TUT SIX: The internet and online communities.

This posting is investigating a specific online community.

Name of online community:    

walking . is . overrated

Web address:    http://walkingisoverrated.com/

The focus of this online community is NZ disability news, views and reviews. 

The services provided are news regarding disability, reviews of accessibility and comments posted by community members usually containing discussion of news and reviews. The site is very interactive with videos, photos, and links. People can contribute by posting comments in the many opportunities provided for discussion of topics, by posting reviews of the accessibility of venues and taking polls.

The site was initially formed because the creator Red Nicholson as he was "constantly fustrated by lack of info - online or otherwise- regarding how accessible places are around Auckland city." He also states that he hopes that "everyone comments so you can have a chat with other members of the disabled community".

It can be assumed that the majority of people who access this community are seeking information around disability and a sense of community and belonging with people with similar situations, beliefs or values or those which they can debate and discuss issues affecting them openly.

Below is a list of the most popular posts from the site, the majority are controversial issues that the community enjoy debating, discussing and have a chance to have their opinions heard,

MOST POPULAR POSTS

• The Girl Up Top
• Disabled porn: What's the deal?
• Review: Vector Arena, Auckland
• Social Entrepreneur Forum: Empowerment, social change, and ... discrimination?
• Disabled models wanted!
• MOH Consumer Forums alert - Have your say!
• The "original" Walking Is Overrated?
• Is Coldplay set to screw wheelchair users, too?
• Video blog #2: The Big Day Out "disabled platform"
• New competition: Win a SkyWalk double pass!

Potential ethical issues that could arise in this community include accountability and the need to manage and screen the content that is posted on the site - often done through open discussion of whether members feel offended by particular pictures for example. Other potential issues could arise around privacy and the easy manipulation of text or images that are posted on the internet.

The benefits that this community holds over traditional notions of community  is that it enables all members of the disabled community to participate and be in touch with others throughout the country without being restricted by physical or social barriers. The other side of this is that it cannot facilitate face to face social interactions as traditional communities can.

 

TUT FOUR & FIVE: Video Production

This blog posting will explore the services offered by YouTube and an account of the use of planning in created a group short film. See earlier posting to watch group video - Toilet Stop.

YouTube 

YouTube is a website that allows participants to watch and share original videos worldwide. Videos are uploaded in MPEG - 4 format. YouTube allows people to easily upload and share video clips on www.youtube.com and across the internet through websites, mobile devices, blogs and emails. 

People can see first hand accounts of current events, find videos about their hobbies and interests, and discover the quirky and unusual. There is a wide variety of user-generated video content including movie clips, TV clips and music videos as well as amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos.  "As more people capture special moments on video, YouTube is empowering them to become the broadcasters of tomorrow."

Retrieved 9 March, 2009, http://www.youtube.com/t/about

Short Film Production

The use of planning - story boarding and scripting aided our groups short film because it provided a plan of the end product. This could be referred to during production of the short film, with the scenes already planned, the production was more time efficient as everybody knew what needed to be done. The script also contained enough technical data that the director was able to create the visual picture that had been planned. The organization of the story boarding allowed progress to be easily checked and scenes could be added or discarded.

  

TUT THREE: Blog Creation

Blogger

Blogger is a free publishing tool from Google for easily sharing your thoughts with the world. Blogger makes it simple to post text, photos and videos from the web or mobile phone. Allows user unlimited flexibility to personalize their blog with themes, gadgets and more. 

Other Blog hosts include:

• wordpress.com
• www.myspace.com
• webhostinggeeks.com
• www.blogsome.com

TUT TWO: Digital Camera Use and Applications

This posting will look at a description of the image capture, storage and distribution of digital still images and look at the applications of digital camera use.

"A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature".

In relation to digital camera technology this quote explains how although the new technology of digital camera have become widely acceptable over the traditional film based cameras, they are not completely superior to the older model of camera. The tradition film based cameras have elements that cannot be replicated in digital cameras.

The pluses of a digital camera is that they are multifunctional. Not only able to take photographs, but also record sound and videos. They allow a wide distribution of images onto other mediums and allow the photographer to manipulate and edit the images. Yet digital cameras come with some disadvantages as well. Including, nonpermanent storage of images that eventually can start to lose data, an additional step of having to download images before printing, additional devices such as a computer, printer, cables etc that have become dependable technologies to film. They can also be expensive and the technology is being overtaken fast. And digital cameras are unable to give the element of surprise experienced with traditional film based cameras.

Digital images can be saved to communication technology such as cameras, CD, onto computers, handhelds, ipods and camera phones. The images can be manipulated using these devices or additional programs that can be loaded onto them.

With the prevalence of image capturing devices ethical issues arise especially around privacy, anonymity, storage, access and manipulation of information. 

Digital images could and are being used in occupational therapy to take photos on location of houses that are being proposed for adaption to be used in reports and to be given to builders for quotes. They are also being used to take photographs of clients postures for applications for sleep systems, seating and wheelchairs. They are also being used in interventions for example as visual cues for clients in specific activities.

Flickr.com

Flickr is a free online photo management and sharing application.

Flickr allows users to upload, edit-crop, fix, get rid of red eye etc, organize, share, map, make stuff- such as cards, photo books etc, keep in touch, join groups and explore photos that others have uploaded.

Other websites which other a similar service to Flickr.com include:

• www.shutterfly.com
• photobucket.com

Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom

Optical Zoom - lens changes focal length and magnification as it is zoomed. Image quality stays high throughout zoom range, retaining clarity.

Digital Zoom - simply crops an image to a smaller size, then enlarges the cropped proportion to fill the frame again. This expansion results in the loss of quality and produces a blurred image.

Megapixel

Picture elements more commonly referred to as pixels are the millions of tiny squares that compose images.

A megapixel is made up of 1 million pixels. The megapixel refers to how many individual pixels go into making each image.

TUT ONE: Information Technology and Ethical Issues

The following post will explore definitions and concepts around ethical issues related to technological use as a medium for information distribution.

Information Technology, noun, the use of computers, telecommunications, etc in electronic processing, storing, retrieving, and sending information. 

Allen, R. (consultant editor). (2004). The penguin english dictionary. London: Penguin Books

With each generation information technology is becoming more and more common place. Computer and cellphones have become items that most of us cant live without. We use information technologies in schools, workplaces and in our homes. We use it to network, socialize and keep in touch with our families and friends.

Cellphones and computers are devices I feel comfortable and competent using. Part of this confidence is growing up with it and learning to use computers at school, to having to master certain applications and computer programs to be able to complete and hand in assignments and search data bases for articles.

IT is being used in Occupational Therapy practice by therapists to write, store and retrieve clinical notes, medical histories of clients and for researching. It is also used as assistive technology for clients, often as a means of communication or education. It is also becoming a more accepted means of interaction to keep in touch with clients. And digital photography is becoming a way of illustrating clients homes or postural positions etc.

Ethical implications which can arise from the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices or systems include:

• Privacy and anonymity - With the ease and efficiency of computers anyone is able to gather, store, search, compare, retrieve and share personal information. Privacy and anonymity needs to be protected and measure put in place to allow limited access to personal information.
• Intellectual property and ownership - regarding who owns and controls information recorded or stored via information technology.
• Work - issues of unemployment for computer replaced humans. A "deskilling" of workers who now just push buttons, the stress of keeping up with machinery, repetitive motion injuries, magnetism and radiation.
• Social justice - in relation to information technology is concerned with the who is entitled to access it. People with little or no access to information technology miss out on the benefits and opportunities it offers in business, education, medical services, employment, and leisure time activities.
  

Bynum, T.W. & Rogerson, S. (2004). Computer ethics and professional responsibility. Oxford:Blackwell Publishing.

Computer Ethics

Computer ethics is a branch of practical philosophy which deals with how computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct. 

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/computer_ethics,

Intellectual Property

In law, intellectual property (IP) is an umbrella term for various legal entitlements which attach to certain types of information, ideas, or other intangibles in their expressed form. The holder of this legal entitlement is generally entitled to exercise various exclusive rights in relation to the subject matter of the IP. The term intellectual property reflects the idea that this subject matter is the product of the mind or the intellect, and that IP rights may be protected at law in the same way as any other form of property. However, the use of the term and the concepts it is said to embody are the subject of some controversy.

Retrieved February 14, 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property.

Social Justice

Social justice most commonly refers to an ideal of society, where "justice" refers to economic status rather than to the administration of laws. It is based on the idea of a society which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of society, although what is "fair treatment" and a "just share" must remain unclear or subject to interpretation.

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/social_justice

Informed Consent

Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action. 

Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/informed_consent

Having an understanding of information technology communication and the ethical issues it encompasses is essential for our future practice as occupational therapists because it is becoming and more and more common use of communication that will continue to develop and as occupational therapists we have a responsibility to protect our clients privacy, provide them with information to give informed consent and allow them to have equal access to the opportunities provided through this technology. 

TUT EIGHT: Assistive Technology

Assistive technology

This term refers to a broad range of devices, services, strategies, and practices that are conceived and applied to ameliorate the problems faced by individuals who have disabilities.

Cook, A.M., & Hussey, S.M. (2000). Assistive technologies: Principles and practice. St. Louis: Mosby

Wobble Switch - Mounted > SWWOB-M

The Wobble Switch is intended for use by any body extremity that can press against the wand. This switch is useful for those with poor motor control.

The 100mm wand can be activated with a swiping motion in any direction, registering the action by the bending of the spring - loaded wand.

The mounted Wobble Switch incorporates a 480mm flexible gooseneck that makes the switch easy to mount to tables, chairs, bedrails, etc. to give more flexibility and range of motion to the user.

Price excl gst : $330.00

Retrieved June, 2009, from http://www.star_educational.co.nz/view_products.php

TUT SEVEN (cont.): Embedding A Flickr Badge

In this post the following video will describe the process of embedding a Flickr badge into your blog.