This chapter provides "viewpoints" on the education of learners with extensive and pervasive support needs. That is, students who require the most support to learn, often categorized as having intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or related disabilities. The lenses through which we provide these…

Ohio's public schools provide special education services to children with disabilities as early as preschool. Every year, the Ohio Department of Education reports the number of preschool children who received state-funded special education services during the previous year. The 2016-2017 school year had an overall increase of 1,142 (5.9 percent)…

Background: Previous research indicates that there is a relationship between the auditory environment and the core affects (or mood) of people with severe or profound intellectual disability. We conducted a systematic study to further explore this relationship. Method: Thirteen participants with severe or profound intellectual disability and…

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of the nature of support, or lack thereof, while teaching deaf students with additional disabilities (DSAD). A total of forty teachers, from five schools in four states in the United States, participated in the study. A content analysis of written responses to four open-ended questions, using a…

Group contingencies have been used successfully to modify a variety of behaviors for children with diverse characteristics across multiple settings. However, these interventions have not been applied to increase social interactions (SI) between typically developing children and those with multiple or severe disabilities (MSD). Furthermore, little…

There is limited recognition of the concept of self-determination in Middle Eastern cultures. Consequently, there are no adapted measures of self-determination for Arabic adolescents with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, or multiple disabilities (intellectual disability and physical impairment). The purpose of this study was to…

Background: New technologies could broaden activities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). This study compared watching television with a newly-developed interactive ball. Method: The ball responded with sounds, lights, and wiggling to the player's voice and movements. Five control sessions (watching television)…

Objectives: Engaging people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) in relation to issues of bereavement and loss is often seen as a complex therapeutic challenge. The author examines the barriers preventing them from engaging with the grieving process in supported ways. Methods: Through the lens of Worden's Tasks of Grief…

Background: The aim of this study was to explore agreements in the way parents of a person with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and professionals perceive the support in terms of its family-centredness in order to gain a better understanding of their collaboration. Method: An adapted version of the Dutch Measure of Processes of…

Participation is the goal of Swedish disability policy, but it is difficult to achieve for adults with profound intellectual (and multiple) disabilities (PI(M)D). Since these adults are dependent on others in every aspect of their lives, others control their ability to participate in everyday life decisions. This study used observations, analyzed…

Paraprofessionals report spending a substantial amount of time addressing challenging behavior in a range of school environments, yet identify behavioral intervention as a high-priority training area. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically review and summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-delivered…

Families raising young children diagnosed with multiple disabilities encounter experiences that are often unique and extend well beyond the early childhood years due to the intensity and severity of their child's needs. The contexts of these families must be understood to provide meaningful services and supports, particularly during the child's…

Already a widely diverse group, deaf and hard of hearing students have different communication preferences, physical and academic abilities, and personality traits. When a deaf or hard of hearing individual also has one or more disabilities, the diversity increases exponentially. A deaf or hard of hearing child's already complex needs are…

As paraprofessionals gain more instructional responsibilities for individual students, feasible training strategies must be established to promote effective delivery of instruction. This train-the-trainer study was designed to teach paraprofessionals how to implement an evidence-based instructional practice under the direction of the classroom…

Background: To support people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD), it is essential to understand how they experience their environment. Insight into perception behaviour may provide an entry point for improved understanding. Materials and Methods: A random sample of a 30-min video registration of five participants with PIMD…