People with intellectual disabilities who are deaf face obstacles participating in social environments that do not take into account their need for accessible visual communication. In the present case series, we describe the development of the adaptive skills profiles of eight participants in a fully inclusive therapeutic living community,…

Each year, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) releases a list of scientific advances that represent significant progress in the field of autism research. The "2021 Summary of Advances" provides short, plain language summaries of the top research breakthroughs selected by the IACC from a pool of research articles…

During early childhood, practitioners and family members are often tasked with determining optimal approaches to support social skill development in young children with developmental disabilities in inclusive and self-contained settings. Eight different evidence based approaches are highlighted (social narratives, scripting, pivotal response…

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) hosted the National Goals in Research, Policy, and Practice working meeting in August, 2015, to identify key national policies, priorities, and practices to serve and support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at the secondary level. The…

A dual language learner (DLL) is a young child who is exposed to and is acquiring two or more languages. Multilingualism is common worldwide, and even in countries like the United States, the number of young children who are DLLs is rising rapidly (Goldstein, 2011; Toppelberg, Snow, & Tager-Flusberg, 1999). The purpose of this article is to:…

This paper describes the FAB (Functionally Alert Behavior) Strategies approach to improve behavior in children and adolescents with complex behavioral challenges. FAB Strategies include evidence-based environmental adaptations, sensory modulation, positive behavioral support, and physical self-regulation strategies. FAB Strategies can be used by…

Autism is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although autism is considered a low-incidence disorder, many music educators in schools today teach students with autism each week. Students with ASDs usually require similar educational interventions that are adapted to their…

Previous research attests to the marked impairments in social functioning exhibited by children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), suggesting that such children are in need of social skills intervention. Recently, an existing evidence-based manualized behavioral treatment for improving children's friendships was implemented and…

The purposes of this article are (a) to describe a structured protocol for assessing request, reject, and repair behavior of young children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities and (b) to highlight the importance of assessing these communicative behaviors. These three communicative functions are basic building blocks…

This award-winning article describes a research project which evaluated use of "social stories" with primary-grade children who have autism. Social stories are written to describe social situations the child finds difficult and include descriptive sentences which describe the situation, perspective sentences which explain the reactions of others,…

This manual describes the "Friends" project, a year-long effort in Minnesota to develop methods for the staff of residential service agencies to support people with developmental disabilities in establishing friendships with nondisabled people in their communities. Six agencies around the state selected a total of 23 individuals (ages 11…

School refusal was one of the behavioral symptoms exhibited by a 12-year-old Japanese boy with Heller's syndrome, a disorder in which normal or near-normal development for the first few years of life is followed by a loss of speech and social skills, along with other behavioral symptoms. (JW)

Describes a group program designed for high school students with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disturbances, using Novaco's cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of anger. Multiple techniques allowed multiply handicapped students to learn the physiology, triggers, and consequences of anger as well as to develop coping strategies for…

Playdates are a regular part of life of many preschool age children, and when a child with disabilities cannot participate in the typical playdates of childhood, they, and their parents, feel isolated and lonely. This article discusses different aspects of running successful playdates for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.…

In this article, the author shares her experience having a son with Klinefelter Syndrome. Klinefelter Syndrome, also known as 47,XXY, is estimated to occur in 1 out of 600 males, making it the most common chromosomal disorder. Babies with Klinefelter Syndrome rarely have any physical differences that are detectable, which is the reason that so few…