With the rapid population increase of Hispanic (Spanish, Latin American, or Spanish Indian heritage) individuals in the United States, ensuring economic prosperity and stability of this group is critical. This should include increasing their dwindling participation in agriculture-related fields. Hispanic youths often overlook an…

Sociologists have documented how important place is in people's lives. C. Wright Mills (1959) argued that people must understand that they do not exist in a vacuum, but that their values, beliefs, and behaviors are influenced by the particular time and place in which they themselves exist. The development of this "sociological…

The ability to explore unknown spaces independently, safely and efficiently is a combined product of motor, sensory, and cognitive skills. Normal exercise of this ability directly affects an individual?s quality of life. Mental mapping of spaces and of the possible paths for navigating these spaces is essential for the development of efficient…

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently presented a multidimensional classification scheme for describing health status and the experience of disablement. This new framework, the "International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health" (ICF; WHO, 2001), is a revision of WHO's prior framework for describing the consequences of…

There has been a marked increase in attention to the measurement of ''outcomes'' after speech-language intervention for adult aphasia. Consumers, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and funding sources desire evidence of therapy outcomes that improve communication and enhance the quality of life for people with aphasia. While many assessment…

Background: The construct of quality of life (QoL) has been the focus of a great deal of recent research and has been operationalized in the assessment of the effectiveness of biomedical and rehabilitative interventions. Consequently, the effective measurement of QoL has become a relevant issue. QoL assessment should take account of both objective…

Background: Assessing and measuring subjective quality of life (QOL) for individuals with profound multiple disabilities (PMD) remain amongst the most difficult challenges for theorists and practitioners in the field. The usual approaches using proxy reporting by familiar others have been demonstrated to be of questionable reliability and validity…

Older adults with intellectual disability represent a growing segment of the elderly population in developed and, to some extent, in developing nations worldwide. A considerable body of research has addressed this burgeoning demographic over the past 20 years. Although some variations appear within etiological subgroups, the biological processes…

Joinedupdesignforschools explores how good design can improve the quality of life in schools by listening to the voices of the clients: pupils. The programme is an initiative in the United Kingdom that joins client teams of pupils with the country's leading design practices to provide solutions for practical improvements in schools, to highlight…

The spectrum of autistic disorders is now known to be far more prevalent than previously thought and diagnosis is being made at earlier ages. There is also a consensus that early intervention and support can have a significant impact on the quality of life for individuals and their families. This presents the problem of how to organise effective…

Purpose: Bringing state-subsidized assisted living services (ALS) into congregate housing (CH) is a strategy for reducing rates of nursing home placement. This article discusses CH residents' reactions as a new ALS program was introduced in their housing, and it provides recommendations for others who are considering the implementation of similar…

Cochlear implants are electronic devices that create the sensation of hearing in those who cannot obtain any benefit from conventional hearing aids. This article examines the experience of cochlear implantation in a select group of individuals with acquired deafblindness, focusing on three key themes: access to communication, information and…

Allwright and colleagues around the world have been developing Exploratory Practice as an approach to practitioner research different from the familiar notion of teacher research. EP offers a set of principles devoted to understanding, in a collaborative mode, the quality of language classroom life. Several underlying points, such as "quality of…

Many parents of children with autism and other severe disabilities report heightened levels of stress due to the unique challenges their children present. Respite care is likely to alleviate some of the stress associated with caring for a child with a severe disability. However, it is often difficult for families to identify motivated and…

The human capabilities approach developed by the economist Amartya Sen links development, quality of life and freedom. This article explores the key ideas in the capability approach of: capability, functioning, agency, human diversity and public participation in generating valued capabilities. It then considers how these ideas relate specifically…