We examined the relationship between three discrimination skills (visual, visual matching-to-sample, and auditory-visual) and four stimulus modalities (object, picture, spoken, and video) in assessing preferences of leisure activities for 7 adults with developmental disabilities. Three discrimination skills were measured using the Assessment of…

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…

This study was designed to examine the effects of Literacy-Based Behavioral Interventions and social stories to improve the work behavior of employees with developmental disabilities. Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment a multiple baseline across subjects was used to examine the effects of the intervention on employees'…

Many individuals with developmental disabilities show delays in the development of sophisticated communication skills. Listeners often misunderstand their unconventional means of communication, and breakdowns occur. A "communication repair" is a second attempt to communicate a message when a breakdown is encountered. Qualitative methods were…

Consumer choice is a key concept in developmental disability intervention, but relatively little quantitative research has focused on the relationship between choice and quality of life. This study used data from Washington state's Division of Developmental Disabilities 2002 National Core Indicators study (Human Services Research Institute, 2001a,…

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 to be acted by individuals with disabilities, the theme of this play is the world of work and unemployment. The play is intended to bring more public attention to the human problems caused by unemployment and underemployment as well as to provide the unemployed with guidance. Major characters include a developmentally disabled young man, a…

The paper describes the Temporary Care Services program in Massachusetts which provides in-home respite care to families with developmentally delayed children. Events which led to the program's development are reviewed. Respite care is offered in six areas: emergencies, scheduled routine events, social activities, family life, child care for…

The job satisfaction of 35 developmentally disabled workers (17 to 38 years old) placed into competitive employment over a 2.5 year period was assessed. The Job Satisfaction Survey which measures satisfaction with the job itself, with the work group, with the company, and with the pay and job status, was administered orally in structured interview…

The document contains transcripts of the Congressional hearings on the Developmental Disabilities Act Amendments of 1978 (H.R. 11764), legislation designed to improve and coordinate provision of services to the developmentally disabled. Presented along with the text of H.R. 11764 are the texts of H.R. 278, H.R. 2151, and H.R. 10059 (all part of…

The pamphlet discusses several puzzling disorders of childhood, including autism, atypical personality development (childhood psychosis), psychosocial dwarfism, and Tourette's syndrome. Psychosocial dwarfism is said to be characterized by a marked reduction in physical development and by immaturity in behavior, while Tourette's syndrome involves…

Instructional package technology can meet the needs of the aging and aged developmentally disabled person by focusing on specific functional skill instruction by paraprofessionals. (CL)

A prospective longitudinal study of the development of children with delays of unknown etiology over a six-year period (from mean age 34.2 months to 109.7 months) indicated that, for the group as a whole, scores were stable with the most able children at entry making the most progress over time. (DB)

A five-year-old developmentally delayed, musically gifted child with no formal musical training was asked to repeat passages on the piano. Analysis of responses to melodies in each of the 24 major and minor keys indicated sensitivity to aspects of diatonic structure exhibited by mature listeners. (Author)

A microcomputer was used to assist residential staff in assessment, training, and management of persons with developmental disabilities. Using nonprofessionals as the major source of input, the system produced comprehensive individualized behavioral intervention plans for more than 300 different problems and identified preventive measures.…