Background: Research findings suggest that direct support staff use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) inconsistently. Various staff-related factors have been identified, and researchers agree that these factors somehow interrelate. Therefore, we approached AAC use as a behavioural process and examined the synergy between…

This paper focuses on the democratization of education in the post-socialist space through an examination of inclusive schooling for students with special needs in Poland. It embeds the inclusive education reform and its attendant policies and practices within the political and social transitions that essentially dated from 1989 and saw Poland…

Technological devices help extending a person's sensory experience of the environment. From sensors to cameras, devices currently use embedded systems that can be used for the main goal they were designed but they can also be used for other objectives without additional costs of material or service subscription. Emotional assessment is a useful…

From an educational perspective, self-determination is the way that individuals act according to their own decisions. It is characterized by knowing where and when a person should do a certain action without intervention from others. To be self-determined, it is necessary to develop self-regulation skills. Therefore, teaching the…

Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 established procedural mandates and accountability requirements ensuring all students with disabilities participate and progress in general education curriculum. Broadly speaking, improvements toward greater access have been found for many students with disabilities;…

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID) and co-morbid mental health problems are more common in developing countries such as Bangladesh. However, little is known about how Bangladeshi health practitioners diagnose mental health disorders in people with an ID. Studies in developed countries have explored the impact of the diagnostic…

As increasing numbers of colleges establish inclusive postsecondary education programs, it is important to explore how students with intellectual disability are supported in all aspects of campus life. The present study focused on inclusive first-year orientation programs from the vantage point of 16 student group leaders, faculty group leaders,…

One of the sports for the Special Olympics is snow-shoeing. In Hong Kong training for this sport occurs in the sand and is called sand-shoeing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a sand-shoeing training program (STP) of the Special Olympics Hong Kong (SOHK). Two hundreds and thirty-two Grade 1 to 12 special school students with intellectual…

Families with neurodevelopmental disorders engage in varied types of therapies to address behavioural, communication and cognitive challenges. Research suggests that consistent therapy adherence predicts positive therapy outcomes. The present study examined therapy adherence in 55 parent-child dyads where all children had been diagnosed with ASD,…

Objectives: This study investigated employment, financial, and health issues of Japanese mothers with school-aged children with disabilities, and factors associated with participants' employment. Methods: A survey was conducted with 243 Japanese mothers with children aged 6 to 18 years old enrolled in a Special Education Needs School for…

Being a family carer can be rewarding but can also lead to mental and physical exhaustion as well as feelings of social exclusion and isolation. Research has shown that the use of the Internet and online forums can provide an immediate place to find information and reassurance and that forum use can be an empathetic place to share experiences and…

Postschool outcomes of youth with intellectual disability (ID) continue to trouble practitioners and scholars. The purpose of this study was to analyze postschool engagement outcome data for 360 survey respondents with ID in South Carolina in the areas of employment and postsecondary education/training. Specifically, we examined the relationship…

High school work experience is a predictor of postsecondary employment success for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Developing integrated work experiences often requires schools to partner with local businesses; yet, secondary special education transition teams may not have prior experience or preparation in this type…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine parents' perspectives and experiences of special education, including the degree to which decisions about their child's education were implemented as they had agreed upon with the school personnel. Additionally, a secondary purpose of this study was to understand how parents explain why school…

Introduction: The Intellectual and Developmental Disability Mental Health (IDD-MH) Research Partnership was created to learn about the experiences and needs of young adults with IDD-MH while accessing and using mental health services. Our national partnership consists of six young adults, five professionals, researchers at Boston University, and…