Education
and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
VOLUME
38 NUMBER 1 MARCH 2003
Review
and Discussion of a Model for Seamless Transition to Adulthood
East
Meets West: Analysis of Person-Centered Planning in the Context of Asian
American Values
Can
Students with Mental Retardation Teach their Peers?
Multi-Media
Instruction to Teach Grocery Word Associations and Store Location: A Study of
Generalization
Effectiveness of Peer Delivered
Simultaneous Prompting on Teaching Community Signs to Students with
Developmental Disabilities
Effects of a Positive Support Approach to
Enhance Communicative Behaviors of Children with Mental Retardation who have
Challenging Behaviors
Utilization of Computer Technology to
Facilitate Money Management by Individuals with Mental Retardation
The Co-Teacher Relationship Scale:
Applications for Professional Development
Supported
Employment: The Challenges of New Staff Recruitment, Selection and Retention
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Abstracts
Review
and Discussion of a Model for Seamless Transition to Adulthood
NICOLAS J. CERTO AND DENISE MAUTZ
IAN PUMPIAN AND CAREN SAX
KIM SMALLEY AND HOLLY A. WADE
DAVE NOYES
RICH LUECKING
JERRY WECHSLER
NANCY BATTERMAN
Abstract: This article discusses a new model for service delivery, the
Transition Service Integration Model. This model integrates resources and
expertise of three primary systems responsible for transition from school to
adulthood for individuals with significant support needs. These entities are
public schools, rehabilitation and developmental disability systems. The model
involves school districts forming a partnership directly with private
non-profit agencies that typically serve adults with significant support
needs. Through this partnership personnel from the school district and private
agencies work together during a student's last year in public school to
develop a paid direct-hire competitive job and a variety of inclusive
community activities to engage in when not working that establish a
person-centered and self-determined adult lifestyle prior to school exit.
Support needed to maintain these work and non-work activities after graduation
is shared by the rehabilitation and developmental disability systems with the
same non-profit agency authorized to continue the same services on the first
service day after school exit, creating a seamless transition for the
individual. After four years of implementation, involving 234 students from 14
school districts in California and Maryland, 63% of all graduates have been
employed at school exit and 88% of all graduates have experienced a seamless
transition, that is, having no break in support services following school
exit. Three year maintenance information shows that 90% of these graduates are
still receiving support from the same non-profit agency and that 71% are still
employed.
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East
Meets West: Analysis of Person-Centered Planning in the Context of Asian
American Values
YVONNE NGUYEN BUI
ANN TURNBULL
Abstract: This paper synthesizes literature on person-centered planning
and Asian American families who have children with disabilities. The purpose
of the paper is to evaluate the extent to which core values of person-centered
planning are consistent with those held by Asian American subgroups. Based on
existing research studies, values of person-centered planning do not seem to
be explicitly consistent with Asian American cultural values. However, given
specific modifications, person-centered planning may be implemented and
effective for some Asian American families. Guidelines and suggestions for
implementation are presented.
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Can
Students with Mental Retardation Teach their Peers?
VICKY G. SPENCER
GIULIA BALBONI
Abstract: This review provides an updated synthesis on peer tutoring
research focusing on school-age students with mental retardation serving as
tutors and/or tutees. The focus included peer tutoring implementations in the
areas of academic, social, and daily living/self-help skills. Results of the
52 studies were categorized and discussed according to elementary or secondary
level.
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Multi-Media
Instruction to Teach Grocery Word Associations and Store Location: A Study of
Generalization
LINDA C. MECHLING
DAVID L. GAST
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to evaluate use of multi-media
instruction to teach students with intellectual disabilities to locate grocery
items by reading words on aisle signs that are associated with the target item
word. A multiple probe design across three sets of word pairs, replicated
across 3 students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities was used to
evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Instruction was conducted using a
simulated multi-media program with text, photographs, and video recordings
depicting the target grocery items and the associated word on an aisle sign.
All generalization probes, including generalizing to a novel grocery store not
depicted in the computer-based program, were assessed in community grocery
stores. Results indicate that the multi-media program was effective in
teaching generalized reading of the associated word pairs and location of the
grocery items in the store. Recommendations for enhancing the program are
discussed.
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Effectiveness of Peer Delivered
Simultaneous Prompting on Teaching Community Signs to Students with
Developmental Disabilities
ELIF TEKIN-IFTAR
Abstract: A multiple probe study across behaviors, replicated across
participants, assessed effectiveness of peer delivered simultaneous prompting
in teaching expressively identifying community signs to four students with
developmental disabilities. The two purposes of the study were: (a) to find
out if peer tutors use simultaneous prompting reliably for instructing their
tutees with developmental disabilities, and (b) to examine effectiveness of
simultaneous prompting on teaching expressively identifying community signs.
The definition of community sign was presented as instructive feedback.
Besides these aims, generalization and maintenance effects of simultaneous
prompting were also investigated in the study. Generalization across persons
was tested before introducing simultaneous prompting (SP) and after tutees met
criteria. Maintenance data for targeted and non-targeted behaviors were
collected one week after instruction. Results show that peer tutors deliver SP
reliably, and tutees acquired expressively identifying community signs. Tutees
also gained some instructive feedback. Furthermore, tutees maintained acquired
skills at criterion level and generalized acquired skills to another person at
criterion level. Based upon evaluation of findings and implications of the
study future research needs are discussed.
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Effects of a Positive Support
Approach to Enhance Communicative Behaviors of Children with Mental
Retardation who have Challenging Behaviors
ORIT HETZRONI
TALI ROTH
Abstract: This study investigated effects of a positive behavior support
plan accompanied by an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
intervention on the reduction of challenging behaviors manifested by children
with moderate and severe mental retardation. A multiple-probe design across
participants was used for collecting data on various challenging behaviors
exhibited by students including: self-injurious behaviors, pinching, pulling,
screaming, and crying. All behaviors were assessed using functional
assessment, followed by a positive AAC support plan created by the school
team. Participants were taught to use more appropriate alternative means to
communicate. Results indicated a reduction in the percentage of intervals of
challenging behaviors. The positive support plans created by the whole school
staff used AAC for enhancing communicative behaviors. This plan provided
students with alternatives, which also enabled them to enhance the learning of
class material.
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Utilization of Computer Technology
to Facilitate Money Management by Individuals with Mental Retardation
DANIEL K. DAVIES
STEVEN E. STOCK
MICHAEL L. WEHMEYER
Abstract: This report describes final results of an initial
investigation of the utility of a specially designed money management software
system for improving management of personal checking accounts for individuals
with mental retardation. The software provided users capacity to store and
retrieve common payees, automatic posting of checks to the register, automatic
balancing, and check printing. The research was designed to examine technical
merit and feasibility of the automated checkbook management system for use by
individuals with mental retardation. An initial "proof of concept"
software-based functional prototype was developed and tested with 19 adults
with mental retardation. Participants were trained on the use of the money
management prototype and on traditional checkbook usage. A within-subjects
experimental design was used to evaluate the utility of the system. Results of
the experimental evaluation indicate that when using the software, the number
of errors made in check writing, check recording, and checkbook balancing by
users with mental retardation was significantly reduced as compared to the
traditional manual method (p < .001). This finding was particularly
promising given the limited amount of time available for training subjects on
the use of the software prototype.
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The Co-Teacher Relationship
Scale: Applications for Professional Development
MARY JO NOONAN
LINDA MCCORMICK
RONALD H. HECK
Abstract: Co-teaching is a service delivery model to support inclusion of
young children with disabilities in early childhood programs. Despite
widespread agreement that the co-teacher relationship is critical to success
of this model, there has been little attention to quantifying variables
inherent in this relationship. This study explored reliability of a
self-rating scale (the Co-Teacher Rating Scale [CRS]) completed by 10
co-teacher teams. Findings are compared to reliability of the instrument when
completed by two external raters (the program supervisors). Results suggest
that the CRS, when completed by external raters, can provide useful data for
summative evaluation. Co-teacher self-ratings would be appropriately used for
formative evaluation purposes. Future research should focus on field-testing
formative and summative evaluation applications of the instrument and
investigating the cultural component of the co-teaching relationship.
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Analysis of Mental Retardation
Service Provision for Class Members and Non-Class Members
SCOTT SPREAT
JAMES W. CONROY
Abstract: Class action litigation resulted in the closing of Hissom
Memorial Center in Oklahoma. Most of the members of the plaintiff class were
placed in community based homes and guaranteed a certain level of services.
Services provided to these class members were compared with services provided
to persons who were not in the plaintiff class. It was found that members of
the plaintiff class received more hours of service per month, experienced a
stronger staffing ratio, participated more in community integration
activities, and received a greater share of the mental retardation dollar.
These differences withstood statistically equating adaptive behavior ratings
and limiting the analysis to persons with profound mental retardation. Results
are discussed in terms of impact on the national waiting list problem.
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