Occupational Therapy Essays - Computer Keyboards, Keyboard Layout

Occupational Therapy We are a group of occupational therapists and a new client has come to our office with the following case history: Don is a 63 year-old amateur poet. He has several of his poems published in the local newspaper but has not yet been accepted by any literary journals. Three months ago, Don had a cerebellar cerebrovascular accident that has given him significant fine motor control limitations. He is not able to hold a pencil or a pen, and when one is taped in his hand, he can not produce recognizable printing. He is able to reach a range of nearly 5 feet from side to side but cannot pick up a 1-inch cube from the table. When asked to use a keyboard, he is as likely to strike two keys away from the target as the key he is aiming for. He is able to put his finger reliably into a square that is 2 inches on a side wherever it is located within his reach. He is not able to accurately place his finger into a square that is 1.5 inches on a side, however, unless it is located directly in front of him (Anson, 1997, p. 104). Don is frustrated by his condition and needs some assistance to continue his writing. We used the decision tree to evaluate which computer adaptation would be best for Don. We determined that Don has physical limitations to the computer but has full range of the keyboard. Due to his trouble targeting specific keys, it would be increasingly difficult to simultaneously press more than one key at once. The client has frequent accidental keystrokes because of the size of the small keys. His inability to strike a single key on demand led us to expanded range of motion. Having assessed that Don could strike larger keys accurately; we reached the alternative of expanded keyboards. Upon researching expanded keyboards, we found a great variety in what each keyboard offered. The 32 key layout with 2.5- inch keys did not provide an adequate selection for Dons writing needs. Most of the standard expanded keyboards with 128 keys only have 1.5-inch keys. Some examples are Key Largo and Unicorn Expanded keyboards. Key Largo is an expanded keyboard, which works through Discover KENX. It is useful for one with coordination problems. Unicorn Expanded keyboard established the standard 128 key expanded keyboard design. We had the opportunity (in A.T. lab) to try and compare the different expanded keyboards. We appreciated that a client with difficulty reaching small keys would find these keyboards more beneficial. All keyboards require an encoder, which interprets the key. When pressed it converts it to a keyboard code, that the computer could understand. Some computers come with a built in encoder and some without. These keyboards with encoders can be connected directly to the keyboard port of the computer. Therefore no internal adaptation is needed for the computer and it doesnt interfere with any software in the computer. This is beneficial because it can be used with any operating system and software the client may need. A disadvantage to this is that the keyboard codes are not readily adaptable. This means that the keyboard layout is fixed and cant be changed by the clinician. Another consideration is that this keyboard can not be connected simultaneously with the standard keyboard. Since plugging and unplugging the keyboard is not recommended, this option is better suited for a client who would be the sole user of the computer. Expanded keyboards that do not have the built in encoder, require an external device that would interpret the codes to the computer. Although this keyboard has the disadvantage of an external device, it offers flexibility in the keyboard layout and allows for various overlays that change the layout. An example of the latter is the Key Largo keyboard mentioned above. The problem with 1.5-inch keys is the clients inability to accurately reach a key of that size unless the keyboard is positioned right in front of him. An option would be to position the client in front of the computer with the keyboard mounted close enough for him to access. Although this alternative was a possibility we preferred to find

Translating By Into Spanish

Translating By Into Spanish By is one of the English prepositions that is most confusing for Spanish students, because it can have many meanings. Before you try translating a sentence using by, you need to ask yourself, what does this word mean? In many cases, if you can reword the sentence to express the same thought or relationship in different words, you are well on your way to figuring out what you want to say in Spanish. Here are some of the most common meanings of by with examples of how the same thing can be said in Spanish. To Indicate the Agent or Cause Usually, you can say that something was created or put in its present condition by someone or something using the preposition por. If the word or phrase (known as an object) following by answers the question who or what did it? then por is your likely choice. Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. Hamlet fue escrito por Shakespeare.The area affected by the sound is very large. La zona afectado por el sonido es muy grande.Ozone is a gas formed by the action of sunlight. El ozono es un gas que se forma por la accià ³n de la luz solar. As in the first example above, por is often used to indicate authorship. Thus, a book cover will usually indicate that the contents were written por the author. However, in sentences in English that can be reworded to use the name of an author as a description, the preposition de is usually used in translation: Volver is a film by Almodovar. (Volver is an Almodovar film.) Volver es una pelà ­cula de Almodà ³var.Where I can I buy books by Mark Twain in Spanish? (Where I can I buy Mark Twain books in Spanish?)  ¿Dà ³nde puedo comprar libros de Mark Twain en espaà ±ol? Means of Transportation Usually en or por can be used more or less interchangeably when indicating how someone or something travels, although en is more common. We are traveling by plane from New York to London. Viajamos en avià ³n desde Nueva York a Londres. Viajamos por avià ³n desde Nueva York a Londres.Traveling by car through Norway is easy and pleasant. Viajar en coche por Noruega es sencillo y agradable. In Time Elements When by means not later than, para can be used: I will be ready by 4.  Estarà © lista para las cuatro. Indicating Proximity When by means near or next to, cerca de or junta a can be used: There is a large park by the library. Hay un gran parque junto a la biblioteca.All the hotels are located by the beach. Todos los hoteles se encuentran ubicados cerca de la playa. Untranslated By With the Spanish Present Participle Spanish often uses present participles (the verb form ending in s: A fake doctor got rich by diagnosing nonexistent cancers. Un falso doctor se hizo rico diagnosticando cnceres inexistentes.By studying weekends, Susana will pass the test. Estudiando los fines de semana, Susana aprobar el examen. Note that in these examples, the English by could be omitted with little or no change in meaning. In Arithmetic To divide by is dividir entre, while to multiply by is multiplicar por. When dimensions are given, por is used: tres metros por seis, three by six meters. Meaning Per Where by is the rough equivalent of per, use por: Compramos los huevo por docenas.  We buy eggs by the dozen (per dozen). Idiomatic phrases Numerous idiomatic phrases using by often cant be translated word for word. The concept may be expressed in some other way in Spanish other than directly translating by. Some examples: I want to do it by myself. Quiero hacerlo sin ayuda. (The phrase is translated as the Spanish equivalent of without help.)You could follow our trip almost day by day thanks to Davids blog. Pudisteis seguir nuestro viaje casi dà ­a a dà ­a gracias al blog de David.We want to eat by candlelight. Queremos comer a las luz de las velas.Pablo introduced all the teachers to us one by one. Pablo nos presentà ³ uno a uno todos los profesores.What do you mean by difficult?  ¿Quà © quieres decir con dificil?

The Signalling theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Signalling theory - Essay Example Similarly, human interactions rely on signals most of the time. The signals enable people to identify some hidden qualities of the other person. The theory focuses on providing comprehension of the varied signals as well as noting, which are dependable. For example, in making decisions, employers and managers rely on the information they obtain from the signals they receive. For instance, in making decisions about capital structures and payout policies, a manager would rely on the existing arrangement and try to evaluate its effectiveness before deciding on the next step (Chang & Hong 2000). Signals according to the theory can be categorized into assessment and conventional signals. The assessment signals denote the signals that are reliable; that is, they are signals that tend to restrict individuals who do not pose the quality required by the signal from using it. For example, if a manager perceives the organization to be overvalued, he or she should not signal the stakeholders tha t the organization holds a better opportunity in the future to increase profits by increasing their payouts. This is because implementing the signal will lead to embarrassment of the manager as well as create distrust. The conventional signals on the other hand denote unreliable indicators. In most cases, the signals are external and can result in heavy consequences. For example, if a manager makes a decision based on the consumer behaviour; for instance, seeing that the consumers are making high purchases of a product, the manager decides to produce these in high quantities perceiving that the profits for the organization will increase. This can be a false signal, especially when the consumer is presented with another alternative for the same product. The manager will lose face before the investors and can even be dismissed from office. Therefore, it is imperative to first identify the aspects affecting the capital structure and payout policies of the organization before signalling the respective parties or making any major decisions (Notes on Signalling 2005). Cost appears to be major factor in the signalling theory. This is because prior to making any decisions, managers need to consider the expense. At times, some signals may be deceiving and may later affect the decisions made adversely in a negative way. For example, the target earnings of the business may seem promising in the next quarter of the business thereby making the manager decide on a high pay out percentage. This signal could be truthful or deceiving and will eventually impact on the decision made for pay outs. On the other hand, deceptive signals can be used to benefit the creator of the signal. For instance, a manager can signal stakeholders and potential investors that the organization is well off to making more profits by increasing the payout ratio for their dividends. This would make them invest more in the organization and thus, enable the manager to expand the business and increase pro fits (Pacheco & Raposo 2007). Managers face the basic responsibility of deciding on the amount to debt to be employed on the capital structure as well as determine the dividend percentages to be paid out (Barclay et al. 1992). Different theories have been established to identify the aspects that are relevant in identifying capital structures and payout policies. Among these is the signalling theory. Aside from cost, taxes have also been noted to be a vital aspect that affects the capital struc