A survey of personnel representing mental health/mental retardation/developmental disabilities agencies in 50 states investigated the self-advocacy needs of clients, training in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and impact of the ADA. Results indicated that clients needed training in advocacy-related skills and that the ADA had a minimal…

Interviews with 15 ninth and tenth grade students with learning disabilities (LD), their parents, and their resource teachers determined that the Self-Advocacy Plan is an effective program clarifying students' perceptions of their roles as learners with LD, increasing their understanding of LD as a condition, and developing awareness of…

The Learning Disabilities Program at Arizona State University stresses development of independence and responsibility, self-advocacy skills, and realistic self-knowledge. Program services and the faculty perspective are described. Recommendations are made to assist learning-disabled students in developing survival skills before entering college.…

This article describes development and psychometric properties of the Community Living Attitudes Scale, Mental Retardation, a 40-item measure based on the input of self-advocates and focused on contemporary community living philosophies. Tested with 742 individuals, the measure's factor structure was confirmed, and subscales of Empowerment,…

The purpose of this study was to identify variables that facilitate the academic success of college students with learning disabilities. Twenty recent college graduates with documented learning disabilities were interviewed using a semi-structured format. An analysis of the transcripts of the interviews revealed eight common themes, many of which…

This article presents a handbook for students, school counselors, teachers, and parents. This handbook is designed as a guide to help students with disabilities take another step in preparing for "life after high school." It includes information to help students understand their strengths and identify the support and resources they need…

Students with disabilities represent a relatively small but important group of students in U.S. high schools. The education of these students is heavily influenced by federal and state law as well as by longstanding beliefs about the purpose of education and the extreme heterogeneity of the population. Until recently, general educational policies…

This book, written in simple language, explains the Canadian Human Rights Act and how and when it can be used to assist individuals with mental handicaps. The book is designed to help people learn their rights as citizens of Canada and learn that if something wrong is done to them they can do something to change it. It explains what human rights…

This paper examines the problems and barriers that individuals with severe disabilities often encounter in four areas of their lives: (1) dealing with medical professionals, (2) working with the public education system, (3) receiving rehabilitation services, and (4) socializing with others. The roles of the family, the individual with the…

In 1982, Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI) was awarded funds to provide advocacy services to Hispanic and Asian developmentally disabled persons residing in California. Initial target populations selected were the urban Korean, Vietnamese, and Hispanic communities of Los Angeles. The project's goals were (1) to provide training in self-advocacy…

This report discusses outcomes of a Canadian initiative to assist in the deinstitutionalization of persons with intellectual disabilities in Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The projects were managed through a partnership in each province including representatives from Human Resources Development…

This information brief discusses the need to prepare secondary students with disabilities for postsecondary education and to support them in post secondary settings. A case study is provided that illustrates the challenges students with disabilities face in college, along with a chart comparing minimum and quality accommodations for students with…

This report discusses the accomplishments and challenges of the Vermont Self-Determination Project (SDP), a 3-year project designed to empower individuals with developmental disabilities to create the quality of life they desire for themselves and, by discovering and sharing their natural gifts and talents, to nourish and enrich both their own…

This guide on transition services for Minnesota students with disabilities provides parents with information on student's rights and responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that is available, how to obtain it, and how to improve the system to provide for transition needs that are not being met. Separate…

Eight mildly handicapped young adults were taught to discriminate whether or not possible violations of legal rights occurred in socially validated scenarios and, if so, to role-play a behavioral sequence to redress rights violations. With one exception, participants demonstrated generalization to four community role-play settings. (JW)