One major objective of programs for persons with severe or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities is to teach these persons occupational and vocational tasks and to enable them to carry out these tasks independently (Davis, Brady, Williams, & Burta, 1992; Lancioni et al., 1991; Steed & Lutzker, 1997). The performance of such tasks has…

This brief bibliography lists 26 resource materials for managing behavior problems in the home and community. Suggested resources were published between 1985 and 1993 and cover such topics as general behavior management, self-injury, food and behavior, functional communication training, impulsivity, alternatives to punishment, anger, and…

A home intervention approach focused on helping parents teach mentally handicapped 15- to 21-year-olds to develop such self-help skills as grooming, independent travel, and supermarket shopping. (CL)

The Model of Human Occupation was used to design a program to train and support four dementia patients in daily living activities focused on motor skills and procedural memory. The Assessment for Motor and Process Skills showed gains for three of the four, paralleled by a decrease in the amount of support needed from therapists in task…

This study investigated whether four students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities would acquire related and unrelated instructive feedback stimuli embedded in the prompt and consequent event using a constant time delay to teach three food preparation skills. Analysis found the intervention effective with three students who also acquired…

The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), while in use in the mainstream population, is not generally utilized by individuals with disabilities. Using a multiple-baseline design across settings we tested effectiveness of using a PDA to increase the independence of an adolescent with Asperger Syndrome (AS). Results indicated use of the PDA was…

Children with autism generally face significant challenges in such areas as normal social interaction, communication, and independent daily functioning, which are considered as the basic skills essential for success in life. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the established research and best practices in enhancing the above skills for…

The authors of this article argue that deficit in socially skilled behaviour is often one of the distinguishing characteristics that sets people with intellectual disability apart from their non-disabled peers. The need for social skills training to take place within the context of real life daily situations has been emphasised in more recent…

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a life skills training program taught as part of physical education lessons. Seventy three, seventh grade students were assigned either in an experimental or in a wait-list control replication group and received an abbreviated version of GOAL, a school-based intervention designed…

Purpose: Getting dressed is an activity that is of particular difficulty for many persons with dementia, given the need for hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and overall planning skills. Despite several studies concerning interventions to improve dressing behavior, very little is known about the dressing process as it is currently…

The number of children diagnosed with autism is rapidly increasing. While autism is not a new disability, many families are still embarking on unforeseen journeys with their children. The autism spectrum has broadened, and with increased awareness in recent years, it is undetermined which aspect has the greatest impact on the increasing numbers.…

This theme issue explores the relevance of self-determination for persons with developmental disabilities across the life span, ways in which it is or can be expressed, and obstacles to its exercise. The articles show the futility of enhancing self-determination by teaching choice-making skills if environments offer no opportunities to exercise…

Problems in the public school education of profoundly mentally handicapped students and findings of recent research on the teaching of this population are discussed. Early educational intervention is one key to reducing the effects of retardation. Basic daily living skills, such as communication and grooming, should be taught through systematic…

Describes a life space crisis intervention (LSCI) with a seriously disturbed adolescent. The LSCI showed how the youth unwittingly provoked peer rejection by making outrageous and inappropriate comments. Discusses the New Tools Salesmanship Intervention which taught the student prosocial skills and the student's reintegration into a regular…

Three classes of change involved in improving the daily living skills of persons with visual impairments include changes in the work or product (the highest level of change), changes in the workplace, and changes in the worker's activity. Case studies of three adults illustrate the three levels of change. (Author/DB)