This study reconsidered educational materials by analyzing educators' opinions regarding handmade manipulative materials (HMMs) for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in Japan. Instead of concurring with the view that educational materials are static and inert products, the author adopted an agential realist perspective…

Children with severe multiple disabilities face numerous possibilities for enjoying music and participating in performance activities; however, the research practice for realizing these possibilities involves various difficulties. To understand the disabilities of children and their engagement with music, awareness of one's perception of…

The author outlines the history, current situation, and the future of the care and support system for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities in Japan. He describes how the service system has been shaped from within by Japanese legislation dating back to the Child Welfare Act of 1947, and how international events such as the…

This article describes the major components of rehabilitation services in Japan for people who are visually impaired from diabetes. These components include diabetes education and medical care, social welfare and rehabilitation services, nutrition and exercise, medication, monitoring of blood glucose, glycemic control, and the prevention of…

This article reports on a 1995 survey of students with visual impairments in Japan (4,537 in special schools and 233 in visual impairments units in mainstream schools). Although there appears to be a decrease in the number of students with visual impairments, the proportion of those with additional disabilities is increasing. (Contains…

The monograph describes the development of verbal behavior over a 20-year period in two deaf Japanese children (5- and 7-years-old when first contacted by the author) with whom previous training attempts had failed. It is noted that prior training methods which had succeeded with Laura Bridgman and Helen Keller failed with these two children. A…

Factors identified during an earlier study were used to ascertain features of the stress experienced by mothers of school-aged children with Down's syndrome, other mental retardation, autism, or double (mental and physical) handicaps. The utility of these stress patterns, efficacy of other factors not used, and interview methods are discussed.…

This paper presents a case report of a young adult Japanese male with infantile autism who also met diagnostic criteria for seasonal affective disorder and trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling). The case report deals with difficulties in diagnosing mood disorder in such individuals, potential treatment effectiveness of valproic acid, and…