Thirty-nine individuals with developmental disabilities received individualized rehabilitation programs based on client choice and implemented in client-approved home/community environments, and received training in residential, leisure, and personal skills. The intervention resulted in improved self-awareness, self-confidence, independence, and…

Preschool children (n=128) at risk for development of a developmental disability were assessed using the Scales of Independent Behavior and the revised Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Survey Form. The summary scores of both tests were found to correlate moderately with IQ and with the extent of integration children achieved in their subsequent…

An ecological study was made of persistent repetitious movements by 12 developmentally disabled adults in a horticultural day work program. Fewer dysfunctional patterns occurred during times when staff were actively teaching than when the trainee was isolated or resting. Results argued for teaching skills in terms of coordinated response…

Discusses the ways in which families and children with developmental disabilities can attain "full citizenship" with a creed of positive contribution, great expectations, friendships, choices, and strengths. (BB)

Interviews with 137 primary caregivers with developmentally disabled family members (ages 2-62) on waiting lists for out-of-home placement found that caregiver stress was a significant predictor of the urgency of placement need. Behavior problems of the disabled person were almost as important. Lack of support services was correlated with…

Six articles examine the challenges to physical education provided by Public Law 99-457 which promotes services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their parents. The articles describe the law, critical components of the Individualized Family Service Plan, adapted physical education, and the impact on one school district. (SM)

Strategies for social pretend play were compared for 15 preschoolers with mild disabilities and 15 nondisabled preschoolers in 3 integrated sites. Videotapes of children during free play were analyzed to determine strategies used to enter, initiate, maintain, and terminate play. Both groups initiated play without discussing roles, conducted short…

Effects of 2 procedures (either whole word or phonetic-prompt) for error correction were compared during drills in sight word recognition of 5 students (ages 8 and 9) with developmental disabilities. Results from instruction, same-day tests, and next-day tests indicated that more words were learned in the whole word condition. (Author/DB)

Of 135 autistic and/or mentally retarded Tokyo youngsters, 30 with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and 2 with nonautistic mental retardation exhibited school refusal. School refusal was significantly more frequent in other PDDs than in nonautistic mental retardation. The intellectual level was significantly higher in PDD children with…

Adaptive behavior skills of 2,144 adults with Down syndrome, aged 20-69 years, were compared to those of other developmentally disabled people. In all behavioral domains and at all levels of mental retardation, individuals with Down syndrome displayed significantly more age-related deficits than did age-matched controls. (Author/DB)

Assessed parents' attitudes toward integration or mainstreaming of children with developmental disabilities. Subjects had preschool children with and without disabilities enrolled in integrated or self-contained classrooms. Found that, by the end of school year, parents whose children had participated in integrated programs held more positive…

Describes the establishment and work of the Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, presenting an overview of this theme issue, which highlights Kennedy Center contributions, roots of the Kennedy Center, and ongoing research at the Kennedy Center. Two appendixes list Kennedy Center…

Describes the work of the John F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, which for three decades has promoted interdisciplinary research on developmental disabilities. The paper describes how the Kennedy Center is an integral part of both the educational community and the surrounding civic community at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt…

Presents results from a longitudinal study of 23 college developmental students, who were surveyed regarding their educational needs and objectives. Recommends that colleges: (1) create a student advisement center with academic counselors; (2) require that all incoming freshmen enroll in learning experience courses; and (3) schedule a monthly…

This article discusses the successes of behavior analysts in affecting challenging behaviors in persons with developmental disabilities. Three future issues are then addressed: the development of challenging behaviors, the role of rule-governance in challenging behavior, and the behavior of persons who directly apply functional assessment and…