For children with autism or intellectual and developmental disabilities who also have complex communication needs, communication is a necessary skill set to increase independence and quality of life. Understanding the how, where, and communication style being taught is important for identifying deficits in the field as well as which interventions…

The last three issues of "Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)" have featured perspectives from a diverse set of contributors on how the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is being impacted by COVID-19. As four newly appointed faculty members with diverse backgrounds, the editor of "IDD"…

Purpose: Many aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems require the use of an external display that is represented via a visual modality. It is critical to evaluate and understand visual-perceptual processing in individuals with disabilities who could benefit from AAC. One way to evaluate how individuals process visual…

Parent involvement in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) is a foundational tenet of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Unfortunately, mothers, the parent most likely to attend the IEP meeting, often report negative perceptions and even feelings of disillusion with the IEP process. Including mothers as…

Enhancing transportation skills is crucial in promoting quality of life for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To learn about transportation skill development and improve the transportation experiences of youth with IDD in China, we conducted in-depth interviews with special education teachers and parents of…

School psychologists pay a critical role in the assessment and intervention of students in special education. Within this role, they are highly likely to interact with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), particularly in the context of school-based assessment associated with special education. Although students with IDD…

There is a strong link between the development of skills associated with self-determination (i.e., choice-making, decision-making, problem solving, goal setting and attainment, planning, self-management, self-advocacy, self-awareness, and self-knowledge) and positive school (e.g., academic achievement) and postschool (e.g., employment, community…

Per laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, college students with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the United States are expected to be self-advocates and speak up for needed accommodations, regardless of diagnosis or condition. Students with I/DD in particular are…

We examined the efficacy of a combined electronic essay writing and editing mnemonic driven strategy with 24 college students in a two-year postsecondary program for students with developmental disabilities. We used a pre-posttest experimental design with random assignment to treatment/control groups. During 26 sessions each consisting of 50 min.,…

It is imperative that we devote resources and research effort to find out what is going on in families where there is a member with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) over the course of the COVID 19 pandemic and how adaptations can be made to provide the most effective help. This article discusses the need for more research to be…

Access to employment opportunities is associated with increased quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; however, many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities struggle to find employment. One reason they may have difficulty achieving employment is an inability to work independently.…

Background: There is little research with people who experience intellectual/developmental disabilities and imprisonment. Methods: The study linked health and correctional data to examine prevalence of intellectual/developmental disabilities and health and correctional characteristics among adults experiencing their first federal incarceration…

The purpose of this study was to interview parents of children with severe or profound intellectual and developmental disabilities to determine the perceived value of support groups and identify recommendations for support group design based on their experiences and feedback. Despite varied experiences with support groups, most parents indicated…

Case management (CM) is one of the most commonly used services by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), but little is known about the workers who provide CM. This study used a mixed methods approach to gain understanding of the CM workforce in one U.S. state. An online survey was completed by 35 IDD service directors…

Background: Self-management of health includes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) playing a key role in health management in collaborating with healthcare professionals. Methods: This study analysed data from Personal Outcome Measures® surveys (n = 1,341) to explore self-management of health. We had the following…