging from age 11 to 14 years (Chanda et al, 2003). The study was done using a quasi-experimental design meaning it included a pre-test, intervention, and post-test (Chanda et al., 2003).   Only 249 students were eventually analyzed because the other 62 missed one part of the design.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the pre test the researchers designed a 25 multiple choice exam consisting of questions dealing with Environmental Science, computer skills, and student demographics (Chanda et al, 2003).   The post test consisted of 49 multiple choice questions dealing with the same subjects.   Students had 30 minutes to complete the items. According to the Chanda et al. (2003), students had a 1 week intervention on Environmental Science using special software that allowed them to work in groups. Students worked in groups but were still tested individually. Students working together from two separate stations could take on the role of driver or navigator. The drivers in each group could control the computer program and all actions. The navigator’s purpose was to guide the driver in everything. The navigator would tell the driver what to click, where to go, and type all answer in the program. However, both students had to jointly decide on the answers working together to complete the assignments (Chanda et al, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The post-test data concluded that students managed to improve their performance on the post-test after the evaluation due to the program based on the driver navigator method (Chanda et al, 2003). What the article fails to detail though is an explanation or depiction of the exact numbers, percentages, or data on their improvement. The students were also evaluated on the basis of gender and this produced significant results. According to the Chanda et al. (2003), when students were grouped by different gender, the males dominated the driver part and would take over the navigator part giving them less improvement on their post test. Significantly also students in the same gender had a more significant improvement on their post-tests after following their proper roles by working together to meet the objectives in the subject areas (Chanda et al, 2003). In conclusion, the special program did enhance their performance on the specific subject areas due to its driver navigator method on doing assignments and projects (Chanda et al, 2003). In their article Cramer Smith (2002) argue that the argument for the use of technology as an assistive tool is not very convincing. While they believe that the integration of technology into the classroom, not as a substitute to the traditional instructional method, but as a way of supporting the teaching learning process is useful, they do not find that there is enough evidence to support the claims that they impact student performance extensively. In an article Cramer Smith (2002) present the findings of a study assessing the effectiveness of these new forms of learning tools. The research examined whether the use of an innovative program titled â€Å"The Movie Project† designed to improve essential literacy, oral, technology and grammar skills in a fun and exciting way makes a impact on student’s productive skills. â€Å"The Movie Project† is a unit of content delivery designed by educators that seeks to have students actively involved in the productive aspects of language. At the beginning of each school year a topic is chosen for a movie and students in groups prepare a movie script, the best one voted on in class. Between January and April the entire class works on producing an eight to ten minute movie, each student vying for positions as actors, producers, camera operators etc. To complete their movie students had access to a variety of technological tools such as camcorders and computers (Cramer Smith, 2002). The research presented by Cramer Smith (2002), compares the performance of students from two schools, one actively involved in â€Å"The Movie Project† – called the Movie Project School, and the other and the other where technology was not integrated into the teaching process – called the Traditional School. The number of participants was eighty-eight and fifty five students and three and four language arts teachers respectively. Besides their use of â€Å"The Movie Project† teachers were interviewed to discuss their use and integration of technology in various aspects of the classroom. The Movie Project School was thus identified to be the most technological rich school while the Traditional School had less access to and used technology far as an assistive tool. Writing samples were collected from a randomly selected group of students from both the Movie Project and the Traditional School. Two separate sets of writing samples were collected for each student involved. One was collected at the beginning of the year and the second was collected at the end of the year. All language arts teachers at the two schools participated in the study except one in the traditional school because no beginning-of-the-year writing samples were obtained. A total of 148 writing samples were submitted by the language arts teachers, eight were used during the standardization procedure and one had to be discarded. A writing sample represents both the beginning and the end of the year work for each student. Each student’s paper was scored on the basis of the quality of the development of ideas and how well these ideas are articulated and organized (ideas, organization and voice). For each of these three areas a separate aggregated score was produced for each grade level with the scores for the beginning and the end of the year also separated. At the beginning of the school year the average scores received for students at the Movie School for ideas, organization and voice were 2.89, 2.61 and 2.81 correspondingly with a median of 3.0 across. For the Traditional School the equivalent scores were 2.46, 2.24 and 2.30. The comparative results between beginning-of-year and end-of-year samples for each student and between the Movie School and the Traditional school did not demonstrate any significant changes. The average scores for the end-of-year samples for the Movie School were 3.2 for ideas, 2.93 for organization, and 3.19 for voice. The median was again 3.0. For the Traditional School the mean scores were now 3.28, 3.08 and 2.97 and they too had a mean of 3.0 overall.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The argument put forward by Cramer Smith (2002) is clear, there is not enough empirical evidence to conclude that assistive technology dramatically increases students’ performance. They believe that the lack of success of research into the impact of assistive technology could be because it is very difficult to measure the extent to which assistive technology as isolated factors contribute to improvements in students learning. By its very name assistive technology suggests that other traditional methods are employed in the classroom as well. Cramer Smith (2002) argue that a vast number of factors can also mitigate either for or against improvement in student’s performance with the aid of assistive technology. In the research just outlined for example, it was noted that students in the Traditional School for given more writing samples to produce as well as journaling was required at least twice per week as opposed to only once per week in the Movie School. Additionally, even though in the Traditional School computers were not as prevalent, their students used technology more often than those in the Movie School.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The conclusion is that, in order to assess the overall effectiveness of assistive technologies as opposed to the traditional method, other independent variables would have to be removed as these could obscure the results in favor of one position over the other. Too many factors are at work in the classroom for this isolation to be possible. Until such a research becomes possible teachers should not, however discount the use of these technologies in the classroom. The traditional teaching methodology is ever changing and teachers are constantly pressed to develop new ideas and strategies to meet the needs of their students. Even if there is no broad consensus on the overall impact of assistive technology, the task of determining its usefulness for individual students must be left up to the teacher. It is the teacher who interacts daily with these learners. It is the teacher who can determine whether or not changes in attitude arise from exposure to assistive technologies. It is the teacher who feels rewarded when a child’s life, even if it is only one, is shown to be positively impacted when their learning disabilities are offset by the use of assistive technologies. While some of the researches presented were not specific to the learning disabled classroom, they are still of relevance. The goal should not only be to separate the learning disabled from the main stream system, but to see how best to integrate them into the regular school system. A multicultural classroom where each student is able to function effectively in the classroom, despite whatever physical, psychological or cognitive difficulties they may have, where ethnic, gender and other differences are accommodated, is the ideal. Training in the use of assistive technology cannot be only for special education teachers. All teachers, across all grade levels, must learn to incorporate these and several other technologies in the classroom so as to create the healthiest environment for student motivation and cognitive, social, psychological, physical and other forms of development.       REFERENCES    Beck, J. (2002, Nov/Dec). Emerging Literacy Through Assistive Technology. Council for Exceptional Children, 35, 44-49. Boling, C. J., Martin, M. (2002). The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction on First Grade Students’ Vocabulary Development. Reading Improvement, 39, 79-88. Boon, R.T., Burke, M.D., Fore, C. Spencer, V.G. (2006). The Impact of Cognitive Organizers and Technology-Based Practices to Promote Student Success in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms for Students with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 21(1), 5-15. Bulek, J. Demirtas, H. (2005, January) Learning with technology: The Impact of Laptop Use on Student Achievement. The Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 3 (2). Chanda E., Sharonda P., Briers G. (2003) Evaluating Classroom Strategies to Enhance Performance: Using a Computer-Assisted Program. NACTA Journal, 12, 1-5. Craddock, G. Eng, B. (2003). Satisfaction in Assistive Technology Use: Factors that Impact on Students with Disabilities, Research Results. Cognitive Processing, 4, 28-39. Cramer, S. Smith, A. (2002). Technologys Impact on Student Writing at the Middle School Level. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 1-9 Funkhouser, C. (2002/2003). The Effects of Computer-Augmented Geometry Instruction on Student Performance and Attitudes. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(2) 163-75. Hetzroni, O., Shrieber, B. (2004). Word Processing as an Assistive Technology Tool for Enhancing Academic Outcomes of Students with Writing Disabilities in the General Classroom. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(2), 143-154. Zhang, Y. Brooks, D. (1993). The Holistic Quality of Texts Created by Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities is Improved when Appropriate Computer-Based Software is Employed as the Writing Tool. Retrieved November 2, 2006, from http://dwb.unl.edu/Diss/YZhang/YZDissPaper.html