Schoolwide peer-mediated programs have long been advocated as an avenue for promoting inclusion, friendship, and learning for students with autism and other developmental disabilities. Such interactive programs faced complexities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed representatives of 91 elementary and secondary schools implementing a…

Background: Schools provide essential functions for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), but their vulnerability to infection with SARS-CoV-2 are a barrier to in-person learning. This qualitative study aimed to understand how weekly SARS-CoV-2 screening testing of students and staff could best facilitate in-school…

Inclusive postsecondary education (PSE) programs at institutions of higher education are emerging as opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including those with extensive support needs (ESN), to progress toward their desired outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to understand the experiences and…

This study mainly explored psychological stress caused by the COVID-19 among parents in developmental disabilities and how it was related to parents' views of school success in mainland China. The Psychological Stress Questionnaire and Views of Social and Academic Success were administered to 1919 parents of children with developmental…

The long-held global agenda for inclusive education often ignored indigenous knowledge, local assets, and cultural-historical context. As a result, those top-down policies become either fruitless or oppressive. They are not sustained and may result in unintended or negative outcomes. In Brazil, student profile at the specialized schools designed…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) governs the Early Intervention (EI) system for families of children aged zero to three with developmental delays and disabilities. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many states offer telehealth as a way for families to receive their EI services. Given the limited EI providers in…

There has been a sharp increase in mental health support for children in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a growing demand for school-based mental health services due to gaps in the US youth mental health infrastructure. This dissertation presents an action research study conducted in a Title I middle school in Arizona, exploring a school…

Technology is integral to the lives of youth who, as digital citizens, use technology to participate in social and civic action to improve their communities. Using a digital citizenship framework and "National Longitudinal Transition Study of 2012" data, we explored technology access and use between youth with and without intellectual…

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) were particularly vulnerable to the school closures that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to obtain a baseline understanding of the instructional experiences of students with IDD before March of 2020 to assess the nature and degree of the pandemic's impact. We recruited…

The last three issues of "Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)" have featured perspectives from a diverse set of contributors on how the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is being impacted by COVID-19. As four newly appointed faculty members with diverse backgrounds, the editor of "IDD"…

This study explores challenges faced by young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families enrolling in inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs during COVID-19. The benefits of attending IPSE programs are well-documented, but this group is disadvantaged accessing postsecondary education and employment.…

In the United States, and across the globe, educational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many challenges for families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, during this time, families used their cultural community wealth to demonstrate resilience and ingenuity to offer a new lens on what…

Background: For almost two decades, students with intellectual, developmental and multiple disabilities have attended undergraduate classes at the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Canada as part-time auditing students. They are supported by the Campus Life program. Campus Life employs graduate and undergraduate university students as academic…

Equity gaps exist for students with disabilities in educational contexts and these are exacerbated during disruptions to education, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced swift changes in education with little guidance or time to prepare. Few researchers have explored the effectiveness and critical components of online learning for…

Parental stress increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families with children with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) and extensive support needs--such as complex communication needs--experienced additional challenges, including service loss and difficulties accessing virtual learning. The purpose of this study was to understand…