Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies provide a range of services to help people with disabilities become employed. How services are delivered, however, depends on several factors including client interests and abilities as well as economic opportunities within the local community. For better or worse, rural and urban clients face vastly…

Both the rural economy and the disability community in rural areas can benefit from a recognition that they are mutually dependent. With the decline of rural America, the economic base underpinning all aspects of disability support systems is weakening. In addition, rural disability services often are compartmentalized along functional lines with…

The study evaluated two early intervention programs for rural preschool handicapped and developmentally delayed children to determine the degree of integration into the community and program-community interaction. Analysis of 6 months of observation in the two programs resulted in the following conclusions: (1) administration of early intervention…

This proceedings contains presentations, workshop summaries, program profiles, and other highlights of a conference on rural disability issues. The major conference theme was the normalcy of having a disability. A plenary discussion developed a list of 17 rural community disability priorities. Keynote speeches were: (1) "Rural Economies and…

The paper examines six issues affecting the development of vocational education programs for handicapped students in rural areas. Problems facing special education in rural areas include financial difficulties and inadequate services. The following six issues are addressed (sample recommended strategies for change in parentheses): broadening the…