This study sought to understand the profile of and the factors which impact upon challenging behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and multiple disabilities (MD). Teachers of 322 and 132 children with ASD and MD, respectively, attending special schools in Singapore, completed the Developmental Behavior Checklist, Teacher…

Many children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) now reach adulthood. The aim of this study was to elicit parents' experiences with the transfer from pediatric to adult medical care. A convenience sample of 131 Dutch parents of young people with PIMD (16--26 years) completed a web-based questionnaire. Twenty-two percent of…

The Equality Act 2010 further enshrines the duties on organisations set out in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 to safeguard the rights of vulnerable children. However, disability is a complex phenomenon, which makes the collection of data, and the subsequent identification of children who might be classed as disabled, problematic. This…

Background: People with an intellectual disability whose behaviours are perceived to be of serious harm to themselves or others are at risk of being subjected to restrictive interventions. Prevalence rates are difficult to determine, as most research is unable to draw on the results of population-level data. Method: The current study reports on…

Background: Speech and language therapists (SLTs) working with adults who have multiple learning disabilities and complex communication needs often deliver their care via indirect therapy where SLTs train carers to communicate with their clients. Yet, very little is known about how SLTs assess the carers' communication skills prior to the training…

Research that identifies the determinants of low mammography use among disabled people is scant. This study examines the determining factors related to the low usage of mammography among women with disabilities. To identify the barriers that prevent women with disabilities from participating in mammography screening can help authorities conceive…

This article reflects on how the first author has adapted aspects of the TEACCH structured teaching approach--developed for use with students with autism--in her work with students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment (MDVI) in a special secondary school for students with severe learning difficulties in England. A brief overview of the…

In India, Acts and legislations are in place for persons with mental retardation. Three major Acts namely Rehabilitation Council of India Act (1992), Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act (1995) and National Trust for welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental retardation and…

Although today many more examples of postsecondary educational opportunities being made available to students are expanding for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), the majority of these opportunities are either segregated or partially segregated with few accommodating students with significant disabilities or challenging behaviors. In this…

In the support of individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD), assessing the level of alertness is a recurring issue for parents and other direct support persons. Although observations show clear advantages above and beyond other assessment methods, there are problems related to this method as well. Subjectivity of…

The article presents the main results of a 2 year research project on appropriate conditions for the inclusion of physically and multiple disabled pupils in German schools. The research project consists of three parts: A synthesis of all national and international empirical studies published during the last 40 years (Walter-Klose, 2012), 84…

This paper describes the development of a programme of learning aimed at meeting the needs of health care assistants (HCAs) who provide support for children with complex and continuing health needs and their families. Following a pilot study of the principles of course provision, a Certificate in Higher Education in care of the child with complex…

Aim: Our aim was to study the prevalence and characteristics of constipation in children with profound multiple disabilities, as data in this area are scarce. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was performed in specialized day-care centres and schools in the Netherlands. The study included 152 children (81 males, 71 females; mean age 9y…

Multidisciplinary collaboration is considered to be very important for the education of pupils with special educational needs and particularly those pupils with the most severe disabilities. This research adopts a multiple case-study design in order to understand collaboration and the integration of services and the effectiveness of these among…

In this article, the authors report on an individualized professional learning activity, based on the principles described by Gersten and colleagues, implemented by two academics with three teachers without special education qualifications teaching students with severe and multiple disabilities. The professional learning consisted of consultation…