Prevalence reports indicate approximately half of all children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a mild form of the disorder such as high-functioning autism, Asperger syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder--not otherwise specified. These disorders are referred to collectively as high-functioning autism spectrum disorders…

This article describes how one inclusive middle school addressed needs of students with significant disabilities for functional community-referenced skills including clothing purchases, buying groceries, eating out, crossing the street, doing laundry, and using a microwave. Program development, program organization, and involvement of peers…

This paper describes the development and establishment of an inclusive education program on a junior high school campus. Although this is the documentation of secondary programming, with an emphasis on severe disabilities, these "phases" can be generalized to other program areas and levels of education. During phase I, a functional,…

Community-Based Independent Living Skills Training for Severely Handicapped Youth is a project of the Minneapolis (Minnesota) Public Schools designed to enhance community training opportunities for individuals aged 16-21. Key issues in program development included: treatment of students as unique individuals, assessments and curricula organized…

This manual presents six papers on the design of community-based employment programs for students with severe disabilities. The first paper is "Community-Based Vocational Preparation for Students with Severe Disabilities: Designing the Process" by Katherine J. Inge et al. This paper details a five-step process for designing such a…

The paper describes program initiatives undertaken during the 1984-85 school year by a rural educational cooperative, the Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (New York State), in an effort to bridge the gap between "current best practices" and local educational program opportunities for 110 school-aged students with…

This paper reports on an ongoing 3-year project which has worked with three school sites to identify program and staff needs and then develop a tailored intervention to improve program services for adolescent students with severe emotional disturbances (SED). Necessary characteristics of effective transition programs for this population are…

Six high school students with multiple disabilities, including mental retardation, were taught community living skills through the establishment of a shopping service for people who were elderly or who had disabilities. Students increased their competence in community survival skills and also experienced a new role as helper. (JDD)

This article describes development of a collaboration between early intervention service providers and children's librarians to address parental needs for information, referral, and support; provision of inclusion and socialization opportunities for infants and toddlers in local community libraries; and strategies for delivering early intervention…