A study involving police officers in Western Australia (n=138) and Pennsylvania (n=168) revealed that officers responded differently to crimes involving persons with mental retardation. In some cases, police were more tolerant of the disability, in others they were less tolerant. Response patterns were not different for Australian and Pennsylvania…

Addresses the phenomenon of children with disabilities who are maltreated. The higher risk for children with disabilities being victimized and maltreated because of their dependency and the higher reported incidence of abuse are discussed. Reasons for the higher incidence of abuse, including social devaluation, are provided. (CR)

This commentary discusses the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the success the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has had in enforcing the ADA for people with mental retardation. Cases the EEOC has won against discriminatory employers are described, and the need for ongoing efforts is emphasized. (CR)

This paper examines the use of the Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth of Australia, 1992) by parents seeking access for their deaf children to native sign language in the classroom. It reviews a number of cases in which Australian parents have claimed indirect discrimination by educational authorities over their children's lack of access…

This article discusses court cases and other sources on each of four major topics regarding federal disability discrimination laws and claims made by post-secondary students with learning disabilities: (a) Which students are entitled to the protection of the statutes, (b) What if any deference should be afforded academic institutions in their…

Examined the relationship between characteristics of nonhandicapped adolescents and their attitudes toward the handicapped. Characteristics which were significantly associated with acceptance of the handicapped included gender, ethnicity, chronological age, school achievement, moral development, popularity, and overall peer acceptance.…

In the context of civil rights, discusses laws to reduce discrimination and provide access for handicapped. Notes opposition from the Reagan administration to currently proposed legislation. (CMG)

Key issues surrounding a public broadcasting licensee's obligation to provide access to television programs to the hearing impaired are examined in the context of two recent court decisions. Background of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Federal Communications Commission's concern regarding the hearing impaired are considered. (MSE)

The study was an attempt to construct an attitude scale to measure the radical psychosocial or libertarian position about "mental illness" and mental health practices. The factor analysis defined four scale factors: mental illness mythology, antimedical model, social deviance control, and anti-coercive treatment. (Author)

In the two years that the Michigan Civil Rights Commission has been enforcing legislation prohibiting discrimination against handicapped persons, some valuable insights have been gained into how these complaints must be handled in ways different from other types of discrimination complaints. (Author/EB)

Job applicants were evaluated by a worker already on the job. Workers were told that the applicant was an ex-mental patient or that he was an ordinary applicant. Studies revealed that women are more accepting of former patients than men. Men were more accepting of female than male ex-patients. (Author/BEF)

The author examines the issue of preferential education for the handicapped from the perspectives of ethics, civil rights, and theories of justice. This article is part of a theme issue on disabled persons. (SJL)

Data presented in this paper suggest that mentally retarded males are more likely to be institutionalized than retarded females, and that males tend to be institutionalized at earlier ages and for milder disorders. (Author/EB)

Norman Kunc, consultant on educational and disability issues, discusses his early segregated education and perceived devaluation due to his cerebral palsy; the intrusion of therapies into his daily schedule; and the sometimes assaultive nature of physical therapy. Kunc views his disability as a characteristic of his personal diversity and…

In this literature review on attitudes of the hearing toward people with deafness or partial hearing, research is organized according to methodological focus of the studies, such as involvement of brief impersonal exposure to deaf or hard of hearing persons, presence of personal contact, presence of personal contact with information, and…