Circles of Support aim to enable people with learning disabilities (and others) to live full lives as part of their communities. As part of a wider study of the economic case for community capacity building conducted from 2012 to 2014, we conducted a mixed methods study of five Circles in North West England. Members of these Circles were…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that schools assist students with disabilities to develop independent living skills and abilities essential to succeed in most of their life's endeavors. According to the law, each student with a disability must have an individualized education program (IEP), and the IEP must address…

Existing research shows that young adults with autism spectrum disorder have poorer outcomes than their peers with other developmental disabilities in the key areas of independent living, postsecondary education, and employment. However, we understand little about how young adults with autism and their families understand and value outcomes and…

This manual was designed primarily for use by people with disabilities. The hope is that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read information about available resources, and to provide immediate…

The purpose of this paper was to analyse the core of the quality of life, intended as a complex construct with specific and transversal features. The approach to this issue, by linking it to the great emergency of disability in adulthood, pushes the analysis into deep conceptual pedagogical reflections, which lead the authors' initial reflections…

Special education in the United State is based on the concept of access--public schools are open to all children. But access is no longer a sufficient foundation. Approaches and accommodations that lead to academic success are increasingly demanded for those with learning disabilities. Functional, independent-living, and employable skills are…

One common and effective approach used to teach vocational and independent living skills to students with ASD is technology-based intervention (Walsh, Holloway, McCoy, & Lydon, 2017). Such interventions include audio prompting (AP) and coaching, augmented and virtual reality, and video-based interventions, such as video modeling and video…

Many factors impact intervention implementation in everyday practice, including the social validity of these interventions. As a way of addressing social validity, this study aimed to understand the perspectives of multiple stakeholders of school-aged children and adolescents who use aided and unaided augmentative and alternative communication…

In the present qualitative case study, we used the participatory action research method of photovoice in order to explore the lived experiences of college students in wheelchairs at a mid-sized, Midwestern university campus. Five undergraduate students with mobility impairments participated in the present study. Participants were asked to…

Increasing the participation of children and young people in matters related to their care and aftercare is regarded as international best practice. While research demonstrates that children and young people benefit from involvement in care-related processes, participation continues to pose challenges for social work practitioners. Studies to date…

Lack of family engagement in transition planning continues to be a challenge in special education. This study examined the experiences of Chinese and Vietnamese families of youth with disabilities toward transition planning. Results suggested that participants were eager to be engaged in the transition planning and valued the importance of…

There is a lack of knowledge in the area of training needs for Deaf/Blind vocational rehabilitation and/or independent living service providers in Florida. This quantitative study utilized self-report surveys of Deaf/Blind providers in Florida to determine what needs to be done related to professional development. The researcher attempted to…

This research focused on whether a TEACCH-based approach could be effective in helping to develop the communication skills of older learners with Severe Intellectual Disabilities, to enhance their ability to communicate, to enhance their abilities to live independent lives, and to take part in discussions about their future. A TEACCH based…

The longevity of people with intellectual disabilities is increasing in developing nations. However, developing nations lack a proper system of care for aging persons with intellectual disabilities. Until now the care has been provided by parents and relatives in the home environment in developing countries, but this scenario is also changing;…

This document provides information about the process a school-level team will use to complete the Predictor Implementation School/District Self-Assessment (PISA) (ED629041). This process involves four major steps including (1) identifying team members, (2) establishing a location and time for the meeting, (3) preparing for the meeting, and (4)…