We evaluated an outcome management program for working with staff to improve the performance of adults with severe disabilities in a congregate day-treatment setting. Initially, observations were conducted of student task involvement and staff distribution of teaching interactions across students in four program sites. Using recent normative data…

Jack Eldon Baker was born, lived, and died in Gilbert, Arkansas. The story of his life is retold in excerpts from a memorial publication published by the people of the town. This article also makes the case that his story is an example of community inclusion. Through the voices of those who knew him, we see Jack as a person who gave to the…

Researchers associate an insistence on sameness or lack of behavioral flexibility with autism and Asperger syndrome, but few studies have sought to identify specific situations in which individuals insist on sameness. Along these lines, we developed the "Behavioral Flexibility Rating Scale" (BFRS) and conducted an Internet survey of parents of…

Interpersonal connections, friendships, and belonging play important roles in a person's emotional and physical well-being. However, recent studies reveal that persons with developmental disabilities often live with few connections and friendships within unwelcoming communities. Through this qualitative study, we enter this relatively unexplored…

This paper reviews studies investigating the assessment and treatment of hand mouthing in individuals with severe to profound developmental disabilities. A literature search identified 101 studies carried out between 1969 and 2004. The trend in the studies indicated a shift away from aversive interventions in the last 10 years, so this review…

We outline a theoretical view of narrative inquiry as both phenomenon and method, and we explore the growth and development of narrative inquiry in the field of education. Drawing on research with participants labeled as developmentally disabled, we show how narrative inquiry can illuminate how disability is understood and lived out in social,…

This article profiles Habitat International, Inc., an indoor-outdoor rug company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that proves that hiring people with developmental disabilities and special needs makes everyone a winner. It tells the story of how CEO David Morris, hosted clients from the Orange Grove Center and workshops run by the State of Georgia to…

The consumption of nonfood items (i. e., pica) frequently occurs in persons with developmental disabilities. Pica may result in the puncture or blockage of the digestive tract, infestation by gastrointestinal parasites, and can interfere with an individuals daily learning, occupational performance, and quality of life. Twenty-six published studies…

In this article we outline components of the Competent Learner Model (CLM). Based on principles of applied behavior analysis, the model provides empirically based assessment, instruction, and evaluation for students with developmental disabilities, including autism.

Whilst assessment tools have been developed to diagnose schizophrenia in people with mild intellectual disabilities (IDs), little attention has been paid to developing reliable and valid dimensional measures of psychotic experiences with this population. This study investigates the reliability and validity of two such measures developed for the…

Given the consistent findings of theory of mind deficits in children with autism, it would be extremely beneficial to examine the profile of theory of mind abilities in other clinical groups such as fragile X syndrome (FXS) and Down syndrome (DS). The aim of the present study was to assess whether boys with FXS are impaired in simple social…

Functional relationships between praxic performance and visual recognition ability of mentally retarded adults are discussed, in an attempt to integrate findings from developmental disorders of action with those described in the adult literature. Three groups of participants took part in the study: adults with Down's syndrome (D), Mentally…

While increasing numbers of articles and books refer to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a disorder of "executive function" of the mind, two conflicting views have emerged about how ADHD and executive function are related. In one view it is argued that some, but not all, who meet the fourth edition of the "Diagnostic and…

A critical measure of intervention effectiveness is durability over time. Still, few studies have examined the long-term outcomes of support derived from a functional behavioral assessment as well as enablers and barriers that contribute to or impede successful outcomes. In the current study, a functional behavioral assessment was conducted with a…

A focus group study was conducted to develop an understanding of the experiences of mothers who are trying to balance employment with caring for an adolescent with developmental disabilities. Mothers reported facing considerable difficulties balancing work and caregiving responsibilities because support services rapidly declined when their child…