Showing papers in "The Journal of The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps in 1991"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider several factors to consider when determining the amount of time and the kinds of instruction that should be provided in regular education classrooms and other settings for students with severe intellectual disabilities.
Abstract: Students with severe intellectual disabilities should be based in the same schools and classrooms in which they would be based if they were not disabled. However, a regular education classroom base in a home school is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for minimally acceptable education. These students should spend some of their time elsewhere. Nine of many factors to consider when determining the amount of time and the kinds of instruction that should be provided in regular education classrooms and other settings are addressed. The ideological and instructional assumptions underlying the benefits that can accrue from functioning in both regular education classrooms and elsewhere must be realized.
65 citations
TL;DR: A person's day is organized to contribute to his or her quality of life as mentioned in this paper, and some people choose to go about their day in a highly structured manner, whereas others choose to function in a more unplan...
Abstract: How a person's day is organized contributes to his or her quality of life. Some people choose to go about their day in a highly structured manner, whereas others choose to function in a more unplan...
57 citations
TL;DR: The authors reanalyzes the principle of partial participation, which was introduced in 1982 to support educational programming for students with the most severe and profound disabilities, and presents four error patterns in how the concept has been used, some reasons why such error patterns have occurred, and strategies for avoiding these errors.
Abstract: This article reanalyzes the principle of partial participation, which was introduced in 1982 to support educational programming for students with the most severe and profound disabilities. The article presents four “error patterns” in how the concept has been used, some reasons why such error patterns have occurred, and strategies for avoiding these errors.
54 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed 27 studies of parental attitudes on the deinstitutionalization of a family member and found that parents were overwhelmingly satisfied with the institutional placement and general opposition to de-institutionalisation.
Abstract: This paper reviews 27 studies of parental attitudes on the deinstitutionalization of a family member. In 12 of the studies, the family member was institutionalized. Those studies showed overwhelming satisfaction with the institutional placement and general opposition to deinstitutionalization. In seven studies, the family member had already moved from an institution to the community. Those parents retrospectively reported lower levels of satisfaction with the earlier institutional placement, lower levels of opposition to deinstitutionalization, and high levels of satisfaction with community settings. The three studies in which parental attitudes were sampled both before and after deinstitutionalization mirrored the other studies, showing high levels of general satisfaction with institutional placements before deinstitutionalization and high levels of satisfaction with community placements after deinstitutionalization. Also summarized are parental concerns about deinstitutionalization, their continuing con...
47 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a qualitative study identified four major themes during interviews with 28 families whose children have dual sensory impairments and found that these concerns clustered around parental perceptions of a good life for their children, as well as their experiences with fear, frustration, and change.
Abstract: Although educators and other professionals acknowledge the importance of involving parents in their childrens' education, few researchers have investigated parental perceptions of educational and related services. This qualitative study identified four major themes during interviews with 28 families whose children have dual sensory impairments. These concerns clustered around parental perceptions of a “good life” for their children, as well as their experiences with fear, frustration, and change. Implications from the analysis may assist teachers, related service professionals, and administrators working with families to understand more fully parental perspectives.
43 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, three students with profound intellectual, sensory, and physical disabilities learned to activate a communication device as a "want"/request function within an initial chain interruption context and generalized the use of the switch for the same function to the two or three remaining contexts when these chains were interrupted.
Abstract: Three students with profound intellectual, sensory, and physical disabilities learned to activate a communication device as a “want”/request function within an initial chain interruption context and generalized the use of the switch for the same function to the two or three remaining contexts when these chains were interrupted. The intervention consisted of the use of a consistent response interval to allow for student preference and increasing time delay paired with decreasing physical assistance to teach initiation of an adaptive switch to operate a call device. A multiple baseline design across participants with successive generalization contexts was employed. The intervention was successful with all three students. Each participant learned to initiate and activate a device to request the continuation of routines in which they were only partially physically active or in which their participation was purely social. The outcomes are important for the participant population since previous work typically h...
35 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the sources and methods of dealing with stress in six families with adopted children who have severe developmental or multiple disabilities and found that interactions with school and medical personnel and other professionals were extremely stressful for all families interviewed, as were the difficulty in accessing appropriate services and concern about the availability of future services.
Abstract: Qualitative research methods were used to investigate the sources and methods of dealing with stress in six families with adopted children who have severe developmental or multiple disabilities. These families had adopted from 2 to 28 children. Most of the families also included “birth children” and two included a foster child. Participant observation was used with the families and unstructured interviews were conducted with parents, adoption agency workers, state children's welfare workers, and counselors working with adoptive families. Management of daily household tasks and child care routines were not identified as stressful. However, interactions with school and medical personnel and other professionals were extremely stressful for all families interviewed, as were the difficulty in accessing appropriate services and concern about the availability of future services. Parents also identified medical crises and crises resulting from adolescents' behavior problems as time-limited stressful situations. E...
31 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an initial attempt at reconceptualizing supported employment and the role of employers in providing support is made, and future research questions that may need to be addressed are discussed.
Abstract: Since the Workforce 2000 report documenting labor trends and issues was released by the Hudson Institute in 1987, business and industry have been reevaluating how support is provided to employees. Employee assistance programs, renewed investment in training, and other accommodations for an increasingly diverse workforce present an unparalleled opportunity to bring supported employment technology, values, and systems to contemporary business. This paper is an initial attempt at reconceptualizing supported employment and the role of employers in providing support. Changing strategies and future research questions that may need to be addressed are discussed.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assessed perceptions of special educators regarding the education and treatment needs of students with profound or multiple handicaps or medically fragile conditions, and a survey was conducted to assess their perceptions.
Abstract: This investigation assessed perceptions of special educators regarding the education and treatment needs of students with profound or multiple handicaps or medically fragile conditions. A survey wa...
25 citations
TL;DR: There is a need for more information about how to assess and honor the preferences of people with severe disabilities, as results indicate that 78% of participants' IHP objectives were preferred activities.
Abstract: The activity preferences of 15 adults with intellectual disabilities from eight community-based residential programs were assessed by the participants themselves, residential program staff, and advocates. The study provides descriptive information concerning the degree to which participants' perceived activity preferences were subsequently included in their Individualized Habilitation Plans (IHPs). Results indicate that 78% of participants' IHP objectives were preferred activities. Further analyses revealed that preferred activities requiring a greater degree of staff support were included on the IHP as training objectives, and preferred activities that participants performed infrequently were included as participation objectives. The study indicates a need for more information about how to assess and honor the preferences of people with severe disabilities.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effectiveness of a microcomputer-operated video-game format in training nonvocal students with severe physical handicaps to make scan and selection responses similar to those needed for operating linear scanning augmentative communication aids.
Abstract: This study examined the effectiveness of a microcomputer-operated video-game format in training nonvocal students with severe physical handicaps to make scan and selection responses similar to those needed for operating linear scanning augmentative communication aids. The video scanning and selection game systematically shaped scanning on more complex screens by slowly increasing the number of boxes presented simultaneously on the screen (i.e., from one to three boxes). Three children participated in a multiple probe across-subjects design to evaluate the effectiveness of the video game. Results indicated that all three children showed substantial increases in the number of correct scan and selection responses made at all three levels of difficulty. Generalization data indicated that all three children were able to transfer use of the skill to a Zygo 100 communication device. Maintenance of the effects also was demonstrated.
TL;DR: In this paper, the interrater agreement of visual judgments made from single-subject data was examined, and the results suggest that the low interraters agreement often associated with visual analysis of single subject data may be improved by simple supplements to visually inspected charts.
Abstract: The interrater agreement of visual judgments made from single-subject data was examined. Seventy-nine raters were given 21 single-subject graphs. Thirty-nine of the raters examined graphs containing single-subject data arrayed in the traditional format. The remaining 40 subjects reviewed AB graphs that were supplemented by a trend line. As measured by intraclass correlation coefficients, interrater agreement was higher for the trend line group than for the group relying only on visual analysis. There was a statistically significant correlation between the change in slope across the phases of the AB design and a score reflecting disagreement among raters in the visual analysis group. This relationship between change in slope and rater disagreement was not present in the trend line group. The results suggest that the low interrater agreement often associated with visual analysis of single-subject data may be improved by simple supplements to visually inspected charts.
TL;DR: In this article, a picture-prompted questionnaire assessing three dimensions of the SCES: Conflict, Cohesion, and Independence was used to compare picture-guided administration with reliance exclusively on verbal questioning.
Abstract: Reliable self-reporting by individuals with mental retardation is especially important as the field moves to promote consumer participation in decision making and program evaluation. The Sheltered Care Environmental Scale (SCES) was chosen as a basis for constructing a picture-prompted questionnaire assessing three dimensions of the SCES: Conflict, Cohesion, and Independence. A test-retest design was used to compare picture-prompted administration with reliance exclusively on verbal questioning. Data indicate that the use of pictures enhances the test-retest reliability of the instrument.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between the type of assessment report and educators' expectations for students with severe disabilities and found that the relationship was not as strong as they thought.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between the type of assessment report and educators' expectations for students with severe disabilities. Eighty-four educators were randomly assigned to one of ...
TL;DR: A literature review was conducted to analyze existing data on health needs of people with mental retardation and possible barriers to integration in the community, and the type and range of medical care, resources, and support services needed to maintain individuals with medical problems were identified.
Abstract: A literature review was conducted to analyze existing data on health needs of people with mental retardation and possible barriers to integration in the community. Information was obtained on medical conditions, level of care needed, and health-related outcomes. The type and range of medical care, resources, and support services needed to maintain individuals with medical problems were identified, as were barriers to and recommendations for the provision of community-based medical care. Although there are barriers to the provision of services to people with mental retardation and allied medical conditions, there are people who currently live in the community who have the same type of medical conditions and who require the same level of care needed as those who live in institutions. Medical services are typically, but not always, available to persons with mental retardation who reside in the community. Availability and access to services are addressed. Recommendations for future research and policy implica...
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of an intervention in which parents were taught to use facilitative strategies when interacting with their children with profound disabilities were described, and the intervention was evaluated.
Abstract: This article describes the effects of an intervention in which parents were taught to use facilitative strategies when interacting with their children with profound disabilities. The intervention c...
TL;DR: A regional survey of 142 supported employment program managers and 519 direct service personnel, conducted in the states comprising Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Region III, identified respondents' self-reported training needs, educational backgrounds, and previous employment experiences as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: A regional survey of 142 supported employment program managers and 519 direct service personnel, conducted in the states comprising Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Region III, identified respondents' self-reported training needs, educational backgrounds, and previous employment experiences. The results indicate that currently employed supported employment personnel, both program managers and direct service personnel, are female, young, highly educated, minimally paid, and experienced a variety of employment experiences prior to working in supported employment programs. Personnel training appears to have been effective in introducing personnel to supported employment philosophy, management, and implementation strategies. However, the findings suggest a need for technical assistance to refine the skills of both program managers and direct service staff.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight several strategies used by Bay Area Personnel Systems, a model demonstration project, to ensure the inclusion of persons with dual sensory impairments and other multiple disabilities in integrated community employment.
Abstract: Case study examples highlight several strategies used by Bay Area Personnel Systems, a model demonstration project, to ensure the inclusion of persons with dual sensory impairments and other multiple disabilities in integrated community employment. Heterogeneous group placement, job restructuring, use of natural support, volunteerism, and social skills training are practices perceived to be particularly critical in ensuring integrated work for people with dual sensory impairment.
TL;DR: The effect of pleas for ecologically valid research in the 1970s was examined in this paper, where the authors examined the effect of the pleas in two periodicals, the American Journal on Mental Retardation (AJMR) and the Journal of The Association...
Abstract: The effect of pleas for ecologically valid research in the 1970s was examined. The research in two periodicals, the American Journal on Mental Retardation (AJMR), and the Journal of The Association...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the relationship between student performance under training conditions and under two types of probe conditions: (a) multiple-opportunity (student is given the opportunity to perform every step in a task analysis), and (b) single opportunistic probe data.
Abstract: Teachers need to evaluate student performance to make instructional decisions, but student performance can be affected by the conditions under which the data are collected This study explores the relationship between student performance under training conditions and under two types of probe conditions: (a) multiple-opportunity (student is given the opportunity to perform every step in a task analysis), and (b) single-opportunity (student is not given the opportunity to complete the task after the first error) Eighteen randomly selected sets of classroom data collected on performance of multiple-step functional tasks by students with severe disabilities were used for the analysis Correlations were calculated to describe the strength of the relationship between training and probe data, and X-tests were run to examine the differences between probe conditions The relationship between probe and training varied Single-opportunity probe data were more variable than multiple-opportunity probe data, and the d