The goal of the study was to identify and differentiate subgroups among mothers whose infants were diagnosed as having a developmental disability. The sample consisted of 80 mothers from intact families whose infants had such diagnoses, most of whom were diagnosed with Down syndrome. All mothers were receiving early intervention services.…

In order to explain the cognitive and cerebral mechanisms responsible for the visuospatial peak in autism, and to document its specificity to this condition, a group of eight high-functioning individuals with autism and a visuospatial peak (HFA-P) performed a modified block-design task (BDT; subtest from Wechsler scales) at various levels of…

Two variations of a vocal paired-stimulus preference assessment were evaluated to determine whether the verbal reports of preference, given by individuals with developmental disabilities when no access to the activity was given, matched their verbal reports when access to the activity was given contingent on their choice. The results indicated…

For young adults with developmental disabilities, postsecondary experiences on a university campus with same-age peers can provide opportunities for learning and social integration. Through the collaborative support of university instructors, a preservice teacher, and her mother, a young woman with Down syndrome was successfully included in a…

Curriculum modification strategies, particularly curriculum adaptations and augmentations, have been identified as important to enable learners with disabilities to achieve access to and progress in the general curriculum. There is, however, relatively little research on the effect of these strategies with students with intellectual and…

The Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS) were developed to standardize communication sampling procedures in assessing preverbal and early verbal stage children. To assess interrater reliability in using the scales with children with developmental disabilities, eight children (ages 33-113 months) with developmental disabilities were…

This report presents findings of an investigation into the operations of Project L.I.F.E., a supportive apartment program which serves 72 persons with developmental disabilities in New York City. The introduction describes Project L.I.F.E. and its history and philosophy. The report then details the findings of the investigation, which involved…

The purpose of this quality of life training curriculum is to enhance staff's understanding of the concepts of choice, integration, and advocacy; the importance of these qualities; and how staff can promote these qualities within the daily lives of persons with developmental disabilities. The curriculum includes topics for group discussion and…

This article on systems change focuses on the efforts of a mentally retarded man with cerebral palsy and his advocates to obtain the resources necessary for him to be able to leave a nursing home and live independently. First, the article identifies two kinds of change: change within the system's rules and changing the rules or the system itself.…

This paper describes a language-based, problem-solving socialization and sex education curriculum designed for individuals with developmental delays. The curriculum aims to increase the students' understanding of themselves socially, psychologically, and physically enabled to function more effectively in a mainstream society that is ever changing.…

This "feature issue" focuses on early intervention with handicapped children, with an emphasis on: Project EDGE (Expanding Developmental Growth through Education), an early intervention research project initiated in 1968; strategies for developing family-friendly early intervention services; and progress reports from various states and…

This case study is based on a 1988 site visit to the Orion Community, in which a group of nondisabled and disabled people have chosen to live and work with each other in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Orion's founding is described, beginning with an informal support group of professionals, parents, advocates, and members of Camphill (agricultural…

Interactions between 25 mothers and their developmentally delayed children (ages 2-5) during 15 minutes of semi-structured free play were coded independently with a global rating scale and a behavior count coding scheme. Correlational analyses were performed around three central themes: (1) the nature of the relationship between maternal…

Examined are theories and research concerned with the development of play behaviors in mentally retarded children and adolescents. (DB)

The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) were compared using a sample of 26 developmentally disabled children, aged 32 to 73 months. The focus of the study was to determine the feasibility of the K-ABC both for assessment and for planning more effective remediation programs for this…