EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOL NETWORKING FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM: PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Objective: In order to provide equal educational opportunities, community school networking is an emerging trend to facilitate inclusion of children with mild-moderate Autism. This quantitative research aims to investigate the effectiveness of community networking for children with Autism from Pakistani lower socio-economic stratum of society. Study Design: Qualitative Research Design Study Settings and Participants: Six mild-moderate autistic children were enrolled in three mainstreams schools and a liaison between these schools, and a rehabilitation center located in the same area was created to facilitate inclusion. The researchers interviewed six teachers from mainstream schools, three school administrators and one administrator of rehabilitation regarding the effectiveness of community school networking for children with Autism after eight months of this collaboration. Data Collection Tool: Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews Results: All participating administrators and teachers underscored the changes in social and behavioral patterns of autistic children which included an imitation of positive behaviors from peers, acceptance, and awareness as strengths of community school networking model. However, major challenges faced were unacceptability from parents of normal children, learning differences, curriculum modifications, time constraints and dependency on the resource teacher. The administrators and teachers recommended that creating awareness programs for parents of normal children, curriculum modifications and in-house psychologists can further facilitate inclusion of children with disabilities. Conclusion: It was concluded that community school networking model can assist inclusive education and encourage engagement for all children, including those who are autistic.

Particle Dynamics and Some Thermodynamics Aspects of Black Holes

Dynamics of particles around black holes is one of the interesting topics in general relativity. It helps us in understanding the geometrical structure of the spacetime around black holes. Geodesics of particles may display a rich structure and they can convey very reliable facts to understand the geometry of black holes. Also black holes and thermodynamics have an intimate connection and it is interesting to study thermodynamics at black hole horizons. In this thesis we have studied the e ect of a magneticeld on 3-dimensional dynamics of charged particles in the vicinity of weakly magnetized black holes. We have considered the dynamics of test particles (both neutral and charged) moving in the vicinity of black holes, falling freely from in nity. Timelike geodesics of particles, their escaping behavior from the vicinity of black holes, e ective potentials, and center of mass energies of colliding particles are studied in detail for the following black holes: (i) The Reissner-Nordström black hole surrounded by quintessence (ii) Weakly magnetized Kiselev solution and (iii) weakly magnetised Reissner-Nordstöm black hole. E ect of the geometry of spacetimes on the motion of particles is investigated. To bring the thermodynamics of black holes into the account we have also determined products of black hole thermodynamics parameters at horizons of the Kiselev solution. In therst chapter of the thesis basic concepts of black holes are brie y reviewed. 4 5 In the second chapter we have investigated non-singular coordinates for the Reissner-Nordström black hole surrounded by quintessence. Geodesics of particles are unde ned at horizons of a black hole. This could be avoided by removing the coordinate singularity of the spacetime. By studying the non-singular coordinate system we have obtained timelike geodesics in the new coordinate system. It is emphasized that complete geodesics of the particle can be obtained by removing the coordinate singularity. In the third and fourth chapters we have studied the dynamics of particles in the geometry of a weakly magnetized Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by quintessence and weakly magnetised Reissner-Nordström black hole respectively. Equations of motion are derived using Euler-Lagrange equations. Trajectories of escaping particles are obtained and the e ect of magneticeld on trajectories is analysed. In thefth chapter, we have discussed some aspects of thermodynamics for the Kiselev solution. The study includes products of thermodynamics parameters at horizons of black holes.