Directed to occupational therapists, the article focuses on the applications of microcomputers to services for developmentally disabled persons. Noted are computer devices (input, output, software, and firmware); computer programs (basic and sophisticated instruction, graphics); and LOGO, a computer language.

In a study involving 40 nonhandicapped preschoolers, the child's sex and the interaction between sex and label did not influence performance ratings, test scores, or the examiners' verbal behavior. The label "developmentally delayed," however had a negative impact on children's test scores and performance ratings. (Author/CL)

The study assessed the effectiveness of a head holding procedure for establishing eye contact with a three-year-old developmentally delayed child who had not acquired the response via positive reinforcement techniques. A multiple baseline across four behaviors demonstrated that the head holding procedure substantially increased eye contact for…

Tests the hypothesis that developmentally delayed children differ from normal children on tasks involving discernment of nuances, balancing competing stimuli, or acquiring and retaining selected information. Attention deployment behaviors in a free-play situation were examined for three groups: normally developing, Down syndrome, and…

Results indicated that behavior training strategies used with developmentally disabled people were used nearly twice as often by staff identified as competent as by staff selected at random. Written behavior management programs tended to be used to decrease undersirable behaviors more often than to strengthen adaptive skills. (Author/CL)

The paper offers an Australian perspective on the effects of legislation on the delivery of services to the developmentally disabled. (SB)

Used the Myers Briggs Type Indicator to measure personality type changes in three developmentally disabled adolescents before and after token economy treatment was conducted in a half-way house. (Author/DB)

The study assessed the turntaking skills and pragmatic language skills of 4 mildly to moderately developmentally delayed children (ages 2 and 3) and 14 nondelayed controls. Developmentally delayed children exhibited appropriate turntaking skills but a higher proportion of gestural in contrast to verbal responses to the pragmatic language tasks.…

The Division on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) of the Council for Exceptional Children adopted this position statement concerning the revised American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) definition of mental retardation. The position statement views the revised mental retardation definition and classification as a…

Comparison of plasma levels of beta-endorphin (BE) found that levels in 8 adult autistic patients were lower than levels in 17 healthy controls, for both morning and evening measurements. Plasma BE concentrations were also significantly lower for 13 developmentally disabled patients than levels for normal controls. (JDD)

Conducted focus group interviews with parents of children with developmental disabilities, emotional disorders, and technology-supported needs. Parents discussed perspectives regarding special needs, crisis situations, and parent-professional relationships. Findings have implications for policy and practice, including need to target specific…

Discussion of the development of technologies to assist people with developmental disabilities to engage in constructive activity focuses on the development, evaluation, and use of VICAID, a system based on a simplified palmtop computer which enables a person to access pictorial instructions designed to help in the accurate completion of tasks.…

A review of applications of motion study in developmental disabilities identifies two eras of research focus in the 1990s: (1) studies establishing the effectiveness and efficiency of tasks designed with motion study principles and (2) studies examining the interaction between motion study-based task designs and other variables such as choice,…

Researchers have demonstrated that both deprivation and satiation can affect the outcome of preference assessments for food. In the current study, paired-stimulus preference assessments for tangible items were conducted under three conditions: control, deprivation, and satiation. Three persons with developmental disabilities and 3 typically…