Variables affecting placement requests by 251 families for their developmentally disabled members were examined. Results reaffirmed the importance of degree of disability, behavior problems, and external stressors for the decision-making process but also demonstrated that previous assumptions concerning their relative importance should be…

The cloze procedure, an inductive teaching approach taking advantage of available cues within children's storybooks, is advocated for use with developmentally delayed students. Visual, auditory, and sequential and semantic cues may be offered as prompts. (CL)

The authors describe behavior modification treatment procedures applied by direct-care staff in a residential school to conrol severe aggression and self-injury in two developmentally disabled, visually handicapped students. Techniques included positive practice overcorrection, verbal command, and response immobilization. (Author/CL)

The recalcitrant spitting of a blind, deaf, and retarded adolescent was eliminated with a behavioral intervention consisting of positive reinforcement for not spitting and facial screening for spitting. The social and academic implications of modifying such behaviors are discussed. (Author/CMG)

A model in which autistic and other developmentally disabled persons are provided individualized treatment within a home-like residence has been shown to provide successful transitions from institutions to community settings. (CL)

This paper reviews the literature on autism in general and examines in some detail the research on the Lovaas method of early intervention. The general review is divided into subsections which cover the following topics: historical perspectives, definition of autism, causes of autism, characteristics of people with autism, diagnostic criteria,…

Parents of six developmentally delayed young childen (one- to four-years-old) significantly increased their use of five language stimulation techniques (referencing, parallel talking, questioning, replying, and demanding) as a result of a 10-week parent training course. (CL)

Results suggested that the overwhelming need of the 36 low income mothers of developmentally delayed children was to learn to cope with the unknowns about their child's future and that an effective intervention strategy might be establishment of groups run by and for parents in conjunction with early intervention programs. (Author)

To assist handicapped persons in preventing sexual exploitation, the Curriculum for Developing an Awareness of Sexual Exploitation and Teaching Self Protection Techniques was developed and pilot tested with 13 special education teachers in Seattle, Washington. (SB)

The study involving six developmentally disabled children (four and five years old) investigated the effectiveness of peer modeling. A peer or friend from the same regular classroom was selected for each child for tutoring on a sessional basis in a multipurpose center. (Author/SB)

A survey was conducted of accredited colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to investigate knowledge of alternative community living arrangement (ALA) services for developmental disabled persons. Most existing programs in training ALA personnel were offered by small colleges located outside the two large metropolitan centers in Pennsylvania…

Sample data for the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) were obtained for 90 regular high school students (Group 2) and 41 mildly intellectually handicapped (MIH) adolescents (Group 1) undergoing work preparation training. (Author)

The definition of developmental disabilities clarifies the functional intent of the Developmental Disabilities Act (P.L. 95-602), but it raises many questions. Issues discussed include the advantages of labeling, individualizing, and the prescriptive potential of the definition. Problems include complexities in implementation, inconsistencies in…

An encoding approach was designed to track developmentally disabled clients through a continuum of services in a service delivery system. After four years of use, the reliability of the encoding system was evaluated and found to be an effective means of tracking clients through a service delivery system. (Author/JKS)

P.L. 95-602, the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978, reflects an attempt to coordinate, integrate, and consolidate certain programs across all disability lines while recognizing the uniqueness of certain groups, such as the developmentally disabled. (Author)