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Journal articles on the topic 'User inclusivity'
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Cooper, Emily. "Designing and assessing near-eye displays to increase user inclusivity." Journal of Vision 17, no. 10 (August 31, 2017): 382. http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/17.10.382.
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Archer, Emma R. M. "Identifying Underserved End-User Groups in the Provision of Climate Information." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 84, no. 11 (November 1, 2003): 1525–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/bams-84-11-1525.
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Despite improvements in the science of climate forecasting, the application of forecasts faces key challenges. Prominent among such challenges is the fact that certain subgroupings of end users of climate information remain excluded from its potential benefits, or underserved. This paper suggests that such an omission may occur in part due to a lack of sophistication in the way the end user is viewed in the field of forecast applications research. End-user studies working both at generic and finer scales are cited, identifying reasons why certain user groups may be excluded from potential benefits of the forecast system. A case study in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, shows more specifically how one characteristic, namely gender, may determine such exclusion. The paper concludes by considering recommendations to improve inclusivity of climate information systems.
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Rooney, Joy M., Peter F. Unwin, and Nina Osborne. "Gaining by giving? Peer research into service user and carer perceptions of inclusivity in Higher Education." Social Work Education 35, no. 8 (September 7, 2016): 945–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2016.1227314.
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Muhammad, Habeeb Sirajo, and Ibrahim Umar Salihi. "Application of the UN-Habitat Integrated Sustainable Waste Management Methodology to Evaluate the Solid Waste Management System in the City of Kano, Nigeria." International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa 38 (September 2018): 115–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/jera.38.115.
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This report provides a review of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Kano, Nigeria. It employs a number of performance indicators, which include: waste collection, controlled disposal, materials recovery and financial sustainability. Other indicators are: user inclusivity, provider inclusivity and institutional coherence. A material flow diagram indicates a large amount of waste going to the informal recovery and reuse sector. Comparisons with world cities show that Kano performs below the low-income category in terms of solid waste management (SWM). The biodegradable portion of the waste constitutes 68%, 62.5% of the total waste being generated by the household sector at a rate of 0.56 kg capita -1 day-1. The SWM system is under budgeted and with the rapid increase in population, an effective and efficient SWM system would be required.
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Blacklow, Serena O., Sarah Lisker, Madelena Y. Ng, Urmimala Sarkar, and Courtney Lyles. "Usability, inclusivity, and content evaluation of COVID-19 contact tracing apps in the United States." Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 28, no. 9 (June 22, 2021): 1982–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocab093.
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Abstract We evaluated the usability of mobile COVID-19 contact tracing apps, especially for individuals with barriers to communication and limited digital literacy skills. We searched the Apple App Store, Google Play, peer-reviewed literature, and lay press to find contact tracing apps in the United States. We evaluated apps with a framework focused on user characteristics and user interface. Of the final 26 apps, 77% were on both iPhone and Android. 69% exceeded 9th grade readability, and 65% were available only in English. Only 12% had inclusive illustrations (different genders, skin tones, physical abilities). 92% alerted users of an exposure, 42% linked to a testing site, and 62% linked to a public health website within 3 clicks. Most apps alert users of COVID-19 exposure but require high English reading levels and are not fully inclusive of the U.S. population, which may limit their reach as public health tools.
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Carbone, Charlotte. "Trans* inclusivity in fashion retail: Disrupting the gender binary with queer perspectives." Clothing Cultures 7, no. 1 (March 1, 2021): 23–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/cc_00025_1.
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This study is about gender-inclusive fashion retail, with a focus on trans* inclusivity. It is based on primary and secondary research of trans* issues in fashion. This research resulted in an inclusive pop-up shop that eliminated the reinforcement of the gender binary present in conventional fashion retail. Primary research consisted of semi-structured shop-and-talk interviews with end users and industry experts. All end-user interviews were conducted in Toronto in a minimum of two different fashion retail stores, such as one department store and one gendered store. The expert interviews were conducted in a context that matched the individual, such a designer’s home studio. Secondary research used a blended framework of queer, intersectional and post-capitalist theories to analyse trans* discrimination, unisex fashion and transness in popular culture. Key themes derived from these areas were cultural variance of gender expression, lack of accurate trans* representation and superficial queer initiatives. Fashion is based on the socially constructed gender binary, which excludes trans* people and cisgender (cis) people who are gender non-conforming in dress. The heteronormative and cis-normative beauty standards of fashion shame those who do not follow them. The current trans* representation in fashion is minimal and problematic. Real trans* people and narratives are not broadcasted by mainstream media; however, tokenized trans* celebrities and cis people acting as trans* mouthpieces are. This research questions how services and environments of fashion retail can be redesigned to be gender inclusive, by normalizing disruptive gender expression and increasing trans* visibility. This research is important because of the empowerment, validation and safety that queer and trans* people deserve when in public spaces.
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Henning Buehring, Joern, and Patricia Moore. "Emotional and Social Intelligence as ‘Magic Key’ in Innovation: A Designer’s call toward inclusivity for all." Journal of Innovation Management 6, no. 2 (August 11, 2018): 6–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.24840/2183-0606_006.002_0002.
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This paper draws attention to the emotional and social intelligence of individuals - encompassing self- and social awareness, empathy and social skills; when applied to innovation, it can boost employee creativity, diversity, risk taking, learning, adapting, and strategic decision making which is deemed as critical in meeting the challenges of the 21stCentury. Meanwhile, Design in business and innovation have become increasingly synonymous in both meaning (e.g. design and futures thinking) and reach (e.g. products, services, business models, and systems), placing renewed focus on creative human capital as the organizations’ greatest asset. Expanding the conversation of Design in business as a strategic role to develop user-centered innovations through ‘inclusivity for all’, it is proposed that an organization’s emotional and social intelligence may well bear the 'magic key' toward competitive resilience and long-term survival.
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Nyashanu, Mathew, Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda, Fungisai Mushawa, and Mandu Stephene Ekpenyong. "Exploring perceptions and attitudes of black Sub-Sahara African (BSSA) migrants towards residential care in England." International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care 16, no. 3 (July 22, 2020): 307–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijmhsc-12-2019-0097.
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Purpose Since the early 19th century, the UK has seen a decrease in mortality rates and increase in life expectancy. This has increased the number of elderly people being put into residential care. Change in British population demography with the arrival of many Africans from the black Sub-Sahara African (BSSA) countries has increased the need of these services. The purpose of this paper is to explore perceptions and attitude of BSSA towards residential care from potential user perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study was explorative qualitative in nature, using focus group discussions and one-on-one follow up semi-structured interviews. The focus group discussions and interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The Silences Framework was used to guide this study, and the collection of data was done using the thematic analysis approach. Findings This study found out that the sense of confinement, lack of ownership, non-provision of culturally friendly food, non-provision of culturally friendly personal care, non-provisional of culturally orientated death and dying care, stigma for being neglected and perceived poor inclusivity leading to loneliness were found to discourage BSSA research participants from taking up residential care in the UK. Research limitations/implications In future, there is need for cross-cultural comparisons of BSSA communities living in the UK and BSSA communities living in Africa or other parts of the world. This may enhance understanding the differences and similarities based on contextual social, political and economic factors. Practical implications There is a need to understand the needs and concerns of new communities in relation to residential care and make necessary changes to enhance diversity and inclusivity. More importantly, the curriculum and professional development courses for staff in health and social care need to factor in the concepts of cultural competency and inclusivity to prepare them for the increasingly changing terrain of social care. Originality/value Owing to the changing demography and diversity in the UK population, there is a need to re-orient and re-design residential care services provision to make it diverse and inclusive of new communities from other cultures.
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Polakowski, Sergiusz, Alan H. Davis, Andre L. Albert, and Brendan Gow. "QuickTox™ Kit for QuickScan DON3 (Vomitoxin) Method Modification." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 98, no. 1 (January 1, 2015): 85–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.14-152.
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Abstract Lateral flow technology and a reader-based systemare used for quantitative determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin, residues in cereal grain commodities by the QuickTox Kit for QuickScan DON (Vomitoxin). The assay has been modified, and a study was conducted in support of a Performance Tested MethodSM (PTM) Modification. The modified assay employs identical biologic reagents as used previously (PTM No. 121202).Compared to the PTM certified product, the new assayuses modified device architecture. Multiple kits andcatalog numbers were required in the original kit reflecting the necessity for matrix specific calibration curves affixed to assay strips. A single calibration curve and kit are utilized in the new product; extraction volumes used in sample preparation are varied to accommodate multiple sample types. Extracts are clarified by filtration or settling depending onthe sample type. Filtration was used for matrixes examined in these studies. With the original product, the extract was mixed 1:1 with DB1 buffer followed by the addition of the strip which was developed for 10 min. The new product dilutes extracts five-fold offline in DB6 buffer; an aliquot of the dilution is moved to a reaction vial followed by strip development time for 3 min. The new assay performance was evaluated for linearity, robustness, selectivity (inclusivity), lot-to-lot consistency, and both internal and third party matrix studies. All DON positive samples yielded results within previously defined acceptable ranges with dose-dependent correlation values of R2 greater than 0.97 in linearity and internal and external matrix studies. Inclusivity data indicated detection of DON along with acetyl derivatives, glucoside-conjugate, and Nivalenol. Robustness studies showed within range results upon co-variation of multiple user interface parameters, and lot-to-lot consistency challenges demonstrated acceptable results across five manufactured lots.
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Dutta, Vikrant, Tom Guerrette, Alan H. Davis, Erin Crowley, Jonathan Flannery, Benjamin Bastin, Patrick Bird, M. Joseph Benzinger, James Agin, and David Goins. "DNAble® Molecular Detection Kit for Salmonella." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 97, no. 5 (September 1, 2014): 1359–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.14-100.
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Abstract The DNAble Salmonella detection assay utilizes single overnight culture enrichment, user-friendly sample preparation, and isothermal DNA amplification for Salmonella detection. This report describes studies performed in support of AOAC Research Institute Performance Tested MethodSM certification of the DNAble assay. Selectivity (inclusivity and exclusivity) studies were performed in the sponsor's laboratory. DNAble detected 119 out of 120 Salmonella isolates, representing 100 Salmonella serovars, in the inclusivity study while none of the 35 diverse non-Salmonella strains (32 species) tested was detected in the exclusivity study. Consistency (lot-to-lot and stability), instrument variation, and robustness studies were also conducted by the sponsor. Statistically equivalent assay performance was observed in these studies demonstrating robust assay manufacture and performance despite variation of multiple parameters in these challenges. Matrix studies, performed in an independent laboratory, evaluated DNAble assay performance in dry pet food, on stainless steel surfaces, and poultry environmental drag swab samples. Two sample sizes (25 and 375 g) and two culture volumes (9:1 and 3:1, v/w) were evaluated in separate matrix studies for dry pet food to provide multiple certified testing options for assay users. DNAble assay performance for dry pet food and stainless steel was compared to the procedures described in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual, Chapter 5, Salmonella. Assay performance for drag swabs was compared to protocols dictated in the FDA Environmental Sampling and Detection of Salmonella in Poultry Houses guidelines. Matrix study results demonstrated statistically equivalent DNAble assay performance compared to these reference methods, ensuring that the DNAble assay provides results comparable to those of the reference methods.
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Herring, Ellie. "Design for Inclusivity: A Practical Guide to Accessible, Innovative and User-Centred Design by Roger Coleman, John Clarkson, Hua Dong, and Julia Cassim (eds)." Design and Culture 2, no. 1 (March 2010): 107–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/175470710x12593419555685.
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Olstein, Alan, Leena Griffith, Joellen Feirtag, and Nicole Pearson. "Paradigm Diagnostics Salmonella Indicator Broth (PDX-SIB) for Detection of Salmonella on Selected Environmental Surfaces." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 96, no. 2 (March 1, 2013): 404–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.11-373.
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Abstract The Paradigm Diagnostics Salmonella Indicator Broth (PDX-SIB) is intended as a single-step selective enrichment indicator broth to be used as a simple screening test for the presence of Salmonella spp. in environmental samples. This method permits the end user to avoid multistep sample processing to identify presumptively positive samples, as exemplified by standard U. S. reference methods. PDX-SIB permits the outgrowth of Salmonella while inhibiting the growth of competitive Gram-negative and -positive microflora. Growth of Salmonella- positive cultures results in a visual color change of the medium from purple to yellow when the sample is grown at 37 ± 1°C. Performance of PDX-SIB has been evaluated in five different categories: inclusivity-exclusivity, methods comparison, ruggedness, lot-to-lot variability, and shelf stability. The inclusivity panel included 100 different Salmonella serovars, 98 of which were SIB-positive during the 30 to 48 h incubation period. The exclusivity panel included 33 different non- Salmonella microorganisms, 31 of which were SIB-negative during the incubation period. Methods comparison studies included four different surfaces: S. Newport on plastic, S. Anatum on sealed concrete, S. Abaetetuba on ceramic tile, and S. Typhimurium in the presence of 1 log excess of Citrobacter freundii. Results of the methods comparison studies demonstrated no statistical difference between the SIB method and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration-Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference method, as measured by the Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square test. Ruggedness studies demonstrated little variation in test results when SIB incubation temperatures were varied over a 34–40°C range. Lot-to-lot consistency results suggest no detectable differences in manufactured goods using two reference Salmonella serovars and one non-Salmonella microorganism.
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Brandt, John, Kathleen Buckingham, Cody Buntain, Will Anderson, Sabin Ray, John-Rob Pool, and Natasha Ferrari. "Identifying social media user demographics and topic diversity with computational social science: a case study of a major international policy forum." Journal of Computational Social Science 3, no. 1 (January 7, 2020): 167–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42001-019-00061-9.
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AbstractWhen the world’s countries agreed on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they recognized that equity and inclusion should be at the center of implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 15, which calls for protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, has spurred commitments to restore 350 million hectares of land by 2030. These commitments, primarily made in a top-down manner at the international scale, must be implemented by actively engaging individual landholders and local communities. Ensuring that diverse and marginalized audiences are engaged in the land restoration movement is critical to equitably distributing the economic benefits of restoration. This publication uses social network analysis and machine learning to understand how important the voices of Africans, women, and young people are in governing restoration in Africa. We analyze location- and machine learning-identified demographics from Twitter data collected during the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), which is the world’s largest platform for promoting sustainable land use practices. Our results suggest that convening the GLF in Nairobi, Kenya elevated the voices of African leaders in comparison to the previous GLF in Bonn, Germany. We also found significant demographic differences in topic-level engagement between different ages, races, and genders. The primary contributions of this paper are a novel methodology for quantifying demographic differences in social media engagement and the application of social media and social network analysis to provide critical insights into the inclusivity of a large political conference aimed at engaging youth and African voices.
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Li, Fang, and Hua Dong. "The Economic Explanation of Inclusive Design in Different Stages of Product Life Time." Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design 1, no. 1 (July 2019): 2377–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dsi.2019.244.
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AbstractThe static data obtained from user research are not sufficient to accurately reflect the change of the user's needs and capabilities in different contexts. Not paying enough attention to the economic feasibility of design solutions makes inclusive design face challenges in commercialization. In this paper, the user's demand is regarded as a function of the dynamic interaction between the user's characteristics and the environment. The inclusion problem is defined from an economic perspective. By distinguishing the stages before and after the delivery of a product, different economic properties of the product are defined. Then the two stages are analysed from the perspective of investment and consumption respectively, and the competition criterion of inclusivity distribution and the reasons for exclusion are deduced. According to the causes of different problems in the two stages, the research direction of inclusive solutions is pointed out, and the economical sustainability of inclusive design is analysed. This paper emphasizes that the goal of inclusive design lies not only in the partial and temporary elimination of exclusion, but also in how to distribute the freedom of choice.
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Weesie, Ruben. "Towards Adaptive Commons: A Case Study of Agro-Pastoral Dams in Northern Ghana." Sustainability 11, no. 2 (January 10, 2019): 319. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11020319.
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Agro-pastoral dams (APDs) are an increasingly popular method of adaptation interventions improving communal water supply in rural West Africa. However, APDs are often constructed in areas where culturally heterogeneous pastoralists and farmers compete for similar land and water resources. Lifting open access water abundance is likely to change if not intensify ongoing tensions between farmers and settling Fulani herders. The extent of collective action and inclusivity of 6 APDs in Northern Ghana are analysed, combining theory from common-pool resource management and equity and justice in climate change adaptation into a proposed Inclusive Collective Action (ICA) model. Practically, the article demonstrates that neither fully excluding Fulani pastoralists nor making dams openly accessible results in inclusive APD usage and management where collective action is successful, and more dynamic forms of regional inclusion and exclusion are needed. Theoretically, the article identifies some of the limitations of applying the enabling conditions for collective action of common-pool resource theory as it tends to overlook negative aspects of excluding certain user groups in culturally heterogeneous contexts from managing and using a commons.
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Balaji, B. Preedip, and M. Dhanamjaya. "Towards a Model of Urban Studies Classification." KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION 47, no. 7 (2020): 574–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.5771/0943-7444-2020-7-574.
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Evolution of cities is a subject of research for over a hundred years in the organization of urban knowledge systems. Locating five key methodological approaches used by urban scholars and practitioners, this paper demonstrates different relationships between urban studies and classification. Five significant themes form the background of urban studies literature. The first theme sources and literature explore organizing urban materials into sources and literature with a unique dimension of spatiality. The second theme discusses three important facets: scale as a geographic unit of analysis and space as an abstract entity and system as a set of interdependent parts of urban places. The third theme, known as “other” urban, argued for the poor treatment of global south and how it builds inclusivity. The fourth theme, classification and retrieval, investigates the relationship between urban materials and user needs. The last theme, classification schemes, highlights subject treatment of urban in the existing library classification schemes. This paper concludes that the five themes discussed point to a model of urban studies classification. However, this model is not just concerned with urban methods, facets and formats, but explores how each theme interconnects with various sets of people-urbanists, practitioners and librarians-and through studying these actors, established boundaries of urban theories, urban librarianship and knowledge organization are crossed.
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Fahmi, Ujang. "Cultural Public Sphere: Tracking the Yogyakarta City Policy Agenda through the #JogjaOraDidol Hashtag on Twitter." Policy & Governance Review 3, no. 1 (April 16, 2019): 73. http://dx.doi.org/10.30589/pgr.v3i1.123.
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Instead of studying the virtual space using the Political Public Sphere concept, this study adopts the Literary Public Sphere point of view to examine and narrate the nature of a Cultural Public Sphere in social media. The researchers see interactivity in social media as an articulation of expression involving emotions and aesthetics (affective communication). Using the mixed method of Topic Modelling, Social Network Analysis (SNA), and Discourse Analysis in the case of the presence of the #JogjaOraDidol hashtag in Twitter, this study conclude that the Cultural Public Sphere has three dimensions of Public Sphere as introduced by Dahlgren (2005). The dynamic of inclusivity for anyone to express themselves and to engage in public issues discussions indicates that space is inclusive not only because of the technical support of the media but also because of the commitment of its users (structural dimension). The emergence of three virtual communities (fans, artists and activists) that develop a collective identity represents a subset of the real local population and demonstrates the ideal role taking of the representational aspect of Public Sphere. The interactional one is indicated by the discourse constructed using reflexive but straightforward symbols represent the interaction between users and the meaning that users do to the contents of the media used. Meanwhile, the real action show of the discourse develops virtually does not entrap the user in pseudo-empowerment. As an implication, using specific parameter, notably the hashtag identifies a social movement, policymakers can use data from social media in the agenda-setting process. Additionally, in the context of #JogjaOraDidol, soft data can also be used to evaluate the moratorium policy of granting the hotel's construction permit.
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RYAN, GINA, SHERRY ROOF, LAURIE POST, and MARTIN WIEDMANN. "Evaluation of Rapid Molecular Detection Assays for Salmonella in Challenging Food Matrices at Low Inoculation Levels and Using Difficult-to-Detect Strains." Journal of Food Protection 78, no. 9 (September 1, 2015): 1632–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-15-098.
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Assays for detection of foodborne pathogens are generally initially evaluated for performance in validation studies carried out according to guidelines provided by validation schemes (e.g., AOAC International or the International Organization for Standardization). End users often perform additional validation studies to evaluate the performance of assays in specific matrices (e.g., specific foods or raw material streams of interest) and with specific pathogen strains. However, these types of end-user validations are typically not well defined. This study was conducted to evaluate a secondary end user validation of four AOAC-validated commercial rapid detection assays (an isothermal nucleic acid amplification, an immunoassay, and two PCR-based assays) for their ability to detect Salmonella in two challenging matrices (dry pet food and dark chocolate). Inclusivity was evaluated with 68 diverse Salmonella strains at low population levels representing the limit of detection (LOD) for each assay. One assay detected all strains at the LOD, two assays detected multiple strains only at 10 times the LOD, and the fourth assay failed to detect two strains (Salmonella bongori and S. enterica subsp. houtenae) even at 1,000 times the LOD; this assay was not further evaluated. The three remaining assays were subsequently evaluated for their ability to detect five selected Salmonella strains in food samples contaminated at fractional levels. Unpaired comparisons revealed no significant difference between the results for each given assay and the results obtained with the reference assay. However, analysis of paired culture-confirmed results revealed assay false-negative rates of 4 to 26% for dry pet food and 12 to 16% for dark chocolate. Overall, our data indicate that rapid assays may have high false-negative rates when performance is evaluated under challenging conditions, including low-moisture matrices, strains that are difficult to detect, injured cells, and low inoculum levels.
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Brown, Kate. "The governance of vulnerability: regulation, support and social divisions in action." International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 37, no. 11-12 (October 10, 2017): 667–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijssp-04-2016-0049.
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Purpose Diverse narratives and practices concerned with “vulnerability” increasingly inform how a range of social issues are understood and addressed, yet the subtle creep of the notion into various governance arenas has tended to slip by unnoticed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of vulnerability in responding to longstanding and on-going dilemmas about social precariousness and harm. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on in-depth qualitative research into how vulnerability was operationalised in services for “vulnerable” young people in an English city, prominent narratives of vulnerability are traced, which operate in relation to a variety of often-dissonant service user responses. Findings The paper shows the governance of vulnerability as a dynamic process, informed by policy developments and wider beliefs about the behaviours of “problem” populations, interpreted and modified by interactions between practitioners and young people, and in turn shaping lived experiences of vulnerability. Patterns in this process illuminate how vulnerability narratives re-shape long-running tensions at the heart of social welfare interventions between a drive to provide services that might mitigate social precariousness and an impetus towards regulating behaviour. Originality/value The paper argues that although gesturing to inclusivity, the governance of vulnerability elaborates power dynamics and social divisions in new ways. Resulting outcomes are evidently varied and fluid, holding the promise of further social change.
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Harris, Clyden, Simmone LaRose, and Debra Lowe. "Using Digital Technology to empower users with special needs at the University of Guyana Library." Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal 7, no. 6 (July 3, 2020): 489–503. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.76.8453.
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The purpose of this research is to highlight the digital technology programmes and activities implemented by the Library professionals at the University of Guyana Library, to empower users with special needs. The use of digital technology in libraries is redefining the way information is disseminated and it has influenced the roles of all information professionals. As digital technology evolved, Librarians have been forced to revolutionise their way of operating and employ a variety of ways to adjust; not only to their changing roles but also to find ways to enhance high quality service delivery. These innovations not only brought changes to the delivery services but also served to propel inclusivity for previously marginalised groups, including persons with special learning needs, who are physically challenged, have cognitive challenges, experiencing varying levels of competencies or other socio-economic difficulties. The final benefits being envisioned would be lifelong learning and success in all aspects of student's lives. Iin this era of digital transformation, University Libraries must therefore combine technology and human interaction in all of its services for access by all to accomplish this vision.
Recognising that there was a practice to generalise the user population, even though their learning capabilities differed, Librarians at the University of Guyana Libraries (Turkeyen and Tain) sought to devise ways in which all users would benefit from all of the services offered using digital technology. Through this medium, students with special needs /differently-abled who were often marginalised due to different learning capabilities are now able to have an equal opportunity to access research content with ease.
Librarians at the University of Guyana Library have illustrated how the use of digital technology at its academic library has helped to promote scholarship and encourage high quality research by providing online services with remote access and links to external resources. This paper expands on the digital programmes that the University of Guyana Libraries provides for students with special needs and the measures taken to empower special needs users through digital technologies.
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Godwin, Beatrice. "Colour consultation with dementia home residents and staff." Quality in Ageing and Older Adults 15, no. 2 (June 3, 2014): 102–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/qaoa-04-2013-0006.
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Purpose – Government guidelines promote service user consultation without providing extensive advice on people in later dementia. “Seen as too difficult to involve, they are effectively excluded from […] influenc(ing) service provision”, especially institutional care residents (Clare and Cox, 2003, p. 936). This hard-to-reach group presents methodological challenges. The purpose of this paper is to explore innovative approaches, offering even those with fragmented or lost speech the opportunity to contribute to decisions about their care. Design/methodology/approach – This specialist dementia home consultation included staff and every resident, irrespective of the level of their communication impairment. Consultation on potential colour schemes took the form of a ballot. Staff helped develop an unpatronising, person-centred approach. Visual aids supported communication, de-emphasising the spoken word and promoting inclusion. Findings – The majority of residents appeared to express an opinion on the potential decor. Others chose a colour while not necessarily grasping the context. The approach engaged all except four. Research limitations/implications – Even people with moderate/advanced dementia may be enabled to participate in consultation. Further research needs to refine methodology to include everyone and clarify the interpretation of results. Practical implications – Service providers may widen their expectations of inclusivity in consultation exercises. Originality/value – This consultation is important to researchers and practitioners because it explores ways of communicating, which avoid privileging the spoken word, revealing seldom-recognised abilities in people with moderate/advanced dementia.
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Cloke, Jonathan, Sharon Matheny, Michelle Swimley, Robert Tebbs, Angelia Burrell, Jonathan Flannery, Benjamin Bastin, et al. "Validation of the Applied Biosystems RapidFinder Shiga Toxin–Producing E. coli (STEC) Detection Workflow." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 99, no. 6 (November 1, 2016): 1537–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.16-0235.
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Abstract The Applied Biosystems™ RapidFinder™ STEC Detection Workflow (Thermo Fisher Scientific) is a complete protocol for the rapid qualitative detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 and the “Big 6” non-O157 Shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotypes (defined as serogroups: O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145). The RapidFinder STEC Detection Workflow makes use of either the automated preparation of PCR-ready DNA using the Applied Biosystems PrepSEQ™ Nucleic Acid Extraction Kit in conjunction with the Applied Biosystems MagMAX™ Express 96-well magnetic particle processor or the Applied Biosystems PrepSEQ Rapid Spin kit for manual preparation of PCR-ready DNA. Two separate assays comprise the RapidFinder STEC Detection Workflow, the Applied Biosystems RapidFinder STEC Screening Assay and the Applied Biosystems RapidFinder STEC Confirmation Assay. The RapidFinder STEC Screening Assay includes primers and probes to detect the presence of stx1 (Shiga toxin 1), stx2 (Shiga toxin 2), eae (intimin), and E. coli O157 gene targets. The RapidFinder STEC Confirmation Assay includes primers and probes for the “Big 6” non-O157 STEC and E. coli O157:H7. The use of these two assays in tandem allows a user to detect accurately the presence of the “Big 6” STECs and E. coli O157:H7. The performance of the RapidFinder STEC Detection Workflow was evaluated in a method comparison study, in inclusivity and exclusivity studies, and in a robustness evaluation. The assays were compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG) 5.09: Detection, Isolation and Identification of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Meat Products and Carcass and Environmental Sponges for raw ground beef (73% lean) and USDA/FSIS-MLG 5B.05: Detection, Isolation and Identification of Escherichia coli non-O157:H7 from Meat Products and Carcass and Environmental Sponges for raw beef trim. No statistically significant differences were observed between the reference method and the individual or combined kits forming the candidate assay using either of the DNA preparation kits (manual or automated extraction). For the inclusivity and exclusivity evaluation, the RapidFinder STEC Detection Workflow, comprising both RapidFinder STEC screening and confirmation kits, correctly identified all 50 target organism isolates and correctly excluded all 30 nontarget strains for both of the assays evaluated. The results of these studies demonstrate the sensitivity and selectivity of the RapidFinder STEC Detection Workflow for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 and the “Big 6” STEC serotypes in both raw ground beef and beef trim. The robustness testing demonstrated that minor variations in the method parameters did not impact the accuracy of the assay and highlighted the importance of following the correct incubation temperatures
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Wolf, Motje, and Sarah Younie. "The Development of an Inclusive Model to Construct Teacher’s Professional Knowledge: Pedagogic content knowledge for sound-based music as a new subject area." Organised Sound 24, no. 3 (November 29, 2019): 274–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355771819000347.
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This article outlines a systematic process for developing the different knowledge domains required for teaching sound-based (electroacoustic) music as a new subject area. As a new area within the discipline of music, teachers are novices to the field. This requires epistemological deconstruction of what knowledge teachers need in this new field. Then the analysis outlines how to develop teachers’ new knowledge, which can be constructed as subject content knowledge (SCK), pedagogic content knowledge (PCK) and technology pedagogic content knowledge (TPACK). This epistemological analysis informed our creation of teaching materials that develop these different knowledge domains and take account of the complex interplay between them. This process was demonstrated through the ElectroAcoustic Resource Site Projects, which first built subject content knowledge and then created teacher’s packs to build pedagogic content knowledge, and a bespoke CPD programme, which embedded their inter-relationships and built technology pedagogic content knowledge. Most importantly, creating the teacher’s packs employed a user-centred design approach, putting teachers and pupils in the centre of the development process, thereby giving them voice. Voice is an integral part of empowerment in our model, which disrupts the hegemonic grip of the academic curriculum dominated by the traditional music canon. This article adds to the knowledge-base regarding how to develop the different domains required for teaching a new subject. We argue that sound-based music is accessible to all teachers and learners, thereby increasing inclusivity. This in turn can radically disrupt ways of teaching music in schools and the model created provides the necessary scaffolding for a paradigm shift in music teaching on an international level.
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Brooks, Dane, Benjamin Bastin, Erin Crowley, James Agin, Mike Clark, Jean-Philippe Tourniaire, Sophie Pierre, et al. "Modification and Matrix Extension of the Bio-Rad iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7, STEC VirX, and STEC SerO Test Kits for the Detection of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Escherichia coli O157 From a Single Enrichment." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 103, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 161–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.19-0254.
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Abstract Background: The iQ-Check Real-Time PCR kits use PCR technology based on gene amplification and detection by a real-time PCR thermalcycler for the detection of target analytes in select food matrices. The iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 [Performance Tested MethodSM (PTM) 020801] and STEC VirX and STEC SerO (combined PTM 121203) methods were previously validated for different matrices under different enrichment schemes. Objective: To modify the current iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 Kit for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from 25 to 375 g for raw ground beef (17% fat), raw beef trim, and fresh spinach. In addition, a matrix extension was validated for iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 for raw chicken breast without skin (25 g), raw chicken thigh with skin (25 g), mechanically separated chicken (25 g), and raw ground pork (25 g). The study also included the modification of the iQ-Check STEC VirX and SerO Kits for the detection of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) for raw ground beef (375 g), raw beef trim (375 g), and fresh spinach (375 g) from STEC Enrichment Broth to buffered peptone water (BPW). All tests were carried out at 8–22 h (10–22 h for fresh spinach). Methods: Ground beef, beef trim, and spinach were co-inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 STECs, and Salmonella spp. and analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STECs after an 8-22 h enrichment in BPW for the beef matrices and after a 10–22 h enrichment in BPW for spinach. The chicken matrices were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 only and analyzed after an 8–22 h enrichment in BPW. The iQ-Check Free DNA Removal Solution workflow was utilized for all matrices. Confirmations at the 22 h time point and method comparisons were conducted with the appropriate reference method as outlined in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 4A or the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook Chapters 5.09 and 5B.05. For the iQ-Check STEC VirX and STEC SerO Kits, inclusivity and exclusivity were also performed. Results: The two inclusivity and exclusivity evaluations indicated that the test methods can accurately detect the target analytes and correctly excluded nontarget organisms after 8 h of enrichment. In the method comparison study, the iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 and STEC VirX and STEC SerO test kits demonstrated no statistically significant differences between candidate and reference method results or between presumptive and confirmed results for all food matrices analyzed and the two time points (8 or 10 and 22 h). Both time points produced the same results, with no discrepancies. Conclusions: The iQ-Check real-time PCR kits are effective methods for the detection of E. coli O157 and non-O157 STECs (both the virulence factors and the O groups) from raw ground beef, raw beef trim, and fresh spinach in 375 g samples enriched in BPW for 8–22 h (10–22 h for fresh spinach). In addition, the iQ-Check E. coli O157 Kit is effective in detecting E. coli O157 in 25 g samples of raw chicken breast without skin, raw chicken thigh with skin, mechanically separated chicken, and raw ground pork. The iQ-Check test kits allow the end user to pair enrichments for multiple target analytes, allowing the user to prepare a single enrichment and perform a single DNA extraction. The Free DNA Removal Solution removes free DNA from samples prior to PCR analysis, protecting DNA from intact and living cells. Highlights: The method modifications were granted based on the data collected.
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Chiumento, Anna, Paul Baines, Caroline Redhead, Sara Fovargue, Heather Draper, and Lucy Frith. "Which ethical values underpin England’s National Health Service reset of paediatric and maternity services following COVID-19: a rapid review." BMJ Open 11, no. 6 (June 2021): e049214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049214.
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ObjectiveTo identify ethical values guiding decision making in resetting non-COVID-19 paediatric surgery and maternity services in the National Health Service (NHS).DesignA rapid review of academic and grey literature sources from 29 April to 31 December 2020, covering non-urgent, non-COVID-19 healthcare. Sources were thematically synthesised against an adapted version of the UK Government’s Pandemic Flu Ethical Framework to identify underpinning ethical principles. The strength of normative engagement and the quality of the sources were also assessed.SettingNHS maternity and paediatric surgery services in England.ResultsSearches conducted 8 September–12 October 2020, and updated in March 2021, identified 48 sources meeting the inclusion criteria. Themes that arose include: staff safety; collaborative working – including mutual dependencies across the healthcare system; reciprocity; and inclusivity in service recovery, for example, by addressing inequalities in service access. Embedded in the theme of staff and patient safety is embracing new ways of working, such as the rapid roll out of telemedicine. On assessment, many sources did not explicitly consider how ethical principles might be applied or balanced against one another. Weaknesses in the policy sources included a lack of public and user involvement and the absence of monitoring and evaluation criteria.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that relationality is a prominent ethical principle informing resetting NHS non-COVID-19 paediatric surgery and maternity services. Sources explicitly highlight the ethical importance of seeking to minimise disruption to caring and dependent relationships, while simultaneously attending to public safety. Engagement with ethical principles was ethics-lite, with sources mentioning principles in passing rather than explicitly applying them. This leaves decision makers and healthcare professionals without an operationalisable ethical framework to apply to difficult reset decisions and risks inconsistencies in decision making. We recommend further research to confirm or refine the usefulness of the reset phase ethical framework developed through our analysis.
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Jeffery, Adam J., Steven L. Rogers, Kelly L. A. Jeffery, and Luke Hobson. "A flexible, open, and interactive digital platform to support online and blended experiential learning environments: Thinglink and thin sections." Geoscience Communication 4, no. 1 (March 16, 2021): 95–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-95-2021.
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Abstract. This study investigates the potential value of, and provides a method for, the creation of flexible, digital, and asynchronous platforms to create student-centred materials for use in an online and/or blended learning environment. We made use of Thinglink to create a “virtual microscope” resource for geology and associated courses in higher education. This is achieved through the dissemination of a simple learning resource comprising interactive imagery and audio. The visual analysis of rocks under the microscope, termed thin-section petrography, is a fundamental component in geology programmes in higher education, with key skills which are transferable with other fields such as material science, biology, and forensic science. However, learning environments and activities in this field are often dictated by the requirement for access to microscope facilities and supplementary resources which are highly variable in their academic level, availability, design, and scale, ranging from traditional textbooks to online resources. A resource was created which allows individuals to experience some of the aspects of petrographic microscopy in a digital manner. In particular, specific features of the materials observed and how microscopes work were included. The resource was disseminated to a population of learners and educators, who provided responses to a questionnaire. Responses were overwhelmingly positive and indicate considerable interest from learner and teacher alike. Critical areas for improvement include the need for clarity in the user interface and the inclusion of a recorded human voice rather than automated text narration. This study highlights the need for, and benefits of, interactive online learning resources in petrology and associated fields. This type of resource has positive implications for the flexibility, inclusivity, and accessibility of teaching materials. Such resources may prove particularly valuable when distance learning is unavoidable (e.g. the COVID-19 crisis) and/or hybrid, blended learning environments are being deployed. The method and platform used in this study are highly transferable to other subject areas (or other areas of the geosciences).
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Back, Robin M., Linda L. Lowry, and Elizabeth A. Cartier. "Leapfrogging to empowerment and inclusivity." Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights 1, no. 1 (February 12, 2018): 4–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jhti-10-2017-0005.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illuminate an example of current practices and processes that enable transformation in the workplace in a South African multi-unit hospitality and tourism business, affording previously disadvantaged people the opportunity to advance in the organization and participate in the management and ownership of that organization. Design/methodology/approach A constructivist grounded theory methodological framework is used for the collection of data, analysis and theoretical development, utilizing Charmaz’s (2006, 2011, 2014) approach in both the collection and analysis of data as well as the theoretical perspective that emerged from the research process. Intensive semi-structured recorded interviews were conducted with the owner and managers of the company. Following transcription of the interviews, multi-level data coding allowed the move from an inductive to an abductive process with theoretical sampling allowing the shift toward conceptual and theoretical development. Findings Study findings provide insight about the processes and practices that enabled previously disadvantaged people to move into management and ownership of a multi-unit South African hospitality and tourism business. Leapfrogging emerged as a theoretical perspective that provides interpretive understanding of atypical upward employment mobility, i.e. “human leapfrogging.” Research limitations/implications While this study is limited to a single hospitality and tourism company in South Africa that is not necessarily typical of other South African businesses, it provides a vivid illustration of the impact that visionary leadership and a genuine desire to “level the playing field” can have on individuals, both personally and professionally, and their wider communities. Practical implications Leapfrogging theory in the context of “human leapfrogging” suggests innovative business practices for fast-tracking marginalized individuals out of poverty and provides an urgently needed theoretical perspective for this process. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, the leapfrogging concept has not previously been applied in the context of atypical employment progression within the corporation, nor has its impact on the corporation and the lives of the affected individuals and their communities been examined.
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Chambers, Clare. "Inclusivity and the Constitution of the Family." Canadian Journal of Law & Jurisprudence 22, no. 1 (January 2009): 135–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0841820900004604.
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In this paper I focus on chapter 9 of Constitutional Goods, with its analysis of sex and family. In that chapter Alan Brudner uses the constitutional theory that he has developed throughout the book and applies it to two key issues of state regulation: sexual relationships and abortion. The arguments he uses with respect to both issues are novel, and the conclusion concerning abortion is particularly controversial. So there is much to say about those arguments, and discussion of them is the focus of the second half of the paper. But I start with some general remarks on Brudner’s project as a whole: the project of inclusivity. It is necessary to discuss the concept of inclusivity not only because it underpins the arguments of chapter 9. The idea of inclusivity is fundamental to Constitutional Goods as a whole, and in the first part of the paper I argue that this idea is problematic both conceptually and normatively.
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Hollander, Justin B., Cara Foster-Karim, and Andrew Wiley. "Urban inclusivity through a service design framework." Journal of Place Management and Development 12, no. 1 (March 4, 2019): 71–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jpmd-08-2017-0078.
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Purpose Increasingly, diverse urban areas are in growing need of planning and design that include and welcome residents from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This study aims to use a service design framework to assess how the physical design of ten public spaces in New York City impacted visitors’ experience and sense of welcome. Design/methodology/approach The study used two main approaches to address this question. First, the authors conducted a sentiment analysis and a qualitative content analysis of Twitter data collected from each location as well as Tweets that mentioned each location. Second, they collected data through more traditional means by interviewing staff and visitors at four sites and also performing on site observational research. Findings These results suggested that certain physical design elements can significantly impact visitors’ sense of welcome and comfort. These include color, natural light, plentiful windows and open space. The study also found that Twitter data can be a useful tool to add a layer of insight into understanding visitors’ experience of a public building and recommends that public agencies should partner with cultural institutions and other community groups to use Twitter to monitor community attitudes and communicate with the public. Originality/value The research drew on the emerging service design framework and used novel data collection and analysis techniques.
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Cloke, Jonathan, Erin Crowley, Patrick Bird, Ben Bastin, Jonathan Flannery, James Agin, David Goins, et al. "Validation of the Thermo Scientific SureTect Escherichia coli O157:H7 Real-Time PCR Assay for Raw Beef and Produce Matrixes." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 98, no. 5 (September 1, 2015): 1301–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.15-043.
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Abstract The Thermo Scientific™ SureTect™ Escherichia coli O157:H7 Assay is a new real-time PCR assay which has been validated through the AOAC Research Institute (RI) Performance Tested MethodsSM program for raw beef and produce matrixes. This validation study specifically validated the assay with 375 g 1:4 and 1:5 ratios of raw ground beef and raw beef trim in comparison to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service, Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (USDS-FSIS/MLG) reference method and 25 g bagged spinach and fresh apple juice at a ratio of 1:10, in comparison to the reference method detailed in the International Organization for Standardization 16654:2001 reference method. For raw beef matrixes, the validation of both 1:4 and 1:5 allows user flexibility with the enrichment protocol, although which of these two ratios chosen by the laboratory should be based on specific test requirements. All matrixes were analyzed by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Microbiology Division, Vantaa, Finland, and Q Laboratories Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio, in the method developer study. Two of the matrixes (raw ground beef at both 1:4 and 1:5 ratios) and bagged spinach were additionally analyzed in the AOAC-RI controlled independent laboratory study, which was conducted by Marshfield Food Safety, Marshfield, Wisconsin. Using probability of detection statistical analysis, no significant difference was demonstrated by the SureTect kit in comparison to the USDA FSIS reference method for raw beef matrixes, or with the ISO reference method for matrixes of bagged spinach and apple juice. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing was conducted with 58 E. coli O157:H7 and 54 non-E. coli O157:H7 isolates, respectively, which demonstrated that the SureTect assay was able to detect all isolates of E. coli O157:H7 analyzed. In addition, all but one of the nontarget isolates were correctly interpreted as negative by the SureTect Software. The single isolate giving a positive result was an E. coli O157:NM isolate. Nonmotile isolates of E. coli O157 have been demonstrated to still contain the H7 gene; therefore, this result is not unexpected. Robustness testing was conducted to evaluate the performance of the SureTect assay with specific deviations to the assay protocol, which were outside the recommended parameters and which are open to variation. This study demonstrated that the SureTect assay gave reliable performance. A final study to verify the shelf life of the product, under accelerated conditions was also conducted.
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Dutta Gupta, Sangita, Ajitava Raychaudhuri, and Sushil Kr Haldar. "Information technology sector in India and gender inclusivity." Gender in Management: An International Journal 30, no. 2 (April 13, 2015): 94–108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/gm-04-2013-0046.
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Purpose – This paper aims to address the issue of gender inclusivity in the information technology (IT) sector of India. The main objective of the paper is to find out the factors influencing female participation in the IT industry. It proposes some policy initiatives to support involvement of women in adequate proportion in the workforce. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a unique set of data from 63 IT companies from three big cities of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru and Kolkata. An ordered logit model is applied to find out the determinants of female absorption in the IT industry. ANOVA is used to study the variations between and within the IT industry of female labor force participation. Findings – Result reveals that the percentage and mobility of female employees in an organization does not depend on the turnover or the total number of skilled employees in the organization. It depends on the location. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the paper is that many IT companies do not want to reveal data about the percentage of female employees. If more companies could have been included, more accurate results could have been found. Practical implications – The study discusses the aspect of gender inclusivity in the IT sector as well as the impact of higher skill on gender. The paper proposes some policy initiatives which can increase the number of female employees in the IT sector. Originality/value – The study fulfills the need to know about the gender inclusivity aspect of the IT sector in India.
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Russ, Stephanie, Nick Sevdalis, and Josephine Ocloo. "A Smartphone App Designed to Empower Patients to Contribute Toward Safer Surgical Care: Qualitative Evaluation of Diverse Public and Patient Perceptions Using Focus Groups." JMIR mHealth and uHealth 9, no. 4 (April 8, 2021): e24065. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/24065.
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Background MySurgery is a smartphone app designed to empower patients and their caregivers to contribute toward safer surgical care by following practical advice to help reduce susceptibility to errors and complications. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate service users’ perceptions of MySurgery, including its perceived acceptability, the potential barriers and facilitators to accessing and using its content, and ideas about how to facilitate its effective implementation. The secondary aim is to analyze how the intended use of the app might differ for diverse patients, including seldom-heard groups. Methods We implemented a diversity approach to recruit participants from a range of backgrounds with previous experience of surgery. We aimed to achieve representation from seldom-heard groups, including those from a Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) background; those with a disability; and those from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBT+) community. A total of 3 focus groups were conducted across a 2-month period, during which a semistructured protocol was followed to elicit a rich discussion around the app. The focus groups were audio recorded, and thematic analysis was carried out. Results In total, 22 individuals participated in the focus groups. A total of 50% (n=11) of the participants were from a BAME background, 59% (n=13) had a disability, and 36% (n=8) were from the LGBT+ community. There was a strong degree of support for the MySurgery app. The majority of participants agreed that it was acceptable and appropriate in terms of content and usability, and that it would help to educate patients about how to become involved in improving safety. The checklist-like format was popular. There was rich discussion around the accessibility and inclusivity of MySurgery. Specific user groups were identified who might face barriers in accessing the app or acting on its advice, such as those with visual impairments or learning difficulties and those who preferred to take a more passive role (eg, some individuals because of their cultural background or personality type). The app could be improved by signposting further specialty-specific information and incorporating a calendar and notes section. With regard to implementation, it was agreed that use of the app should be signposted before the preoperative appointment and that training and education should be provided for clinicians to increase awareness and buy-in. Communication about the app should clarify its scientific basis in plain English and should stress that its use is optional. Conclusions MySurgery was endorsed as a powerful tool for enhancing patient empowerment and facilitating the direct involvement of patients and their caregivers in maintaining patient safety. The diversity approach allowed for a better understanding of the needs of different population groups and highlighted opportunities for increasing accessibility and involvement in the app.
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Awang-Hashim, Rosna, and Nena P.Valdez. "Strategizing Inclusivity in Teaching Diverse Learners in Higher Education." Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction 16, Number 1 (June 2, 2019): 105–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.32890/mjli2019.16.1.5.
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Purpose - As the classrooms in higher education are growing increasingly diverse, it is imperative that higher education practitioners build a responsive learning environment for diverse learners to optimize their potential. Continuing professional development programmes (CPD) are central to such strategic approaches that equip educators with essential knowledge and skills to handle diversity related issues, achieve equity and increase participation by students. Therefore, the present study aims to examine strategies used by higher education practitioners to address diversity and inclusion in teaching and learning. Methodology - Participants were nine academicians (6 males and 3 females) who emerged from natural retention along the iterative cycles on Community of Practice (CoP) participation. The present study adopted CoP as the theoretical lens and a methodological tool to understand what strategies higher education practitioners devise for their inclusive teaching and learning practices in response to the diversity related challenges. The data was collected through a series of observations and reflective journals. Initially, thematic analysis techniques were used to reduce data into two categories- strategies and challenges. Later, according to the prevalence and frequency count the strategies were analysed against the challenges reported and finally the strategies were reduced into major themes. Findings - Three major themes emerged that report the inclusive strategies conceived by the participants. The themes were - Inclusive/differentiated assessment which suggested that creating differentiated assessment that are inclusive in nature and can provide equal opportunity to every student to participate. The second theme, Motivation and Goal Strategies, revealed that students were found to be diverse in their goals for learning, hence, a variety of motivational strategies such as including students’ voice, providing them a clear rationale for studying and fostering relatedness were deemed suitable to address those differences. The final theme, inclusive pedagogy suggests a variety of accommodations to be made in pedagogy such as integrating technology, adopting culturally responsive material and initiating collaborative learning to address students’ differences. Significance -The findings have implications for faculty professional development, classroom teaching practices for inclusive pedagogy in higher education institutions and use of CoP as a framework for such developments.
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Scott, Kai, Mary DeMarinis, Rosemary Ricciardelli, and Gregory S Anderson. "Informing Expansion of Gender Inclusive Data Collection in Post-secondary Education in British Columbia." Journal for the Study of Postsecondary and Tertiary Education 4 (2019): 281–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/4453.
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Aim/Purpose: To inclusively consider the diversity within student gender-identification at post-secondary institutions, we investigate expanding gender self-identification options on admissions forms; often the first point of student contact with campuses. Background: Even if inspired and motivated by inclusion, many of the gender categories in use presently have challenges, including conflating gender identity with sex assigned at birth, providing too many response options giving rise to ethical issues, and using outdated or misunderstood terms. Methodology: We conducted a sequential mixed-methods exploratory research design that consisted of interviews (n=9) with administrators in post-secondary institutions, followed by a survey of said administrators (n=21), and finally a survey of students (n=45). Contribution: The data detail experiences and inform best practices for ensuring gender inclusivity, specifically concerning students who identify as transgender or non-binary, when filling out forms. Findings: Results indicate that moving beyond binary gender categories entails a balance between (1) institutional issues of data integrity for effective use of gender data, and (2) providing flexible and inclusive options for gender-identification that extend within and beyond the gender binary to ensure students are counted where historically they have been invisible. Recommendations for Practitioners: To balance inclusivity and data management institutions may consider a two-part question, first asking about gender (woman, man, non-binary), and then asking about gender-identification experiences (yes/no). Recommendation for Researchers: As a system, we must find a way to balance inclusion with data management, and transgender and non-binary students must be free of administrative burdens in order to exercise their voice and access post-secondary education. Impact on Society: Collecting expanded gender categories in the school system is only the beginning of a shift in how transgender and non-binary students feel welcomed and supported on campus. The shift is critical to the focus and wellbeing of these students. Future Research: Future researchers, we suggest, may wish to focus on gathering examples of implementation of expanded categories and illustrations of how these data are used to inform and shape changes to policy, practices, spaces, services, and programs. More in-depth exploration of the inclusion of Two Spirit identities in ways that allow their identity to remain intact rather than partially represented in response to the gender question.
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Anthoni, E., A. Casteels, Y. Erol, K. Kubesova, J. Ossewaarde, X. Sun, M. Valencia, et al. "Tackling the Challenge of Inclusive Cities from an Urban Food Perspective." Transdisciplinary Insights 4, no. 1 (December 28, 2020): 99–129. http://dx.doi.org/10.11116/tdi2020.4.5.
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This paper focuses on food as a case study to understand issues of inclusivity in cities. More specifically, we focus on the process of food production, distribution, consumption, and sharing in the city of Leuven. Most urban spaces encompass material and discursive practices that influence differing rights and abilities to engage in the urban food chain. In this study, we initially used constellation mapping to identify relevant actors and conducted a follow-up field study to generate an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms and processes of inclusion and exclusion linked to the urban food chain in the city of Leuven. We collected data from multiple stakeholders using interviews and field obser vations. Iterative analysis was conducted using a within and cross-case approach. Based on our findings, we propose three solutions to stimulate inclusivity through the concept of food: closing the knowledge gap, removing social stigma from the distribution process and optimising the supply chain. These are influenced by the idea that we enter the food chain not only as consumers and distributors, but also as social beings invited into the food chain and working towards inclusivity through our own personal acts of solidarity.
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Desnitskaya, Evgeniya A. "Inclusivism as a Сonceptual Means in the Works by Paul Hacker and Gerhard Oberhammer." Voprosy Filosofii, no. 7 (2021): 191–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.21146/0042-8744-2021-7-191-200.
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The concept of inclusivism was introduced by German indologist Paul Hacker (1913–1979) to designate a specific polemical strategy characteristic to Indian religious teachings. Inclusivism is described as adoptiong the views of alien religious groups and including them in the own doctrine at a hierarchically subordinate place. In Hacker’s view, inclusivism is an intellectual practice widely used in the rivalry between different religious traditions in India, and as such it should be distinguished from European tolerance. In recent forty years the concept of inclusivism has been widely discussed and criticized. Gerhard Oberhammer, in particular, objected against interpreting inclusivism as a social strategy. In the context of his doctrine of transcendental hermeneutics, he considered inclusivism to be a normative way in which many Indian religious traditions developed their canons of scripture. In this paper I analyze the concept of inclusivism in the works of Hacker and Oberhammer and discuss its’ outlook in contemporary indological studies. A broad interpretation of inclusivism as an implicit textual strategy characteristic to intellectual traditions at different periods of Indian history makes this concept a promising tool for a study of Indian philosophy and Indian culture.
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WIEDMANN, MARTIN, SIYUN WANG, LAURIE POST, and KENDRA NIGHTINGALE. "Assessment Criteria and Approaches for Rapid Detection Methods To Be Used in the Food Industry." Journal of Food Protection 77, no. 4 (April 1, 2014): 670–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-13-138.
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The number of commercially available kits and methods for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens continues to increase at a considerable pace, and the diversity of methods and assay formats is reaching a point where it is very difficult even for experts to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different methods and to decide which methods to choose for a certain testing need. Although a number of documents outline quantitative criteria that can be used to evaluate different detection methods (e.g., exclusivity and inclusivity), a diversity of criteria is typically used by industry to select specific methods that are used for pathogen detection. This article is intended to provide an overall outline of criteria that the food industry can use to evaluate new rapid detection methods, with a specific focus on nucleic acid–based detection methods.
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Moon, Nathan W., Paul MA Baker, and Kenneth Goughnour. "Designing wearable technologies for users with disabilities: Accessibility, usability, and connectivity factors." Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering 6 (January 2019): 205566831986213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2055668319862137.
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The increasing availability of wearable devices (wearables), “smart” home, and other next-generation wirelessly connected devices for work, home, and leisure presents opportunities and challenges for users with disabilities. As augmentative tools for engagement, control, and information, these technologies should not only be usable, but also be accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. In order to better capture the dimensions of inclusivity of wearable devices, the authors have conducted a review of pertinent literature with respect to a range of representative applications and examples of currently available technologies. Drawing on the findings of the review, the aim of this article is to explore the potential impact of inclusive design principles on future device development for users with disabilities. These observations can help designers incorporate inclusive perspectives into the development process. Such an approach, where people with disabilities constitute an integral part of the development process, will yield products and services that can facilitate increased accessibility, independence, and community participation.
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Ching, Steve, and Brad New. "Touching history: Activating historical materials and enhancing inclusivity in the library." College & Research Libraries News 82, no. 2 (February 8, 2021): 62. http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/crln.82.2.62.
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In recent decades there have been great efforts by librarians to integrate digital infrastructure and resources within academic libraries. Over the past two decades, important steps have been taken in Hong Kong towards historical and cultural preservation. However, it is crucial that users engage with these resources. When compared with contemporary tools and platforms of research favored by students nowadays, such as Google or Wikipedia, accessing and analyzing primary resources, whether digital or physical, is not a particularly easy or convenient task for students who have not been trained to do so.
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Zohar, Gal. "Institutionalization of the OECD Grand-Narrative of Inclusivity (1983-2012)." Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal 14, no. 2 (June 10, 2019): 94–118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/qrom-04-2017-1522.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the emplotment of organizational grand-narratives of a leading international organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The paper includes the reconstruction of the OECD’s inclusion approach as a prototype grand-narrative. Moreover, the main goal of this paper is understanding the reciprocal relationship between the organizational narratives and other organizational domains. Design/methodology/approach To study the structural process of emploting grand-narratives, which combines reciprocal dependencies across organizational domains, I have used process tracing, content analysis and interviews methodologies, for each domain. These methodologies were monitored by quantitative and qualitative analyses of the interactions among these domains. These methods allowed me to explore the interdependencies in the discursive and non-discursive ordering of institutional memory as a means for identifying the development of organizational narratives. Findings The findings of this paper confirm the reciprocal dynamics among and within three core organizational domains, narratives, organizational-epistemological settings and organizational products. These domains evolve constantly and concurrently in a three-phased process where a former organizational constellation is challenged, a consolidation takes place, and a new narrative is institutionalized. The context I chose to demonstrate this dynamic is the OECD evolving interactions between innerorganizational units and the organizational products (i.e. its activation policy recommendations), of the OECD post-Cold War inclusive approach (1989–2002). Research limitations/implications The importance and complexity of the OECD as a global trendsetting organization, and the findings of this single case study are significant for their implications on trends and processes found in other complex grand-narratives. The transferability of these results would require further analysis. Originality/value The originality of this paper is using a transnational dynamic organization such as the OECD as the organizational model for understanding how organizations undergo emplotment processes. Moreover, this article’s analytical framework provides a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the constraining structures and micro-level interactions.
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Uzum, Baburhan, Bedrettin Yazan, and Ali Fuad Selvi. "Inclusive and exclusive uses of we in four American textbooks for multicultural teacher education." Language Teaching Research 22, no. 5 (August 22, 2017): 625–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362168817718576.
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This study analyses four American multicultural teacher education textbooks for instances of inclusive and exclusive representations through the use of first person plural pronouns (i.e. we, us, our, ours). Positioning theory is used as a theoretical framework to examine the textbook authors’ uses of first person plural pronouns and to understand how these pronouns perform reflexive and interactive positioning and fluidly (re)negotiate and (re)delineate the borders between ‘self’ and ‘other.’ The findings suggest that first person plural pronouns are used extensively in the focal textbooks to refer to such groups as authors, Americans, humans, teachers, and teacher educators. Expressing differing levels of ambiguity in interpretation, these pronouns play significant roles in the discursive representations of inclusivity and exclusivity across topics of multicultural education. This study implicates that language teachers should use criticality and reflexivity when approaching exclusionary discourses and representations that neglect the particularities of individuals from different cultures.
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Lee, Jackie F. K. "Chairperson or chairman? – A study of Chinese EFL teachers’ gender inclusivity." Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 38, no. 1 (January 1, 2015): 24–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/aral.38.1.02lee.
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Given the potential influence of teachers’ linguistic practice on children’s language use and gender role development, the present study seeks to examine the extent of linguistic discrimination present in teachers’ language. A total of 215 Chinese EFL teachers were invited to participate in the survey, which included a series of elicitation tests on their selection of English words for occupational titles, and the choice of generic pronouns anaphoric to people of unknown gender. The findings revealed that, while gender-biased language is still widely used, non-sexist linguistic reform has had an impact on Chinese EFL teachers, some of whom have expressed a concern with regard to avoiding sexist language. The study also found that choice of generic pronouns co-varied with such factors as semantic meaning, word structure and the gender stereotypes associated with particular occupations.
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Elizabeth, Junie, and Neethika Raveendran. "SOCIAL ACCULTURATION, WORKPLACE INCIVILITY AND DIVERSITY." International Journal of Advanced Research 9, no. 07 (July 31, 2021): 203–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/ijar01/13118.
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The advent and dissemination of technology had made it possible for people to move from one region to another. The movement of people from one geographical area to another resulted in the transfer and exchange of cultures and ways of life. When individuals move from one location to another, they often experience culture shock, given that the culture they are used to is different from the one they have gone to. To adapt, these individuals had to learn and accept the new way of life so as to successfully live and work in a new environment. The process by which an individual acquire, adjusts, and adapts to a new culture is known as social acculturation. In this article, an analysis is made on the impact of social acculturation on the efforts to fight workplace incivility and in the promotion of diversity and inclusivity. The analysis showed that. Through social acculturation, individuals who visited a new environment for the first time experienced acculturative stress. The stress caused those affected to behave in a way that fostered incivility at the workplace. Some of the incivil behaviors expressed by immigrant workers include absenteeism, laziness at work, depression, among others. Social acculturation had also played a role in the assimilation of bad behaviors carried from one culture into a new one by replacing them with the most dominant culture, thus eliminating work-related incivility among new immigrants. Social acculturation had also been crucial in enhancing inclusivity and diversity. Social acculturation enabled the sharing of different cultures through the exchange of food, language, and religion. These cultural phenomenon played important roles in bringing people from diverse backgrounds together, thus fostering diversity and inclusivity regardless among global populations regardless of individual culture and social backgrounds. Acculturation had also played a key role in enhancing globalization which is the most significant arena where diversity and inclusivity play out. By exchanging and adapting to a new culture, people were able to work and live together in peace and harmony.
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Hayadin, Hayadin, Iyoh Mastiyah, Farhan Muntafa, and Hamami Zada. "INCLUSIVISM OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TEACHERS IN INDONESIA." Analisa: Journal of Social Science and Religion 4, no. 01 (August 1, 2019): 119–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.18784/analisa.v4i01.791.
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The research aimed to measure the level of inclusiveness of religious education teachers in Indonesia in 2018. The research method was a survey, conducted thorough capital cities in 34 provinces. The respondents were religious education teachers from Moslem, Christian, Catholic, Hinduism, and Buddhism at the secondary school level. The total sample was 3675 from 7976 population in the whole province capitals. They were selected based on Proportional Random Sampling technique and used Yamane formula at the level of confidence at 95 percent. The instrument research was the questionnaire of religious understanding which was constructed from three dimensions of variables, namely religious understanding toward the relation of religion and state, the relation among different religions and the relationship within the same religion. The research data technique analysis used structural equation modeling. The result showed that the inclusiveness level of religious education teachers iwas at 76,55, which was higher than the cut off value which was at 75,0. It means that the religious understanding of religious education teachers was good or generally at an inclusivism level.
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Torres, Jorge Z. "Fostering inclusion and diversity through research, teaching, mentoring, and outreach." Molecular Biology of the Cell 30, no. 23 (November 1, 2019): 2870–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1091/mbc.e19-07-0379.
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I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Prize for Excellence in Inclusivity. Thank you to the ASCB for recognizing the contributions of faculty to inclusion and diversity in STEM and the importance of this for the advancement of science. Thank you to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) for your generous support of inclusivity. The prize money will be used to fund outreach activities aimed at increasing inclusion in science and to create research opportunities for students from underrepresented groups in the sciences. In this essay, I share bits of my life’s story that I hope will resonate with a broad audience, especially students from underrepresented groups in STEM, and that drive my passion for inclusion and diversity. I provide points of consideration for students to enhance their preparation for science careers and for faculty to improve the current landscape of inclusion and diversity in STEM.
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Boháček, Petr, Pavel Dufek, and Nikola Schmidt. "Peaceful Use of Lasers in Space: Context-Based Legitimacy in Global Governance of Large Technical Systems." Alternatives: Global, Local, Political 46, no. 3 (August 2021): 63–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/03043754211039624.
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Technology offers unique sets of opportunities, from human flourishing to civilization survival, but also challenges, from partial misuse to global apocalypse. Yet technology is shaped by the social environment in which it is developed and used, prompting questions about its desirable governance format. In this context, we look at governance challenges of large technical systems, specifically the peaceful use of high-power lasers in space, in order to propose a conceptual framework for legitimate global governance. Specifically, we adopt a context-based approach to legitimacy to address the trade-offs between effectiveness (output legitimacy) and inclusivity (input legitimacy) in the governance of large technical systems. We show that distinguishing two basic phases of space laser policy which call for different legitimacy criteria helps balance out the trade-offs without sacrificing either effectiveness or inclusivity. Finally, we construe LTSs’ governance as a tool for creating globally networked spaces which may enable coordinated global democratic governance.
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Mbambo-Thata, Buhle, Jia Tina Du, Ulrike Lang, Jesús Lau, Amal W. Mostafa, Bharat Mehra, Clara M. Chu, and Jaya Raju. "Gender inclusivity and equity in academic libraries: Insights from around the globe." College & Research Libraries News 80, no. 8 (September 6, 2019): 438. http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/crln.80.8.438.
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In order to draw attention to and learn about gender inclusivity and equity in the academic library workplace in a fluid non-binary gendered society, academic librarians and researchers from major world regions were invited to respond to the question: What are the three most significant issues that are impeding and the three most significant issues that are enhancing gender inclusivity/equity in your region? The regions included are Africa, Asia and Oceania, Europe, Latin American and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North America.We chose to focus on gender as the understanding of the concept is evolving and gender has classified people in such a way to limit or deny opportunities and equal treatment. Gender has been used to reference three dimensions that include the physical (characteristics of the human body), identity (the internal sense of self, which has traditionally been categorized as binary [e.g., feminine, masculine] and now as nonbinary or ungendered), and sociocultural (how one presents oneself socially or culturally, conformity to gendered roles and expectations).
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Maumbe, Blessing M., and Julius Okello. "Uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Agriculture and Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa." International Journal of ICT Research and Development in Africa 1, no. 1 (January 2010): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jictrda.2010010101.
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This paper presents a framework of the evolution of information and communication technology (ICT) applications in agriculture and rural development based on comparative experiences of South Africa and Kenya. The framework posits that full deployment of ICT in agriculture and rural development will be a culmination of several phases of changes that starts with e-government policy design, development and implementation. The paper argues that ICT use in agriculture and rural development is a powerful instrument for improving agricultural and rural development and standards of living throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. However, success in greater application of ICT in agriculture will require addressing impediments to adoption and diffusion. Such impediments include the lack of awareness, low literacy, infrastructure deficiencies (e.g. lack of electricity to charge electronic gadgets), language and cultural barriers in ICT usage, the low e-inclusivity and the need to cater for the special needs of some users. The paper reviews successful applications of ICT in agriculture and urges greater use of ICT-based interventions in agriculture as a vehicle for spurring rural development in Africa.
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Nelson, Audrey L., and Chanmi Hwang. "The queering of the apparel industry: Exploring transgender consumer needs when shopping for clothing." Fashion, Style & Popular Culture 8, no. 2 (May 1, 2021): 233–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/fspc_00082_1.
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For individuals who identify as queer, the concept of ‘men’s’ and ‘women’s’ clothing departments is often not ideal and does not align with their values, role or body image. This study explores transgender consumers’ experiences and needs when shopping for clothing and provides suggestions on how apparel retailers can promote a more inclusive apparel shopping experience. Four themes surfaced as participants in this study discussed their apparel shopping experiences: (a) inclusivity throughout store layout and interaction with retail sales staff, (b) gender-affirming clothes that positively influence role and self-esteem, (c) non-restrictive garment fit and compression, and (d) interest in inclusive androgynous styles and aesthetic qualities from queer artists to benefit the queer community. In this study, the concept of trans-inclusive is used as a way of welcoming and implementing the idea of apparel and fashion beyond cisnormative identities, and also as a way to advocate for inclusivity in all consumer markets. This research provides insights for the apparel industry on what is needed for this emerging market of queer individuals and promotes a more inclusive apparel shopping experience.
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Feldsine, Philip, Andrew H. Lienau, Khyati Shah, Amy Immermann, Khanh Soliven, Mandeep Kaur, David E. Kerr, et al. "Comparison of Assurance GDS® MPX ID for Top STEC with Reference Culture Methods for the Detection of E. coli Top 6 STEC; Direct Confirmation of Top 6 STEC from Isolation Plates and Determination of Equivalence of PickPen® and FSIS OctoMACS™ Concentration Protocols." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 99, no. 2 (March 1, 2016): 428–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.15-0261.
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Abstract Assurance GDS® MPX ID for Top Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC; MPX ID) was validated according to the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Methods Committee Guidelines for Validation of Microbiological Methods for Foods and Environmental Surfaces as (1) a secondary screening method for specific detection of the Top 6 STEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) in raw beef trim, raw ground beef, raw spinach, and on stainless steel; and (2) as a confirmatory method for the identification of pure culture isolates as Top 6 STEC. MPX ID is used in conjunction with the upfront BCS Assurance GDS MPX Top 7 STEC assay. This Performance Tested MethodSM validation has two main parts: Method Developer studies and the Independent Laboratory study. A total of 180 samples and controls were analyzed. Results showed that MPX ID had no statistically significant differences with the reference culture methods for the detection of Top 6 STEC in the food matrixes (raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and raw spinach) and environmental sponges (stainless steel) studied. Inclusivity/exclusivity studies were also conducted. One hundred percent inclusivity among the 50 Top 6 STEC serovars tested and 100% exclusivity for the 30 non-Top 6 STEC organisms tested were demonstrated. For validation of MPX ID as a confirmatory method for isolated colonies, all inclusivity and exclusivity organisms were streaked for isolation onto five STEC plating media: modified rainbow agar, Levine's eosin-methylene blue (L-EMB) agar, rainbow agar with novobiocin and cefixime, and enterohemolysin agar with selective agents as well as trypticase soy agar with yeast extract. These isolated colonies were suspended and analyzed by Assurance GDS MPX Top 7 STEC and MPX ID. MPX ID was able to correctly confirm all inclusivity organisms from all plate types, except two STEC isolates from L-EMB agar plates only in the Independent Laboratory study. All exclusivity organisms were correctly determined by MPX ID as non-Top 6 STEC from the STEC plating media. An additional but separate part of these studies was a comparison of immunomagnetic separation (IMS) efficiency using the Assurance GDS procedure with a PickPen® device and the U.S. Department of Agriculture procedure using the OctoMACS™ Separator device for plating onto chromogenic agar. Results demonstrated the equivalence of the two IMS procedures for plate confirmation of Top 7 STEC.