Background: Within the context of the Special Interest Research Group (SIRG) on Persons with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD), researchers often discuss the methodological problems and challenges they are confronted with. The aim of the current article was to give an overview of these challenges. Methods: The challenges are…

A two-year project at the University of Manchester (England) is investigating the leisure opportunities available to people who are profoundly retarded and multiply impaired. The project is conducting an international literature review, identifying models of good practice within the European community, and disseminating information through reports…

The collection of papers by Swedish special educators, addresses approaches to helping mentally retarded and multiply handicapped people communicate. The papers are written by psychologists, educators, speech therapists, music instructors, and researchers and focus on the following topics: the context of communication (Mats Granlund), early…

The CARES project (Coordinated Ambulatory Rehabilitation Evaluation Services) presents a model to provide multidisciplinary services for multiply disabled children in rural settings. Background, information about model components, and descriptive data are presented to illustrate project evolution and operation. Nearly 400 children with multiple…

The article examines different curriculum models and suggests a functional approach to curriculum development for multiply involved hearing impaired students. The functional approach selects tasks for the curriculum based on their potential to contribute to independent living in multiple environments. (Author/SB)

This paper presents the Institute of Medicine model of the dynamic nature of the disabling process of both primary disabilities and secondary conditions, and the interaction of that process with risk factors and quality of life. The components of a comprehensive disability prevention program are discussed. (Author/JDD)

The authors outline a number of problems that educators encounter in competency based teacher education development, including the issue of generic v cross categorical training, and time and cost-effectiveness. The Project SERVE training model for teachers of the multiply handicapped, visually impaired is summarized to illustrate the functionality…

This article presents a model for efficient assessment of young children with visual impairments or multiple handicaps. The approach has team members simultaneously observe various aspects of a child's functioning to gain an understanding of the child as a whole. (Author/DB)

The paper reviews the nonverbal behaviors of students with severe/multiple handicaps and demonstrates parallels between their communication development and that of normally developing children. Discussed are the roles of the adult and child in the communicative exchange and examples of communicative behavior typically seen in children with…

The document describes a project to initiate effective services for hearing impaired developmentally disabled (HIDD) individuals, thereby contributing to their deinstitutionalization. An introductory chapter presents the background for establishment of the regional demonstration center at the University of Arizona. Chapter 2 addresses general and…

Twelve papers describe recent developments at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) on the campus of Gallaudet College. Topics covered include the following: MSSD'S role as a change model; an Instrumental Enrichment project designed to increase adolescents' thinking skills; an approach integrating reading, English grammar, and composition…

The manual highlights the components of the parent involvement of the Project for Early Education of Exceptional Children (PEEEC), a demonstration project serving 3 to 8 year old children in Kentucky with multiple handicaps. Following an introduction on the philosophical/theoretical foundations of the PEEEC parent services model is a section on…

This article reports the experiences of one school district as it moved from serving students with severe disabilities in segregated programs to a full inclusion model. Year one focused on getting started, planning, and beginning integration efforts and year two on implementation of a structured peer integration program. Applicability of the full…

This volume contains six documents that represent the results of a year-long, statewide study and planning effort for developing a program to serve the deaf-blind population in Kansas. The first document discusses the perceived problems and includes a study of the history of national, regional and state efforts, the initial project goals and…

Elements of effective planning in special education are considered, and a Hawaii project, Model T, is described. The project focuses on the process of making and evaluating resource decisions, such as decisions about the kind and frequency of related services staff time versus instructors' time. Microeconomic concepts such as diminishing returns…