Download ASLASI Associazione Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica Svizzera

INTRODUCTION
Dear Students,
the ASLASI Association (Associazione Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica Svizzera Italiana) was
founded on January 16th, 2006 by the will of Mr. Claudio Poma. Mr. Poma, a school
teacher in Tesserete, was a patient affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who
died on the very first day of the school year of 2007.
ASLASI has the following purposes:
- To raise awareness and inform the population about ALS
- To assist and support, in various forms, patients with ALS
- To facilitate research and experimentation on ALS
- To organize seminars and conferences on ALS
What is ALS?
The name of "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" has been used for the first time back in 1874
by Jean-Martin Charcot to refer to a disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells
that are located in the spinal cord and in specific areas of the brain and which are
responsible for movement (motor neurons). It is a degenerative neurological disorder that
involves the progressive death of nerve cells in the spinal cord characterized by a "drying
up" (sclerosis) of its sides. The disorder causes the degeneration of central (1st motor
neuron at the level of cerebral cortex) and peripheral (2nd motor neuron at the level of the
brainstem and spinal cord) motor neurons.
Supportive computer aids are very important for people affected by ALS, especially in view
of the serious difficulties of speech and movements of arms that they face, and which
prevent them from expressing themselves both in spoken and in written forms. Especially
in the later stages of the disease, the eyes are the only organs that remain mobile. Even
though new computer supportive tools have been developed to support ASL patients,
these tools are still not known to patients.
In the vein to tackling this problem, the ASLASI Association has decided to sponsor the
research of a college student on the education of ALS patients and its role in improving
their quality of life. The research is expected to assess existing aids to communication
and explore related opportunities for development. For that purpose, ASLASI is seeking
the collaborations of young students of communication science who are directly in contact
with the latest news.
ASLASI – Associazione Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica Svizzera Italiana
presso l’attuale presidente: Dr.ssa med. Maria Grazia Canepa FMH medicina interna
via Piraree, 6805 Mezzovico - Tel 091/930 61 90 - Fax 091/930 61 91
www.aslasi.ch
REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION
Theme of the master thesis:
Use and utility of computer resources for communication for and with people with ALS,
Education of the patient with ALS on using new technologies as communication supports.
Applicants are invited to send a research proposal via email to Professor Peter J. Schulz
([email protected]). The proposal should make it clear (in 6000-9000 characters,
including spaces) how they will develop their thesis in agreement with their thesis
supervisor, and should include the title of the thesis and the name of the supervisor.
The Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Lugano, will select the best
proposal through a special committee, according to the criteria of scientific quality,
innovativeness, adherence to the suggested issue and possibility of application to improve
the patients' quality of life.
This committee will use the opinion of the ASLASI Association in selecting the best
proposal.
ASLASI Association will ensure a prize of 2000 .- to the student who has submitted the
winning proposal. The prize will be only granted following the completion of the work and
the official discussion of the thesis.
The Faculty of Communication Sciences and ASLASI have the right not to award any prize
if none of the received proposals is considered adequate.
In order to get this award, the student have to officially consign the completed thesis within
one calendar year from the official deposit of the title.
Only students regularly enrolled in a masters program of the Faculty of Communication
Sciences can apply.
This call remains valid until the identification of a winner or until a decision to withdraw this
call by the ASLASI Association and the Faculty of Communication Sciences.
Participants are required to comply with the regulation of studies of the faculty: in this way,
please note that it is possible to deposit the master's thesis only after a period of at least 6
months from the official deposit of the title.
ASLASI – Associazione Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica Svizzera Italiana
presso l’attuale presidente: Dr.ssa med. Maria Grazia Canepa FMH medicina interna
via Piraree, 6805 Mezzovico - Tel 091/930 61 90 - Fax 091/930 61 91
www.aslasi.ch