Education
and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
VOLUME 36
NUMBER 1 MARCH 2001
Age of Majority and Mental Retardation: A Position Statement of the Division
on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
Student Involvement
in Transition Planning: Unheard Voices
Aging Phenomena
Among People With Mental Retardation In Community Residence In Israel
Teacher Perceptions
of Supports and Resources Needed in Regard to Pupils with Special Educational
Needs in Sweden
Parental Perceptions
of the Education of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Related Service
Personnel Perceptions of Team AAC Decision-Making Across Cultures
Cognition and
Metacognition: Evidence of Higher Thinking in Problem Solving of Adolescents
with Mental Retardation
Strategies and
Considerations for Teaching an Adolescent with Down Syndrome and Type I Diabetes
to Self-Administer Insulin
Paraprofessional
Staff Teaching Adults with Mental Retardation
Enhancing Independent
Internet Access for Individuals with Mental Retardation through Use of a Specialized
Web Browser: A Pilot Study
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Abstracts
Age of Majority and Mental Retardation: A Position Statement of the Division
on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
PAM LINDSEY
MICHAEL L. WEHMEYER
BARBARA GUY
JAMES MARTIN
The 1997 amendments to the IDEA make several references to the transfer
of rights to students who reach the age of majority while in school. Age of
majority is a legal term referring to the age at which an individual is no
longer considered a minor and, as such, becomes legally able to exercise
rights accorded to adults in that state or province. The actual age at which
individuals reach the age of majority differs from state-to-state or
province-to-province according to local law. Most governments, however,
recognize the age of majority as when the individual turns 18 or 19, or when
he or she is married, or convicted of a criminal offense as an adult.
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Student Involvement
in Transition Planning: Unheard Voices
COLLEEN A. THOMA
PAT ROGAN
STEVEN R. BAKER
Abstract: Despite over a decade of attention to transition from school
to adult life, relatively little has been written about the involvement of
students with disabilities in transition planning, especially those with more
significant disabilities. This qualitative research study involved eight
students with labels of moderate, severe, or multiple disabilities and focused
on the nature of their involvement in transition planning during their final
year of high school. Teachers and parents made little investment in preparing
students for their transition planning meetings. While these students were
physically present for formal transition IEP meetings, none were active
participants with designated roles. School personnel controlled meetings and
interacted primarily with parents and other professionals. Adults spoke about
students rather than with students. Information shared at these meetings often
focused on student deficits. Student voices were often lost and their
expressed interests were not always realized. While adults considered student
transition outcomes to be positive, they had little or no connection to
personal student goals. Recommendations are offered for increasing the
involvement of students with disabilities in their own life planning.
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Aging Phenomena
Among People With Mental Retardation In Community Residence In Israel
HEFZIBA LIFSHITZ
Abstract: The main goal of the present study was to investigate
phenomena of aging among people with mental retardation in community
residence, in one of the largest cities in Israel. Subjects were 37 men and 28
women, in three age groups: 40-49 (N = 26), 50-59 (N = 25), and 60+ (N = 14)
living in group homes (N = 53) and apartments (N = 12). Eleven subjects are
people with Down Syndrome, 9 have cerebral palsy, 8 have sensory deficits, 9
have psychiatric disorders, and 28 are people with mental retardation, no
specific syndrome. The survey aimed at investigating aging phenomena in
physical health, daily living skills, occupation, cognition, social life and
leisure activities in relation to age, syndrome and residential framework.
Results indicate declines as early as age 40 in physical health. The most
common ailment is diabetes, followed by weight problems. People with cerebral
palsy were most affected by aging. 22% lost previous mobility, needing
wheelchairs, and their daily functioning declined drastically. There was,
however, no evident decline in intellectual functioning. People with Down
syndrome showed the greatest decline only in leisure activities. The
differences in aging phenomena between residential frameworks are related to
differences in the residents' retardation levels and syndromes.
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Teacher Perceptions
of Supports and Resources Needed in Regard to Pupils with Special Educational
Needs in Sweden
LISE ROLL-PETTERSSON
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare resources and
supports expressed as being available and in need of change among 39 teachers
with pupils in integrated and segregated school environments in relation to
inclusive schooling. Another aim was to compare these perceptions in relation
to the rated degree of pupil disability. Results indicate that regardless of
educational setting teachers perceived strong needs for regular and ongoing
inservice training and access to university courses. Teachers in segregated
settings perceived more supports as available than teachers in integrated
settings. Higher percentages of teachers in integrated settings reported a
greater need for, than availability of supports, mainly within the training
and physical resource categories. Teachers of pupils rated as being more
disabled perceive needing more contact with other professionals.
Recommendations are made in regard to inclusive schooling.
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Parental Perceptions
of the Education of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
ELIZABETH M. STARR
JANIS B. FOY
KENNETH M. CRAMER
Abstract: Parents of 69 children (59 male, 10 female, ranging in age
from 4 to 19) with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) were surveyed about
their perceptions of, and their satisfaction with the education their children
were receiving. The survey examined parental perceptions related to their
children's classroom environment and education team, and whether perceptions
were affected depending on the children's communication ability, class
placement, age, and whether there was more than one child with PDD in the
family. Kruskall-Wallis and Mann Whitney U statistics of the total scores
found no significant differences across educational settings, but did find
significant differences between verbal and nonverbal children, and number of
children with PDD in the family on classroom environment and education team
items, and for age on education team items only. Parents of nonverbal children
rated the items more highly, as did parents of the youngest age group and
parents of more than one child with PDD, indicating either a more positive
perception or greater satisfaction with the educational system. Results were
also examined in terms of how parents felt their children were progressing,
their satisfaction with their child's current placement, and if they felt
their children were learning useful lifeskills. Of 49 parents identifying
needs for services or programs for their children, 14 (28.6%) identified more
autism-specific education and training for school personnel working with their
children as a key need. Implications for inservice training regarding the
nature of PDD, home-school collaboration, and educational inclusion are
discussed.
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Related Service
Personnel Perceptions of Team AAC Decision-Making Across Cultures
HOWARD P. PARETTE
MARY BLAKE HUER
MARY JANE BROTHERSON
Abstract: Family-centered practices are increasingly being emphasized in
team assistive technology planning processes. Professional sensitivity to
cultural and family issues during such processes, particularly AAC
decision-making, is integral to successful outcomes. This article describes a
preliminary information-gathering activity that examined professional
perceptions of their roles and that of families in the AAC processes. Focus
group sessions were conducted with small groups of related service
professionals from five states. Transcripts of proceedings were analyzed, and
perceptions were organized around five themes: communication style, specific
information needs, values, teaming, and implementation/training. Results are
discussed in the context of these five themes, and implications for AAC team
members are provided.
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Cognition and
Metacognition: Evidence of Higher Thinking in Problem Solving of Adolescents
with Mental Retardation
GILAT EREZ
IRIT PELED
Abstract: This study investigates the repertoire of cognitive schemes
used by adolescents with mental retardation in the process of solving additive
word problems. Fifteen male and female students, with mild to moderate mental
retardation, were individually interviewed. Observations were made of their
problem understanding, and of manifestation of metacognitive knowledge. The
findings provide evidence of at least a partial part-part-whole scheme for
about half of the students. This relatively high cognitive level was exhibited
by some students without any help, and by others following a period of short
instruction. The observations also disclose more use of metacognitive
knowledge than is usually expected of students at this ability range. The
results suggest that given moderate and relevant help and a chance to exhibit
their ability, some of these youngsters will learn to handle more complex
situations.
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Strategies and
Considerations for Teaching an Adolescent with Down Syndrome and Type I Diabetes
to Self-Administer Insulin
SYLVIA M. BOSNER
PHILLIP J. BELFIORE
Abstract: In this study, a system of least prompts, partial
participation, and parental involvement were used to teach an adolescent with
Down Syndrome, moderate mental retardation, and Type I diabetes to
self-administer an injection of insulin as part of an overall plan to increase
self-determination and independence. The results indicated that (a) both tasks
were completed successfully with partial participation, and (b)
self-confidence, as measured through a questionnaire, was enhanced as a result
of her success with the tasks.
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Paraprofessional
Staff Teaching Adults with Mental Retardation
TIMO SALOVITA
ULLA LEIHTINEN
Abstract: Paraprofessional staff working in group homes, institutions,
day care centers, and sheltered workshops for people with mental retardation
participated in in-service training on adult education, in which basic
teaching skills were trained. The majority of the trainees wrote and
implemented individual teaching programs for their clients. The results of the
teaching were followed by measuring the adaptive behavior of the clients with
the AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale before the teaching began, and again, two
years after. The results indicated positive gains in adaptive behavior among
those clients who received teaching (n = 56). A small comparison group (n =
14) that did not receive teaching, showed no gains. In some aspects there was
even deterioration.
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Enhancing Independent
Internet Access for Individuals with Mental Retardation through Use of a Specialized
Web Browser: A Pilot Study
DANIEL K. DAVIES
STEVEN E. STOCK
MICHAEL L. WEHMEYER
Abstract: Access to burgeoning information and recreation sources
available on the Internet and World Wide Web for individuals with mental
retardation has been hindered by numerous factors, including limited
opportunities for individuals with mental retardation to use computers, lack
of appropriate and cognitively accessible Internet-access software, and
barriers to computer use associated with the complexity of operating systems
and amount of reading needed. As is the case with most mainstream software
applications, leading web browsers are not accessible for use by persons with
mental retardation due to literacy and writing requirements and the browsers'
general complexity of operation. In this pilot study a prototype web browser,
called Web Trek, that utilizes multimedia to provide access for individuals
with cognitive disabilities was developed and pilot-tested. The software
prototype was piloted to assess its utility for increasing independent
Internet access as compared to Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0. Results
demonstrated that the Web Trek browser provided greater independence in
accessing the Internet as compared to Internet Explorer. Participants were
able to operate Web Trek significantly more independently and experienced
fewer errors in the tasks of searching for web sites, saving favorite sites to
a favorites list, and returning to favorite site. Pilot study results
demonstrated that self-directed access to the Internet and World Wide Web is
achievable for individuals with mental retardation when a specialized web
browser is used for access. Implications of this research suggest that the Web
Trek system has great potential for improving educational and recreational
opportunities within this population.
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