NSDL Scout Report for Math, Engineering, and Technology
The eighth issue of the first volume of the MET Report is available. Its Topic in Depth section offers Web sites and comments about bridges.
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The Immigration and Naturalization Service's Contacts With Two September 11 Terrorists: A Review of the INS's Admissions of Mohamed Atta and Marwan Alshehhi, its Processing of their Change of Status Applications, and its Efforts to Track Foreign Students in the United States [.pdf]
http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/2002_05/fullreport.pdf
Six months after the September 11th tragedy, Huffman Aviation International, a small flight training school in Venice, Florida, received official documents from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) allowing Mohamed Atta and Marwan Alshehhi (2 of the 19 plane hijackers) to attend their school. Subsequently, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigated the circumstances surrounding that ordeal, and recorded the outcome of that investigation in this newly released report. This report reveals OIG's analysis and conclusions regarding Atta's and Alshehhi's entries into the US, INS's processing of Atta's and Alshehhi's change of status applications and the I-20 forms associated with those applications, and INS's system for monitoring and tracking foreign students in the US. At the report's end, OIG provides 24 systematic recommendations addressing the inadequacies regarding INS's practices and procedures. [MG]
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Twenty-third Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [.pdf, .doc]
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/OSEP2001AnlRpt/
During the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Congress appointed the US Department of Education to perform a national assessment of all activities operating under the Act. Presented by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), this volume of the annual report to Congress regarding the implementation of IDEA contains the results of this national assessment. The report contains four sections -- Results, Student Characteristics, Programs and Services, and Policies -- and each section can be assessed individually. Viewers may choose to download the report using Adobe Acrobat or MS Word. [MG]
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Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) [.pdf]
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/index.htm
Presented by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Cholesterol Education Program, this report summarizes the panel's discoveries regarding the detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults. Internet users have the option of viewing the 40-page executive summary or the 372-page full report. Some of the many topics addressed in the report include risk assessment and management of coronary heart disease, primary and secondary prevention of LDL-cholesterol lowering therapy, therapeutic lifestyle changes, and drug interventions to improve adherence. This extensive report also assesses and provides recommendations for those who fall in the "special populations" category. In short, persons in the medical field, as well as individuals who suffer from high cholesterol (or know someone who does), will find this report valuable. [MG]
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Netherlands Institute for War Documentation
http://www.niod.nl/engels/english.html
Promoting and facilitating the study of the global impact of World War II, the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation (NIWD) actively encourages consultation of its archives and services -- some of which are accessible online, while others must be consulted in person. With extensive textual and photographic documentation of the war, especially aspects relating to the German occupation of the Netherlands, the NIWD is a fantastic resource for anyone attempting to conduct research on the traumatic impact of world war. Particularly strong in documenting the war as it impacted the Netherlands and its immediate geographic neighbors, the Institute supports research on the mistreatment and deportation of the Jews through meticulously maintained records, the majority of which are in Dutch or German. Aside from presenting lists of its holdings and areas of expertise, the NIWD site also makes available online bibliographies produced by its area scholars and archivists. Lastly, the site also serves as a source of information on associated organizations and their efforts, including forthcoming publications, conferences, and research awards. [WH]
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Scottish Women Writers of the Romantic Period
http://alexanderstreet.com/PSSWRP.htm
Presented by the Alexander Street Press along with scholars from the University of California at Davis and the University of Nebraska, Scottish Women Poets of the Romantic Period is a newly released electronic database of over 60 volumes of lyric poetry written by Scottish women between 1789 and 1832. The database includes poems of more than fifty women whose works were well known in their time, but absent from modern bibliographies. This electronic collection also includes a critical introduction written by Stephen Behrendt, a bibliography listing more than 250 works, and thirty-five critical essays written by leading academics. This resource is available on the Web, either through annual subscription or as a one-time purchase of perpetual access. [MG]
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Portals to the World
http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html
Presented by the Library of Congress, Portals to the World is an electronic database containing selective links that provide information on the various nations and other areas of the world. Countries are arranged alphabetically and contain links sorted in areas such as General Resources, Government and Law, Literature and Culture, News and Current Events, Libraries, Business and Residential Directories, and much more. Although in a nascent stage, the site provides a vast amount of links for each listed country. When completed, the project intends to have all the nations of the world included on its Web page. [MG]
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The National Academies' 2001 Report to Congress
http://www.nationalacademies.org/annualreport/
The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, together, formulate what is known as the National Academies. Each year, the National Academies present a Report to Congress that reveals its work, discoveries, and evaluations. The 2001 report has recently been released, and it contains data in the areas of science, engineering, and technology; natural resources and the environment; health and safety; education and social issues; studies and projects completed; current Congressional authorized activities; and revenue applied to 2001. On the whole, this report is primarily for those persons interested in the procedural practices and findings of the National Academies. [MG]
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Spring 2002 InfiniBand Solutions Conference Speakers [.pdf]
http://www.infinibandta.org/events/past/spring2002/
InfiniBand is high-end architecture for computer input/ output systems. It is a very new technology and is scheduled to be available on the market late this quarter. With high profile companies like Intel, Microsoft, and Dell supporting the InfiniBand Trade Association, the technology is generating considerable interest within the industry. In the Spring 2002 InfiniBand Solutions Conference (held last month), speakers addressed the technology, its architecture and protocols, and the direction that it might take as it emerges. These presentations are given on the conference's Web site, and they provide a good insight into InfiniBand's beginnings. This site is also reviewed in the May 24, 2002 NSDL MET Report. [CL]
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The I.A. Richards Web Resource
http://www.btinternet.com/~j1837c/jbc/richards/iar.html
Ivor Armstrong Richards was an influential English literary theorist of the second and third decades of the twentieth century. This site, presented by John Constable, College Lecturer in English at Magdalene College in Cambridge, provides general information about Richards's life, along with a brief photographic biography. Although this site does not contain an expansive amount of information about his background, it does provide a link to the online Literary Encyclopedia, which delves more deeply into the author's history. The site also provides an extensive list of Richards's publications dating from 1919-1978, as well as a list of criticisms on his works. Going beyond the mere task of providing a list of texts and links, this site, which caters to the academic community, also includes information on conferences and lectures relating to the works and legacy of this notable critic. [MG]
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Mergers and Acquisitions Involving UK Companies: 1st Quarter 2002 [.pdf]
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/m&a0502.pdf
Produced by the United Kingdom's Office of Statistics, the Mergers and Acquisitions quarterly report reveals yet another decline in corporate mergers and acquisitions on the part of British companies. Tracking activities both home and abroad, the report discloses its findings in a number of ways, including number of acquisitions abroad by British interests, foreign acquisitions of British interests, and domestic mergers and acquisitions by British businesses. The report follows all actions in both number and in reported prices of acquisitions. On the flipside, the quarterly report tracks demergers and corporate disposals, or sell-offs. To greater facilitate comparison and analysis, the report also presents corresponding yearly figures and statistics for the past decade. [WH]
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National Environmental Directory
http://www.environmentaldirectory.net/
Presented by Harbinger Communications, the National Environmental Directory contains more than 13,000 organizations in the United States "concerned with environmental issues and environmental education." Users can search the entire directory at one time, or can search by geographical area. The site also makes it possible for environmental organizations to add their information to the directory, and it contains a purchasable software program for environmental educators and activists. [MG]
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California Business Portal: Special Fillings Regarding Domestic Partnerships
http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/sf/sf_dp.htm
According to California Law, domestic partners are "two adults who have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring." Hence, for those individuals who are considering entering into or terminating a domestic partnership, the California Business Portal has made the Declaration of Domestic Partnership Form (DP-1) and the Termination of Domestic Partnership Form (DP-2) available for Internet users. Both forms are available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format and can be viewed, filled in, and printed using Adobe's Acrobat Reader 4.0. Also available on the site is a full copy of the California Family Code. [MG]
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Television Production: A Comprehensive On-line Cybertext in Studio and Field Production
http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp_ind.htm
While it does not grant either degrees or certificates - at this point, anyway - CyberCollege's Cybertext in Studio and Field Production is a comprehensive course in television production, from the first to the final stages. Featuring seventy separate modules, or lessons, on the various stages in the production process, the cyber course is impressively full bodied and multidimensional -- with full text, audio, and video components. Thus, one can read, listen to, and/or watch all that the course has to offer. Presented by Dr. Ron Whittaker, the modules are accessible in any order and for any length of time, so learners can return to pick up where they left off, or skip over what they already know. Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, the course should help send a new generation of TV producers on their way. [WH]
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CensusScope
http://www.censusscope.org/
CensusScope is a tool that makes US Census data freely accessible to the Internet community. Presented by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) at the University of Michigan, CensusScope provides census data for states, counties, and metropolitan areas. Represented by charts, maps, and rankings, the data includes information such as multiracial and population growth, population by race, age structure, and family structure. The site is easily navigable, the charts and maps are concise and comprehensive, and the rankings are easy to follow. On the whole, an excellent resource site for anyone interested in national statistics and analysis. [MG]
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The World Cup Archive
http://www.worldcuparchive.com/
Edited by Jan Alsos, World Cup Archive provides just about any information on World Cup issues one can conceive. This archive is a one-stop World Cup site that contains background information on the establishment of the World Cup, information regarding every match in every tournament from 1930 to 1998, player profiles of many of the influential players in history, statistical data, a Q&A section with answers to the most commonly asked questions, and much more. The site also provides a list of the 2002 teams participating in this year's tournament, along with an editorial prediction of the winner. For soccer enthusiasts looking for information regarding World Cup issues, this is definitely the place to start. [MG]
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uPortal 2.0.1
http://mis105.mis.udel.edu/ja-sig/uportal/index.html
Presented by Java Administration Special Interest Group (JA-SIG), uPortal is a free, sharable portal constructed by institutions of higher-education. This portal is designed to create an online relationship among campus constituencies by providing community tools such as chats, forums, surveys, and more. An open-standard effort that uses Java, XML, JSP, and J2EE, uPortal is available as both a "quick-start" release package that includes a servlet container and database, and also as a "uPortal-only" package, which needs to be installed into an existing servlet container and connected to existing data repositories such as LDAP and a relational database. [MG]
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Learning Photoshop 6.0
http://www.trainingtools.com/online/photoshop6/index.htm
Presented by Trainingtools.com, Learning Photoshop 6.0 is a free online multi-leveled training module consisting of thirteen chapters. The course covers a range of information including how to create new and static images, banners, buttons and rollovers, navigation bars, and Web pages with ImageReady. It also covers the use of selections, channels, and layers, as well as information on how to edit images. From the novice to the skilled, this online course has something to offer everyone. [MG]
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Do Plagiarism-Detection Services Infringe Upon Students' Copyrights and Privacy?
The Chronicle: Plagiarism-Detection Tool Creates Legal Quandary
http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i36/36a03701.htm
The Nando Times: Teachers Claim Web Sites Offer Students Easy Cheating Chance
http://www.nando.net/technology/v-text/story/408408p-3256855c.html
CNN.com: Many Students Say Cheating's OK
http://www.cnn.com/2002/fyi/teachers.ednews/04/05/highschool.cheating/
MSNBC: Confronting Web Cheating Challenge
http://www.msnbc.com/local/srpd/m183894.asp
Turnitin.com
http://www.turnitin.com/
Copycatch
http://www.copycatch.freeserve.co.uk/vocalyse.htm
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Regulations
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OM/fpco/ferparegs.html
There is a huge debate brewing between some lawyers and college professors over whether or not plagiarism-detection services infringe upon students' copyrights and privacy. The one particular service creating this uproar is Turnitin.com, a plagiarism-detection service that has approximately 400 colleges in the United States on its client list. The company checks submitted papers against a database of manuscripts, books, journals, and Web sites, trying to pinpoint phrases that appear to be unoriginal. However, after checking the papers that have been submitted for inspection, the company then retains the papers in order to increase the size of their database. According to some professors, detainment of student papers is a violation under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which bars colleges from releasing personal information about students without their consent.
Mr. Barrie, founder of Turnitin.com, contends that colleges are not in violation of FERPA by submitting papers to Turnitin.com because the work is not distributed elsewhere. Further, Mr. Barrie encourages professors to warn students that copies of their papers will be checked and kept by the plagiarism-detection service, and to request students' permission or have them upload their work to the company's database themselves. This way, students will not be able to argue that their papers were submitted to Turnitin.com without their knowledge or consent. For more information concerning this present controversy, viewers can log onto the first article presented by The Chronicle. Article two presents persuasive views from teachers who are looking for ways to combat the easy cheating offered through the Web, while article three presents compelling views from students who find cheating as a means to get ahead. The fourth article offers teacher strategies to combat cheating, while links five and six are plagiarism-detection services by Turnitin.com and Copycatch. Finally, the last site offers information on FERPA by the Family Policy Compliance Office. [MG]
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