From its inception, the Center for Gifted Education at William & Mary has been committed to the education of gifted students. Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska, founder of the CFGE, created a learning environment to work directly with gifted students and parents by providing diverse university-based pre-collegiate programs in both residential and…

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,…

We propose an unprecedented intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents: the social living complex. Unlike existing social skills interventions, peer-mediated interventions here are not limited to the school/experiment duration and setting. Whereas other supported living services house adults with ASD only,…

A secure setting creates a physical perimeter that prevents youth from leaving, which can provide safety for certain troubled youth. But in this totally closed environment, staff bear major responsibility for meeting a youth's developmental needs, a role normally fulfilled by parents. Secure settings often compromise goals of care when safety…

Since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004), public schools have been permitted to use a response to intervention model to address academic and social problems of students and identify students with disabilities. As the collective educational community tackles implementation of response to intervention…

At Camelot Schools there is a firm belief that every child with autism is a success story waiting to be told. Children with the disorder often have difficulty expressing their needs and engaging in social contact with others. It is important for parents to know that progress is possible, and they do not have to go it alone. Camelot Schools'…

The national guidelines for curriculum in Norway require a residential outdoor experience between grades one and nine. Programs observed at four camp schools included activities to increase competence in maintaining one's safety and well being outdoors, to enhance social and personal skills, and to expose students to the nation's cultural heritage…

Nancy's recent psychotic episode left her an anxious, fearful person. Participating in an adventure therapy program enabled her to connect with peers, regain social skills and physical stamina, adjust to a full-day activity, regain her confidence, reconstruct purpose and meaning in life, and follow through on plans to complete university and get a…

Residential, challenging, learning experiences can provide a powerful and essential education in environmental values and interpersonal relationships. Presents a basic-needs planning guide for residential adventure programs that considers the need for water, air, food, clothing, accommodation, waste disposal, health, energy, resources, love of…

Pomeroy House, a long-term residential treatment program in San Francisco, California, was created to help recovering alcoholic mothers and their children. Eight to 10 families stay at Pomeroy House for a minimum period of 6 months with extensions of up to 9 or 12 months, and the alcoholic mothers care for their children while recovering from…

The Windana Society is a drug and alcohol agency in Victoria (Australia) that operates, among other things, a residential drug rehabilitation program in a rural setting. The program utilizes a holistic approach that addresses health and physical fitness; education; vocational and re-integration support; and psychological, emotional, spiritual, and…

The four sections in this document on the Devereux Model were written by different authors who work at the Devereux Center in Georgia and were presented as part of a symposium on the model. "The Devereux Model: Intensive Intervention with Children for Competency and Life Enhancement" (Wade H. Silverman) describes the Devereux Center as a…

The psychosocial difficulties that usually accompany learning disabilities are examined from a framework of developmental theory, particularly that of Erik Erikson. The implications of this perspective for treatment of adolescents with learning problems is discussed, and the summer residential program at Goddard College described. (Author)

Describes a weekend residential trip at a British outdoor education center aimed at assessing primary students for the National Curriculum. Instructors constructed personal profiles based on assessment of math, science, geography, and technology and observation of personal and social skills. Formal assessment was conducted during structured group…

A "social guide" model was used to teach staff of an apartment-based residential program to use a set of "community network strategies" to improve the social relationships of three women with severe or moderate mental retardation. The intervention resulted in increased size of participants' social networks and more frequent social integration…