The paper demonstrates that a majority of the students with disabilities in Ghanaian classrooms (in Accra and some rural areas in Eastern Region) did not have their disabilities detected or identified by professionals. The paper also shows that vision impairment is the most common problem reported by the teachers in the schools, especially in…

Michigan's state plan for developmental disabilities (DD) for October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1997 is presented. This plan includes descriptions of programs and services, eligibility criteria, information on the extent of services, and a statement on the effectiveness of the programs/services. Information on services is provided for the following…

This report describes a project in Utah to investigate the feasibility of using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) as a tool for screening for hearing loss in children with developmental disabilities (DD). Study participants included 336 students (ages 5 to 7) with no identified DD and 765 students (ages 3 to 7) with one or more DD.…

This guide presents strategies for increasing choice opportunities for people with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. Because choice opportunities are easily overlooked, these strategies are intended to provide a systematic way to ensure that simple, but important, daily choices are made available. The guide describes basic principles…

This paper describes the need for and the structure of a socialization program designed to provide a social environment for five deaf adults with developmental disabilities residing in two different group homes. The program was developed to address the isolation experienced by such adults living in a community with others who do not use sign…

This study examined parent-child relationships during intervention with 25 preschoolers having developmental disabilities. Both parent and child performances were analyzed on a series of behavioral attributes reflecting developmentally appropriate child goals, adult strategies, partnership goals, and potential interactive problems. Videotaped…

This South Dakota project assisted the Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities in setting long range preservice and inservice professional development priorities and identifying future planning needs of the Council. The project provided a prioritization of training needs in the area of developmental disabilities as perceived by…

This policy research brief summarizes three studies on training direct service personnel serving people with developmental disabilities, conducted at the Research and Training Center on Residential Services and Community Living, University of Minnesota. The studies provide information on competency-based training, effective training strategies,…

This report was developed to meet the staffing assessment requirements of the Vision 2000 program, an Arkansas effort to support a community-based service system to increase the independence, productivity, and integration of individuals with developmental disabilities. The staffing assessment portion of the program focused on three tasks: (1)…

This feature issue of "Impact" focuses on person-centered planning with youth and adults who have developmental disabilities. Featured articles include: (1) "Centering on People: A Quiet Revolution" (Judith A. Snow); (2) "Look-and Understand-before You Leap" (Brian Abery and Marijo McBride), which describes the basic principles and values…

This 1998-2000 State Plan for the Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities presents the Council's future goals and objectives to enable people with developmental disabilities to be fully included in their communities and exercise control over their own lives. Section 1 provides information on the Developmental Disabilities and Bill of…

This survey of the instruments and methods that are currently available for assessing mental health problems in persons with mental retardation lists formalized instruments and interview techniques and evaluates them from a methodological perspective. Emphasis is on the assessment and classification of disorders rather than on the evaluation of…

A survey was conducted of the number and needs of adults with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities (MR/DD) currently waiting for community services. Survey data were obtained for 46 states and the District of Columbia. Respondents included directors of state mental retardation/developmental disabilities programs, state…

The CHALLENGES Literacy Project, a 2-year government-funded demonstration project, supported volunteer tutor programs to meet the literacy needs of adults with developmental disabilities in Alberta, Canada. Of the 20 students in the program, most were female; most were aged 20-29; 3 spoke English as a Second Language; 12 lived with family; 18 were…

This report contains the proceedings of the first of two hearings that explored the risks of environmental toxins to children. Testimony concerned the special vulnerability of children to toxins; the dangers of lead poisoning; instances of childhood cancer, birth defects, and developmental problems; passive smoking; child health in the California…