"A Blueprint for Community Inclusion Strategies for Youth with Developmental Disabilities in Washington, DC" provides a summary of comments and common themes among DC youth with disabilities and their families. This includes their top priorities, solutions to pressing issues, and ways that allies (individuals and organizations) can…

Intellectual disability is a disability that occurs before age 18. People with this disability experience significant limitations in two main areas: 1) intellectual functioning and 2) adaptive behavior. These limitations are expressed in the person's conceptual, social and practical everyday living skills. A number of people with intellectual…

Research-informed policy and practice is needed for older caregivers of adult sons/daughters with disabilities. These caregivers are often under tremendous stress because of failing health, financial pressures, bereavement and worry about the future of their sons/daughters. Twenty-nine older parents/caregivers of 27 adults with intellectual and/or…

Families are critical in the provision of lifelong support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Today, more people with IDD receive long-term services and supports while living with their families. Thus, it is important that researchers, practitioners, and policy makers understand how to best support families who…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

In the past few decades there has been an increasing interest in the role of fathers within families and a growing understanding of the substantial benefits to children, as well as mothers, of their involvement. This briefing focuses on the experiences of fathers who have children with learning disabilities and the approaches that could make it…

The current standard in providing residential services for individuals with severe disabilities favors serving small groups of people with similar levels of assistance needs in ordinary housing units, which are owned or leased by nonprofit agencies, funded by a mix of federal and state funds, and employ shift workers who provide professionally…

The study compared the effectiveness of the Washington State High Priority Infant Tracking Project in maintaining high risk infants in continuing health care, determining health and developmental outcomes, and surveying the use of community resources with other state tracking projects. The project identifies infants during the first 30 days of…

The article describes the conflict between parents and state governments regarding the relative liability in financial responsibility for residential placement of handicapped, particularly developmentally disabled, children and comments on implications of the "Parks v. Pavkovic" decision in Illinois which held the state financially…

This study examined need, predisposing, market, and regional factors that predicted the likelihood of individuals with developmental disabilities living in state developmental centers (DCs) compared with living at home, in community care, or in intermediate care (ICFs) and other facilities. Secondary data analysis using logistic regression models…

In 1983, Massachusetts passed a law mandating that developmentally disabled students applying to state colleges and universities did not have to take standardized admission tests. An evaluation of the law's effectiveness and implementation indicates that other states should consider possible ramifications and confer with all concerned parties…

The plan presents information relating to persons with developmental disabilities and other substantial handicaps in Alaska. A joint effort by state planning and service providing agencies, the plan was developed with input from consumers as well as providers. An introduction to the document is followed by an overview of the state and the…

The compilation provides the full texts of federal legislation related to elementary secondary education and education of the handicapped and related programs. The following statutes are included: "Act of November 2, 1921" (Snyder Act); "Act of April 16, 1934" (Johnson-O'Malley Act); "Adult Education Act"; "Allen J. Ellender Fellowship Program";…

This report reviews the development of independent service coordination for people with disabilities in Illinois and offers recommendations in support of free-standing and independent service coordination in the state. First the report defines independent service coordination, then it reviews the policy of the Illinois Planning Council on…

"Family support" describes the philosophy of the Michigan Public Mental Health System. Family Support is also the name of a Michigan program that provides the supports that parents of children with developmental disabilities need to keep their families together. Services include respite care, client services management, parent and…