The Autism Acceptance Project fonds, 2006-2008

The Autism Acceptance Project was established in 2006 by Estee Klar, an art curator, writer and mother to a child labeled autistic. The Project ���is dedicated to promoting acceptance of and accommodations for autistic people in society.��� TAAP has an autistic advisory board, and is funded by private donations. In 2006, TAAP organized an exhibition, The Joy of Autism: Redefining Ability and Quality of Life. The event displayed the work of a dozen autistic artists, as well as video and other installations which illustrated the burgeoning autistic rights movement and forwarded the concept of Neurodiversity.

Allocation via Deferred-Acceptance under Responsive Priorities

In many economic environments - such as college admissions, student placements at public schools, and university housing allocation - indivisible objects with capacity constraints are assigned to a set of agents when each agent receives at most one object and monetary compensations are not allowed. In these important applications the agent-proposing deferred-acceptance algorithm with responsive priorities (called responsive DA-rule) performs well and economists have successfully implemented responsive DA-rules or slight variants thereof. First, for house allocation problems we characterize the class of responsive DA-rules by a set of basic and intuitive properties, namely, unavailable type invariance, individual rationality, weak non-wastefulness, resource-monotonicity, truncation invariance, and strategy-proofness. We extend this characterization to the full class of allocation problems with capacity constraints by replacing resource- monotonicity with two-agent consistent con ict resolution. An alternative characterization of responsive DA-rules is obtained using unassigned objects invariance, individual rationality, weak non-wastefulness, weak consistency, and strategy-proofness. Various characterizations of the class of "acyclic" responsive DA-rules are obtained by using the properties efficiency, group strategy-proofness, and consistency.

BA'S : The practice and law of bankers' acceptance

Au cours d'une transaction portant sur une acceptation bancaire (ci-apr��s ��BA�� tel que d��nomm��e dans le jargon juridique) diff��rents types de relations peuvent s'��tablir entre les parties impliqu��es, certaines plus directes que d'autres. Dans une transaction donn��e, �� part le client et la banque, on peut trouver une ou plusieurs banques participantes et un ou plusieurs investisseurs, qui deviennent d��tenteurs de BA. La situation peut devenir complexe et les relations l��gales risquent de devenir assez compliqu��es. Cependant, il est important d'identifier si la relation s'est ��tablie �� travers l'instrument de BA, si elle existe par le biais d'une relation contractuelle ordinaire ou encore, si elle existe par le fait de la loi. Une bonne analyse des circonstances entourant la transaction, des facteurs connexes �� la transaction et des droits et obligations qui existent entre les parties, sera n��cessaire pour d��terminer laquelle de la loi provinciale ou f��d��rale s'appliquera, et dans quelle mesure. Une fois accord��e, la BA est gouvern��e par la Loi sur les lettres de change. Toutes solutions apport��es �� un probl��me qui implique des BA, doivent, en principe, respecter la nature inh��rente de la BA en tant qu'effet de commerce, gouvern�� par la loi f��d��rale. En mati��re de BA, c'est, soit la Loi sur les lettres de change soit la Loi sur les lettres et billets de d��p��t (Depository Bills and Note Act) qui s'appliqueront �� l'acte. Comme il existe des lois f��d��rales applicables �� la BA, l'objet de notre ��tude est de d��terminer si, et dans quelle circonstance la loi de la province, tel que le Code civil du Qu��bec, trouvera application et ��claircira dans certains cas la disposition contenue dans la Loi sur les lettres de change, notamment lorsque les dispositions de ladite loi sont silencieuses ou ambig��es. La solution la plus simple serait d'appliquer la loi provinciale aux mati��res qui ne sont pas trait��es dans la loi, ��tant donn�� que les lois provinciales apportent souvent un compl��ment �� la l��gislation f��d��rale. Cependant, la Loi sur les lettres de change contient des dispositions sp��ciales, tel que l'article 9 qui stipule : �� 9. Les r��gles de la common law d'Angleterre, y compris en droit commercial, s'appliquent aux lettres, billets et ch��ques dans la mesure de leur compatibilit�� avec les dispositions expresses de la pr��sente loi. �� Cette disposition a cr��e une certaine confusion relativement �� l'application du droit civil du Qu��bec en mati��re de Lettres de change. En effet, il existe un doute quant �� savoir si l'application de l'article 9 est une incorporation par r��f��rence qui exclue totalement l'application du droit civil. Cette question continue de se poser inexorablement dans la doctrine et la jurisprudence. Elle a en effet donn�� lieu �� une s��rie de th��ories quand au degr�� d'application de la common law en mati��re de lettres de change. Une revue de la jurisprudence dominante nous permet de conclure que les tribunaux ont accept�� l'application du droit provinciale dans certaines questions impliquant les lettres de change. La question essentielle trait��e lors de notre analyse est la suivante: lorsqu'un litige prend naissance dans une transaction de BA, quelle est la r��gle qui devra s'appliquer? Quel sera le droit qui gouvernera les probl��mes ��mergeant dans une BA, celui du Code Civil du Qu��bec ou celui de la common law d'Angleterre? ��tant donne le nombre de cas qui sont port��s devant les cours de justice en rapport avec des transactions de BA, comprendre quelle sera la loi applicable est d'une importance fondamentale. Pour r��pondre �� cette question, nous commencerons par un examen de l'historique, du d��veloppement et de l'��volution de la BA. Afin de mieux comprendre la BA, nous d��buterons par un bref survol des origines de cet instrument juridique. Dans le deuxi��me chapitre, nous analyserons la nature et le caract��re l��gal de la BA. Cela constituera le cadre aux travers duquel nous pourrons identifier les r��gles et les principes qui s'appliquent aux diff��rents aspects de la transaction de BA. Le chapitre trois fera l'objet d'un examen d��taill�� des m��canismes de l'op��ration de BA tout en ��tudiant de pr��s les exigences impos��es par la l��gislation applicable. Apr��s avoir examine l'aspect l��gal de la BA, nous proc��derons au chapitre quatre, �� l'��tude de l'applicabilit�� de la loi provinciale relativement �� certains aspects de la transaction de BA. A cet effet, nous examinerons les diff��rentes approches de compr��hension de la Loi sur les lettres de change et plus particuli��rement la probl��matique rencontr��e �� l'article 9. Nous ��tudierons aussi l'application et l'interpr��tation de cette loi par les tribunaux du Qu��bec au cours du si��cle dernier. Les juges et les juristes se sont pench��s sur les sens qu'a voulu donner le l��gislateur lorsqu'il a stipul�� dans l'article 9 ��Le r��gles de la common law d'Angleterre, y compris en droit commercial, s appliquent aux lettres, billets et ch��ques dans la mesure de leur compatibilit�� avec les dispositions expresses de la pr��sente loi ��. Cette section doit-elle ��tre appliqu��e �� la lettre, nous obligeant �� appliquer la common law d'Angleterre a chaque probl��me qui peut se poser en relation avec les lettres et les billets? Le Parlement a-t-il l'intention que cette disposition s'applique ��galement au Qu��bec, dont le droit priv�� est bas�� sur le syst��me du Code Civil? Notre ��tude portera sur les diff��rentes approches d'interpr��tation qui offrent une diversit�� de solutions au probl��me pos�� par l'article 9. Finalement, compte tenu des nouveaux d��veloppements l��gislatifs, au chapitre cinq, nous proposons une m��thode en vue de d��terminer la loi applicable aux diff��rents aspects de la transaction de BA. Notre analyse nous a conduit �� adopter la solution propos��e par la majorit�� des juristes, �� la diff��rence que notre approche de l'article 9 est bas��e sur des raisons de politique. Nous avons donc adopt�� la stricte dichotomie (en tant qu'effet n��gociable d'une part, et d'une sorte de contrat et de propri��t�� de l'autre) en prenant en compte les difficult��s inh��rentes �� d��terminer quand l'un finit et l'autre commence. En conclusion, selon notre opinion, il existe deux solutions. Premi��rement, il y a la possibilit�� que l'article 9 puisse ��tre ��cart��. Dans ce cas, toutes les mati��res qui ne sont pas express��ment ��voqu��es dans la loi tomberont dans la comp��tence de la loi provinciale, comme c'est le cas dans d'autres types de l��gislations f��d��rales. Dans ces situations, le droit civil du Qu��bec joue un r��le suppl��tif dans les applications d'une loi f��d��rale au Qu��bec. Deuxi��mement, modifier l'article 9 plut��t que d'en ��carter son application offre une autre possibilit��. Incorporer la large stricte dichotomie dans l'article 9 nous semble ��tre une solution pr��f��rable. La disposition pourrait se lire comme suit: �� Les r��gles de la common law d'Angleterre incluant le droit commercial dans la mesure ou elles ne sont pas incompatibles avec les dispositions expresses de la Loi, s���appliquent aux lettres, billets, et ch��ques au sens stricte. Pour plus de certitude, les lettres et les billets au sens strict, incluent la forme, la d��livrance et I�����mission des lettres, billets, et ch��ques.�� Ce type de changement se r��v��lera ��tre un pas important dans le but de clarifier la loi et d��terminer l'��quilibre �� trouver entre l'application des lois f��d��rales et provinciales en mati��re de BA.

Strategy-proofness makes the difference: deferred-acceptance with responsive priorities

In college admissions and student placements at public schools, the admission decision can be thought of as assigning indivisible objects with capacity constraints to a set of students such that each student receives at most one object and monetary compensations are not allowed. In these important market design problems, the agent-proposing deferred-acceptance (DA-)mechanism with responsive strict priorities performs well and economists have successfully implemented DA-mechanisms or slight variants thereof. We show that almost all real-life mechanisms used in such environments - including the large classes of priority mechanisms and linear programming mechanisms - satisfy a set of simple and intuitive properties. Once we add strategy-proofness to these properties, DA-mechanisms are the only ones surviving. In market design problems that are based on weak priorities (like school choice), generally multiple tie-breaking (MTB)procedures are used and then a mechanism is implemented with the obtained strict priorities. By adding stability with respect to the weak priorities, we establish the first normative foundation for MTB-DA-mechanisms that are used in NYC.

House allocation via deferred-acceptance

We study the simple model of assigning indivisible and heterogenous objects (e.g., houses, jobs, offi ces, etc.) to agents. Each agent receives at most one object and monetary compensations are not possible. For this model, known as the house allocation model, we characterize the class of rules satisfying unavailable object invariance, individual rationality, weak non-wastefulness, resource-monotonicity, truncation invariance, and strategy-proofness: any rule with these properties must allocate objects based on (implicitly induced) objects' priorities over agents and the agent-proposing deferred-acceptance-algorithm.

Object allocation via deferred-acceptance: strategy-proofness and comparative statics

We study the problem of assigning indivisible and heterogenous objects (e.g., houses, jobs, offices, school or university admissions etc.) to agents. Each agent receives at most one object and monetary compensations are not possible. We consider mechanisms satisfying a set of basic properties (unavailable-type-invariance, individual-rationality, weak non-wastefulness, or truncation-invariance). In the house allocation problem, where at most one copy of each object is available, deferred-acceptance (DA)-mechanisms allocate objects based on exogenously fixed objects' priorities over agents and the agent-proposing deferred-acceptance-algorithm. For house allocation we show that DA-mechanisms are characterized by our basic properties and (i) strategy-proofness and population-monotonicity or (ii) strategy-proofness and resource-monotonicity. Once we allow for multiple identical copies of objects, on the one hand the first characterization breaks down and there are unstable mechanisms satisfying our basic properties and (i) strategy-proofness and population-monotonicity. On the other hand, our basic properties and (ii) strategy-proofness and resource-monotonicity characterize (the most general) class of DA-mechanisms based on objects' fixed choice functions that are acceptant, monotonic, substitutable, and consistent. These choice functions are used by objects to reject agents in the agent-proposing deferred-acceptance-algorithm. Therefore, in the general model resource-monotonicity is the ��stronger�� comparative statics requirement because it characterizes (together with our basic requirements and strategy-proofness) choice-based DA-mechanisms whereas population-monotonicity (together with our basic properties and strategy-proofness) does not.

Internet Banking and Customer Acceptance: The Indian Scenario

Indian economy is witnessing stellar growth over the last few years. There have been rapid developments in infrastructural and business front during the growth period.Internet adoption among Indians has been increasing over the last one decade.Indian banks have also risen to the occasion by offering new channels of delivery to their customers.Internet banking is one such new channel which has become available to Indian customers.Customer acceptance for internet banking has been good so far.In this study the researcher tried to conduct a qualitative and quantitative investigation of internet banking customer acceptance among Indians. The researcher tried to identify important factors that affect customer's behavioral intention for internet banking .The researcher also proposes a research model which has extended from Technology Acceptance Model for predicting internet banking acceptance.The findings of the study would be useful for Indian banks in planning and upgrading their internet banking service.Banks could increase internet banking adoption by making their customer awareness about the usefulness of the service.It is seen that from the study that the variable perceived usefulness has a positive influence on internet banking use,therefore internet banking acceptance would increase when customers find it more usefulness.Banks should plan their marketing campaigns taking into consideration this factor.Proper marketing communications which would increase consumer awareness would result in better acceptance of internet banking.The variable perceived ease of use had a positive influence on internet banking use.That means customers would increase internet banking usage when they find it easier to use.Banks should therefore try to develop their internet banking site and interface easier to use.Banks could also consider providing practical training sessions for customers at their branches on usage of internet banking interface.

Conceptualization and therapeutic treatment of a compulsive gambling case by Functional Analysis and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

A clinical case of compulsive gambling is exposed in this article. The subject���s playing behaviour had both positive and negative consequences. The subject tried to practice control over the urge to play. As shown in the functional analysis, the failure to control the urge despite the best efforts worsened the problem due to its negative consequences. A variation of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) was applied in order to break down the fight-surrender vicious circle of the playing behaviour. Two treatment strategies were agreed upon: acceptance of the fact that both playing and not playing had negatives consequences and commitment to one of these options despite its disadvantages. Finally, it is proposed that this acceptance and commitment therapy is a useful therapeutic process as it decreases the suffering subject and eliminates the problem: playing bahaviour.

From the assimilation to the acceptance of the other? : educational policy for indigenous peoples in Latin America and the 'intercultural bilingual education' policy in Chile. '��De la asimilaci��n a la aceptaci��n del otro? : pol��tica educativa para pueblos ind��genas en Am��rica Latina y la pol��tica de 'educaci��n intercultural biling��e' en Chile'.

Monogr��fico con el t��tulo: 'Desde la diversidad hacia la desigualdad: ��destino inexorable de la globalizaci��n?'. Resumen basado en el de la publicaci��n

An analysis of the moderating effects of age in the acceptance of Learning Management Systems. 'An��lisis del efecto moderador de la edad en la aceptaci��n de sistemas e-learning LMS'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci��n

Measuring experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility : The Spanish version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire - II

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

The Spanish version of the Work-related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (WAAQ)

Resumen tomado de la publicaci��n