This report contains the findings and recommendations of a review of the residential services system for South Dakota adults with developmental disabilities, based on site visits, interviews, and an analysis of documents and materials. The policy analysis report examines how South Dakota could implement a…

The articles in this feature or theme issue describe successful approaches to positive, community-based management of severe challenging behavior. Programs include: a train-the-trainer strategy for inservice training used across the country; the use of student volunteers as community integration facilitators; a school-based intervention project…

The study surveyed the informational needs of parents (N=367) of children, ages birth to 8 years, with disabilities and developmental delay. The questionnaire used, revised for this study, attempted to determine information needs by asking about interests and problems in child rearing through the use of "titles" of articles. It also surveyed…

This paper examines the neurobiology of fluid cognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex and considers learning disability as a specific example of a group of developmental disorders characterized by fluid skills impairment in the presence of crystallized intelligence in the normal range. Research indicating fluid cognitive impairments in…

The paper first points out how important it is for professionals who work with families and infants with developmental problems to be aware of ethnic and cultural differences, and then goes on to discuss some values typically held by Hispanic Americans. Professionals should understand the family's immigration history and status in order to know…

This literature review discusses cultural influences on individuals with disabilities and describes three historical models of disability--the moral model, medical model, and sociological/environmental/civil rights/minority group model. The use of alcohol and drugs by disabled persons is explored, focusing on individuals with orthopedic and…

This technical report is part of a series on AIDS/HIV (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome/Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and is intended to help link various legal advocacy organizations providing services to persons with mental illness or developmental disabilities. Such persons, especially adolescents, are at risk for exposure to HIV because…

This document reports on a project of the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities to assess needs of current transition practices in Illinois for preschool children with special needs. The project involved: analysis of a comprehensive review of the relevant research literature; recommendations from advisory board members, workshop…

A resource and activity guide for the developmentally disabled that focuses on functional and constructive play is presented. Some basic ideas for fostering dramatic play among the severely developmentally disabled are also introduced. In following a developmental approach, this guide identifies goals and objectives, and explains the relevance of…

Existing patterns of deinstitutionalization and group home placements funded through Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and private supplemental trusts can provide the means for independent living for developmentally disabled adults. Yet, because of the propensity of probate courts to refrain from alteration of written documents evidencing the…

Written for parents to use in the home environment, this illustrated handbook describes the Maxi-Move program, an intensive one-year program of exercise for children of one to eight years of age, who have cerebral palsy. The program does not use physical therapy, patterning, or specific movement goals, but focuses on having fun, creating…

Steps are outlined in the construction of two self-report assessment scales designed to measure general life satisfaction and leisure activity levels of developmentally disabled adults. The potential usefulness of a reliable, valid self-report instrument as a measurement tool in client programming is noted in the context of a review of similar…

This paper describes causes of mental retardation in rural America, preventative methods, and factors impeding preventative approaches in rural settings and offers principles for tailoring traditional preventative methods for rural areas. Relevant findings of research conducted by the National Rural Project, American Council on Rural Special…

The conference on "Support for Family Caregivers" reported in this document was designed to identify, encourage the development of, and disseminate information about effective approaches for strengthening the capacity of families to care for their impaired relatives. The first of two presentations in the opening plenary session reviews the needs…