Purpose: Family Peer Advocates (FPA) are used in healthcare broadly to facilitate engagement and address disparities in care. We previously reported on the benefit of FPAs in the care of autistic children on caregiver stress. Caregivers of autistic children report significant levels of caregiver stress, in particular when associated with…

The primary aim of this paper is to address how empathy curriculum can be applied to training needs of paraprofessionals working with students who have multiple disabilities. A thorough review of the literature on the role of the paraprofessional and implications for training and supervision is provided. This is juxtaposed with a review of the…

One challenge teachers of students with orthopedic and multiple disabilities face is providing sufficient time and opportunity to communicate. This challenge is universal across countries, schools, and settings: teachers want students to communicate because communication lies at the core of what makes us human. Yet students with orthopedic and…

In this article, the author discusses pet therapy, using therapy dogs, as a new way of reaching students with additional disabilities. Therapy dogs aid in instruction in a variety of ways. They are particularly suited to work with preschool-aged children and special needs populations where the curriculum most easily can incorporate a therapy dog…

The article describes the extent of co-occurrence of autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental retardation within a New York population of 43,692 developmentally disabled persons and presents a method for developing nonduplicative estimates for intrastate planning. Three tables present frequency and conditional probability figures. (Author/MC)

This study established a method for obtaining information about behavior states and patterns as they appeared in Individual Education Programs (IEPs). Also investigated was the extent to which behavior states and behavior state pattern language was included in daily planning for students with the most pervasive multiple disabilities. While…

Many children with severe or multiple disabilities, including those with visual impairment, are limited in their ability to communicate. "Communication" is defined as how a person exchanges information about his or her desires, needs, knowledge, and perceptions with another person. Communication can be verbal, written, or nonverbal, such…

The Temporary State Commission to Study and Investigate the Problems of the Deaf presents a third annual report on the needs, services, and programs to aid the deaf and hearing impaired in New York State. The commission engaged in research activities to provide data necessary to substantiate legislation and to pursue the implementation of previous…

The fourth annual report on problems of the deaf concentrates in the area of the mentally retarded deaf. Proposed legislation for 1971 is first presented for hearing aids, audiologists and speech pathologists, pre-nursery school education, and a permanent state commission for the deaf. A survey and proposal for the retarded deaf are described as…

The incidence of retardation and of hearing loss among the retarded is considered and the problem posed by the aurally handicapped who may be misdiagnosed as retarded is examined. The historical background of past and existing education for the retarded deaf is presented. A study was begun in early 1970 which concerned services for and incidence…

The conference report contains background information on organizing the April, 1979, New York, conference on educational issues of students with visual impairments; results of a preliminary needs assessment questionnaire; texts of 12 conference presentations; the conference evaluation results; and the program. The needs assessment questionnaire…

This paper reviews issues in the provision of services to individuals who are mentally ill chemical abusers and addicted (MICAA). Introductory material defines this population and notes that these people are frequently ineligible for services aimed at either mental illness or chemical abuse alone. Service provisions within the psychiatric/mental…

This handbook supplement, for transition coordinators, is part of a packet intended to aid educators, families, and adult service providers to facilitate the transition from school to adult life in the community for students with both cognitive disabilities and visual or dual sensory impairments. Emphasis is on transition planning and community…

Three issues of the journal for 1985 focus on issues related to special education in New York. The winter issue centers on educating low incidence handicapped children in New York City. Articles address such aspects as special education effectiveness, occupational training centers, centers for multiply handicapped students, hospital schools, early…

The report summarizes pupil behavioral change data from 176 instructional projects involving handicapped children in New York state. Data are presented for reading achievement, mathematics achievement, and a broad category that encompassed language arts, corrective speech, psychomotor, auditory and visual perceptions, personal hygiene, societal…