This conceptual paper considers the role of culture in shaping family, professional, and community understanding of developmental disabilities and their treatments. The meanings of health, illness, and disability vary greatly across cultures and across time. We use Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to provide a theoretical framework for examining…

This commentary discusses the need to review priorities embodied in systems providing services to children with disabilities and their families, and how special educators are trained. It urges educators to look outside of schools to the broader community to plan for full inclusion and the supports necessary to facilitate true participation. (CR)

This response to EC 603 649 highlights issues in graduate training of behavior analysts, including the need for research on behavior analysis training programs, the use of an apprenticeship model, the proportion of graduates produced at different degree levels, and the need for a distinction between applied research and service delivery. (JDD)

The position statement of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) addresses issues in the design and delivery of programs for persons with mental retardation. An introductory section presents basic principles and philosophies underlying services, including integration, human rights, equal rights, normalization, and the developmental model.…

A systems perspective on the development of disruptive behavioral disorders is presented and discussed with an emphasis on correlated constraints. The concept of correlated constraints suggests that behavior development involves the interconnected contributions of multiple factors working together as a system. Implications are considered in…

This article discusses the involvement of general education teachers in service delivery for students with disabilities and explores 20 related issues, including: current practice-related concerns, legal issues, effective instructional practices, behavior management, and challenges. The need for teacher preparation programs to improve the capacity…

The paper addresses issues in providing community services for people with both mental retardation and emotional or behavioral disorders. First, it explores the meaning often found at the root of the often elusive definition of dual diagnosis concluding that this has become a catch-all category for people who present existing service systems with…

Because research does not support the efficacy of any single service delivery arrangement for all mildly handicapped and at-risk students, the best approach is to maintain familiar service delivery structures while testing new ones. Direct instruction and behavioral interventions are probably the most effective classroom strategies with most of…