Background: Prevalence rates of challenging behaviour are high in children and adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). Moreover, many of these behaviours are observed daily. Direct support staff report that most challenging behaviour identified has little impact on the person with PIMD and attribute challenging…

We evaluated an upgraded version of a microswitch-cluster program used for promoting adaptive foot and head responses and reducing finger mouthing with a boy with multiple disabilities. The boy had been exposed to an early version of the program, which ensured that positive stimulation followed only adaptive responses occurring free from finger…

A basic need for a child is to belong to a group (Maslow, 1970). Groups help children: to develop relationships and to foster individual mental health (Johnson and Johnson, 1989); and disabled and non-disabled children, when given assistance, can develop relationships with each other (Sideris, 1998). But there are very few opportunities in Cyprus…

Evaluation of Play Unit for the Severely Handicaped (PUSH) designed for the living room of a residential area used by 16 severely retarded multiply handicapped persons revealed that the impact of the unit was individualized and diverse, and that the responsiveness of the environemt's components appeared to be important. (CL)

The article describes the process and activities of the outreach phase of the Model Vision Project (Tennessee) for multihandicapped and visually impaired children and youth. The project has two replication sites for the purpose of stimulating awareness and for which the model provides technical assistance. (PHR)

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online professional development course designed to develop an understanding of the foundations, perspectives, and strategies used by key disciplines (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, early childhood special education, visual…

This study found little actual integration resulting from placement of 16 high school age students with severe multiple disabilities in special education classrooms within regular high schools. Guidelines for evaluating the integration of students are offered including a two-pronged test and examples of data appropriate for evaluating integration…

A study evaluated a program for reducing job coach assistance provided for three individuals with multiple severe disabilities. Workers were taught additional skills or the environment was modified to allow assistance reduction. Work activity and quality continued at a high level for each worker, although productivity decreased. (Author/CR)

An evaluation of an intensive training program for 44 multiply handicapped adults who could not use other rehabilitation programs is described. (Author/BD)

A modified before-after, control-group evaluation design was employed to assess the impact of a demonstration program for 30 multiply handicapped retarded children (mean age 5.6 years). (Author/PHR)

A survey of parents of nine multiply handicapped blind young adults enrolled in a community living program in New Zealand and of the nine staff members working with the clients indicated both groups supported parent involvement and the program content, though parents rated the adult rehabilitation services less favorably than staff. (Author/DB)

Outlines specific steps for implementing and validating a qualitative methodology designed to evaluate rural areas' special education programs serving students with severe special needs. Provides a rationale for use of the elements of aesthetic criticism as the basis of the methodology and discusses practical limitations and usefulness of the…

Two experiments were conducted to train six severely multihandicapped students (ages 15 to 23) with hearing impairments to put on their own hearing aids independently, and to provide an empirical evaluation of a comprehensive instructional program for putting on a hearing aid by assessing acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of that skill…

This article describes a program at the Dallas (Texas) Regional Day School for the Deaf for multihandicapped elementary and secondary students. The program utilizes the Functional Skills Screening Inventory to identify current skills, develop objectives, monitor student progress, facilitate long-range planning, and evaluate the instructional…

An evaluation of the treatment and habilitation services provided to individuals with dual diagnoses of mental retardation and mental illness concludes that service delivery is currently unacceptable. This article considers legal issues, general ethical principles, and codes of ethics of two professional groups. The ultimate responsibility of…