Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Research Paper - 7

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - Research Paper Example Evaluations used for quantitative risk assessment of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have not kept pace with the modern analytical methods hence ability of detection is not assured. Therefore, despite the fact that it’s possible to measure these compounds in seafood, there is no sufficient information on the level of toxicity of these compounds known, thus cannot be incorporated in human health risk assessment since there is uncertainty. On the other hand, larger variety of chemically replaced PAHs are naturally happening and may include health risks if human populaces are open to hazardous levels. Therefore as a result of this, future research efforts should aim at filling this toxicological gap, so that in this way, human health risk assessment of PAHs in food can be appropriately determined. This is necessary in the case of petroleum spills. (Simon, 2003) Benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) has been tested in a range of species, among the animals being rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and rhesus monkey. The effect on the animals from this laboratory testing was that, tumours have been observed in all the laboratory experiments carried out on the small animals. Thus the effect of BaP has been seen as carcinogenic, when administered by a variety of routes, including diet, inhalation and intravenous. The carcinogenicity of individual PAH and PAH- containing combinations in experimental animals has been done. This has been carried out with individual PAH in humans but with no virtual data existing. These have indicated increased incidences of cancer to human population exposed. This finding carried out indicating that a number of individual PAH are carcinogenic to experimental animals show potential carcinogenic to humans. (Overton, 2003) Toxicological effect is another outcome which is as a resulted after the experiment on the animals. Severe haematological effects have been detected in animals after oral exposure to high doses of PAHs. In vitro experiments have

Interpersonal Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpersonal Management - Assignment Example in an independent manner including being aware of how I can be able to manage time, do presentations and express my views and opinions to other people. These skills are vital as they assist in the development of the aspects that a person needs for the workplace in future. They are integral in the development of confidence as well as self-esteem as they allow a person to learn to be assertive and develop an awareness of the needs of other people. The interpersonal skills learnt are also important as far as teamwork and responsibility is concerned as they make it easier for an individual to manage particular situations. The interpersonal skills that I have learnt have assisted me to understand that I should not be judgmental towards other people and to share ideas while working as a team through communicating with each other (Sen, 2007). All this aspects are integral and important in any workplace, particularly as far as social care is concerned. I have learnt to appreciate the concepts that are necessary for successful and efficient group work and to enjoy group sessions while contributing. I am now more confident that I am able to contribute positively to the success of any workforce while helping others to appreciate the significance of contributing their perceptions and ideas that are relevant to the prevailing situation. I have learnt to understand that every person has a point and there are always people who are willing to learn from what I have to offer. I have developed skills that assist me to work and collaborate with various individuals in different groups where I can listen to the ideas of others while giving my own. However, I have also learnt that some people are selfish with their ideas and do not contribute much in a group settings, instead, they soak up information that has been contributed by other people and add their own ideas from there. Knowledge that is acquired from subjects such as social policy and considering the manner in which different

Quality of Life Essay Example for Free

Quality of Life Essay Twenty first century is witnessing a world that has become an increasingly diverse and complex place. Changing global trends are causing a paradigm transformation of social and cultural systems. Western societies are experiencing an accelerated aging and people in general have evolved a misconception about today’s elderly. They are perceived as being sick, isolated, self-centred and a burden on society, which is totally false. There is a need to develop social cohesion between generations and within the older generation to understand the matter in correct perspective. An effort has been made in this paper to focus on this key issue and highlight the importance of inter and intragenerational relationships to quality of life to older people. The present demographic profile of the United Kingdom reflects a number of consistent and marked trends. People are living increasingly longer, the birth rate is showing a steady decline and the mean age is increasing steadily. By 2031, the over 80s population is predicted to double to 5 million, according to the Office of National Statistics. If the health of the elderly population follows current trends that will mean people spend more of their lives fighting various illnesses. Since 1981, the amount of time women can expect to live in poor health has increased by 15%. For men, the length of poor health rose by 34% (Triggle, 2004). Besides health, older people face the mobility problems, poor transport and lack of finance. Car usage declines with age and varies by sex. 77 per cent of men and 64 per cent of women aged 65-74 in 2001 in Great Britain had access to automobiles (National Statistics, 2006). Today, we can observe a significant change in family structures. The realignment of family ethos has caused varying degrees of separation between the young and old members of families and affected familial relationships negatively. As people age and their working lives end, they may have more free time available to spend in a social circle. Barriers of older life further enhance the necessity to promote inter and intragenerational relationships. This paper scrutinizes the various dimensions of quality of life at old age. It overviews the factors affecting quality of life and highlight the significance of relationships at old age. Components of Quality of Life  Quality of life is a wide ranging term. The Department for Work and Pensions of UK (2006) identifies five domains as the most relevant to assessing progress in older people’s quality of life: 1) Independence within inclusive communities. 2) Healthy, active living. 3) Fairness in work and later life. 4) Material well-being. 5) Support and care. Independence within inclusive communities necessitates to address issues like exercising independence, exercising choices that give them control over key aspects of their lives, and participation in local community through inter and intragenerational relationships. Health and active living deals with problems like access to healthcare proportionate to older peoples needs. Fairness in work and later life encompasses factors like job opportunities, involvement in decisions that affect their lives, and no age discrimination in access to goods, services and employment. Material wellbeing includes sustaining key elements of their previous lifestyle, and using their resources to best effect. Support and care encompasses the supply of care and support, availability of support in a variety of forms to meet diverse needs, affordable care, and protection to older people from abuse. Factors Affecting Quality of Life of Older People Good quality of life in old age is a realistic ambition for all. Early old age, sometimes called the Third Age, between 55 and 75 years old, is the phase of life between leaving the labour market and the onset of physical dependency. There are a number of factors that affect quality of life at this age. A research study carried out by Dr Blane (2003) concluded that quality of life for the affluent-healthy is higher than for the deprived-sick. Having control over when and when not to work has a significant bearing on quality of life. Then the quality and density of a persons social network was more important than the number of people in the network. Importance of Intergenerational and Intragenerational Relationships to Quality of Life The term generation has a numerous contemporary meanings, incorporating biological, familial and social factors (Back, 1987). An intergenerational perspective (between and across generations) highlights the reciprocal obligations, rights and influences between different generations. An intragenerational perspective identifies similar age groups and the succession of individuals who are distinguished by the bounds of a society and set apart by time and common experience (Fredriksen, 1993). Historically, within the UK, there had been a strong tradition of the young learning from the old in their role as respected elders or through structures such as apprenticeship schemes and trade guilds (Hatton, 2002). Significance of intergenerational relationships is evident from a survey which reports that to the elderly, welfare of children and grandchildren is twice as more important than their own health and money (Roy, 1999). Older parents have always been providing financial support in the forms of donations, gifts and regular monetary contributions to their children. They are also important sources of instrumental support (shopping, cleaning, home maintenance, childcare) and emotional support (advice, validation) for their children (Bengtson, Rosenthal Burton, 1990). Many elderly people continue to provide support for adult children and the provision of a home for one’s children can extend well beyond middle age (Evandrou, Falkingham, Rake Scott, 2001). Living arrangements are a key dimension of quality of life and well-being in old age. Older people living alone are more likely to enter an institution than those living with other people (Breeze, Slogett Fletcher, 1999). Involvement of older persons in local communities contributes to their quality of life, as well as to the functioning of the community. The relationship between different groups of older persons is therefore very crucial in maintaining the quality of life (UN-Economic and Social Council, 2002). Altered patterns of mortality and fertility have made intergenerational structures in the family more â€Å"top heavy† and vertically extended. While horizontal, intragenerational ties are shrinking, vertical ties across generations are more complex and durable than ever before in history (UN-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2005). Importance of social groups and networks in later part of life is quite evident from a research study carried out in Scotland (Philip, Gilbert, Mauthner and Phimister, 2003). The participant observations and questionnaires have provided useful insights into the levels and types of participation in social groups among older people in the study area. The report finds that there is high level of participation and involvement in social groups amongst older people (aged over 60). As a whole, respondents attended 68 wide-ranging types of groups including civic participation (e. g. local government), voluntary activities (e. g. Red Cross; Meals on Wheels), friendship, social, leisure, religious, cultural, heritage and special interest groups. Those aged in their seventies and early eighties were the most likely to be involved in social activities Another study summarises that older people preferred the company of others, had a higher level of contact with friends and lower levels of psychological problems (McKee, 2002). In 2002 around three in ten men aged 80 and over and nearly one in five women in England said they owned a mobile phone. Use of mobile phones and the Internet helps older people to remain independent by making it easier for them to communicate with their family and friends or to access public and commercial services (National Statistics, 2006). Conclusion Society in the UK is changing. More people are living longer in greater prosperity. In the next decade, the numbers over 50, over 65 and over 80 will all increase to levels never seen before. We need a coherent strategy to manage that demographic change. Elaborate and diligent plans are required to enable older persons to continue to participate fully in all aspects of life. For a better quality of life, we need to promote the development of a society for all ages through the strengthening of intergenerational and intragenerational solidarity. Young generations have responsibilities and a special role in building a society for all ages. Older generations have equal role to play.

Sainsburys Ratio Analysis

Sainsburys Ratio Analysis Accounting and Finance Assignment Sainsburys Ratio Analysis Nowadays, it is important for organizations to know how to survive in the competitive market in which they are involved, markets that require managers who understand and are aware of the internal and external factors that concerns to the company. Therefore, it is vital to know the existence of different techniques of measurement such as financial tools, which can give an idea on how the companys financial situation is going to affect its performance in the marketplace. One of these tools can be the used of financial ratios, which gives to managers the information to set up strategies in order to make decisions in the future. However, it is important to highlight that this ratios provide an overview of the businesss financial condition, but an analysis in depth is needed to know the reasons why certain changes have occurred (Maclaney and Atrill, 2002). Nevertheless, there are some limitations in the used of financial ratios, for instance, the information is out of date so it does not reflect the real situation of the company, hence it can lead to wrong decisions, also, the analysis made from the financial statements gives symptoms of such situations but not the causes of it (Berry and Jarvis, 1997). The purpose of this report is to analyze Sainsburys financial performance using the analysis of ratios as a financial tool. This information will be taken from the annual reports of 2003 and 2004. In addition, it will include external and relevant information of the company which adds value to the analysis and thus to the financial performance in the already mentioned period of time. This will also help to compare Sainsburys with its competitor Tesco, in order to identify and evaluate the performance of both companies. Finally, this report will give conclusions and recommendations to those investors who want to make an investment in a secure company. RATIO ANALYSIS Profitability Ratios According to Maclaney and Atrill (2002, p. 197), Profitability ratios provide an insight to the degree of success in achieving this purpose. For instance, the profitability ratios of Sainsbury plc are: Profitabiliy Ratios 2004 2003 Return on Capital Employed 8.53% 9.29% Return on Equity 7.64% 8.95% Gross Profit Margin 8.65% 8.14% Net Profit Margin 3.91% 4.25% Table 1. Profitability Ratios (Base on data contained in Appendix A) Regarding on this table, Sainsburys profitability ratios show a moderately deterioration in profit from 2003 to 2004 in a margin of 6%. This downward trend is due to several changes the company had such as, (1) the sell of JS Development and Shaws supermarket, this has an impact on the companys current assets (cash) and profit, in one hand it brings in cash for the sell but on the other hand it stops the daily cash input, consequently there were a decline in profit in 2.6%; (2) the purchase of Swan Infrastructure Holdings Limited, which consist of a whole modern IT system and it is part of a Business Transformation Programme, therefore, there was a rise in 6% of the capital employed (fixed assets and net debt), and also a significantly fall in cash in 27%. Because of all these reasons, there was a drop in profit, but as it is a long-term investment it is estimated to be an income generation in the future. Efficiency and Effectiveness Ratios These ratios are used to try and identify the strengths and weaknesses of a business using a variety of different ratios (Giles et al., 1994, p. 371). The following table illustrates the efficiency ratios used in Sainsburys case. Efficiency and Effectiveness 2004 2003 Fixed Asset Turnover 2 times 2.17 times Debtor Collection Period 1.51 days 2.48 days Creditor Payment Period 28.83 days 28.78 days Stock Holding Period 17.61 days 18.67 days Table 2. Efficiency and Effectiveness (Base on data contained in Appendix A) The fixed asset turnover has slightly decreased due to the acquisition of Swan Infrastructure Holdings Limited, which caused a rise of 7.73% on Sainsburys fixed assets in comparison with the year 2003. Moreover, sales have remained constant which have risen in 0.3%. The purchase of the IT systems will give opportunities to enhanced operational effectiveness, a stronger platform, low costs and an increased in sales. In what a debtor collection period concerns, although this ratio shows a very little period to collect debts from customers, it is logic for this kind of business to be like that owing to the fact that being a supermarket, sales are in cash, only a 8% of the current assets are related to debtors, which had a fall in almost 40% comparing with 2003. On the other hand, the creditor payment period has stayed constant and it shows good rates. The cycle of both debtor collection period and creditor payment period demonstrates that the company receive the money from their debtors before paying to their suppliers, which is good since they do not need to finance themselves but pay with the cash they get in from debtors. Regarding to the stock holding period, even though it has fallen in 1 day, it still is high for a business like supermarket in which the stock plays an important role because the rotation has to be in short periods of time to keep the food fresh. However, it is good to consider that Sainsbury also have a stock of electro domestics, entertainment, house-wares, etc., that the rotation is meant to be in long periods of time. Liquidity Ratios As Maclaney and Atrill (2002, p. 197) said, Certain ratios may be calculated that examine the relationship between liquid resources held and creditors due for payment in the near future. These ratios in Sainsburys company are as follow. Liquidity Ratios 2004 2003 Current Ratio 0.83:1 0.87:1 Acid Test (Quick Ratio) 0.67:1 0.70:1 Table 3. Liquidity Ratios (Base on data contained in Appendix B) The current ratio has a slightly fall, due to the current liabilities rising faster than the current assets. Looking at the current liabilities it can be seen that the company is using bank loans to finance the acquisition of the IT systems by the group, which increased in 63%. The current assets have also been affected by a decreased in 27% of cash account since a 10% of the purchase was made in cash. Similar situation happened with the acid test ratio with a slight fall in the rate. These ratios show a low rate, due to the fast stock rotation which produces cash sales. Although, it seems like the current assets do not cover the current liabilities, the liquid assets are used as productively by the growing of the business to make it more effective, thus profitable. Capital Gearing Ratios This is the relationship between the amount financed by the owners of the business and the amount contributed by outsiders (Maclaney and Atrill 2002, p. 197). For instance, Sainsburys capital gearing ratios are: Capital Gearing Ratios 2004 2003 Gearing Ratio 28.54% 25.97% Times Interest Covered 5.91 times 5.31 times Table 4. Capital Gearing Ratios (Base on data contained in Appendix B) The gearing ratio has increased by 9% due to the long-term debts rising faster than the capital employed during the period from 2003 to 2004. The long term debts went up by 14%, which is because the purchase of IT fixed assets and also the company resort to operations in the capital market and by operating subsidiaries to deal with the interest rate and current risk these finance involves. On the other hand, the times interest covered stayed constant and even though is a low rate, the company still can cover its interest with their profit. Investor Ratios Certain ratios are concerned with assessing the returns and performance of shares held in a particular business (McLaney et al., 2002, p. 197). In this case, the investor ratios for Sainsburys are the followings: Investor Ratios 2004 2003 Earnings per Share 0.20 0.23 Price Earnings Ratio 12.63 times 9.54 times Dividend Yield 6 6.89 Dividend Cover 1.32 1.52 Table 5. Investor Ratios (Base on data contained in Appendix B) The earning per share has fall by 13% mainly caused by the higher profits on business disposals that the company went through last year, so the return to shareholders was a lower rate per share. In contrast, the price earning per share growth by 24%, due to the increase in the market share price in 14%, this is a good new for Sainsburys since it reflects that the market confidence grew from 2003 to 2004. The dividend yield had a slightly decreased since the dividend per share only increased by 0.7% from last year. This was a decision from the company and it reflects the reduction in the earning per share already mentioned and the fall in the dividend cover by 13%. RECOMMENDATION TO POTENTIAL INVESTORS According to the information given by the ratios analysis in the last section, it can be said that even though the companys ratios showed a decreased rates from 2003 to 2004, the expectations of the business performance looks profitable. This is due to the Business Transformation Programme, which consists on the acquisition of IT systems and the sell of Shaws Supermarket and JS Development. The former will be a positive impact in the financial performance of the company in a long-term by increasing sales and reducing costs; and the latter will be used to develop and make more effective the financial and management resources, hence it will enlarge Sainsburys core UK business and strengthen its market position. Therefore, from the ratios analysis, it can be stated that Sainsburys is not a good company to, at present time invest in, since the company has not showed a significant growth in profit during the last financial year. To conclude, if Sainsburys finances start to grow, there is no doubt that investors should consider this company to invest in as it plans a better performance in the long-term. In the next part, it will be given some additional information about Sainsburys and also a comparison with Tesco. RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT SAINSBURYS The acquisition of IT system was an important contribution to lead Sainsburys strength its position in the high competitive marketplace. Whereas the group chief executive of Sainsburys said: The net reduction in costs will provide Sainsburys with additional resources to develop our customer proposition, by investing in quality and innovation and improving further our competitive offer, as we move towards trading our business harder from summer 2004 (http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/index.asp?PageID=19subsection=Year=2004NewsID=384), there are some opinions that contrast with the statement already mentioned, which states that this acquisition of sophisticated technology was too ambition and did the approach too quick, now Sainsburys is in a worst position than it was before (Smiddy cited OBrian, 2004). In addition, after have used the new IT system, Sainsburys realized that the supply chain system have failed and it did not work as they have expected, it did not increased productivity and the costs were higher than they were years ago (http://www.computerweekly.com). SAINSBURYS vs. TESCO The supermarket industry is very competitive nowadays, and even more when it comes to the customers satisfaction which is more and more demanding, so it is important for companies in this business to be focus in valued than in profitability, since the former leads them to the latter. Sainsburys and Tesco are two of the principles supermarket chains in UK. Both chains have similar things to offer, such as own label goods; have concern about consumers needs for example healthy and organic food; launched loyalty cards; expand their products such as clothing, electro domestics, etc. and others. On the other hand, they have some differences that make one stand out from the other. While Tesco have a good supply chains and a good strategy, which is having low prices and improving customer satisfaction by having the right products in shelf, Sainsburys is facing some problems in what a supply chain relates to the implementation of the IT system (http://proquest.umi.com), which causes the lack of products in the shops and also the customers find it more expensive than its competitors, where they can have equal quality products with lower price (http://proquest.umi.com). There are other differences between Sainsburys and Tesco, but there is an important question which is where to invest?. It is important to draw attention to the fact that Sainsburys financial situation does not attract investors, due to the decrease in the profit and sales. In addition, the company has being going through its first loss in 135 years of history (www.accountancyage.com). This reduction was mainly caused by the 554 million acquisition of IT system, and by the drop in profits for the financial year. Thus, it can be said that Tesco might be a better choice to invest in, but this is open to discussion. CONCLUSION Taking into consideration the ratio analysis applied to Sainsburys, it can be said that the company had some variation between 2003 and 2004. Whereas, most of the profitability, efficiency and effectiveness, liquidity and investor ratios demonstrate decline, the gearing ratios demonstrate a rise due to the growth in the long-term debts and the capital employed. Understanding the ratio analysis and the relevant information gathered looks like Sainsburys has gone through some difficulties in their supply chain and their financial and marketing management. Although they have invested in a long-term project and are positive in a potential growth in the coming years, to reach their aim they have to work hard and play in the same field its competitors (Tesco and Asda) are doing, by having low prices and good quality food always available in their shelf for all kind of consumers. Sainsburys still have a strong position in the retail sector in the UK. For this reason it is good for investors to wait and see its performance for the next years, currently is not a good moment to invest in. REFERENCES BERRY, A. and JARVIS, R., 1997. Accounting in a Business Context. 3rd Edition. London: International Thomson Business Press. GILES, R. and CAPEL, J., 1994. Finance and accounting. 3rd Edition. London: MacMillan. HARDING, D., 2005. Supermarket sweep-up for Sainsburys. Accountancy Age. Available from: [http://www.accountancyage.com/news/1139885] Accessed 22/Apr/2005. MARKETING WEEK, 2004. Reinvention is the only option left for Sainsburys. Marketing Week, pg. 30. Available from: [http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=727035691sid=8Fmt=3clientId=15517RQT=309VName=PQD] Accessed 20/Apr/2005. MARKETING WEEK, 2005. Sainsburys promises must mean business. Marketing Week, pg.22. Available from: [http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=792773011sid=9Fmt=3clientId=15517RQT=309VName=PQD] Accessed 20/Apr/2005. MCLANEY, E. and ATRILL, P., 2002. Accounting An Introduction. Second edition. London: Prentice Hall. OBRIEN, L., 2004. Sainsburys blames profit warning on supply failures. Supply Management, 9 (22). Available from: [http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=749826531sid=8Fmt=4clientId=15517RQT=309VName=PQD] Accessed 20/Apr/2005. SAINSBURYS WEBSITE, 2005. Annual Report and Financial Statements 2004. Available from: [http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=20] Accessed 15/Apr/2005. SAINSBURYS WEBSITE, 2005. Sainsburys simplifies financing of IT contract with Accenture. Investor News. Available from: [http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/index.asp?PageID=19subsection=Year=2004NewsID=384] Accessed 20/Apr/2005.

Story :: essays research papers

Terrorist actions, what exactly are they? Well just imagine yourself in a place where bombs can turn up in the strangest of places like inside a watermelon on the seat of a bus or inside a drink bottle being hurled at a pub. Malls getting bombed everyday and having to keep your child inside at all times because it seems to be the safest places, but it can still be bombed as well. This may not be an everyday thing in the United States but lately they happen to the people of Israel and Palestine almost every day. Lets us travel back to September last year with what started out as a disagreement regarding land became violent. The countries' leaders, Ariel Sharon of Israel and Yasser Arafat of Palestine, have made attempts at armistice, but both sides were unable to agree on anything. My essay is going to cover three major points: one, where the United States stands in this war that is being waged. Two, how this whole thing started and why, and finally how I believe this dispute is goin g to end. First and foremost, I am going to speak about where the United States stands amidst all this. Both the United States and the European Union believe that they share a common vision of the two states, Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace and security. President Bush spoke at a White House news conference with European Union (EU) Council President Jose Aznar and EU Commission President Romano Prodi, after three and a half hours of talks with them. The talks were part of the annual summit between the United States and the European Union. President Bush also said that the United States wants to work with the Palestinian people "to build a Palestinian state that both lives at peace with Israel and lives up to the best hopes of its people." He said it was important for Arafat to show the world "that he's capable of leading" his people toward peace and away from violence. Secondly, how did this all start? Well, on one side (Israel) of the issue we have those who believe that God has given Palestine to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a gift made in perpetuity. For believing Jews and Christians, Israel's original occupation of Palestine was commanded by God, as was the destruction of the original population.

Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the dawn of time, the forces of evil have always tried to gain an upper hand over the forces of good. The battles between these two forces have transcended time in both different forms and in different places. Every culture since the birth of man has background stories of creation and the battles that are waged between the two forces of light and dark. Leaving in the aftermath, stories and legends that are passed down from generation to generation through the vast cultures and civilizations. Beginning with the use of oral traditions that took these stories and the use of spoken word to both inform and entertain the people of a given society. These tales also had another purpose, which was to remind the people of the evils that were around them. Lurking in the shadows, waiting to claim another victim in the war of good and evil. Such stories fed on the fears of the people and the uncertainty of the world around them. Although the stories themselves may differ considerably from region to region, the basic underlying theme has always been identical. With the coming into being of written word, these stories could now be put down for people to read and serve as a reminder of their folklore. Not only to them, but to future people who come to read these documents. We have been lucky in the fact that over the last few hundred years, we have recovered many works from all over the world, dating back through years that had been long forgotten to many of us. In a great many of these works we have come into contact with many tales of heroism and the fight between good and evil. Just as the heroism in these stories may take on different faces, so does the evil present itself in many different guises. This brings us to one work in specific, Beowulf, one of the earliest Old English poems that we have today. It is the embodiment of the struggle between good and evil. The poem begins with the funeral of Scyld, the mythical founder of the Danish Royal House. One of his descendants builds a great hall called Heorot, and it is here that the people gather to rejoice and sing the praises of G-d. This singing angers a vile fiend named Grendel, that inhabits the nearby bog. The poet describes Grendel in this way:

Pros and Cons of Inclusive Education Essay

In inclusive education programs all students in a school are subjected to study together and become part of the school community regardless they are disabled or normal (Schwartz, Odom, & Sandall, 2010). They all attend the same school and have the feeling of belonging in the school. Students, teachers and co-ordinate staff have a role to instruct all students regardless to their disability in general education. From educational viewpoint, inclusion involves practices where students with special needs in terms of education spend much of their time with normal student in the learning process. It is believed that inclusive education poses more merits than its negatives effects to educational systems since it provides a better opportunity for all students to participate in all activities in their everyday learning process. Inclusive education has been a platform for the disabled students to create a unique and better relationship with other normal students in school communities. Additionally, inclusive education serves as a fundamental right to all disabled students since they are part of the society and thus they should not be ignored (Schwartz, Odom, & Sandall, 2010). While there are a number of controversies in the subject of inclusive education, a clear understanding is required about inclusive education so as to reap maximally from the benefits it presents. Advantages of Inclusive Education The current research seems to support inclusive education and co-teaching as means of improving both special and general education in the schools (Block, n. d). Mainstreaming which is typical to inclusive education has been observed to improve students’ social skills by fostering interaction between the disabled students with other normal students in the same or neighboring schools (Block, n. d). This has developed communication and interaction skills among the normal and disabled students thus making them to be competent in the society. In particular, the increased interaction among students in inclusive education develops them to relate well with other members of the society. Social dimension is measured in terms of behavior and character of an individual in connection with the capacity to exercise them. Communication forms the basis of character and behavior of individuals. Therefore, inclusive education builds individuals who perfectly fit into the society (Block, n. d). Higher self-esteem among disabled students has also been achieved in the process of mainstreaming typical in inclusive educational system (PBSparents, 2010). Students gain more confidence and self efficiency in inclusive education hence they command a higher self-esteem. Not only do students in inclusive education gain higher states of confidence, they also gain systematic ways to approach common aspects in life. Research conducted in California on disabled students showed that 96 percent of disabled students felt confident when mixed with other students during learning process (PBSparents, 2010). However, 3 percent of these students felt excluded while a lesser percentage of 1 percent felt low even when mixed with other normal students (PBSparents, 2010). This research shows that inclusive education builds high esteem among the disabled students and hence should be encouraged (PBSparents, 2010). Enhanced academic achievements among the disabled students form another great advantage of inclusive education. Through the integration of normal students and the disabled, there is a potential realization of academic achievements among the disabled students who are a minor group in the society (PBSparents, 2010). The relationship between the teachers and students is much coherent in inclusive education and thus creates smooth means for academic achievements among this minor group. Most teachers take keen interest to the disabled students in order to put them in the same level with the rest of other in the class. Students gain both academic knowledge and applied abilities that are critical in their lives. As a result of inclusive education, there have been increasing numbers of disabled graduates in the US and elsewhere in the world (PBSparents, 2010). In inclusive education, there is an enhanced parents’ participation in the provision of education to the students (PBSparents, 2010). This enhanced participation ensures that students are provided with better education hence better academic achievements on the part of students. This is achieved through moral and material support that parents invest in the students which lead to improvement in education quality in inclusive education. The learning objectives are well met in inclusive education as parents commit their efforts in the betterment of education (PBSparents, 2010). As a result, there is an improved relationship in inclusive education compared to exclusive education system where parents rely entirely on teachers and the school management on education responsibilities for their children (PBSparents, 2010). Normal students in inclusive education learn to appreciate other disabled students hence fostering better relationships not only in the school community but also at their homes and the society at large (Ratta, 2009). Inclusive education brings out the meaning of the theoretical knowledge taught in schools into practice. The majority of the learners in other education systems that do not mix normal students with disabled students leave schools with limited knowledge thus making it hard for them to cope up with life (Inclusive Schools Network, 2010). It is believed that when the normal students learn in the same environment with the disabled students, much understanding and tolerance is cultivated . the normal students learn to accept others in their capacity regardless to their health (Ratta, 2009). Positive aspects achieved from inclusive education contribute much to contact theory which asserts that meaningful, frequent and pleasant communication between and among people results to a better and changed attitude towards differences. As result much is felt in the society of different individuals. On the same note, inclusive education prepares the disabled students to plan on their future (PBSparents, 2010). The lessons they achieve in inclusive educational programs while in schools are crucial in preparing them for future career and general tactics of survival. In inclusive institutions of learning, teachers impart knowledge to learners. This knowledge usually consists of theory as well as practical skills. This ways, students become more flexible in life and have some ways to survive. Life is much of what one knows and gets experienced to do (PBSparents, 2010). Therefore, there is always an increasing need for inclusive education that combines both the disabled and non-disabled students. More so, inclusive education helps disabled student to develop a sense of pride in their learning due to accomplishing their duties in the process of learning. For instance, under normal class environment with various students (normal and disabled), given an assignment to do will increase the pride of disabled learners if accomplished in time and accurately (PBSparents, 2010). This is clear indication that learning inclusively improves the ability of the students in general. Demerits of Inclusive Education Not only does inclusive education provide the best to both normal and disabled students but also constitutes of a number of disadvantages (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). One of the most debated disadvantages of inclusive education is financial hardships. In order for the school to provide for special education system and services, much financial resources are needed to properly finance the system. The cost per student under special education is much higher compared to normal student thus giving a challenge to most schools. The more special students a school has, the more expenditure needed to run the school (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). This has caused more problems in inclusive education system. Parents and guardians have often expressed fears that in inclusive education system, teachers do not have the required skills to teach and accommodate the disabled learners (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). However, supportive and training institutions usually train the teachers on both normal and special needs of students so as to address problems in case they arise. But if the teacher ignores the students of this nature it may result to regression of the learner thus the overall productivity is decreased in terms of academics. More so, the learners them selves may cause harm to the fellow students thus making classroom environment uncomfortable for learning process (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). One serious and potential disadvantages of inclusive education is that of the amount of time and the kind of attention drawn by the teachers to students with special needs (Kidstogether. org, 2010). Significant observations have shown that there is an increased attention to students with special needs which may take away the attention of the teachers from the rest of the class. This trend can eventually lead to a decreased concentration on the part of normal students hence less achievement academically (Kidstogether. org, 2010). In another observation, due to frequent disturbances in inclusive education, there may be a fall in academic performance (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). In most cases, it’s believed that learners with disabilities can cause unnecessary locomotion in learning environment making it tireless exercise. Teachers may lack positive and dynamic response to the students due to lack of special skills to handle such learners in classroom environment. This is much contributed by personal view towards the disabled people. Lack of official liaison required by the teacher can also interrupt the usual understanding of the learner in this perspective (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). Improper articulation between the co-teachers also contributes to students in taking, no matter their abnormality. Another major issue is social discrimination among the teachers and students. This will cause serious problems not only in the school environment but also in the community level. Regular education students may so much empowered to do anything to disabled individuals this resulting to inferiority complex among the students. This can be avoided by having a joint socialization in the school which may extend further to the outside communities (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). Studies have shown that students with special needs may require more time to grasp concepts (Kidstogether. org, 2010). Time spent in reviewing concepts may not be enough for students with special needs who learn at a slower pace. Normal students who need to move at a fast pace may end up getting bored and if this weakness is not checked, it will dangerously lead to poor academic performance among normal students in inclusive education. This is because inclusive education system overlooks the needs and requirements of the both normal and disabled students (Schwartz, Billingsley & McBride, 2010). The rise in implementations and modifications usually articulated in regular education systems that practice inclusion has caused disconnection between teaching and the learning process (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). This has mainly affected special need students in these systems which practice inclusion. When rules are further implemented, it becomes hard for disabled students to adhere to and incase no adjustments are made, this can ultimately affect the standards of learning among the special need students. The results may be dwarfism in education either in terms of skills or knowledge or both (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Most researchers have given out different views concerning the idea on inclusive education system where other have observed that the system is so much demanding to school administration and the community at large (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Other researchers have observed an increase in school closure in the systems that embrace inclusion. This presents as one of the challenges of inclusive education system which has lately been perceived to be difficult to manage and run making many schools to shut down and students’ school dropouts (Delma, Selina & Dorothy, 2009). A significant amount of resources is dedicated to field work and mainstreaming where normal students benefit more compared to rest of the disabled students. This presents a serious inequality in per student spending where resources are spent for functions that do not benefit the students with special needs (Kitmitto & Bandeira, 2008). However, this point has been argued by a number of observers who note that special needs students also require facilities and equipments not required by normal students. This observation seems to cancel out the point that more funds are spent on normal students. This controversy has resulted to the formation of ripples in a legal system of education (Kitmitto & Bandeira, 2008). More serious problem is when some groups believes that some students are not worth to be put in regular classroom to study thus resulting to streaming in school communities. Conclusion In conclusion, inclusive education system is slowly becoming forgotten in most schools despite its importance among both normal and disabled students. It has many several benefits as opposed to other educational system which do not combine disabled students with the normal ones. It should be identified that the ability of the disabled students to socialize with their fellow students to a large extent build their confidence as the student feel to be part of the school community. Attempts to prevent the students to access inclusive education prevent the students from a number of benefits that would otherwise mold them to become successful leaders. Therefore, parents, teacher and all school stakeholders need to adjust in order to accommodate both disabled and normal students in the same learning environment bearing in mind that they are all part of the community. References: Block, M. E (n. d). Rationale for and benefits of inclusion. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from, http://www. palaestra. com/Inclusion2. html Delma, B. , Selina, M & Dorothy, W (2009). School leavers’ survey report 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from, http://www. esri. ie/publications/search_for_a_publication/search_results/view/inde x. xml? id=2720 Inclusive Schools Network (2010). Characteristics of inclusive schools. Retrieved July 24, 2010 from http://www. inclusiveschools. org/characteristics_inclusive_schools Kidstogether. Org (2010). Benefits of inclusive education. Retrieved July 24, 2010 from http://www. kidstogether. org/inclusion/benefitsofinclusion. htm Kitmitto, S & Bandeira, S (2008). Measuring the status and change of NAEP State f inclusion rates for students with disabilities. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from, http://nces. ed. gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/2009453_1. pdf National Center for Education Statistics (2010). Inclusion of special-needs students. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from, http://nces. ed. gov/nationsreportcard/about/inclusion. asp PBSparents (2010). Inclusive communities: the benefits of inclusive education. Retrieved July 24, 2010 from http://www. pbs. org/parents/inclusivecommunities/inclusive_education2. html Ratta, T. M (2009). Benefits of inclusive education. Retrieved July 24, 2010 from http://www. merinews. com/article/benefits-of-inclusive-education/150756. shtml Schwartz, I. S. , Billingsley, F. F & McBride, B. M (2010). Including children with autism in inclusive preschools: strategies that work. Retrieved July 25, 2010 from, http://www. newhorizons. org/spneeds/inclusion/information/schwartz2. htm Schwartz, I. S. , Odom, S. 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