International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts Essay Example for Free

International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts Essay Bloodstain pattern analysis is one technique of several in the discipline of forensic science. This technique of using bloodstains as evidences is not new; however, the application of modern science has made bloodstain analysis more and more reliable (Wikipedia). When current technologies and advances within DNA analysis become available to enforcement agencies, the apprehension of criminals and offenders become less problematic (Wikipedia). The forensic science of bloodstain pattern analysis applies scientific knowledge from other disciplines in order to solve a myriad of practical problems. Bloodstain pattern analysis can draw on biology, chemistry, math, and physics, among others (Wikipedia). When an analyst follows a strict scientific process, this applied science can produce strong, solid evidence (Wikipedia). This is an imperative tool when in the hands of law enforcement. An understanding of bloodstain analysis may allow first responders to a crime scene the know-how in currently collecting and preserving any bloodstain data (Wikipedia). Bloodstain analysts receive specialized training. The foundation course in bloodstain pattern analysis is the Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Course. This is taught at many government and private institutions. The course criterion was developed by the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA) with the following stated purpose: A course of instruction designed for investigators, crime scene technicians, forensic technicians, and others involved in criminal and medical-legal investigations and crime scene analysis. The course is intended to develop a fundamental knowledge of the discipline of bloodstain pattern analysis. The course should illustrate to the student basic principals of bloodstain pattern analysis and the practical application of the discipline to actual casework. The course syllabus is not intended to create an â€Å"instant† expert. There are three classifications of bloodstains: passive, projected, and transfer/contact. These classifications were developed by the IABPA. Passive stains are developed when the acting force creating it is gravity. A passive pattern is then divided into three sub-categories: passive drop, drip pattern, and flow pattern (IABPA). Passive drops are created by the force of gravity alone, and the drip pattern is created when blood drips into blood. The flow pattern is a change in shape or direction due to influence of gravity or movement of the object (IABPA). Projected blood patterns are the result of an energy source being transferred through blood. There are several types: low velocity impact spatter (LVIS), medium velocity impact spatter (MVIS), high velocity impact spatter (HVIS), and expiratory blood (IABPA). The three types of velocity impact patterns are caused when an impact at either a low, medium, or high velocity make contact with the blood source (i. e. medium impact = a battery; high impact = a gunshot). An expiratory pattern is blown out of the nose, mouth, or a wound as a result of air pressure and/or air flow which is the propelling force (IABPA). A transfer/contact stain is the result of a blood bearing object coming in contact with a non-blood bearing object – thus causing the transfer of blood. Two types of transfer/contact patterns are the wipe and swipe pattern. A wipe bloodstain pattern created when an object moves through an existing stain, removing and/or altering its appearance. A swipe pattern is the transfer of blood from a moving source onto an unstained surface (IABPA). Blood splatter flight characteristics show that blood tends to form a sphere in flight opposed to the artistic teardrop shape. This is the result in the surface tension that binds the molecules together. This spherical shape is important to the calculation angle of incidence of blood when it hits a surface. This angle is then used to determine the point of origin (PO) – the original area where the blood originated in (Wikipedia). In 1954, Marilyn Sheppard was bludgeoned to death in her home. Her husband, Dr. Sam Sheppard survived what he called an attack by an intruder. Dr. Sheppard reported that he had been knocked unconscious as he tried to defend his wife (Lyle). Their home was ransacked. Investigators would come to realize that Dr. Sheppard had no blood located on his body nor clothing, and he denied ever cleaning up before the police arrived (Lyle). This troubled the police. The attack was so brutal that the killer would have been covered in blood, and Dr. Shepard should have had blood transfers located on his body or clothes. Sheppard had no blood located on his hands, which would be impossible because he said he checked for a pulse of his wife’s neck, which was covered in blood. Furthermore, Sheppard claimed that his watch, wallet, ring and keys were missing. This was true. A bag with these items was found no too far from the house; however, they had to traces of blood. Moreover, Sheppard’s pants had no blood on them – impossible is the killer robbed him with bloody hands (Lyle). The watch, however, did have traces of blood. Theses blood splatters came from flying droplets, indicating that the watch must have been close when the victim was received the fatal blows. If the watch made contact with her neck – as he checked for a pulse – the watch would have blood smears and not droplets (Lyle). Police determined that Dr. Sheppard most likely bludgeoned his wife to death. Then he cleaned himself and trashed the items outside the house were police would find them and made the house look as if it was a burglary (Lyle). Based in large part on the blood evidence, or lack of it, Sheppard was convicted of murder. After spending ten years in prison, Sheppard was released when the U. S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction. A representative from the coroner’s office stated that the blood located on Sheppard’s watch represented a blood splatter. This means the watch must have present when the blows were struck (Lyle). A renowned criminalist, Dr. Paul Kirk testified that the blood on the watch was a result of Sheppard checking his wife’s pulse. If so, why was the watch found outside the house? This controversy still surrounds the case. In 2004, Nick Berg was horrifically murdered by insurgents in Iraq. His throat was cut and he was decapitated. His body was found by an Iraqi overpass. The tape was on review on May 11, 2004 for a type of bloodstain analysis. Laura Mansfield, certified in bloodstain analysis by the Laboratory of Forensic Science and is a member of the IABPA, begins her analysis of the footage (Crime Library). It’s reported: â€Å"The time displays 13:45:47 in the lower right corner, the victim is pushed onto his left side where his legs are bent at the knees and raised toward his chest and his arms still tied behind his back. At this point, the video becomes out of focus and essentially useless for the purposes of analysis from approximately 90 frames. As the video comes back into focus, the primary assailant is viewed using the knife to cut the throat of the victim, beginning at the area near his left carotid artery. Almost immediately, blood is seen pouring onto the floor (target surface) from the wound caused by the incision (Crime Library). † There appears to be an edit point. At this point the primary insurgent is no longer holding the knife. â€Å"The individual wearing the white hood and previously standing on the right side of the primary assailant is now using the knife in a saw-like manner, holding the knife in (his) right hand while holding the victims hair with (his) left hand. At 13:47:xx, the individual wearing the white hood ultimately detaches the victims head from his body and holds the head outward in (his) left hand, still holding the knife in (his) right (Crime Library). † The frames that follow appear to jump, at which time the victim’s head is completely detached and the primary object in the frame. Through out the video, time changes frequently from military time back to â€Å"regular† time and vice versa. â€Å"Interestingly, the time display on the video changes to 2:46:20 (regular time format) and then switches back to 13:48:45 (military format) while the victims head is shown detached from his body in a similar series of frames (Crime Library). † Bloodstain pattern analysis is an age-old technique, which with new technologies and advancements aid in the capture and prosecution of criminals. This analysis procedure is used in many different ways and draw upon a myriad of disciplines. In result of a strict process, bloodstain pattern analysis will prove solid, concrete evidence and is a useful tool in the hands of law enforcement. References IABPA (International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts). Suggested IABPA Terminology List. Date visited 8 April 2006. http://www. iabpa. org/Terminology. pdf Lyle, D. P. , MD. Uncovering the Evidence: Those Messy Bloodstains. Forensics for Dummies. John Wiley Sons Inc. p. 98 Nick Berg Tape. Crime Library. Court Tv. Date visited 8 April 2006. http://www. crimelibrary. com/about/authors/mansfield/ Wikipedia Online. Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. Date visited 9 April 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bloodstain_pattern_analysis

Algorithm to Prevent Obstacle Collision

Algorithm to Prevent Obstacle Collision Description: In this paper, we develop an algorithm to prevent collision with obstacles autonomous mobile robot based on visual observation of obstacles. The input to the algorithm is fed a sequence of images recorded by a camera on the robot B21R in motion. The information is then extracted from the optical flow image sequence to be used in the navigation algorithm. Optical flow provides important information about the state of the environment around the robot, such as the disposition of the obstacles, the place of the robot, the time to collision and depth. The strategy is to estimate the number of points of the obstacles on the left and right side of the frame, this method allows the robot to move without colliding with obstacles. The reliability of the algorithm is confirmed by some examples. Keywords: optical flow, the strategy of balance, focus of expansion, the time for communication, avoiding obstacles. 1. Introduction The term is used for visual navigation of robot motion control based on analysis of data collected by visual sensors. Golf visual navigation is of particular importance is mainly due to the vast amount of recorded video sensor materials. The aim of our work is to develop algorithms that will be used for the visual navigation of autonomous mobile robot. The input consists of a sequence of images that are constantly available navigation system while driving the robot. This sequence of images is provided by monocular vision system. Then, the robot tries to understand their environment to extract data from a sequence of image data, in this case, optical, and then uses this information as a guide for the movement. The strategy adopted to avoid collisions with obstacles during movement a balance between the right and left optical flow vectors. The test mobile robot models RWI-B21R. The robot is equipped with WATEC LCL-902 camera (see. Fig. 1). Visuals caught using Matrox Imaging cards at a rate of 30 frames per second. Fig. 1 The robot and the camera. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of navigation. Fig. 2 Algorithm for prevention of obstacles. The first optical flow vectors are computed from image sequences. To make a decision about the orientation of the robot, the calculation of the position of the image plane in the DMZ is necessary because the control is transferred to the law with respect to the focus of expansion. Then, the depth map calculates the distance to an obstacle, to provide an immediate response to a short distance from the obstacle, or to give a signal to the robot to ignore obstacles. 2. Otsenka movement Movement in the sequence of images obtained by camera induced movement of objects in 3-D scene and / or camera motion. 3-D objects and the camera motion is a 2-D motion image plane via the projection system. It is a 2-D movements, also called apparent motion or optical flow, and should be the starting point of the intensity and color information of the video. Most of the existing methods of valuation movements are divided into four categories: basic techniques of correlation, the basic methods of energy, basic methods of parametric model and the basic methods of differentiation. We chose the technique of differentiation, based on the intensity of the preservation of a moving point for the calculation of the optical flow, for this purpose, the standard method of Horn and Schunck (Horn and Schunck manual, B., 1981). After calculating the optical flow, we use it for navigation solutions, such as trying to balance the number of left and right sides of the flow to avoid obstacles. 3. The laws of optical flow and management As well as the observation point moves through the environment, and the sample beam, reflecting this point varies continuously generates an optical flow. . One way in which the robot may use this information to a movement to achieve a certain type of flow. For example, to maintain the orientation of the environment, the type of optical flow does not flow at all requests. If some flow is detected, the robot should change their strength by producing their effectors (whether wings, wheels or legs). so as to minimize this flow, in accordance with the control law (Andrea, PD; William H. Lelise PK, 1998) .. Thus, the change of the internal forces of the robot (as against external forces such as wind) is a function of changes in the optical flow (here from a lack of flow to the minimum flow) .. The optical flow contains information about the location of the surface and the direction of the observation point called the focus of expansion (CLE), the time to contact (TTC), and depth. 3.1. The focus of expansion (RF) For the translational movement of the camera, the motion picture is always directed away from the only point of the corresponding projection of the vector transmission to the image plane. This point is called Focus Expansion (DF), it is calculated on the basis of the principle that the flux vectors are oriented in certain directions with respect to the focus of expansion. At full optical flow is the horizontal part of the DF horizontally located, in accordance with the situation in which the majority of the horizontal components of variance (Negahdaripour, S. Horn, CP 1989). It can be estimated using a simple counting method, which counts the horizontal components of the signs, which focus on each point of the image. At the point where the maximum divergence, the difference between the number of RF components on the left of the right and the number of components must be minimized. Similarly, we can appreciate the vertical position of the FF by identifying the positions of most of the vertical components. Fig. 3 Calculation of the DF. Fig. 4 shows the result of calculating the risk factors in indoor RF is shown as a red square in the image. Fig. 4 The result of the calculation of risk factors. We also use optical flow to estimate the remaining time of contact with the surface. 3.2. Contact time The contact time (VC) can be calculated from the optical flow, which is extracted from monocular image sequences acquired during the movement. Speed Image can be described as a function of the camera parameters and is divided into two periods depending on the rotation (Vt) and the translational components (Vr) at the camera speed (V), respectively. The rotational part of the flow field can be calculated from the proprioceptive data (for example, the rotation of the camera) and the focal length. After global variable optical flow is calculated, (Vt) is determined by subtracting (Vr) from (V). From translational optical flow contact time may be calculated by the formula (Tresilian, J., 1990): Here? is the distance from the point in question (xi yi) on the image plane, the focus of expansion (FR). Note how the flow rate indicating the length of vector lines increases as the distance from the focus of the image expansion. In fact, this distance is divided at a constant speed, and is a relative rate used to estimate the time of contact. In Fig. 5 we show the VC assessment transfer sequence. (A). The corresponding graph of VC (b) consistent with the theory. Fig. 5 Evaluation of the VC. 3.3. Calculating the depth (intensity) Using the optical flow field is calculated from two successive images, we can find information about the depth of each flow vector calculation by combining VC and speed of the robot while taking pictures. where X depth, V is the speed of the robot, and T VC (calculated for each optical flow vector). Fig. 6 Calculation of depth. Fig. 6 shows an image depth, which is calculated by the VC. The darkest point is near, while the brightest point is the farthest from the scene, so the brightest point is the navigation area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹the robot. 3.4. Balance strategy for obstacle avoidance The basic idea behind this strategy is offset (parallax) movement, the robot translates nearest objects rise to more rapid movement on the retina than more distant objects. He also takes advantage of the prospects that closer objects also occupy a larger field of view, rejecting the average with respect to the associative flow. The robot turns away from the stronger flow. This control law is formulated: Here the difference in the strength of the two sides of the body of the robot, and Is the sum of the magnitude of the optical flow in the visual field of the hemispheres on one side of the header robot. We have implemented a strategy to balance our mobile robot. As we have shown in Fig. 7, the left optical beam (699, 24) is greater than the right (372, 03), so the solution is to turn to the right to avoid obstacles. (A chair to the left of the robot). Fig. 7 The result of the strategy of balance. 4. Experiments The robot has been tested in our laboratory robotics, robot containing, office chairs, office furniture and computer equipment. In the next experiment, we test the ability of the robot to detect obstacles using only the strategy of balance. Fig. 8 Robot vision. Fig. 8 shows a view from a camera robot initial snapshot. Fig. 9 The first decision. Fig. 9 (a) shows the result of a strategy of balance in which robots have to turn right to avoid the nearest obstacle (the board), and Fig. 9 (b) shows the corresponding depth image, which is calculated from the vector of the optical flow. We see that the brightest point is localized to the right of the image, which determines the navigation area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹the robot. Fig. 10 shows a robot when it turns to the right. Fig. 10 Robot vision. Fig. 11 (a) shows the result of a balance strategy in which the robot must rotate to the left to avoid the walls, and Fig. 9 (b) shows the corresponding depth of the image in which the brightest point located on the left side of the image. Fig. 11 The second solution. Fig. 12 The robot is in motion. Figure 12 (a) pokazyvet picture robot in motion in our laboratory, and Figure 12 (b) shows the path that passes by the movement of the robot. We notice that the robot found two principal positions, in which it changes the orientation, position (1) fit into the image and the position of the board (2) corresponds to the wall. Fig. 13 Schedule contact time. Figure 13 shows a graph of left and right optical flow. At the beginning of the stream picture left more than the right, so the robot turns to the right, which corresponds to Figure 12 (d), then right flow increases until it is larger than the left, because the robot is approaching closer to the wall than to the board and we see an increase in the two columns (left and right flow) through the structure 13 in Figure 5, and then the robot turns left, to prevent the wall, it corresponds to position 2 in Fig. 12 (g). It can be seen that the robot successfully wandering around the lab, avoiding obstacles; however, we found that the lighting conditions critically important to detect obstacles, because the image produced by the camera is more noisy in low light and makes the optical flow estimation more wrong. 5. Conclusions The article describes how the optical flow which provides the ability of the robot to avoid obstacles, use control laws, called strategy of balance, whose main purpose is to detect the presence of objects close to the robot on the basis of information on the movement of image brightness. The main difficulty in the use of optic flow to navigate, is that it is unclear what is causing the change of gray values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹(motion vector or changing the lighting). Further improvement of the developed method is possible by connecting other sensors (sonar, infrared ), in cooperation with the sensor chamber. 6. Links Andrew, PD; William, H. Lelise, PK (1998). Environmental Robotics. Adaptive behavior, Volume 6, No. 3/4, 1998 Bergholm, F. Argyros, A. (1999). The combination of central and peripheral vision to navigate reactive robot, in the basis of IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Vol. 2, October 1999, pp. 356-362. Horn, KP Schunck, BG (1981). Determining optical flow. Artificial intelligence, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾- 7, pp. 185-203, 1981. Negahdaripour, S. Horn, KP (1989). The direct method is to place the focus of expansion, comp. Visible Graph. Strongly Protsess.46 (3), 303-326, 1989. Sandidni, G.; Santos-victor, J .; Curotto, F. Gabribaldi, S. (1993). Divergent stereo navigation: learning in bees, in the proceedings of the Company IEEE Computer. Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, June 1993, pp. 434-439. Santos-victor, J. Bernardino, A. (1988). Visual behavior for binocular tracking, robotics and autonomous systems, with 137-148, 1998 Tresilian, J. (1990). Perception information Timing of capturing action, Perception 19: 223-239, 1990

The Pearl :: essays research papers

The Pearl The Pearl starts off with a poor family that runs into a problem. The problem is that their son Coyotito got bit by a posinous snake and they need money so that the doctor will treat him. Kino, the father, went out to find a pearl so that they would have enough money to get Coyotito to the doctor. The pivoting point in the story is when Kino finds the pearl of all pearls , the pearl he finds is huge. The whole town finds out about Kino's findings, he starts to since an evil feeling comeing from people and the pearl. When it comes to seling the pearl Kino can't sell it in his town because all the pearl buyers are working for the same person so they try to cheat Kino, but he doesn't sell the pearl. He then tries to go to the city to sell the pearl but before he can go he is attacked by someone trying to steal the pearl from Kino, Kino had to defend his self by stabbing and killing the attacker. So he has to flee the town because there are trackers comeing after him, his wife, Juana insists on going with him so they flee up to a mountain to get away from the trackers. There were three trackers , two on foot, one on horse with a rifle. Kino decided to attack them while they were sleeping, so when he attacked them Kino first tried to get the man on horse, in the struggle Kino killed the trackers but his son was killed by a bullet. Kino then threw the pearl away. Kino is a determined man , and he does what he thinks is right, like on selling the pearl to the towns pearl buyers. He has a small mustache and short black hair. Juana, kino's wife has long black hair and smart. A conflict in the story is when Kino had a choice between selling the pearl to the pearl dealers in his town or to sell it some place else. Alothough the towns people thought Kino should have sold the pearl to the dealer for the little amount he offered Kino, but Kino did what he thought was right and did

Feeling Sympathy for Gertrude and Rhoda in The Withered Arm, by Thomas

Feeling Sympathy for Gertrude and Rhoda in The Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy The Withered arm is typical of Hardy's novellas, as it is a tragedy. It involves two main characters, Rhoda and Gertrude. Rhoda and Gertrude both have their own different problems that the must face. Rhoda and Gertrude become friends after they first meet. Rhoda had an illegitimate child to farmer lodge who marries Gertrude. Before Rhoda and Gertrude meet Rhoda does not know what Gertrude is like so is bitter about the idea of her marrying farmer lodge who hardy hints Rhoda is still in love with. Rhoda is described to be old before her age and works as a milkmaid. She receives no help in the upbringing of the boy she had with farmer lodge so she works hard to care for him. The other milkmaids talk about her and they start to talk about the subject of farmer lodges new wife. This part makes you feel some sympathy for Rhoda as she is being talked about when she is still there. Because of the times Rhoda was not at all respected for bringing up a child on her own but instead she was treated as a social outcast. No one seemed to blame farmer Lodge for what had happened. The other milkmaids will think nothing of talking about her business when she is there. This makes you feel sympathy for Rhoda because in this day and age the farther would be forced to help at least financially with the upbringing of his son and Rhoda would be respected for her hard work in bringing up a child on her own. Rhoda is curious about the new wife and sends her son of to "check her out", as it would be. She wants to know what his new wife is like. Hardy gives the impression that Rhoda is jealous of the new wife or a least angry that he is taking a new... ...ge says that he is away on holiday. You feel sorry at her desperation as she is only doing this so farmer lodge will like her for her physical beauty but she does not seem to mind. The body that she touches happens to be Rhoda's son and farmer Lodge is with her. You feel sorry for both the women equally as much at the end of the story but for different reasons. Rhoda has had her whole life taken away from her however little it was and Gertrude has now died as a result of trying to improve her physical beauty. In conclusion I think that you can not feel more sympathy towards either woman as they are both in the same boat and it is because of each other that they had so much grief and hardship. If they had nether met or had anything to do with each other then they would not have been like they were. It was all a matter of situation and circumstances.

Mental Health Refore: What It Would Really Take Essay -- essays resear

Mental Health Reform: What It Would Really Take In today’s society there is a greater awareness of mental illnesses. With this greater awareness one might assume that there would be a substantial increase in government involvement or funding in the area of mental illness treatment. Unfortunately this isn’t the case in the U.S. today. There are hundreds of thousands of people with mental illness that go untreated. These potential patients go untreated for many reasons. These reasons are discussed in the Time article â€Å"Mental Health Reform: What Would it Really Take.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article gives some examples of what has happened to people that have not received mental treatment due to lack of government funding. These mentally ill people often don’t receive treatment because the police are often picking up the mentally ill and they are not trained to diagnose mental problems so the problems go unnoticed. This can prove to be fatal. The article tells about a New York man who asked to be hospitalized because he was terrified of phantom voices instead of the correct treatment budget conscious officials most often referred him to short term emergency care. Last year the man in a psychotic state shoved a woman from a subway platform to her death under the wheels of the train. The article also discusses some possible solutions that could help stop such tragedies. The main person that is speaking out for more government aid is vice-president’s wife Tipper Gore. Ti...

Modern Language Association Essay

The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is the most used format in doing papers especially with Liberal Arts and Humanities subjects (Purdue Owl). This format is based primarily on the author’s name and page number format. But before we start discussing how to cite sources, we must first learn how to properly format the paper using MLA. According to the OWL at Purdue website, the paper size should be a standard 8. 5 x 11 inches with 1-inch margin on all sides. The paper should be double-spaced using a formal font style such as Times New Roman in 12 pts. On all pages of the paper, a header that includes the last name of the owner of the paper and page numbers should be placed. The first lines of the paper should be indented to the left and one line apart: First and Last Name of the owner of the paper, name of professor, Subject/Course, and the date. Once these things are set up, the paper could now be officially started; the title of the paper should be at the center one line following the date (Purdue Owl). There are two basic ways of doing an in-text citation using MLA format. The first is using signal phrases — naming the author first in the sentence and then placing in parentheses the page number where the citation came from after the cited words. The second is including the last name of the author in the parenthetical citation, written before the page number and without any marks between them. If a particular source has no author mentioned, there are also two ways on how to properly cite the material. First is to use the title of the work as a signal phrase or place a shortened version of the title in the parenthetical citation. In case of sources where an organization can be used as the source, use the name of the organization as if it was the author. If page numbers are missing, like in web sites, just include the name of the author, again, either as a signal phrase or a parenthetical citation (â€Å"MLA in-text citations† 2).

Early Childhood Intervention Services on Social Performance Essay

Based on many researches, surveys, and studies conducted recently, the early intensive intervention method showed a significant outcome for children having autism. The behavioral approach as intervention on preschoolers with the said disorder showed an affirmative short- and long-term effect (Anderson, Avery, DiPietro, Edwards, & Christian, 1987; Fenske, Zalenski, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1985; McEachin, Smith, & OI, 1993). It was said that results showed a partial to nearly complete recovery from symptoms of autism where the most hopeful and positive result suggests a nearly 50% recovery through intensive early intervention (Handleman, Harris, Celiberti, Lilleheht, & Tomchek, 1991; Hoyson, 1984; Lord & Schopler, 1989; Lovaas, 1987; Sheinkopf & Siegel, 1998). The reported improvement was based on the outcomes from â€Å"standardized pre-post test scores† and at times, was based on behavioral outcomes (Handleman, Harris, Celiberti, Lilleheht, & Tomchek, 1991; Hoyson, 1984; Lord & Schopler, 1989; Lovaas, 1987; Sheinkopf & Siegel, 1998). Also, in contrast to the previous approximations that implied only 50% of all children have a chance to learn to use â€Å"functional speech†, more recent approximations as based from participating children under early intervention showed at least 85% to 90% of these children can utilize the functional speech if intervention begins in the preschool stage (Koegel, 2000). The intricacy in terms of mutual social interactions involved in autism disorders paved way to the need of early identification of this disorder to children because of the significant advantages that resulted if early intervention is performed. It is also this same complex nature on the social feature of autism that led to formulation of early intervention programs. But to date, there are few intervention programs that focus on the enhancement of social interactions to peer groups and siblings since most programs formulated were on â€Å"child-adult† interactions (Koegel, Koegel, & Frea, 2001). There is also the inadequate outcome of these programs on the child’s â€Å"true† functioning in his or her natural environment such as social and behavioral improvements because most outcomes are based on the alterations of the child’s IQ scores and post-intervention assignments (Koegel, Koegel, & Smith, 1997). It was also noted that few assessment studies were conducted on the consequences or results of early intervention programs on autistic children less than three years of age since the knowledge of possibility for practitioners to diagnose autism prior to age three was only recent. CHAPTER 1 The Historical Viewpoint behind Early Childhood Intervention Programs The concept that brain development can be manipulated during the early childhood period necessitates the need for early treatment or intervention of autism since this imposes a greater chance of success and the possibility of a long-term treatment being prevented and reduced (Ornitz, 1973). The trainings in communication, social learning, and self-help skills from the family, school, community, peers, and group can further help autistic children on their social and emotional development. In an early intervention program, the factors being evaluated that become indicator if improvement occurred are age and IQ. There are studies showing that the incidence of a higher IQ and an earlier age at the start of intervention is a positive predictor of better chances of recovery and better outcomes (Gabriel, Hill, Pierce, Rogers, & Wehner, 2001; Handleman, Harris, Celiberti, Lilleheht, & Tomchek, 1991). Recently, the recognized predictor of intervention outcome in the language and peer aspect is the stage of the child with autism on peer social avoidance after under intervention program for six months (Ingersoll, Schreibman, & Stahmer, 2001). Peer social avoidance is described as the frequency of the child’s avoidance near peers. Some studies showed a noteworthy connection of the child’s use of joint attention behaviors and later communicative language improvement (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). These joint attention behaviors include eye gaze alternation and pointing. There is also a study demonstrating that child initiations anticipate very high favorable treatment outcomes (Koegel, Koegel, Shoshan, & McNerney, 1999). Child initiations are defined as the start of a new interaction or changing where the interaction is headed for. These three characteristics namely peer avoidance, joint attention, and initiations are described in nature as exceedingly analogous. They are also called as intervention target behaviors. Before early intervention or treatment services are done, a proper and thorough evaluation of the child with autism should be conducted to identify the appropriate approach to conduct (Shackelford, 2002). First, this assessment should be performed by a trained staff to work on a suitable methods and procedures to be followed. Secondly, it should be based on â€Å"informed clinical opinion† from skilled medical professional for the said specialization. And lastly, there should be a review of the relevant records that would be applicable in evaluating the child’s current health and medical history and child’s level of functioning on the critical development areas such as cognitive, physical (including vision and hearing, communication, social or emotional, and adaptive aspects (Shackelford, 2002). As defined, the term â€Å"early intervention† generally refers to program options for the child with autism at six years of age and below (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). There are many described and formulated different early intervention options specifically center-based programs for children with an array of developmental delays, conventional and expert preschool programs, center-based programs specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), home-based programs on a certain therapy approach, specific therapies from particular clinics, agencies that organize the early intervention personnel to visit the child’s home on a regular or semi-regular basis or outreach service, and programs that are investigated and organized with parents (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). There are many different types of services offered under the early intervention program. These are family support services, funded specialist programs, non-funded specialist programs, specific therapies, alternative therapies, and behavioral assistance services. Many family support services are available (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). Example is the â€Å"Early Childhood Intervention Services† from the Department of Human Services that funds support programs like â€Å"Early Choices† and â€Å"Making a Difference† for a successful implementation of these programs. The local councils can also render this support service as they are funded too to provide such (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). The support and information service under family support services can help families through immediate guidance, sensible and emotional support, and provision of necessary information regarding autism through library, information packages and tip sheets, and published magazines (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). The funded specialist programs are funded under the Department of Human Services purposely for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). These are center-based programs and outreach programs (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). But still, funding is greatly limited and these funded programs are only available to offer services just a not so many hours per week. Outreach programs are where trained personnel visit the patient in his or her home, or are community based services such as child care or preschool for autistic children. The non-funded specialist programs are programs that do not receive funding from the federal government (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). Example of this is the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The ABA is a home-based therapy that is structured in pattern to the work of Dr. Ivar Lovaas (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). The format of this program is one-to-one instruction, and support and strengthening. But an ABA trained teacher or psychologist is the only one certified to develop and supervise the program. On the other hand, only the parent and/or trained ABA therapists can carry out the teaching conferences. It is known that ABA program outcomes are positive but still, as usual, the outcomes vary from child to child. The only possible disadvantages being seen are on the financial and time viewpoints, that is, it is expensive and not all families can afford it (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). Another type of service for early intervention is the conduction of specific therapies. These trained therapists are those already skilled in executing therapies in relation to autism (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). These are the psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, early intervention teachers, physiotherapists, music therapists, and dance and movement therapists. Most of these therapists are in private practice and have explicit professional fees. Some families are able to secure funding from support programs while others have to pay it on their own. In year 2006, the federal government tried to include mental health conditions in Medicare insurances to help families to lessen expenditures if therapy is the proper approach to the autism condition of the child (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). The identified alternative therapies are those treatments or approaches that showed constant positive outcomes (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). These are usually the educationally and/or behaviorally based programs (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). These programs are intensive, planned, ordered, and long-standing. There is no instant approach. The behavioral assistance programs are more often than not where parents ask for help (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). In view thereof, Gateways Support Services developed an interactive website with a large data bank as guidance for these parents (â€Å"Early Intervention†, 2007). Researchers and educators have debated the question of how communication goals and objectives for children with autism and related disabilities should be derived. The perspective espoused by traditional behavioral programs has been to establish goals and objectives a priori (Lovaas, 1987). Behavioral discrete-trial programs begin with general compliance training to get a child to sit in a chair, look at the clinician, and imitate nonverbal behavior in response to verbal commands. Speech is taught as a verbal behavior, and objectives are targeted beginning with verbal imitation, following one-step commands, receptive discrimination of body parts, objects, person names and pictures, and expressive labeling in response to questions. Later, language objectives include prepositions, pronouns, same or different and yes or no. More contemporary behavioral approaches have developed goals for outcomes from a functional assessment. Goals and objectives are individualized, based on a child’s repertoire of communicative behaviors, teaching functional equivalents of challenging behavior, and addressing the child’s individual needs. The functional emphasis focuses on goals that affect a child’s access to choices of activities in which to participate, opportunities for social interaction, and community settings (Brown, 2006). Contemporary behavioral programs emphasize teaching communication skills so that greater access is provided to a variety of people, places and events, thereby enhancing the quality of life of children with autistic spectrum disorders. The perspective espoused by developmentally oriented approaches has been to focus on the communicative meaning of behaviors and to target goals and objectives that enhance a child’s communicative competence by moving the child along a developmental progression (Ornitz, 1973). Contemporary developmentalists begin with social-communicative goals, including gaze to regulate interaction, sharing positive affect, communicative functions, and gestural communication. Language goals are mapped onto social communication skills and are guided by a developmental framework (Koegel, Koegel, & Frea, 2001). Developmental perspective usually guides the goal-setting in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Beukelman and Mirenda (1998) state that the goals of an AAC intervention are to assist individuals with severe communication disorders to become communicatively competent in the present, with the view toward meeting their future communication needs (Lovaas, 1987). One major purpose of communication assessment is to document change as an outcome measure of treatment. However, most formal or standardized language assessment measures focus primarily on language form and rely on elicited responses. Because language impairments associated with autism are most apparent in social-communicative or pragmatic aspects of language, formal assessment instruments can provide information about only a limited number of aspects of communication for children with autism (Shackelford, 2002). Formal language measures are especially imprecise in measuring nonverbal aspects of communication and therefore are not sufficient, particularly for low-functioning children with autism. In many situations, the tests used for pre- and post-assessment are different, due to the child’s increasing age, making interpretation of results difficult. Another major purpose of assessment is to provide information for educational planning that can be directly translated into goals, strategies, and outcome measures for communication enhancement. Several communication abilities have been identified as important to assess for children with autism like use of eye gaze and facial expression for social referencing and to regulate interaction, range of communicative functions expressed, rate of communicating, use of gestures and vocal/verbalizations, use of repair strategies, understanding of conventional meanings, and ability to engage in conversation (Shackelford, 2002). It is pointed out that communicative abilities of children with autism should be documented in natural communicative exchanges, with a child’s symbolic abilities serving as a developmental frame of reference (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). To supplement formal measures, the systematic use of informal procedures to assess language and communication is needed. In order to gather an accurate picture of the communication and symbolic abilities of children with autism, a combination of assessment strategies has been recommended that includes interviewing significant others (i. e. , parents, teachers) and observing in everyday situations to find out how a child communicates in the home, classroom, and other daily settings (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). Although there is consensus on the importance of enhancing communication abilities for children with autism, intervention approaches vary greatly, and some even appear to be diametrically opposed (Koegel, 2000). The methodological rigor in communication intervention studies in terms of internal and external validity and measures of generalization has been stronger than in many other areas of autism intervention studies. Nevertheless, there have been relatively few prospective studies with controls for maturation, expectancy, or experimenter artifacts. The strongest studies in terms of internal validity have been multiple baseline, ABAB, or similar designs that have included controls for blindness of evaluations (Koegel, 2000). There have been almost no studies with random assignment, although about 70 percent of the studies included well-defined cohorts of adequate sample size or replication across three or more subjects in single subject designs. A substantial proportion of communication interventions have also included some assessment of generalization, though most often not in a natural setting (Koegel, 2000). In order to examine the critical elements of treatment programs that affect the speech, language, and communication skills of children with autism. It is then useful to characterize the active ingredients of treatment approaches along a continuum—from traditional, discrete trial approaches to more contemporary behavioral approaches that used naturalistic language teaching techniques to developmentally oriented approaches (Koegel, 2000). The earliest research efforts at teaching speech and language to children with autism used massed discrete trial methods to teach verbal behavior by building labeling vocabulary and simple sentences. Lovaas (1987) provided the most detailed account of the procedures for language training using discrete trial approaches. Outcomes of discrete trial approaches have included improvements in IQ scores, which are correlated with language skills, and improvements in communication domains of broader measures, such as the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (McEachin, Smith, & OI, 1993). A limitation of a discrete trial approach in language acquisition is the lack of spontaneity and generalization. Lovaas (1987) stated that â€Å"the training regime†¦its use of ‘unnatural’ reinforcers, and the like may have been responsible for producing the very situation-specific, restricted verbal output which we observed in many of our children†. In a review of research on discrete trial approaches, Koegel (2000) noted that â€Å"not only did language fail to be exhibited or generalize to other environments, but most behaviors taught in this highly controlled environment also failed to generalize†. There is now a large body of empirical support for more contemporary behavioral approaches using naturalistic teaching methods that demonstrate efficacy for teaching not only speech and language, but also communication. According to Koegel 2000, there are many approaches that could be considered that include natural language paradigms (Koegel et al. , 1987), incidental teaching (Hart, 1985; McGee et al. , 1985; McGee et al. , 1999), time delay and milieu intervention (Charlop et al. , 1985; Charlop and Trasowech, 1991; Hwang and Hughes, 2000; Kaiser, 1993; Kaiser et al. , 1992), and pivotal response training (Koegel, 1995; Koegel et al. , 1998). These approaches use systematic teaching trials that have several common active ingredients: they are initiated by the child and focus on the child’s interest; they are interspersed and embedded in the natural environment; and they use natural reinforcers that follow what the child is trying to communicate. Only a few studies, all using single-subject designs, have compared traditional discrete trial with naturalistic behavioral approaches. These studies have reported that naturalistic approaches are more effective at leading to generalization of language gains to natural contexts (Koegel 2000). There are numerous intervention approaches based on a developmental framework. While there are many different developmental programs, a common feature of developmental approaches is that they are child-directed. The environment is arranged to provide opportunities for communication, the child initiates the interaction or teaching episode, and the teacher or communicative partner follows the child’s lead by being responsive to the child’s communicative intentions, and imitating or expanding the child’s behavior. Although the empirical support for developmental approaches is more limited than for behavioral approaches, there are several treatment studies that provide empirical support for language outcomes using specific strategies built on a developmental approach providing the largest case review. Developmental approaches share many common active ingredients with contemporary naturalistic behavioral approaches and are compatible along most dimensions. Many researches had been done on the effectiveness of â€Å"early intervention† because a proper selection of goal when dealing the autistic spectrum disorder should be done since the disorder is characterized of many complexities that treating it also involves critical selection of approach. In general, it was shown that researches on these intervention programs had focused on the effectiveness of the programs and not the appropriateness of different goals. For example is knowing a certain intervention program to be effective but the parent and child had to travel across town once a week for the said program or the child is taken out from class in order to be treated by his therapist. Educational objectives must be based on specific behaviors targeted for planned interventions. However, one of the questions that arises repeatedly, both on a theoretical and on a clinical basis, is how specific a link has to be between a long-term goal and a behavior targeted for intervention. Some targeted behaviors, such as toilet training or acquisition of functional spoken language, provide immediately discernible practical benefits for a child and his or her family. However, in many other cases, both in regular education and specialized early intervention, the links between the objectives used to structure what a child is taught and the child’s eventual independent, socially responsible functioning are much less obvious. This is particularly the case for preschool children, for whom play and manipulation of toys (e. g. , matching, stacking of blocks) are primary methods of learning and relating to other children. Often, behaviors targeted in education or therapy are not of immediate practical value but are addressed because of presumed links to overall educational goals. The structuring of activities in which a child can succeed and feel successful is an inherent part of special education. Sometimes the behavior is one component of a series of actions that comprise an important achievement. Breaking down a series of actions into components can facilitate learning. Thus, a preschool child may be taught to hold a piece of paper down with one hand while scribbling with another. This action is a first step in a series of tasks designed to help the child draw and eventually write. Other behaviors, or often classes of behaviors, have been described as â€Å"pivotal behaviors† in the sense that their acquisition allows a child to learn many other skills more efficiently (Koegel, Koegel, Shoshan, & McNerney, 1999). Schreibman and the Koegels and their colleagues have proposed a specific treatment program for children with autism: pivotal response treatment. It includes teaching children to respond to natural reinforcers and multiple cues, as well as other â€Å"pivotal† responses. These are key skills that allow better access to social information. The idea of â€Å"pivotal skills† to be targeted as goals may also hold for a broad range of behaviors such as imitation (Stone, 1997; Rogers and Pennington, 1991), maintaining proximity to peers (Hanson and Odom, 1999), and learning to delay gratification (understanding â€Å"first do this, then you get to do that†). Longitudinal research has found that early joint attention, symbolic play, and receptive language are predictors of long-term outcome (Siller and Sigman, 2002). Although the research to date has been primarily correlational, one inference has been that if interventions succeed in modifying these key behaviors, more general improvements will occur as well (Kasari, 2000). Another explanation is that these behaviors are early indicators of the child’s potential developmental trajectory. Sometimes goals for treatment and education involve attempting to limit and treat the effects of one aspect of autism, with the assumption that such a treatment will allow a child to function more competently in a range of activities. For example, a number of different treatment programs emphasize treating the sensory abnormalities of autism, with the implication that this will facilitate a child’s acquisition of communication or social skills (e. g. , auditory integration; sensory integration). For many interventions, supporting these links through research has been difficult. There is little evidence to support identifiable links between general treatment of a class of behaviors (e. g. , sensory dysfunction) and improvements in another class of behaviors (e. g. , social skills), especially when the treatment is carried out in a different context from that in which the targeted behaviors are expected to appear. However, there are somewhat different examples in other areas of education and medicine in which interventions have broad effects on behavior. One example is the effect of vigorous exercise on general behavior in autism (Koegel, Koegel, Shoshan, & McNerney, 1999). In addition, both desensitization and targeted exercise in sports medicine and physical therapy often involve working from interventions carried out in one context to generalization to more natural circumstances. Yet, in both of these cases, the shift from therapeutic to real-life contexts is planned explicitly to occur within a relatively brief period of time. At this time, there is no scientific evidence of this kind of link between specifically-targeted therapies and general improvements in autism outside the targeted areas. Until information about such links becomes available, this lack of findings is relevant to goals, because it suggests that educational objectives should be tied to specific, real-life contexts and behaviors with immediate meaning to the child. Because the range of outcomes for children with autistic spectrum disorders is so broad, the possibility of relatively normal functioning in later childhood and adulthood offers hope to many parents of young children. Although recent literature has conveyed more modest claims, the possibility of permanent â€Å"recovery† from autism, in the sense of eventual attainment of language, social and cognitive skills at, or close to, age level, has been raised in association with a number of educational and treatment programs (Ingersoll, Schreibman, & Stahmer, 2001). Natural history studies have revealed that there are a small number of children who have symptoms of autism in early preschool years who do not have these symptoms in any obvious form in later years. Whether these improvements reflect developmental trajectories of very mildly affected children or changes in these trajectories (or more rapid movement along a trajectory) in response to treatment (Lovaas, 1987) is not known. However, as with other developmental disabilities, the core deficits in autism have generally been found to persist in some degree in most persons with autistic spectrum diagnoses. There is no research base explaining how â€Å"recovery† might come about or which behaviors might mediate general change in diagnosis or cognitive level (Ingersoll, Schreibman, & Stahmer, 2001). Although there is evidence that interventions lead to improvements and that some children shift specific diagnoses within the spectrum and change in severity of cognitive delay in the preschool years, there is not a simple, direct relationship between any particular current intervention and â€Å"recovery† from autism. Because there is always room for hope, recovery will often be a goal for many children, but in terms of planning services and programs, educational objectives must describe specific behaviors to be acquired or changed. Research on outcomes (or whether goals of independence and responsibility have been attained) can be characterized by whether the goal of an intervention is broadly defined (e. g. , â€Å"best outcome†) or more narrowly defined (e. g. , increasing vocabulary, increasing peer-directed social behavior); whether the study design involves reporting results in terms of individual or group changes; and whether goals are short term (i. e. , to be achieved in a few weeks or months) or long term (i. e. , often several years). A large body of single-subject research has demonstrated that many children make substantial progress in response to specific intervention techniques in relatively short time periods (e. g. , several months). These gains occur in many specific areas, including social skills, language acquisition, nonverbal communication, and reductions of challenging behaviors. Often the most rapid gains involve increasing the frequency of a behavior already in the child’s repertoire, but not used as broadly as possible (e. g. , increasing use of words) (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). In single-subject reports, changes in some form are almost always documented within weeks, if not days, after the intervention has begun. Studies over longer periods of time have documented that joint attention, early language skills, and imitation are core deficits that are the hallmarks of the disorder, and are predictive of longer-term outcome in language, adaptive behaviors, and academic skills. However, a causal relationship between improvements in these behaviors as a result of treatment and outcomes in other areas has not yet been demonstrated. Many treatment studies report post intervention placement as an outcome measure (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). Successful participation in regular education classrooms is an important goal for some children with autism. However, its usefulness as an outcome measure is limited because placement may be related to many variables other than the characteristics of a child (such as prevailing trends in inclusion, availability of other services, and parents’ preferences). The most commonly reported outcome measure in group treatment studies of children with autism has been IQ scores (Lord & Schopler, 1989). Studies have reported substantial changes in IQ scores in a surprisingly large number of children in intervention studies and in longitudinal studies in which children received nonspecific interventions. However, even in the treatment studies that have shown the largest gains, children’s outcomes have been variable, with some children making great progress and others showing very small gains. Overall, while much evidence exists that education and treatment can help children attain short-term goals in targeted areas, gaps remain in addressing larger questions of the relationship between particular techniques and both general and specific changes (Lord & Schopler, 1989). The child with autism is also protected in the federal state law. These are the Public Law 108-77 also called Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and Public Law 105-17 also called Individuals with Disabilities Act or IDEA of 1997. This mandates the major care provider to refer the child with autism and the family to an early intervention service. It was stated that every state has an early intervention program and must make it available to children from birth to three years of age, thus, autistic children are covered under this law. Examples of these program are behavioral methods, early developmental education, communication skills, occupational and physical therapy, and structured social play.