Youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) aspire to participate in a variety of activities after high school, such as attaining paid employment, enrolling in postsecondary education, being involved in their communities, living independently, and building friendships. However, complex and longstanding transition barriers require…

This study examines the development of a 1950s educational programme for the inclusion of children with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) -- those with IQ scores of less than 50, referred to as "trainable" or "dependent" children -- into community life. Conducted by the American Association of Parents of…

The purpose of this qualitative case study aimed to explore parents' perceptions of the post-secondary transition experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities at one postsecondary community program. Schlossberg's (1984) Transition Theory and the 4 S system consisting of situation, self, supports, and strategies was used as a lens for…

Special education advocacy programs educate and empower individuals to become advocates for families of school-aged children with disabilities. Although special education advocacy programs are becoming more common across the globe, replication and wide scale implementation are needed to determine their credibility. The purpose of this study was to…

This qualitative study utilized narrative case study research to investigate teachers', paraprofessionals', and administrators' perceptions of the effectiveness of community-based programs (CBP) on the transition to employment for students with an intellectual disability. This study also evaluated activities teachers, and paraprofessionals use in…

Newcomers to Canada may initially resist learning through the arts, but it may be an ideal entry point as they begin to learn English and adjust to a new culture. The authors explored the value of learning through the arts in three settings: a settlement agency, Welcome Center and elementary school. Making art with adults was shown to overcome…

The percentage of North Americans who have one or more physical disabilities continues to rise. Specifically, the percentage of people with ambulatory disabilities, cognitive disabilities, and other health impairments is increasing every year. This phenomenon calls for pragmatic measures to help provide better transition and related services to…

There is a legal and ethical imperative to provide increased access to community-based settings for young children with disabilities. One way to address that is through Special Education itinerant teaching. Our systematic literature review identifies primary interventionists, delivery locations, outcomes of interventions and an assessment of the…

This dissertation in practice documents the program evaluation of the Community Scholars (CS) program at the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities (FCIC), a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the University of South Florida (USF). CS is part of a diversity pipeline program that recruits youth with…

Step outside of the IEPs and behavioral paperwork currently generated in schools, go where disabled people are thriving today, and see the results in learning, growth, and expression. This authoritative book offers readers alternative ways to think about learning and behavior in special education. Through illustrative case studies and a disability…

In this article, I reflect on my lived experiences as a disabled graduate student navigating spaces of community literacy. This essay utilizes storytelling as an entry point for understanding the barriers graduate students oftentimes face while accessing community literacy projects. Extending Ada Hubrig's theorization of "disability justice…

This manual was designed primarily for use by people with disabilities. The hope is that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read information about available resources, and to provide immediate…

Students with significant disabilities typically experience poor postschool employment outcomes. However, when provided opportunities to work and engage within their communities, they can gain necessary work-specific and workplace social skills to improve outcomes. This article outlines a six-step model for community-based employment programs…

Background: Youth with intellectual disabilities are more likely to be an unhealthy weight and less physically active than youth without intellectual disability. Objective: The effects of Fit2Play, a park-based afterschool programme on cardiovascular/fitness health outcomes among youth with intellectual disability, were prospectively assessed.…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted developmental disability requiring specialized supports. Due to the growing diagnoses of ASD, the demand for behavior treatment centers has also grown. These centers offer a wide range of beneficial services to children with ASD, including medication administration and management. While centers may…