Dancers embody movement with an individualized approach, informed by their own unique physicality, creativity, and lived experience. In this paper, the author describes an integrative dance course in higher education that invites adult community members with developmental and intellectual disabilities to dance alongside college students twice per…

This study examines the development of a 1950s educational programme for the inclusion of children with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) -- those with IQ scores of less than 50, referred to as "trainable" or "dependent" children -- into community life. Conducted by the American Association of Parents of…

Children and youth diagnosed with developmental disabilities (DD) are at a higher risk for mental health concerns (e.g., anxiety) and physical health issues (e.g., obesity) when compared to their typically developing counterparts. An intervention that may be able to mitigate and even prevent these issues is physical activity (PA); however, despite…

Federal and state policy shifts have opened the doors to meaningful community employment for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Progress is apparent across the country: creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs through customized jobs and self-employment, innovative practices at the provider…

Creativity is a human right for all people, including adults with physical, mental, and/or developmental disabilities. Yet this population has "little opportunity for thoughtful and creative engagement with artworks or with personal meaning making" (Guay, 2010, p. 113), and compared to K-12 learning environments, are less likely to…

This manual was designed primarily for use by people with disabilities. The hope is that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read information about available resources, and to provide immediate…

Friendships are important not only to youth development but also to the growth and expansion of social networks. Although there has long been acknowledgment of this importance for youth, such relationships can be especially elusive for transition-age students with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. This article…

This manual was designed primarily for use by individuals with developmental disabilities and related conditions. It is hoped that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with developmental disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read…

This "2018-2019 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan Update" is the work of the IACC membership that was appointed under the Autism CARES Act of 2014. The Committee agreed that the "2016-2017 IACC Strategic Plan" reflected a comprehensive review of the state of the field and provided a set of 23 new…

This manual was designed primarily for use by individuals with developmental disabilities and related conditions. It is hoped that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with developmental disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read…

In these challenging times of cutbacks in public funding for social services programs, parents and grass roots organizations continue to make a difference in their communities with innovative initiatives that are enhancing the lives of people with developmental and physical disabilities. In New York, a track team of speedsters with disabilities is…

The article describes Life Experiences, Inc., an organization in Cary, North Carolina, that operates and maintains facilities and programs for handicapped adults and assists them to function as productive citizens of the community. (DLS)

Annie Sullivan Enterprises, Inc. (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), a community resource network for the integration of children and youth with developmental disabilities and mental health problems, is described. A brokerage model is espoused for accessing and delivering services. Recommendations based on seven years of successful operation are…

The paper reports on a Stockton, California, program to train developmentally disabled children for community living. Evaluation and referral procedures are discussed, as are financial statistics. Treatment results are summarized and the example is given of successful intervention with a 13-year-old multiply handicapped boy with untrained bowel…

A pilot project in rural Mississippi provided supported employment services to five handicapped persons. The project combined professional resources available through a community-based developmental disabilities program with existing community resources and social network systems. Project components, project development, and individual client…