Project SpecialCare was designed to expand child care options available for families of young children with disabilities through development of a model for training home-based and center-based caregivers. The SpecialCare model was field-tested with 187 caregivers representing 55 different care settings in eastern Virginia. The SpecialCare model of…

Compared supported employment services in two programs: (1) Group Skills Training, a professional rehabilitation agency outside of the mental health center providing pre-employment skills training and support in obtaining and maintaining jobs; and (2) the Individual Placement and Support model, integrating clinical and vocational services within…

The United Kingdom literature on effects of deinstitutionalization of adults with developmental disabilities from 1980 to 1994 was reviewed. Analysis generally associated smaller, community-based residential services with improvements in user engagement, adaptive behaviors and challenging behaviors, community acceptance and integration,…

This commentary on "Natural Supports in the Workplace: The Jury Is Still Out" (Test and Wood), argues that the differing definitions of natural supports are constructive because of the evolving nature of the research, and that progressive policy is often ahead of documented knowledge, but concurs that additional research is needed. (CR)

This commentary on "Natural Supports in the Workplace: The Jury Is Still Out" (Test and Wood), argues that the principles of natural supports should not be subject to empirical testing because they function as a guide to strategy development and strategy selection. Discusses the difficulties in examining natural support strategies. (CR)

This article explores the dialectic nature of technology and holism as an example of the way in which reductionism is embedded inside holistic principles. Factors that limit or enhance the activities of individuals with learning disabilities in school and elsewhere are examined, and the role of technology in compensating for and/or developing…

This paper argues that communication interventions with individuals with severe disabilities serve the point of ensuring that membership in society is achieved. The paper explores the concept of membership, including the ways in which individuals construct stories that make the communication acts of individuals with severe disabilities commonplace…

An outdoor leader describes personal experiences with hard-of-hearing children and offers observations on understanding communication methods, incorporating individuals with various training, involving parents, and fostering teamwork. Stresses that apart from the disability, deaf children should be seen as "normal" in other ways. (KS)

An individual with a developmental disability discusses self-advocacy, involvement with the American Association on Mental Retardation, dislike of the term "mental retardation," the need for such organizations to work more closely with people who have disabilities, and the need for such organizations and society at large to be more…

Results of six demonstration/research projects at outdoor education and interpretive facilities indicate that these inclusive outdoor programs were effective in terms of participation, peer acceptance, and learning outcomes for children and adolescents with and without disabilities. Programming recommendations focus on environmental awareness as a…

This paper offers a perspective on people learning to build community, across the imposed social barriers that separate people with substantial disabilities from other people. The paper presents the story of a woman who was able to move from an institutional setting to her own home because of the community-building carried out by her support…

This monograph describes projects of the Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities which focus on empowerment and self-advocacy for individuals with disabilities and their family members. Individual sections address: (1) Partners in Policymaking (an intensive course to train individuals with disabilities and family…

This document presents summaries of a variety of resources concerned with the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in faith communities. Each listing usually provides bibliographic information, source and price information, and a summary or description. Following an introductory essay, the first section provides summaries of 43…

This paper compares the preferences for leisure and recreational activities of adults with and without mental retardation. In a previous study conducted by Butler (1988), 548 adults with developmental disabilities and mental retardation were interviewed with open-ended questions about living arrangement needs, competitive employment and work…

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for assessment and individualized education program (IEP) planning teams regarding the consideration of assistive technology. The guidelines provide recommended practices that will assist teams in making decisions about an individual student's need for assistive technology and a decision-making…