Enabling persons with intellectual or multiple disabilities to carry out personal care tasks (such as washing and dressing) independent of guidance from parents or staff members and without prolonged interruptions is often difficult, particularly with persons whose disabilities also include visual impairments. Attempts were recently made to curb…

The hard palate is viewed as playing an important role in the passive articulation of speech. Its probable role in the defective articulation of speech in individuals with Down syndrome has been examined in the present study. In individuals with Down syndrome, the hard palate is highly arched, constricted, and narrow and stair type with malformed…

The term "assistive technology" (AT) elicits widely varying responses from educators, service providers, and consumers of AT even within the relatively small disability, special education, and related services community. For the most part, AT advocates for the low-incidence disability populations (i.e., blind or low vision, deaf or hard hearing)…

Purpose: The effects of multichannel expansion on the objective and subjective evaluation of 20 listeners fitted binaurally with 4-channel, digital in-the-ear hearing instruments were investigated. Method: Objective evaluations were conducted in quiet using the Connected Speech Test (CST) and in noise using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) at 40,…

The purpose of this study was to review and synthesize available literature to draw a comprehensive picture of what is necessary to teach mathematics to students with learning disabilities. A systematic search was conducted through 5 computerized databases (Academic Search Complete, ERIC, Education Research Complete, and Primary Search) The…

If distance education was once the wave of the future, it is now here to stay and is improving rapidly. As technology advances--providing more opportunities for people to access material from almost anywhere on various devices in any number of formats--distance education is becoming increasingly complex. While the opportunity for students to take…

Purpose: Directed scanning and group-item scanning both represent options for increased scanning efficiency. This investigation compared accuracy and speed of selection with preschoolers using each scanning method. The study's purpose was to describe performance characteristics of typically developing children and to provide a reliable assessment…

Significant barriers exist for individuals with intellectual disability to independently access print-based content. It is regrettable that, while the amount of content now available electronically increases, tools to access these materials have not been developed with individuals with intellectual disability in mind. This article reports the…

Assistive technology (AT) can help individuals with disabilities address a range of barriers and increase community and work participation, yet many devices are abandoned soon after acquisition. Video Relay Service (VRS) is a new communication technology available to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but little is known about VRS adoption…

Many people with disabilities use assistive technology devices (ATDs) for computer access. The specific focus of this exploratory study was (a) to assess the experiences, opinions, and satisfaction levels of 24 individuals with disabilities using computer-related ATDs; (b) to investigate their awareness of health risk factors related to computer…

On the surface the change seems minor, almost imperceptible: What once read "requires" now reads "needs." But the amending of that single word in the 2004 update of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) automatically triggered a surge in the number of students eligible for assistive technology in K-12 schools.…

This article explores the key characteristics of postsecondary education programs that help youth and young adults with disabilities persist and remain in college. Student support factors include services that develop stronger self-determination skills, teach and support young adults' self-management skills, expose students to assistive…

Amy Bower is a physical oceanographer and senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts--she has also been legally blind for 14 years. Through her partnership with the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, the oldest K-12 school for the visually impaired in the United States,…

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 main focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read…

Written by expert teachers and researchers, "Best Practices for the Inclusive Classroom: Scientifically Based Strategies for Success" looks at field-tested strategies that teachers of inclusive classrooms need to implement to successfully teach all of the learners in their classroom. The purpose of the book is to provide both general and special…