Upon her retirement on April 1, 2006, the Honorable Johanna L. Fitzpatrick., retired Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia, has joined The McCammon Group, a leading mediation, arbitration, facilitation and training firm.
Hon. William H. Ledbetter, Jr. (Ret.) Frances Fite, Esq.
Russell H. Roberts, Esq. Robert T. Hall, Esq.
Hon. W. Shore Robertson (Ret.) Grayson P. Hanes, Esq.
Hon. Paul F. Sheridan (Ret.) Susan Massie Hicks, Esq.
Bruce E. Titus, Esq. John A.C. Keith, Esq.


text:
\section{Introduction}
In today's world, higher education plays a key role in employment for individuals including persons with disabilities. To get admission in a prestigious institution and procuring a well-paid job, one has to pass through the phase of highly competitive examinations. Due to the increasing number of applicants, the mode of conducting exams is gradually shifting from traditional pen-paper based tests to online computer-based tests (CBTs).  Nowadays, all types of examinations including multiple-choice type, written and programming, are conducted using computers and web-based technologies, referred in this paper as CBTs interfaces.  Utilization of these technologies is quite confined for visually impaired persons\xspace because of barriers to accessing certain components of the interface. This is due to their inability to perform certain physical activities, for instance, visually impaired persons\xspace find it difficult to read regular fonts and colored graphs during the examinations. There are plenty of challenges to access the computer-based content, as presented in a study by Hayfa et.\ al.~\cite{webaccess:hayfa}. Hence it is absolutely necessary to remove these accessibility barriers in order to provide visually impaired persons\xspace with an equal opportunity as that to the persons without any disabilities.
Many CBT systems do have provisions for providing accommodations to visually impaired persons\xspace to overcome the accessibility barriers during the exams. In India, there are three commonly used accommodations in CBTs:
\begin{enumerate}
    \item Magnification of the text,
    \item Provision of a scribe and
    \item Compensatory time to complete the examination.
\end{enumerate}
These methods of accommodations are widely used for many years, and are part of government of India guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with disabilities \footnote{\url{http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/content/page/guidelines.php}}. However, to the best of our knowledge,  systematic study about the effectiveness of these methods has not been conducted yet.

In this paper, we present a study where we have evaluated the availability of common types of accommodations in CBTs in India and their positive and negative impacts on the performance of visually impaired persons\xspace.  Based on the study of various accommodations and their limitations, we propose a few recommendations for adopting more technology-based accommodations. These recommendations have arrived from the experiences of visually impaired persons\xspace who appeared in various CBTs, standard practices and manuals~\cite{imp-tech, xrcvc}. The primary benefits of having accommodations that are technology-based are availability and consistency (see Section~\ref{sec:reco}).

The paper is organized as follows: In
Section~\ref{sec:rel-work}, we discuss some work similar to our study. This is followed by the detailed description of methodologies used in the study (Section~\ref{sec:method}). Section~\ref{sec:findings} lists our findings about the challenges faced by visually impaired persons\xspace, while Section~\ref{sec:reco} presents our recommendations to improve the accessibility of CBTs. We conclude the paper in Section~\ref{sec:concl} and present some directions for future work.

\section{Related Work}\label{sec:rel-work}
Assistive technology plays a key role in enhancing the accessibility of computer based tests as presented in a research study by Hakkinen~\cite{assistive-cbta}. Although technology advances have enabled the access of unlimited educational resources to all including visually impaired persons\xspace, there are still many accessibility barriers in CBTs. The author describes that  in-order to overcome the accessibility barriers in CBTs, technical accessibility standards have to be created. Hence, to evolve these standards and guidelines related to accessibility of CBTs, empirical studies about accessibility of CBTs need to be conducted. The author has given an overview of accessibility barriers in CBTs, while our empirical study presents the accessibility barriers in CBTs along with the effectiveness of various accommodations provided to visually impaired persons\xspace.

A typical recruitment process involves many steps from the job search to interviewing. A research study by  Grussenmeyer et. al.~\cite{Grussenmeyer:2017:EAJ:3058555.3058570} presented the accessibility barriers in eleven complementary aspects of a classic recruitment process, starting from the job search, application, exams, interview until on-boarding.  The accessibility challenges in each step of a job recruitment process have been highlighted in this study of eight visually impaired persons\xspace from the technological background. The exams are a key component for final recruitment in a typical setting. Hence accommodations become critical for the success of persons with disabilities. Authors also highlight the {\em unawareness of examinations authorities} about the availability of accommodations for persons with disabilities during the exam. This paper gives an overview of the accessibility concerns of all the components involved in the recruitment process. On the other hand, our study is a detailed in-depth analysis of a single component, (computer-based) exams, of this research study.

In educational institutions, persons with disabilities have to perform more administrative tasks as compared to persons without disabilities, such as- to fill accommodation form, to get accommodation letter etc. Accessibility barriers associated with each administrative process are studied by Coughlan and Lister~\cite{Coughlan:2018:AAP:3192714.3192820}.  They analyzed the level of difficulty of every single administrative process and reported the impacts on the individual.  The authors have talked about the barriers in requesting various adjustments in studies, examinations, and day-to-day activities (such as travel and parking),  but, unlike our work,  they do not go into the details of specific barriers in the examinations themselves.

Brajnik and Graca \cite{Brajnik:2018:APH:3192714.3192833} presented the accessibility policies as a fundamental instrument for implementing accessibility solutions. They have surveyed the accessibility policies of twenty universities in Europe and highlighted the need for the development of accessibility policies in higher education institutions to cater to the needs (including exam related needs) of persons (students, staffs, and faculties) with disabilities.  The basis to measure the comprehensiveness and concreteness of policy includes three parameters - role, content, and quality of the policy. In the policy-making scenario, authors reported that web-development, and hence web developers to be one of the important components.

The study presented in our paper complements  the studies mentioned above \cite{Brajnik:2018:APH:3192714.3192833, Coughlan:2018:AAP:3192714.3192820, Grussenmeyer:2017:EAJ:3058555.3058570, assistive-cbta}. CBTs are one of the most important parts of examinations in educational institutions as well as of recruitment process. Therefore, technical accessibility standards, accessibility policies pertaining to CBTs, accessible administrative process and eventually accessible recruitment process are integral to the professional success of persons with disabilities.

\section{Methodology}\label{sec:method}
We created a Google form comprising of single choice, multiple choice, Likert scale type, and short answer type questions. The questions were designed to access the accessibility barriers in the online competitive examinations and entrance tests. Participants were allowed to fill {\em anonymously} the past experiences of up to three online examinations in a single form\footnote{We allowed data for up to three exams to keep a balance between diversity of exams and candidates. Any participant could have filled multiple forms to give data about more exams, but we can not know about it due to the anonymity of participants.}.
The complete questionnaire and the raw data collected is available at the project page\footnote{\url{https://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/karkare/accSurvey/}}.
\subsection{Survey Design}
Questions in the Google form were divided into three major sections,
\begin{itemize}
    \item{\em General information about the participants:} Information about the age, disability type, and its extent was included in this section along with the objective of the research study and electronic consent for voluntary participation. To facilitate complete anonymity of individual participants, we have not collected any information (such as. email, phone number, address, profession) about the candidates, which can be used for their identification. The anonymity is to allow the participants to give honest feedback about the availability and expectations of accommodations in the CBTs. We did not ask about the gender since neither the disabilities nor the reasonable accommodations to be provided in the examinations are affected by the gender of the candidates.

    \item{\em Examination without any accommodation:} In order to discover the accessibility barriers in the CBT interfaces, participants were asked to share their experiences about accessibility of CBT interfaces without any assistance. The major questions include the name of examination, the extent of readability of questions, reading upper case words and sub-scripts / superscripts, typical components which are inaccessible and reasons behind inability to the questions. This gives an idea of what are the typical barriers faced by visually impaired persons\xspace in a typical CBT.

    \item{\em Examination with accommodations:}
    This part is designed to analyze the effectiveness of the current practices of providing accommodations to persons with disabilities who have the limitation in reading and/or writing. Participants were asked about what all accommodations they would like to use and which of them are available during the exam. Apart from that, we have asked about the effectiveness of very common accommodation such as - scribe, magnification and compensatory time. Moreover, participants were asked about their preferred way of reading and overall rating of CBT interface on a Likert scale of $0$ (Very poor) to $5$ (Excellent).
\end{itemize}
\vspace{0.5cm}
\subsection{Data Collected}

In this study, we have confined ourselves to competitive CBTs in India. Although we have not gathered any geographical information about the participants, still there is sufficient diversity in the participants due to the fact that we had targeted the participants from national forums that include educational institutes like IIT Kanpur\footnote{\url{http://www.iitk.ac.in}}, IIT Delhi\footnote{\url{http://www.iitd.ac.in}}, and registered participants at events like Empower 2018\footnote{\url{http://assistech.iitd.ac.in/empower2018/}} and I-STEM Hackathon 2018\footnote{\url{http://inclusivestem.org/hackathon-2018.html}}. These places/events have the participation of persons with disabilities from all over India. Invitations were sent to registered email ids of persons with disabilities on these forums. We had received responses from $24$ participants prior to $Jan \ 15 \ 2019$, out of which one response has been ignored due to no valid entry in the field 'name of examination s/he had appeared in' . In $23$ responses, six participants have shared their experiences in two different CBTs, one participant filled the survey for three different CBTs and remaining 16 participants had filled the questionnaire for only one CBT.

\subsection{Data Prepossessing}
The very initial step was to clean the data. We followed a semi-automated approach where, we wrote scripts in Python$2.7$  along with a little manual intervention. Here are the steps that were followed for preprocessing:
\begin{itemize}
    \item We have considered each exam as a separate entry (row) for our study purpose. The participants who have shared experiences for more than one CBT, information about such participants was duplicated for each CBT. This simplified our  analysis of the data, while maintaining the completeness and correctness.
    \item Rows having the invalid response to 'Name of Online Exam you appeared in' were ignored straight away since these rows defeat our core purpose of the study.
    \item Entries that do not satisfy the conditional dependency of previously asked question were discarded as it does not make sense to keep them in analysis and to distort the actual result. Here is an example of how we discarded such entries. Consider the following questions, where the second question is dependent on the first:
\begin{enumerate}
    \item Did you get the magnification enabled in the exam?
    \item If you have answered ``yes'' to the previous question. Please let us know to what extent are you able to read the questions/instructions during the exam after enabling the magnification?
\end{enumerate}
    For the responses that contain a 'no' or 'not applicable' to the first question, any response in the second question was discarded and considered to be not applicable.
\end{itemize}

\begin{table}[t!]
\caption{Number of participants appeared in various online exams}
\label{table:exams-data}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline
\textbf{Name of Exam}  & \textbf{\# Participants} \\ \hline
GATE                   & 7                             \\ \hline
Bank Exams\footnotemark             & 5                             \\ \hline
JEE-Advanced           & 3                             \\ \hline
JAM                    & 3                             \\ \hline
BITSAT                 & 3                             \\ \hline
Campus Placement Exams\footnotemark     & 3                             \\ \hline
RRB                    & 1                             \\ \hline
SAT                    & 1                             \\ \hline
KVPY                   & 1                             \\ \hline
ICET                   & 1                             \\ \hline
Government recruitment exams                    & 1                             \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
$^8${\scriptsize RRB, SBI PO, IBPS etc.}\\
$^9${\scriptsize Participants had reported various interfaces on which they have appeared for campus placement tests which includes Hackerearth. Hackerrank, codecubes, AMCAT and GUVI.}
\end{table}

\subsection{Data Analysis}
We made use of Python 2.7 modules including pandas, numpy, statsmodels, matplotlib and seaborn to analyze the preprocessed data. Since the participants who responded were all visually impaired persons\xspace except one with cerebral palsy, we analyzed the dimension of the extent of disability (in this case, vision impairment) and made observations of the type of challenges faced by specific ranges of the extent of disability. We compared accommodations available to the visually impaired persons\xspace with the expected accommodations they mentioned. This data can be used to find the appropriate modifications in existing practices of accommodating visually impaired persons\xspace during CBTs.

\section{Findings}\label{sec:findings}
In this section, we presented our observations and findings of this empirical study based on the responses received for our survey until January $15^{th}$, $2019$. Note that while we planned to analyze the extent of disability at five different levels between $0$ and $100\%$, since we did not receive any response in the range of $80\%-90\%$ disability, so we have omitted this category in the further discussion.

The age distribution of the participants was as follows: mean age was 23.4 years, minimum age was 17 years, maximum age was 35 years, first quantile was 22 years, median was 24  years, and 3rd quartile was 25 years. This reflects that participants had a lot of diversity and they appeared in CBTs either for higher studies or for getting a job.We received data about $11$ different exams from different domains, representative of variations in the interfaces of different CBTs as attempted by visually impaired persons\xspace in India listed in Table~\ref{table:exams-data}

We analyzed the general accessibility of CBT interfaces, followed by the effectiveness of various accommodations provided to visually impaired persons\xspace in CBTs and the preferences of various accommodations among visually impaired persons\xspace.

\subsection{CBT Interfaces}
CBT interface is a combination of many components. Overall accessibility of a CBT interface is determined by the accessibility of individual components. To get a brief idea about the accessibility of typical CBT interface, participants were asked to rate the CBT interface available during CBTs on a Likert scale. The responses can be seen in Figure~\ref{figure:Exam interfaces rating}. A total of $58.6\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace rated exam interfaces two or below on a scale of $0-5$. In particular $50\%$ of the participants with $90\%$ or more vision impairment gave $0$ score to the CBT interface. This showed the poor experience of visually impaired persons\xspace with the CBT interfaces.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all14.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}
\caption{Exam interfaces rating}
\label{figure:Exam interfaces rating}
\end{figure}

Figure~\ref{figure:Reading the upper-case words} shows that more than $60\%$ participants faced significant difficulty (rating $3$ or more on scale $1-5$) in reading the upper case words. This observation was consistent with the results in the research done by the cognitive scientists Arditi and Cho.\cite{uppercase:congnitive} on legibility of letter-case for visually impaired persons\xspace and persons without disabilities.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all0.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}
\caption{Reading the upper-case words}
\label{figure:Reading the upper-case words}
\end{figure}

CBTs involving scientific formulae contain subscripts and superscripts. Figure~\ref{figure:Reading the subscripts / superscripts} described the level of difficulty  faced by visually impaired persons\xspace in reading the subscripts and superscripts. It can be seen that a large majority of the participants reported $4$ or $5$ level of difficulty, irrespective of their extent of disability.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all1.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}
\caption{Reading the subscripts / superscripts}
\label{figure:Reading the subscripts / superscripts}
\end{figure}

CBT interfaces have other components apart from questions to perform the various operations such as -- selection of the questions, answering the questions, and operating the calculator. We asked the participants to highlight various inaccessible components in a typical CBT interface. Table \ref{table:Inaccessible components of exam interface} listed their responses. It can be seen that more than one-third of participants had some difficulty in accessing the calculator,images and icons embedded in the CBT interface. Two participants reported the barriers in accessing {\em anything that requires movement of the mouse}.

\begin{table}[t!]
\centering
\caption{Inaccessible components of exam interface}
\label{table:Inaccessible components of exam interface}
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline
\textbf{Inaccessible Component} & \textbf{\# Participants} \\ \hline
Calculator         & 12                      \\ \hline
Images             & 12                      \\ \hline
Icons              & 10                      \\ \hline
Interaction with Mouse             & 2                       \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

On digging deeper into the reasons behind the accessibility of questions and other components of CBT interfaces, many participants reported some common reasons for inaccessible platforms. These are shown in Table \ref{table:Common reasons for inaccessible interfaces}. We observed that inappropriate font-size used by the CBTs is the basic cause of inaccessibility for approximately $50\%$ of the visually impaired participants. Since visually impaired persons\xspace have their own font-size reading habits. Providing options for changing the font-size of specific items will help in resolving the major cause of inaccessibility~\cite{uppercase:congnitive} .

One participant reported a major issue that providing a scribe for a CBT causes him/her to lose any advantage of having a computer-based exam. We quote:
\begin{quote}
GATE $2018$ did not have screen reader installed on their system. And they did not allow it to give it on my laptop. As a result, they provided me scribes. So It apparently makes no difference for me whether it was online or offline. Although the exam was Computer based.
\end{quote}
This participant raised an important question about the usability of a scribe in the CBT. Whether the exam is paper-based or computer-based, it does not make a difference to him/her because in either case, the scribe reads the content. This reflects, the kind of accommodations provided for paper-based exams are not sufficient for the CBTs.

To discuss the issues with accommodations further, we next analyze the most common ways of accommodations in the exams which includes magnification, scribe and compensatory time. \vspace{0.5cm}

\begin{table}[t!]
\centering
\caption{Common reasons for inaccessible interfaces}
\label{table:Common reasons for inaccessible interfaces}
\begin{tabular}{|l|c|}
\hline
\textbf{Reasons for inaccessibility} & \multicolumn{1}{l|}{\textbf{\# Participants}} \\ \hline
Font size was not appropriate               & 15                                            \\ \hline
Color contrast was poor                     & 9                                             \\ \hline
Lack of screen reader support               & 5                                             \\ \hline
Poor quality of images                      & 1                                             \\ \hline
Surrounding lighting conditions            & 1                                             \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\subsection{Accommodation: Magnification}
To evaluate the effectiveness of magnification,  participants were asked to rate the benefit of magnification on Likert scale. The responses are shown in Figure~\ref{figure:Increment in reading speed on magnification}. The effect of magnification depends on the extent of disability, as can be seen from the bar chart. nine out of $12$ people with $90\%-100\%$ visual impairment reported that magnification of the text was barely useful because of less or no residual vision. On the other hand, $15$ out $17$  people with up to $80\%$ disability reported reasonable improvement in reading speed due to magnification.

On querying about availability of the magnification feature in the examination as showed in Figure~\ref{figure:Availability of Magnification}, only  $37.9\%$ candidates reported that they got magnification enabled in the exam. $24\%$ candidates did not get this facility during the exam, despite their need. Two major reasons behind this could be 1) CBT Authorities did not managed to provide the magnification feature. 2) Participants had not asked for the same. It should also be noted that the candidates who did not ask for this accommodation were mostly in the category of $90\%-100\%$ vision impairment, as explained earlier, magnification accommodation is little or no use for them.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all3.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}
\caption{Increment in reading speed on magnification}
\label{figure:Increment in reading speed on magnification}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all4.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}
\caption{Availability of Magnification}
\label{figure:Availability of Magnification}
\end{figure}
To evaluate the sufficiency of magnification, participants were asked about the extent of readability of questions after enabling the magnification. Their responses can be seen in the  Figure~\ref{figure:Extent of reading after enabling magnification}. $81\%$ of the people who got the magnification enabled in the CBT were able to read up to $90\%$ or less. This is not sufficient in today's competitive world, where losing a single mark may lead to a lesser grade in a course or disqualification in an entrance. Various reasons due to which participants are unable to read the complete CBT even after enabling the magnification include insufficiency of the extent of magnification and heavy scrolling of text. The problem of heavy scrolling is identified by $90\%$ of the visually impaired persons\xspace ,who got magnification enabled in CBT can be seen in Figure~\ref{figure:Heavy scrolling due to magnification}.
\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all5.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Extent of reading after enabling magnification}
\label{figure:Extent of reading after enabling magnification}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all6.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Heavy scrolling due to magnification}
\label{figure:Heavy scrolling due to magnification}
\end{figure}
To enhance the effectiveness of magnification for visually impaired persons\xspace, the bigger monitor can be provided. This may reduce the need for the large extent of magnification and hence the problem of heavy-scrolling. Responses are given in the Figure~\ref{figure:Possible effect of bigger monitor setup}. More than  $40\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace opined that bigger monitor setup can help them in easy reading of text. In particular $75\%$ of visually impaired persons\xspace with $90\%-100\%$ impairment reported that bigger monitor setup is no use for them as enabling magnification does not affect their reading performance.

As we have seen that, accommodation type '\textit{magnification}' was not useful for people with severe vision limitation i.e. more than $90\%$. Hence magnification was not reasonable accommodation for such visually impaired persons\xspace.As responses from the visually impaired persons\xspace in the figures from \ref{figure:Increment in reading speed on magnification} to \ref{figure:Possible effect of bigger monitor setup}, shows the majority of them opted for no effect or not applicable.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all7.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Possible effect of bigger monitor setup}
\label{figure:Possible effect of bigger monitor setup}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Accommodation: Scribe}
A Scribe is another most commonly used accommodation in CBTs to provide equal opportunity to visually impaired persons\xspace. Figure~\ref{figure:Availability of Scribe} displays the distribution of scribe accommodation used by visually impaired persons\xspace. The participants who have $90\%$ or more disability out of these, $91.6\%$ used a scribe in the CBTs. On the other hand participants having $80\%$ or less vision impairment, only $35.2\%$ used a scribe in the CBTs. Participants with $90\%$ or more disability preferred to use scribe due to lack of residual vision in their eyes, hence they require assistance in reading questions/instructions during the CBTs. While participants with residual sensitivity in their eyes can read the information with sufficient magnification and/or appropriate colour contrast.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all8.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Availability of Scribe}
\label{figure:Availability of Scribe}
\end{figure}

In order to analyze the effectiveness of the scribe accommodation in CBTs, participants were asked to report the impact of scribe assistance on their performance in the CBT. It can be deduced from the  Figure~\ref{figure:Impact on performance by utilizing scribes} that only $27.3\%$ participants out of those who used a scribe during the CBTs reported enhancement in their performance. Rest of the participants reported either drop or no impact in their performance in CBTs due to scribes. Let consider the participants having $90\%$ or more disability, Now from the Figure~\ref{figure:Impact on performance by utilizing scribes} it is easy to see that $41.6\%$ of such participants who used a scribe reported enhancement in their performance, while $50\%$ reported drop or no impact on their performance. The participants having  $80\%$ or less disability, $58.8\%$ of them reported drop or no-impact in their performance in CBTs and only $5.8\%$ reported enhancement in the CBT performance. The above statistics of effectiveness a scribe in CBT showed that accommodation scribe is beneficial for limited set of visually impaired persons\xspace who have very less or no residual sensitivity in their eyes.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all10.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Impact on performance by utilizing scribes}
\label{figure:Impact on performance by utilizing scribes}
\end{figure}
The discussion above brought us to a conclusion that visually impaired persons\xspace who can read with the magnification do not prefer to use scribe for assistance in reading. To validate our reasoning, we asked the participants to provide feedback about their experiences with the scribe during CBT. The major concerns of the participants were as follows:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Difference in reading style of scribe and the participants expect to receive the information.
    \item Inadequate competence level of the scribe as per the examination requirement, to read the questions and notations with appropriate context.
    \item Language and accent barriers.
    \item Lack of practice with a scribe in the day to day life.
    \item Lack of independence and control over the exam.
\end{itemize}
We quote some of the comments provided by the participants who used a scribe during CBT:
\begin{quote}
    Screen reader provides independence to re-read and navigate quickly as compare to scribe, especially for the long question, I am habitual of using screen reader as compare to scribe as I rarely get a chance to practice with a scribe.
\end{quote}
\begin{quote}
    It's some time feel better to do to the accessibility of equations and other symbols, but assistive technology is better if there is good access.
\end{quote}
\begin{quote}
    The scribe was less well versed with English and often did mistakes. He was also unaware of many maths symbols. Also as he was always looking into my paper I was losing confidence in myself.
\end{quote}
\begin{quote}
    In normal day to day life, I am habituated to reading by myself rather than by a scribe. Hence it will have a bearing on the swiftness of understanding the question.
\end{quote}
\begin{quote}
    Its hard to understand the code being read aloud to me.
\end{quote}

\subsection{Accommodation: Compensatory time}
\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all11.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Sufficiency of standard time duration}
\label{figure:Sufficiency of standard time duration}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all12.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Availability of compensatory time}
\label{figure:Availability of compensatory time}
\end{figure}
Compensatory time is very important accommodation which compensate the time consumption in the CBTs due to various accessibility barriers by providing extra time to complete the exam. Intuitively, compensatory time would be a need of every visually impaired person because of some difficulty in reading the question/instructions from screen. We evaluated the sufficiency of standard time duration in the exam. As it can be seen in Figure~\ref{figure:Sufficiency of standard time duration} that  $86.2\%$ participants reported standard time duration was not sufficient to complete the exam. This evidence confirmed our intuition about the limitation of the magnification and scribe. In order to get more details, participants were asked  if compensatory time was beneficial for them or not. From Figure~\ref{figure:Availability of compensatory time} it can be observed that regardless of the extent of visual impairment, participants used the compensatory time. In total $75.8\%$ participants reported the same.

Figure~\ref{figure:Efficiency of compensatory time} shows that $95.4\%$ of those who had availed the facility of compensatory time reported that it indeed helps in completing the examinations.

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all13.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Efficiency of compensatory time}
\label{figure:Efficiency of compensatory time}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Preferences among accommodations}
We saw that different type of accommodations were suitable for the different set of individuals depending on the extent of their disability. To further illustrate the fact, we asked participants about their preferred way of reading the questions. As it can be seen from  Figure~\ref{figure:read-pref}, $82.3\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace having disability $80\%$ or less, prefer to read text with the help of magnification. Very few of them use a screen reader. On the other hand, $58.3\%$ of visually impaired persons\xspace having more than $90\%$ vision impairment prefer to read with a screen reader. It is interesting to note that only $6.9\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace prefer to use scribe over other types of accommodations.

In reality, a single type of accommodation does not suffice to overcome the accessibility barriers in the CBTs. Hence we did a comparison between the  accommodations available and accommodations expected by the participants. The responses were showed  in the figure~\ref{figure:avail-accmmod}. Availability and expectation of scribe and compensatory time are very similar and these accommodations used by $50\%$ and $70\%$ of the visually impaired persons\xspace. On the other hand  accommodations such as: magnification of text, screen reader, option for choosing color contrast and bigger monitor setup were rarely available during CBTs, but $30\%-50\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace needed these accommodations.
\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/all2.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Reading preferences}
\label{figure:read-pref}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[t!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./fig/accomod0.png}
\vspace*{-5mm}\caption{Available vs expected accommodations}
\label{figure:avail-accmmod}
\end{figure}

\section{Our Recommendations}\label{sec:reco}
Accessibility of CBTs is crucial for the good performance of visually impaired persons\xspace. Our survey shows that there are limitations of commonly used accommodations, such as lack of competence level of the scribe, insufficient magnification, inaccessible mathematical content and diagrams for screen reader users. In this section, we propose few recommendations to improve the accessibility of CBTs. These recommendations are based on the feedback provided by the participants of our survey, related work (Section~\ref{sec:rel-work}) and other resources~\cite{imp-tech,xrcvc}.

In general, technology-based assistance has a major role in independent living~\cite{imp-tech} of the visually impaired persons\xspace. Technology-based assistance is preferred by visually impaired persons\xspace because of consistency in support and assurance of availability, as compared to human-based assistance (such as scribe) lacks consistency (for example, having a different scribe for different exams). In recent years, with the advancement in the assistive technology,  visually impaired persons\xspace are able to perform reading and writing tasks on their own, subject to the availability of the contents in an accessible format.

As shown in the research study by Web-Aim\footnote{\url{https://webaim.org/articles/visual/}}, visually impaired persons\xspace can experience different kinds of accessibility barriers due to variations in the causes of visual impairment. Hence there is a need for adaptive accessible CBT interface, which has the capability to personalize the CBT as per the requirement of individuals.
Since every visually impaired person has a unique set of requirements in terms of accommodations in the CBTs, so CBT conducting authorities should ask the visually impaired persons about their requirement of accommodations at the very beginning of application form filling process. In order to achieve this, there is a need for formation of accessibility policy for CBTs, which entertains the accessibility and universal design of CBT interface.

To improve the effectiveness of existing accommodations for visually impaired persons\xspace, we propose the following\linebreak accommodation-specific recommendations:
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Scribe:} To minimize the dependency on scribe, the following technology-based solutions can be used:
    \begin{itemize}
        \item Use of screen readers such as JAWS\footnote{Job Access With Speech: \url{http://www.karishmaenterprises.com/JAWS.htm}}, NVDA\footnote{Non Visual Desktop Access - \url{https://www.nvaccess.org/}}.
        \item CBT questions in text-based DAISY\footnote{\url{https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm11/bm1102/bm110210.htm}} format so that screen reader users can access the content.
        \item Providing CBTs in an alternate format such as computer voiced test similar to the one already available for GRE\footnote{\url{https://www.ets.org/research/topics/assessing_people_with_disabilities}}
    \end{itemize}
    \item {\bf Highlighting: } In our survey, $62\%$ visually impaired persons\xspace reported average or more difficulty in reading the upper-case sentences and words. Upper-case words or sentences are used to highlight important things in the text. Here are some alternatives those can be used in the place of upper-case words:
        \begin{itemize}
            \item Increase the font size of the text
            \item Use of bold font-face
            \item Use of camel case words
            \item Highlighting of text background with different color
            \item Create a box around the text
            \item Underlining of the text
            \item Change of font-family can also be a good option for highlighting.
        \end{itemize}
        To achieve the objective of highlighting the text and its accessibility, the suitable combination of above can be used. Since the combination of above may varies person to person, hence system should have the capability to set the appropriate combination prior to the examination.
    \item \textbf{Magnification: } Accessibility of various icons, subscripts and superscripts in the text can be enhanced by providing two kinds of magnification feature in the interface: one which zooms in the whole screen, and the other which zooms only a specific area on the screen to see very small fonts. Such magnifications are already available on popular operating systems like Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS.
    \item To avoid heavy scrolling, bigger monitors can be provided to visually impaired persons\xspace. This will be highly beneficial as requested by $41.3\%$ participants in our survey.
    \item Inaccessibility of calculators can be removed by providing talking calculator\cite{xrcvc}.
\end{itemize}

\section{Conclusions and Future Work}\label{sec:concl}
Every visually impaired candidate is unique and requires appropriate accommodations in CBTs to overcome the accessibility barriers. In this work we have identified the needs for accommodation of a diverse group of visually impaired persons\xspace. We showed that extent of disability is a major factor in determining the type of accommodation suited for an individual.  With the help of assistive technologies, CBT interface can be personalized as per the need for visually impaired persons.

A possible threat to the validity of our study and recommendations  is the small number of participants. To offset this, we have proposed our recommendations based not only on the feedback by the participants, but also on the standard practices and manuals~\cite{imp-tech, xrcvc}.

Our current study is focused on accommodations for visually impaired persons\xspace in India, and the data received is for CBTs having multiple-choice questions. In future, we would like to extend our study for other disabilities, different types of CBTs and for other geographic locations. Moreover, similar studies can be conducted for the accessibility of online programming competitions.
\\

\section{Acknowledgements}\label{sec:ack}
We would to thank all the participants who have spent their valuable time for voluntary participation in our research study.
\balance
\bibliographystyle{abbrv}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


The Asia Continental Chess Championship is going to take place in Subic Freeport, Philippines. The championship starts on May 12 and it is the qualification for the World Cup scheduled 20 Nov. to 15 Dec. 2009 in Khanty Mansiysk (Russia), and to the Women's World Championship next year. At stake in the tournament is a total of $50,000 in cash prizes for the top 40 places in the Men's Division and $15,000 in cash prizes for the top 20 in the Women's Division.
Expect daily coverage and reports on Chessdom.com.
Here are the participant lists in the men and women events.


text:
They pay women in Mexico to get pregnant and then abort as part of an experiment
Democrats seek to eliminate election with impeachment of President Trump, conservative official warns
7-year-old girl raises money for classmates who can't afford school lunch
ICE, DHS slam New York City's sanctuary city policy following murder of 92-year-old
Twitter suspends journalist for reporting death of two pro-democracy Brits in Hong Kong
British police failed to arrest a Muslim paedophile network for fear of creating 'community tensions'
Australian farmer celebrates heavy rain on his drought-stricken property
The 'Trump Doctrine' as explained by Vice President Mike Pence
Ken Starr, Alan Dershowitz join President Trump's legal team for Senate impeachment trial
'The First Noel': the oldest Christmas song still circulates to this day
Still teaching at 95, Jimmy Carter draws devotees to church
By Jay Reeves | The Associated Press 11/11/19, 06:16
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. Nearly four decades after he left office and despite a body that's failing after 95 years, the nation's oldest-ever ex-president still teaches Sunday school roughly twice monthly at the church. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)
The pilgrims arrive early and from all over, gathering hours before daybreak in an old pecan grove that surrounds a country church. They come, they say, for a dose of simple decency and devotion wrapped up in a Bible lesson.
The teacher is the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter.
Nearly four decades after he left office and despite a body that's failing after 95 years, the nation's oldest-ever ex-president still teaches Sunday school roughly twice a month at Maranatha Baptist Church in his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia. His message is unfailingly about Jesus, not himself.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, the sun breaks the horizon as guests begin lining up to attend Sunday school class being taught by former President Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. Guests begin arriving before dawn, some even the day before, spending the night in the parking lot, with hopes of attending the class. (AP Photo/John Amis)
The church has only 30 or so members, but as many as 450 people attend any week Carter teaches. About 200 people fill the sanctuary, with pale-green walls and stained glass windows, and others gather in side rooms where the lesson is shown on TVs.
It's nearly impossible to separate even an ex-president from politics, and some come because they're Democrats who recall voting for Carter when he was elected in 1976. Almost uniformly, they're dismayed by the tone of President Donald Trump and his Republican administration.
But Trump has only been in office since 2017 and Carter has been drawing crowds for years. Those who attended Carter's most recent lesson on Nov. 3 said they just wanted to be in the presence of someone who seems kind, humble and godly despite having been a world leader.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, Plains Mayor Boze Godwin directs cars into a pecan grove to park behind Maranatha Baptist Church before dawn, in Plains, Ga. Guests begin arriving the day before to attend the Sunday school class that former President Jimmy Carter teaches. (AP Photo/John Amis)
"He's a role model and an inspiration for both of us both in public service and in faith," said visitor Doug Kluth. He and his wife Ramona drove 2,400 miles (3,862 kilometers) round trip from their home in Columbus, Nebraska, to see Carter in person.
John and Sarah Dyer packed their four daughters, ages 2 through 12, into their Honda Pilot for the 1,700-mile (2,736-kilometer) round trip to Plains from suburban Chicago.
"To see a man who was once on top of the world choose to spend his twilight years lifting the world higher was inspirational to my family and I," John Dyer wrote to the church's pastor in a letter shared with The Associated Press.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, Sarah Dyer, of Chicago, takes a photo of her daughters in the parking lot of Maranatha Baptist Church, before attending Sunday school taught by former President Jimmy Carter, in Plains, Ga. The Dyer family of six drove from Chicago listening to audio books by Carter along the way with hopes of attending the class that people began arriving for the day before with the same hopes. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Carter faced mockery for his Southern Baptist faith in 1976 when he said in a Playboy magazine interview that he was guilty of adultery in his heart because he lusted after women. The soul-baring sentiment paralleled Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, but it came across as odd and narrow-minded to many.
These days, with a twice-divorced president who curses in public and once said he'd never asked God for forgiveness, Carter's approach to life — with his wife of 73 years, Rosalynn, by his side — seems especially appealing to fans.
They say they admire Carter's work to eradicate disease and monitor elections worldwide; the time he has spent helping build homes as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity; and his advocacy for food programs and rural health care in his home county. Many were touched by photos of a bruised-but-smiling Carter performing volunteer work after he fell and hit his head in October.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, people wait in line to attend Sunday school being taught by former President Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. Carter can still draw a crowd, and he does each time he teaches Sunday school in his hometown of Plains. (AP Photo/John Amis)
So they flock to Plains any week Maranatha Baptist posts on its website or Facebook page that Carter plans to teach.
Fray and Susan Carter of Russellville, Alabama, slept overnight in their car in the church parking lot to get a front-row view as Carter taught on his first Sunday back after falling and breaking his pelvis in October.
As recently as last year Carter would stand during his 45-minute lesson, but he now uses an electric lift chair at the front of the sanctuary as a concession to age. He breaks into that familiar smile when he raises the seat so he can see the crowd over a wooden lectern. A cross made by Carter, a longtime woodworker, adorns the choir loft. He also made the wooden offering plates, which bear his initials on the bottom.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, Tammy Bailey wears a message on her shirt as she waits in line to attend former President Jimmy Carter's Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Carter's lesson this day was on his belief in life after death. He ended the same way he always does, by challenging class members to do one nice thing for somebody over the next month.
"That's what I think would make America a better country. It would make you a better person, right? And a better Christian," Carter said. "Well, that's the essence of my Sunday school lesson. Not anything fancy to it. Just some personal things to think about."
Visitors that day included people from multiple U.S. states plus Venezuela and Ecuador. Rarely a week goes by without someone from overseas in the crowd, said the Rev. Tony Lowden, Carter's pastor.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, a crowd waits in line to attend Sunday school being taught by former President Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. Carter can still draw a crowd, and he does each time he teaches Sunday school in his hometown of Plains. (AP Photo/John Amis)
The church was formed in 1977 from a split when another church refused to accept blacks as members. Lowden was hired in March as Maranatha's first black pastor. On any given Sunday, Lowden said, the congregation is a "mix of everything."
"It's a melting pot of people who are looking for faith and looking for something that they can believe in," Lowden said. After a cancer diagnosis in 2015 and three falls this year, it's unclear how much longer Carter can continue to teach, but Lowden said he's welcome as long as he's able.
The crowd on the first Sunday in November included Chet Mulholland, an evangelical Christian from Wisconsin, and Joey and Sabrina Fretwell, faithful churchgoers from conservative Mississippi in the heart of the Deep South. The couple's daughter attended a Trump rally in Tupelo, Mississippi, just two days before they drove to Plains to see Carter.
In this Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, photo, former President Jimmy Carter, second from right, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter sit, as guests Romona Kluth, left, and husband Doug Kluth, from Nebraska, finish their turn of having their photo made with them, after Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Sabrina Fretwell, 46, doesn't really remember Carter's presidency, but she recalls hours spent listening to her grandparents talk about Carter when she was a girl. That's one reason she wanted to see the former president, she said, to somehow honor that time.
"I remember that warm feeling of sitting and listening to their conversations, and not being old enough to grab what they were talking about but knowing it was still important to them and knowing they admired the things he was doing," she said.
Former President Jimmy Carter can still draw a crowd, and he does each time he teaches Sunday school in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. (Nov. 11)
Tags:Religion Jimmy Carter Baptist Categories: U.S.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Nurse Practitioners in Massachusetts lobbying for full practice authority
Candidate News
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Nurse Practitioners in Massachusetts lobbying for full practice authority
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Apr 2, 2020 Chad Birt Nurse Practitioners, Trending News, Nursing 0
America is facing a significant physician shortage and according to experts, the problem is going to increase in the coming years.
One study conducted by the American Association of Medical Colleges predicts that by 2025, there will be a shortage of between 14,900 and 35,600 primary care physicians. These numbers, combined with the fact that America's population is growing increasingly older presents a serious healthcare dilemma.
Without enough physicians on hand and a growing number of people in need, access to high-quality care may decrease. To combat these challenges, 28 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to give nurse practitioners full practice authority.
What is full practice authority?
Full practice authority allows nurse practitioners to diagnose and treat patients, order diagnostic tests, write prescriptions, and develop custom treatment plans under the authority of the state board of nursing. It also prevents the need for direct oversight from a physician.
Five of New England's six states already grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners, but Massachusetts does not. Industry experts say Massachusetts has some of the strictest laws governing nurse practitioners, which makes it difficult for them to care for patients freely. Additionally, patient advocates say all the red tape prevents individuals from accessing the care they need, while driving up costs.
In response, some nurse practitioners are leaving the state altogether and establishing their own practices in nearby states like Connecticut and Vermont. Others are reevaluating their careers altogether and deciding to leave the medical field.
What makes Massachusetts' laws so restrictive?
Under current Massachusetts state law, all nurse practitioners must:
Register with the Department of Public Health
Have a supervisory agreement with a physician in place to prescribe Schedule II-IV drugs
Undergo "retrospective reviews" if prescribing Schedule II drugs
Avoid interpreting laboratory results (even if the NP ordered them)
Follow additional guidelines when administering vaccines, immunizations, and performing other types of specialty care.
While these requirements may not seem especially restrictive on the surface, research conducted by Nurse Practitioner Schools suggests they present serious problems over time, including:
Insurance reimbursement challenges
Patient confusion
Lack of access to healthcare for those living in rural and underserved communities
Hiccups in the continuity of care
An exodus of qualified, talented medical professionals from the state
Stephanie Ahmed, state legislative policy director for the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners recently told the Boston Globe that establishing a supervisory agreement with a physician is particularly burdensome.
Ultimately, it requires physicians to review hundreds of prescriptions for patients they've never met or worked with, which slows down the delivery of care and complicates matters further.
How would granting full practice authority benefit the state of Massachusetts?
Experts say granting full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Massachusetts couldn't come at a better time. The state already has 4,955 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and that number will undoubtedly increase in the coming weeks. By easing restrictions to care, nurse practitioners could provide much needed support to (and independent of) physicians who are already on the front lines of the coronavirus.
The Massachusetts State Senate has proposed a bill to address the physician shortage. Under the proposal nurse practitioners with at least two years of supervised practice experience could operate independently, without the oversight of a physician.
The bill's author told WBUR that the relaxed guidelines would only last long enough to get Massachusetts healthcare system beyond the current pandemic. Once that happened, guidelines would revert to their original status. There's still disagreement over the proposal, however, and it's unlikely to pass.
Why the opposition?
Some senior state representatives say Governor Charlie Baker could pass this type of legislation via an executive order. Others oppose the idea because it would change the face of the healthcare landscape in response to an unprecedented situation.
Even before the outbreak of coronavirus, the Massachusetts Medical Society said they too opposed granting nurse practitioners full practice authority. In a statement released on September 25, 2019, the society's president Dr. Maryanne C. Bombaugh said "physician-led" teams should take care of patients, with nurse practitioners acting as support.
Some say granting advanced practitioners and physician assistants full practice authority makes good medical sense. Others say it undermines physicians' training and expertise.
For the time being, it looks as though Massachusetts will prevent nurse practitioners from receiving full practice authority. However, as the coronavirus pandemic continues and the need for qualified healthcare providers rises, that may very well change.
Here at NursingJobCafe, we're following this story very closely. As more developments arise, we'll make sure to keep you informed.
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Chad Birt
Chad Birt is a freelance B2B and B2C medical writer who resides in Astoria, Oregon. When he isn't behind a keyboard, you can find him hiking, camping, or birdwatching with his wife Ella and their two dogs, Diane and Thoreau.
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text:
Q: How to display this product has cart rule in prestashop 1.6 For prestashop 1.6 We have set cart rules for specific product, by adding 3products, another 1 product would be added as gift,
This is all working well on cart page,
but how to display this on that specific product page
$context::$this->$cart->$getCartRules();

not showing on product page
We have to display cart rule on specific product which is having respected cart rules,
ex. "buy this product and you will get xyz product for free"

A: i think u will have to build your own query selecting the cart_rules with your gift_product id that still actives.
Add an static method in CartRule (or where u need) and call in the product.tpl directly and show it
ex: {CartRule::getGifts($product.id)}  then, handle the result

A: Build custom query for the same :
$result = Db::getInstance()->executeS('
            SELECT *,rg.quantity as minimum_quantity FROM `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule_value` cv
                LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule` pr ON cv.id_product_rule = pr.id_product_rule
                LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule_group` rg ON pr.id_product_rule_group = rg.id_product_rule_group
                LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule` cr ON cr.id_cart_rule = rg.id_cart_rule
                WHERE cv.id_item = '.$this->id_product.' AND cr.gift_product > 0 AND cr.date_to >= "'.date("Y-m-d H:i:s").'"'
            );

A: My solution in Product.php
 public function getRule($category = "0"){
   $rules = Db::getInstance()->executeS('SELECT *,rg.quantity as minimum_quantity FROM `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule_value` cv
            LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule` pr ON cv.id_product_rule = pr.id_product_rule
            LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule_product_rule_group` rg ON pr.id_product_rule_group = rg.id_product_rule_group
            LEFT JOIN `'._DB_PREFIX_.'cart_rule` cr ON cr.id_cart_rule = rg.id_cart_rule
            WHERE code = "" and ((cv.id_item = '.$this->id.' and type = "products") or (cv.id_item = '.$category.' and type = "categories")) AND cr.date_to >= "'.date("Y-m-d H:i:s").'"'
    );
    return $rules;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Big Picture, a Show Hosted By Ranveer Singh Coming Soon on Colors TV
Colors TV is coming up with a new show starring Ranveer Singh, The Big Picture. If you ask about the concept of the show then it'll basically be judging the participants on their perception of things and visual knowledge.
Now, the trailer for the show has been launched on Instagram and if you want you can watch it from there. Or simply you can tap play on the post that we've tagged in here, simpler, it is.
Date of registration for The Big Picture
Moreover, if you're someone who thinks that they would be a perfect fit for the show then you can enter the registration process which starts from the 17th of July at 09:30 PM.
This show is how you can look at the same thing and think differently, which is a cool concept if you look at it, differently, right?
The show is something we've never came across before, making sure to be true to the name.
It says that the perspective of everyone who brings in change such as Mahatama Gandhi, Sir Isaac Newton, and many more have something in common. Which was their different and twisted thinking pattern. So, they are in search of that only.
"In my journey as an artiste, the urge to experiment and explore has been constant. Indian cinema has undeniably given me everything – it's been a platform for me to excel and showcase my skills as an actor, and I have been fortunate to get immense love from the people of India. Now, I look to connect with them in an extremely unique and engaging way through my television debut with Colors' The Big Picture. The proposition of introducing India to a 'now' generation quiz show sealed the deal for me." says Ranveer Singh, about the concept of the show.
Also Read- Rahul Vaidya Opens Up on 'Indian Idol' Row, Says Early Season Were 'Too Pure': Talks About Neha Kakkar and Being a Future Judge
Additionally, Ranveer fits in perfectly as the host of the show due to his eccentric personality. Don't you agree on that, you do, right? Comment down below.
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In my mind it's a Fiat Punto, but I really have no clue exactly which variety of vehicular mailbox pulled out into the left lane to pass the commercial truck. I remember that the truck had a cartoon of a hot dog with eyes. This was troubling for several reasons, including the fact that I'm not entirely sure it was a hot dog—where I come from, hot dogs don't have that little tiara of casing material on the top of their "heads." But, hey, they have their own kind of wieners in Germany, so I don't know. But this imposition by the possible Punto was primarily troubling because my co-driver and I were going about 100 mph faster than that shitbox in a 616-hp, two-and-a-half-ton, quarter-million-dollar Burnt Orange Bentley Continental GT Speed, in the very lane of the A8 autobahn it seemed to now be parked in.
I tried to remember what the Bentley guy said the previous day about the GT Speed's brakes, something about them arresting enough energy at full clamp from the car's 205-mph top speed to power six houses for an hour. Or maybe it was one house for six hours. Would that be any different? And wouldn't the one (or six) homeowner(s) be better off just using the heat generated by the brakes to warm the house and power the TV with, say, 18 German shepherds on a huge wheel? We were probably driving about 170 mph, so that would be, like, only four houses/hours.
Anyway, we seemed to have a great deal of time to get our numbers very wrong, since the Punto appeared at first as more of a surprising but emotionless blip on our consciousness. We didn't really seem to be going that fast, but the Punto was getting too large, too quickly. Then…BRAKES! At that point, the big Bentley went all buns up and swaying—very disquieting. And then, well, then nothing. We didn't die. Nobody was going to get to scavenge the turned-aluminum sunglasses case (a $470 option) or shattered portions of the monstrous carbon-ceramic brake discs ($13,600) out of the debris field on that particular day.
We'd flown halfway around the world for stretches of road like this one south of Munich. Where else could we test the aptly named GT Speed but on the "derestricted" portions of the autobahn? The thing is a speed sled, a huge metal fist punching at the atmosphere (and wayward Puntos) with 12 cylinders and two turbochargers. Where, outside of a specialized test track, could we confirm that the GT Speed could reach 205 mph, a precious and highly theoretical 7 mph faster than the standard GT W-12 coupe (to be known henceforth as the GT UnSpeed)? With only occasional limit-free stretches of highway, though, we admit we never even matched the top speed of the convertible GTC W-12, a measly 195 mph, which is not even 200 mph. We got to 188 mph, which is plenty damn fast, as it turns out.


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Home XBox 360
Remembering the Xbox 360's Launch Titles
in XBox 360
The Xbox 360 is one of the most popular video game consoles of all time, and it may have had one of the best launch line-ups of any console release.
Launch day is one of the most important periods of any video game console's lifespan. Locking in those early adopters, proving that the console is worth the hefty investment, and promising even brighter things for the future, every video game console launch has a lot riding on it, and the best examples in history are those consoles that have a particularly strong launch line-up. While a strong launch roster doesn't necessarily foreshadow how successful a console will be, that was certainly the case with the Xbox 360, which had a pretty outstanding US line-up upon release.
Over the last 40 years or so, home consoles have often launched alongside a handful of games. Of the ~10 that launch day-one, usually only one or two of those are actually worth playing, with the rest being filler titles that are instantly forgotten. The Xbox 360 does not fit this trend, however. With almost 30 games available at launch, the Xbox 360 made a big impact on launch, even despite not having too many big-name exclusives.
RELATED: Remembering the Nintendo DS' Launch Titles
The Highlights of the Xbox 360's Retail Launch Line-Up
The Xbox 360 launched in November 2005 alongside a whopping total of 18 physical game releases in the US. While players would have to wait a few more years for exclusives like Halo 3 and Gears of War, there were plenty of great titles for early-adopters to sink their teeth into. One of the best Xbox 360 games available at launch was Call of Duty 2, a title which revolutionized the WW2 FPS for a new generation. Condemned: Criminal Origins was also available at launch, showing the 360's ability to produce horrifyingly realistic graphics.
Perfect Dark Zero was another fun addition, with a decent campaign and an engrossing online multiplayer mode that showcased the new and improved Xbox Live. Though it released on previous generation consoles as well, Peter Jackson's King Kong was a surprise hit on the Xbox 360, with some surprisingly excellent visuals and audio design that captured the atmosphere of the movie perfectly and showed the Xbox 360's ability to create more realistic worlds than ever.
Of course, as is the case with just about every console launch in history, the Xbox 360 saw a vast number of sports titles hit its launch line-up. From FIFA '06 to Madden NFL 06, to two different NBA titles, all the staples of the sports genre were there. Tony Hawk's American Wasteland was one of the biggest highlights of the Xbox 360's launch line-up. Even though it was identical to previous gen versions, American Wasteland on the 360 had much better visuals and performance. The 360's launch line-up also saw a number of racing games hit the console day-one, with Project Gotham Racing 3, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and Ridge Racer 6 all being impressive examples of what the 360 could do.
The highlights of the Xbox 360's Arcade Launch Line-Up
Alongside the 18 retail games, the Xbox 360 also launched with 10 Xbox Live Arcade titles. Some of the best day-one Arcade offerings were Bejeweled 2, the iconic puzzle game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, a beloved addictive little shoot-em-up that originally came from a mini game in Project Gotham Racing 2, and Gauntlet, a neat co-op RPG. Though the Xbox 360's most iconic Arcade games, like Limbo, Trials, Super Meat Boy, and Fez, wouldn't come out for years, this initial launch line-up was more than enough to showcase the potential of the Xbox 360's bold new Arcade platform.
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15 * Removed Tcl dependency from storenote.
30 * Remove assoc.mod's tcl commands and entry in the config file.
144 * Sync perl module with tcl module for SCRIPT_VAR_FRONT functions.
151 * Changed the calling conventions for SCRIPT_VAR_FRONT functions.
252 nettype templates directory was missing from the last commit.
299 available on the system, switch to our own.
306 we have a static build these days.
320 HQ user's nick to be defined only once.
478 Sync'd doc/UPDATES1.6 with 1.6.
485 botnetnick when starting the bot in userfile creation mode.
609 should be available on every system.
651 [pass] should be <pass> in usage notices.
703 Let's log remote botinfo calls.
715 Fixed a small authors.html error.
897 * Updated documentation for rand command.
934 * Converted some commands in tclmisc.c.
958 * Cleaned up some stuff.
979 * Merged bits of tothwolf cleaunps from his alpha patch.
980 * Removed some unneeded externs in some files.
1022 Found the probem with truncated output, I think.
1100 strchr_unescape and str_unescape from the core to libeggdrop.
1134 Applied missing parts from the previous commit.
1153 * Moved some botnet utility functions from the core to libeggdrop.
1154 * Moved some common macros to libeggdrop.
1156 src/egg.h to avoid ambiguities.
1170 * Added some base64 encoding/decoding functions.
1171 * Made mstack initialize memory to 0.
1179 means 'list all users' just like previous '*' meant.
1435 * Fixed logging of message commands.
1658 * Fixed a typo in acconfig/acinclude.m4.
1672 * Converted more tcl commands to language-independence.
1678 Sync doc/UPDATES1.6 with 1.6 tree.
1713 Handle irssi (and some others) 'correct' messages for DCC CTCP.
1896 tcl_botattr, which prevented a successful build.
1994 More and more cvsignore entries.
2006 Moved cvsinogre entries in the proper place.
2012 Added more cvsignore entries.
2030 Have a successful build if gettext is explicitly disabled.
2130 * Re-ordered init procedures so hooks is initialized earlier.
2131 * Logfiles should cycle now.
2144 * Added support for lists in perl callbacks.
2151 * Added support for returned lists in tcl callbacks.
2158 * Added convenience functions for script_var_t's.
2159 * Converted a bunch of functions in tcldcc.c.
2213 Converted some functions in tcldcc.c.


Customer has a Report that has been working fine for over a month.
But now they observe that the Amounts in the Report are getting doubled.
Amounts in the Report should not get doubled.
Observe that the Amounts are getting doubled.
Due to this issue, Report results are wrong.


text:
DROP TABLE fcp_review_request;
DROP TABLE fcp_concern;
DROP TABLE rfc_feedback_request;
DROP TABLE fcp_proposal;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If you're a binge drinker, take a quick look at your hair. Is it thin and lifeless? Does your hairline seem to be receding? Whether you're male or female, your drinking could be the reason you're losing your locks.
According to one study, being a heavy drinker can do major damage to your hairline. Binge drinking is defined as consuming a large volume or quantity of alcohol in a short time period such as one day, or over the course of a few days to weeks. On average, this means consuming about 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in the span of 2 hours. But one episode or binge drinking session is not enough to result in hair loss, though it may cause noticeable dry, dull, brittle hair. Chronic binge drinking is the culprit to hair recession, and it happens when the amount of alcohol consumed and metabolized by the body puts too heavy a toll on one's physiological balance.
Did you know that binge drinking can actually contribute to thin, lifeless hair and a receding hairline? This is bad news for men and women both. But why is this? Read on for more information about the link between drinking and the health of your hair and scalp.
The devastation that long-term alcohol abuse can have on the body is real. When a person binge drinks or consumes large amounts of alcohol over time, the body undergoes immense stress in a variety of ways. The result of that stress can lead to hair loss.
During binge drinking, many people either do not eat enough, or eat foods that contain no real nutrition and may be high in saturated fat content. Stress, improper nutrition and binge drinking make for a terrible combination in the body. Too much alcohol with the wrong kind of nutrition can really damage the one's vital nutrients, which can deplete the person of vitamins and minerals that support healthy hair, skin and nails.
Poor, thin and fine hair, and hair loss can be the result of a poor diet combined with excessive alcohol consumption. Because alcohol prevents the body from properly absorbing vitamins and minerals, drinkers tend to have deficiencies in multiple areas.
One of the vital minerals the body needs for healthy hair and scalp is Zinc. Too little zinc levels in the body can cause hair loss to the hairline for men. For women who binge drink, estrogen levels may raise to high levels, which can lead to hair loss. Binge drinking also creates another major issue, one that most binge drinkers and alcoholics suffer from: dehydration. Large amounts of alcohol consumption can accelerate dehydration, while lowering the body's ability to regulate hydration. Hydration is essential to keeping the body functioning properly as well as for healthy growth of hair, skin and nails.
Although chronic binge drinking can result in hair loss and thinning hairline, it isn't the direct reason. Rather, it's a major contributor to the the loss of vital minerals and cause vitamin deficiencies that can lead to thinning hair. It is, essentially, your body reacting to the fact something has to change.
All is not lost, however. Thinning hair due to excess alcohol consumption is usually temporary and occurs only while alcohol is being consumed over a time period. Quitting drinking, maintaining a healthy diet and paying attention to proper nutrition while hydrating properly can all have beneficial results on hair, skin and nails. Your hair may become thicker over time and return to normal.
If you find yourself unable to turn down the booze, then it's time to ask yourself why. Are you using it to cope with stress or anxiety? Are you willing to cut alcohol out in order to get your hair back to its natural and healthier state? Most importantly, are you even able to quit?
If you or someone you know is struggling to get sober and require professional help, here's a directory of treatment centers by state or feel free to contact 800-772-8219 to inquire about addiction specialists in your area.


A report by Mary Wilkins of Universee, the 4th Annual Congress of Social Solidarity Economy, Athens 2017.
Refugee Action Greece is, of course, at the centre of current migration. Speakers from the Cooperative Call Centre in Thessaloniki and the Alkyone Refugee Day Centre talked about refugee-to-refugee help, with legal advice and support, which give power to both the giver and the recipient, using different models of care from the standard charity one, and transforming relationships in the process. A delegate from Technet in Berlin described self-run migrant job creation initiatives, which include local German unemployed people, and which provide real jobs meeting local needs.
Refugees and education: The Open School of Immigrants in Piraeus has 685 adult students this year, from the nearest refugee camp and from the locality. Students learn Greek, English and a host of other languages and skills, which are having an impact on their employability and which give them more independence. This school is run by volunteers, and the students and staff together make decisions and enjoy cultural events, thereby creating a safe and supportive community. Another speaker from Skaramagas refugee camp described the process of integrating refugee children into local schools. Despite the economic crisis, the Greek government provides free education at all levels to all young people, including refugees. Initially local parents were hostile to refugee children studying in the same class as theirs, but with time, integration and friendships have flourished.
These initiatives both respond to the challenge of unplanned migration and economic difficulties and attempt to create new ways of working and new social relationships based on solidarity and mutual respect. One session looked at examples of ways to achieve this through Time Banks and local exchange trading systems. In a situation where many people have little or no money, alternative ways of exchanging goods and services transform lives and build communities. A speaker from Mesopotamia School in Athens described how teachers provide free classes, but in return receive work such as plumbing or childcare from parents through a time bank, and record of services performed. The school itself was created from a ruined shell to make a welcoming building (with a barbecue, bar and social space in the garden), by volunteer parents. This school has been functioning for 11 years and is growing. A delegate from Time Bank in Finland outlined how a similar community, of 3000, have been sharing services since 2009, and meet once a month to make decisions.
Overall the congress was an eye opener. In tough times like these, it is heartening to know that positive, imaginative initiatives are transforming lives and sustaining people excluded from key aspects of society. The solidarity model seems to be working, and creating long term community bonds which, be it in a small way, are having a profound impact.
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Thomas Moore in Europe
For further resources see www.erin.qub.ac.uk
Thomas Moore: A European in the New World
After graduating from Trinity College Dublin, Moore was a promising young man in need of employment. His amiability secured him the interest of Lord Moira, and it was through this connection that he was offered an administrative post in Bermuda. And so the young poet set sail from Portsmouth to Norfolk, Virginia in September 1803, writing home whenever he could about his adventures. Unsurprisingly, he responded to the brave new world of America as a well-educated, cultured, European. After a "boisterous crossing", the young Irishman was touched by the "homely … and genuine civility" of Colonel Hamilton, the British consul. Moore was genuinely reassured by the presence of a harpsichord at the Hamiltons', taking this to be a sign of "civilisation". He relished opportunities for music-making and dancing, describing his role once he reached Bermuda as acting as the "whole orchestra" for music parties and attending balls once or twice a week. His sensibility as a cultured young man led him to pity the young women of St George's, for although they were generally good dancers, they were so evidently untutored, being "thrown together in this secluded nook of the world, where they learn all the corruptions of human nature, without any one of its consolations or ornaments." And Moore so valued the rare literary culture of Philadelphia that he was actively disappointed to have to leave there.
The young writer had a very profound response to the natural beauty he encountered, describing the Passaick Falls as "sweetly romantic", the Coho Falls as "impressive", and Niagara Falls as a "mighty flow of waters descending with calm magnificence". This last experience was a spiritual one, as Moore "felt as if approaching the very residence of the Deity". He was also moved by the Mohawk river, whose "immense banks" possessed a "holy magnificence". Moore conveyed a profound respect for nature in his poetry of the time, including his "Lines Written on a Storm at Sea":
Oh! There's a holy calm profound
In awe like this, that ne'er was given
To pleasure's thrill;
'Tis as a solmen voice from heaven,
And the soul, listening to the sounds,
Lies mute on still.
While describing himself as "amused … by the novelty of [the] appearance" of the Oneida Indians, Moore was genuinely impressed with their chief, Seenando, describing him as "courteous … gentle and intelligent". Moore's Whig sensibilities are evident in his indignant response to the plight of the Oneida with regards to their land, which the American government had been "continually deceiving them" into surrendering. Moore's deep appreciation of human fellowship is seen in his first success as a lyricist, the "Canadian Boat Song"– stimulated by his first experience of riding a canoe:
Faintly as tolls the evening chime,
Our voices keep tune, and our oars keep time;
Soon as the woods on shore look dim,
We'll sing at St. Ann's our parting hymn.
Row, brother, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past.
Who is your favorite "nature poet"? Do you have a verse you would like to share on the blog?
Images courtesy of Special Collections, the McClay library, Queen's University Belfast
Published by Sarah McCleave, in Travel.	Leave a reply
Thomas Moore in Paris
This month of national natal days suggests a couple of blog posts about Moore's reactions — both as a person and as an artist– to other nations in which he lived. He had a strong connection with France, having lived there for the best part of four years (January 1819-November 1822), during which time Moore recorded his impressions in his Journal. Upon arriving in Paris he secured "a little fairy suite of apartments" on the fashionable Rue Chanterine, venturing to the boulevard theatres the very next day, where he was "much amused". Of Spontini's Olympie at the Paris Opera Moore declared "Nothing can be more poetically imagined than the scenery and ballet of this opera." After hearing Rossini's music at a ball, Moore described it as "delicious", the socialite in him appreciating "the ease with which all Rossini's lively songs and choruses may be turned into quadrilles and waltzes". He quickly made the acquaintance of the fashionable novelist Madame de Souza-Bothello, discussing her current romance (novel) whilst it was in progress. With the arrival of wife Bessy and his brood of children, the family moved to a cottage with a garden on the Champs Elysees. Moore swiftly became part of Madame de Flahault's social circle, singing at intimate gatherings attended by other ex-pats. By May 1820 Moore had a wide social circle that he entertained at home, al fresco with champagne under the trees when the weather permitted. In the summer of 1820 he joined with the rest of Paris in watching various adventurers travel by hot-air balloon, including the ill-fated Mademoislle Garnerin (who was eventually lost on one such voyage). Moore reported a new-found appreciation for "the charms of inanimate nature" on a walk from St. Cloud to Ville d'Avray (this appreciation of natural scenery certainly comes across in some of the Irish Melodies). Although he was underwhelmed by a ball given by the Gardes du Corps at the Chateau of the Tuileries ("not so fine as a I expected"), Moore expressed complete delight with his family's summer residence in La Butte, declaring "as far as tranquility, fine scenery, and sweet sunshine go, I could not wish to pass a more delightful summer." He met Princesse Tallyrand at a dinner in May 1821, taking pleasure in her evident engagement with a French prose translation of his Lalla Rookh, as well as her kindness in praising the beauty of his wife; Moore's uxoriousness was legendary, and he cheerfully reported in his Journal that an acquaintance declared "every one speaks of your conjual attention, and I assure you all Paris is disgusted with it." The Journal records Moore's personal impressions rather than his political views, but he tells with sympathy an anecdote he learned of a French Royalist he met, whose young lady was arrested (and subsequently imprisoned for six months) merely for wearing a tricolore ribbon to a masked ball. Initially admiring of Napoleon ("this thunder-storm of a fellow"), Moore described his exile to St Helena as "unsportsmanlike". Moore was inspired by his Parisian period to write the epistolary satire, The Fudge Family in Paris, which, as Ronan Kelly notes in his Bard of Erin, has "an autobiographical ring" to certain of its details. Moore also featured no fewer than ten French Melodies in his six-volume series of National Airs (1818-1827). Moore's presence (through publications of his work) in Paris will be charted further through other outcomes of this project.
Are you aware of the past-times and impressions of other visitors to Paris during the 1810s and '20s? If so, tell us about it on the blog!
Images reproduced courtesy of Special Collections, the McClay Library, Queen's University Belfast.
Welcome to Thomas Moore in Europe. Our aim is to provide readers with an opportunity to follow the research project ERIN and to access information about Irish poet-songwriter Thomas Moore and his reception in Europe. The blog is moderated by Dr Sarah McCleave, Senior Lecturer, and Dr Tríona O'Hanlon, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow, at the School of Creative Arts (Music), Queen's University Belfast.
erin@qub.ac.uk
Recordings of rarely-heard Thomas Moore part 1
ERIN catalogue reaches 1000
The ERIN catalogue: Thomas Moore in Europe
Introducing Project ERIN: Thomas Moore in Europe
'Discovering Thomas Moore' exhibition and launch of ERIN website
Lalla Rookh in Berlin, January 1821 - Winterings in Trans-Scythia on Lalla Rookh in Europe: the first twenty years
Sarah McCleave on THE IRISH MELODIES: SONGS THAT STILL SPEAK
Sarah McCleave on Thomas Moore's most popular songs: Bendemeer's stream
Patricia of Bracken on THE IRISH MELODIES: SONGS THAT STILL SPEAK
Patricia Bracken on THE IRISH MELODIES: SONGS THAT STILL SPEAK
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