This paper reports on a section of a larger study, investigating the mathematics experiences of Down syndrome (DS) learners in Australian Primary Schools. Developing the numeracy skills to experience independence in post school settings is crucial for individuals with DS. The aim of this paper is to share the school mathematics experiences of six…

A neurodevelopmental treatment approach provides severely physically/profoundly retarded adults (over 21-years-old) with opportunities for learning functional abilities that may lead to placement in group homes. The adults, who have recently been deinstitutionalized, are worked with, in terms of postural reflexes and passive and active movement,…

The College for Living Program in Denver, Colorado, focuses on independent living skills for developmentally disabled adults. The program is described in terms of its history (beginning in 1974) and its focus on education and community services provided by institutions of higher education. The program's three major goals and component objectives…

The Food Safety First Program in Guam and the Marianas, sponsored in part by the United States Department of Agriculture, assesses the food safety behavior of the local population, and uses the results to develop educational programs. The thriving of bacteria in the local climate places extra importance on educating the population on the necessity…

It is traditional among some peoples of the world to celebrate an individual's coming-of-age with ritual. Through these ceremonies, and the tests which sometimes accompany them, a society socializes its youth and transforms them inwardly by molding their moral and mental disposition. Without such ritualization there is a breakdown in the…

Although skilled social performance has been defined as a sequential, two-stage process involving both social cue discrimination plus skillful performance, investigators have de-emphasized cue discrimination in favor of skill performance. The relationship between cue discrimination and skill performance was investigated among undergraduates who…

The father of a retarded adult describes the development of a course designed to teach independent living skills to mentally retarded adults living in a group home in Israel. The course included instruction on home management, food preparation, and interpersonal skills. How initial neighborhood opposition diminished is recounted. Difficulties…

The study looked at the quality of life of 24 retarded adults who had received a training program designed to teach them independent living skills, help them secure independent living settings, and provide them with followup services in these settings. Physical surroundings, financial conditions, social activities, and marital status of clients…

This monograph describes the Perceptive Motor Skills Program (PMSP) being used with adolescents and adults having mental retardation in Catalonia, Spain. The program is based on the following principles: chronologically age appropriate activities; use of daily living tools; multiple objectives and working materials; and balance between…

The structure of the revised Client Needs Assessment Instrument (CNAI) is examined. In 1978-79, the Texas Department of Human Resources (DHR) developed the CNAI to provide an index of applicants' and clients' capacity for self-care by measuring the respondents' levels of functioning in: (1) physical health; (2) daily living activities; (3) mental…

Two programs developed by the State of North Carolina are described which are designed to provide special services to the mentally retarded incarcerated adult male. Based on results of an assessment of adaptive skills believed relevant to coping in the prison population, coupled with an intellectual quotient (IQ) below 70, offenders may be placed…

A 40-item behavior analysis task, the Menstrual Care Scale, was developed and tested with 75 randomly selected institutionalized severely retarded women (13-59 years old). The need for developing personal care skills in menstruation habits had been identified as a priority area for sexuality instruction by staff and confirmed by analysis of…

Services were provided for 16 deinstitutionalized developmentally disabled adults (DDA) through the use of senior citizens as advocates. Program objectives included provision of 20 hours per week of supervised one-to-one training in daily living skills for each DDA and the development of helping relationships between the DDA client and the senior…

The paper describes a system used in Nebraska in which vocational rehabilitation specialists determine who is a high need client and develop programs via a social-ecological or "person-environment" perspective. A high need client is defined as an individual who will require considerable staff support, intervention, and time. A three-phase study…

Creative thinking and problem-solving, skills related to people's flexibility, tolerance of ambiguity, curiosity, and risk-taking ability, are especially useful for foreign adults currently living in the United States. These skills are crucial in adapting to a new culture and in making decisions in a society based heavily on individual choice. The…