This manual presents guidelines for teaching students with disabilities necessary skills for safe and independent travel on public buses. Six guidelines for teachers include: (1) participate in bus training; (2) use wise and intelligent judgment; (3) utilize the bus checklist; (4) know and teach bus rules; (5) know bus routes; and (6) know bus…

This paper reviews the characteristics and needs of students with high functioning autism. First, it lists 18 common characteristics of autism, then it stresses that autism is defined by the general pattern of characteristics. Next, it discusses how people with high functioning autism differ from those with autism. These differences include higher…

Little research on literacy learning in persons with developmental disabilities has been done. The little that does exist makes clear that some individuals with autism can, and do, learn to read. Adults and adolescents with cognitive impairments have received greater research attention than have others with developmental disabilities. Subjects…

This paper points out that the promise of supported living for individuals with developmental disabilities lies in its potential to deal creatively and individually with the complexities arising from the lives of many different individuals. The paper describes personal experiences of leaders in supported living agencies that enabled them to step…

This newsletter feature issue focuses on quality assurance and innovative efforts to enhance service quality for persons with developmental disabilities. Individual articles include: "Redesigning Quality Assurance" (Clarence J. Sundram); "Quality Assurance, Quality Enhancement" (Charlie Lakin et al.); "Challenging…

This 3-year plan for development of services for persons with developmental disabilities in Minnesota covers the period from October 1, 1991 to September 30, 1994. Such a plan is required under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1990. The plan's first section describes and defines developmental…

This monograph describes projects of the Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities which focus on empowerment and self-advocacy for individuals with disabilities and their family members. Individual sections address: (1) Partners in Policymaking (an intensive course to train individuals with disabilities and family…

This issue brief provides a national profile of individuals with developmental disabilities based on the National Health Interview Survey on Disability, Phase 1. This in-depth survey of 107,400 individuals uses a complex sampling strategy which is designed to provide national incidence estimates for each survey item. Data are reported which were…

This document presents summaries of a variety of resources concerned with the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in faith communities. Each listing usually provides bibliographic information, source and price information, and a summary or description. Following an introductory essay, the first section provides summaries of 43…

This essay uses a question-and-answer format to examine issues of concern to persons with mental retardation related to personal assistance or support services. Questions include: "What do people with mental retardation or others in the field of developmental disabilities know about personal assistance?"; "How is personal assistance…

Since 1983, the North Dakota Statewide Mentally Retarded/Developmentally Disabled Faculty Staff Training Program has used a career ladder approach to provide training to over 10,000 staff, primarily in scattered rural developmental-disability facilities. Cooperative relationships among the Department of Human Services, Minot State University, and…

This paper compares the preferences for leisure and recreational activities of adults with and without mental retardation. In a previous study conducted by Butler (1988), 548 adults with developmental disabilities and mental retardation were interviewed with open-ended questions about living arrangement needs, competitive employment and work…

This paper describes the process of developmental assessment of infants and young children from a parent's perspective. The artificial and arbitrary nature of most assessments is bemoaned as failing to adequately recognize children's abilities that may be readily evident to parents in more natural settings. Assessments emphasizing children's…

This investigation analyzed information pertaining to behavior states and their relationship to numerous environmental, physiological, and demographic variables and events. The 66 participants ranged in age from 1 to 21 years and were classified as having profound and multiple disabilities, with developmental ages that ranged to 24 months.…

This booklet is a reference guide intended to serve as an introduction to basic terms, services, and supports regarding people with developmental disabilities. The different sections include: (1) a philosophy statement regarding persons with disabilities by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities; (2) guidelines on using…