Organizations such as zoos and museums offer educational experiences, along with opportunities for leisure and enjoyment, which should not be denied due to lack of access. In this case study, we present a process through which professionals in disability-related fields collaborated with a local community zoo to improve accessibility and inclusive…

Organizations that offer outdoor adventure activities can integrate programs to include individuals with disabilities. The paper describes how one organization includes diverse groups of people with and without disabilities in its outdoor activities, focusing on each member's strengths and encouraging cooperation. (SM)

The senator from Massachusetts introduces this special issue by reviewing his family's interest in persons with mental retardation, the potential of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) program, and the importance of improving care for residents of ICFs. (DB)

Focuses on federal legal requirements for public schools, Head Start, and community-based early childhood personnel, and the rights of parents related to public education services for children with disabilities, ages three through five, in community-based programs. Discusses the responsibilities of each party regarding making individualized…

This guide to including children with special needs in community programs in New Jersey begins with a history of the inclusion movement, stressing the importance of personal experiences and beliefs and ways in which inclusion benefits everyone. The following chapter provides answers to 32 frequently asked questions on successful inclusion of…

Provides a rationale for establishing art education programs for mentally retarded adults. Suggests that community-based programs can be set up in museums, senior citizen centers, libraries, universities, and recreation centers. Includes recommendations for future research on this topic. (CFR)

This article on the use of community resources by families of young children with special needs discusses the rationale for the use of community resources in federal legislation, strategies for building resources, barriers to the use of community resources, and recommendations for increasing the use of community resources. (CR)

This manual is designed to provide resource managers, advocates, and social service personnel with information about the integration of community services for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The materials encompass the values of independence, productivity, and integration in the delivery of resources and services to persons with TBI.…

This student handbook on job seeking skills was developed by a project to enhance career services for students with disabilities in higher education. The guide is intended to provide students with basic information on setting career goals and looking for work, including special considerations for job seekers with disabilities. Individual sections…

Including individuals with disabilities into community recreation programs has become more popular recently. The ADA stresses the need for true inclusion, where people with disabilities can actively participate and interact in programs in a meaningful way. The paper describes two special programs that help include individuals with disabilities.…

As public school personnel struggle to provide preschool-age children with disabilities with high quality, normalized or inclusive preschool experiences, there is an increased need for collaboration with community-based early childhood providers. This paper addresses the federal legal requirements for public school, Head Start, and community-based…

This book analyzes the effectiveness and implications for social change of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It outlines several issues--legal implications, physical accessibility, transportation options, employment opportunities, and recreation--that stimulate community action for full inclusion. Part I, titled "Definitions and…