Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Architects of reform
- Author:
- KAEHNE Axel
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 9(5), July 2009, pp.34-36.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Highlights the key themes from a series of research papers delivered at a round table summit involving academics and practitioners from the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany and Australia looking at what really improves lives for people with learning disabilities.
Self- and proxy-rated needs in adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities: perspective matters
- Authors:
- SCHUTZWOHL Matthias, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(2), 2018, pp.285-295.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Adults with an intellectual disability should be supported according to their individual needs. The perception of need, however, is influenced by the values and expectations of the judging person. Method: Using the Camberwell Assessment of Need for Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, self- and proxy-rated needs of n = 193 adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability were compared. Results: Mean total needs and met needs, but not unmet needs, differed significantly between perspectives. As concerns the assessment of specific areas of need, indices revealed a complex and multifaceted pattern of agreement and disagreement. Conclusion: Different viewpoints should be considered when assessing needs among adults with intellectual disability. With respect to areas other than basic, everyday areas of need, involvement of the adult with intellectual disability is strongly recommended. The assessment of mental health problems requires the involvement of clinical professionals, assessing problem behaviour broad diagnostic measures beyond a standardised instrument. (Edited publisher abstract)
Commentary on ‘Deinstitutionalisation and community living for people with intellectual disabilities in Austria’
- Author:
- WEINBACH Hanna
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 14(1), February 2009, pp.14-17.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Comments on a paper from Tobias Buchner which outlined the situation of deinstitutionalisation and community living in Austria. The author looks at the similarities between the situation in Austria to that of Germany, and the difficulties of the transition process.
Cross-cultural measurement of critical quality of life concepts
- Authors:
- KEITH Kenneth D., HEAL Laird W., SCHALOCK Robert L.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 21(4), December 1996, pp.273-293.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
A semantic differential technique was used to assess the meaning of 10 quality of life (QOL) concepts across seven cultures: Australia, England, Finland, Germany, Japan, Republic of China, and the United States. Each concept was rated on nine pairs of adjectives representing three dimensions (value, potency, or activity). Across the 7 countries all 10 of the QOL concepts received strong positive ratings on the value dimension, and lower positive ratings on the potency and activity dimensions. Japan, however, was an exception to the general pattern with Japanese raters assigning negative ratings for value and activity and positive ratings for potency. The results are discussed in relation to the differences between individualistic and collective cultures.
Public bus drivers and social inclusion: evaluation of their knowledge and attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- TILLMANN Vera, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(4), 2014, pp.307-313.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Public bus drivers are a relevant part of the social network supporting people with intellectual disability (ID) in the independent use of public transport as their support can increase self-determination and social inclusion. This study used a standardized questionnaire to assess with a representative sample of 139 local bus drivers to assess their experiences with, knowledge of and attitudes toward people with learning disabilities. The survey was conducted in a town in Germany with rural surroundings as part of the Nordhorn Public Transportation Intervention Study. In survey 19% of the bus drivers had experiences with people with ID in their private lives. Knowledge about ID was rather moderate, differing widely according to specific items. Some drivers saw people with disabilities as passengers who are difficult and who needed more attention. Authors concluded that bus drivers are an essential part of the social support system of persons with ID and that assessment of bus drivers' attitudes, experiences, and knowledge is necessary to develop specific training programs. Valid information, communication, and social interaction skills training should be integrated in the regular training of bus drivers. Assessment and training of bus drivers could enhance the chances of persons with ID significantly to be mobile citizens in an inclusive society. (Edited publisher abstract)
Decision-making after prenatal diagnosis of a syndrome predisposing to intellectual disability: what prospective parents need to know and the importance of non-medical information
- Author:
- HUYARD Caroline
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(4), December 2012, pp.315-323.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
A study conducted in France, Belgium and Germany investigated what type of information prospective parents need for decision-making about continuing or terminating a pregnancy in the case of a condition predisposing to intellectual disability. 33 parents whose young or adult children had an intellectual disability were recruited through self-help groups, and took part in semi-structured interviews covering discovery of the syndrome, parenting practices, moral feelings regarding the child's behaviour, and personal dimensions of the experience of having such a child. Data analysis focusing on decision-making highlighted the importance of 3 types of information: the foetus as a future child and individual person, the couple as future parents, and the social environment of the future child and his or her parents and its capacity to support them. The article discusses these categories of information in relation to the decisions the interviewees retrospectively considered they would have made had they known about their child's syndrome at a prenatal stage. It includes quotations from participants. The authors conclude that their findings demonstrate that prospective parents' essential information needs are not limited to medical information.
Focus on Europe: further education needed for people with mental handicap
- Author:
- SLUCKIN Alice
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 1(1), 1987, pp.63-70.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Reports on some of the changes that have taken in four European countries and a comparison is made with some aspects of current British practice. It is now know that, given the right methods, even severely mentally handicapped people can be taught quite complex skills. Hence they should have access to further education, which has in the past been denied to them.
Mobility and public transport use abilities of children and young adults with intellectual disabilities: results from the 3-year Nordhorn public transportation intervention study
- Authors:
- HAVEMAN Meindert, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(4), 2014, pp.289-299.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The Nordhorn Public Transportation Intervention Study project in Germany had the aim of increasing the independent use of public transportation by students with intellectual disabilities (ID) through interventions in the social and physical environment. Success of the project was measured by the number of students who were able to independently go from home to school at the end compared with the start of the project and by the skills students evidenced with coping with barriers on their way to school at the end of the project compared with their baseline skills. This multicenter study included various types of interventions: assessment of mobility/traffic competency, mobility integrated individual educational plans, mobility and traffic curriculum, information for teachers and parents, training for bus drivers, real-life traffic training, support by mobility trainers and trip coaches, adaptations to streets and buses, and incident management including the use of communication devices (e.g., mobile phones with Global Positioning System). At the start of the project, less than 1% of the 124 students with ID used public transport to get to school, 3 years later, the proportion increased to 65.3%. On 19 of 29 items, students showed relevant and statistically significant improvement of skills in public transport use and traffic wayfinding behavior compared with the situation at baseline. (Edited publisher abstract)
Assessing mobility competences of children with intellectual disabilities: development and results of the mobility assessment schedule
- Authors:
- KVAS Štefan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(4), 2014, pp.300-306.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article describes the aims, development, and testing of the Mobility Assessment Schedule (MAS), an instrument assessing the ability of students with intellectual disability (ID), to function effectively as pedestrians in normal traffic. The MAS provides information about individual mobility skills of school-age children with ID and measures the child's traffic skills congruent with safely and independently functioning in traffic situations. Mobility skills are measured in eight areas: visual perception, auditory perception, reaction, memory, attention, motor skills, social skills, and communication. The MAS was tested with 128 students at one school for children with ID in Germany. The internal consistencies of the scale and subscales were reasonable to good. Baseline results showed that the students already possessed, even before mobility training, many skills that are necessary for participation in traffic situations. The MAS is applicable and valid to assess traffic functioning skills of children with ID and can be an important tool for mobility training because it delivers information on various skills, which are necessary to function independently in traffic situations. This inventory can be part of the school's individual educational plans. (Publisher abstract)
Additional support for individuals with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviors in regions of northwest Europe
- Authors:
- LUNENBORG Carolien B., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 8(2), June 2011, pp.92-103.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
About 10% of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) exhibit challenging behaviours. To support parents and care staff when they are unable to find a solution to overcome or reduce these behaviours, some countries provide additional professional support. In the Netherlands, 5 regional Centres for Consultation and Expertise (CCEs) offer supplemental support as part of their consultation programme. This study was undertaken to determine if additional professional support occurs in other regions of northwestern Europe and, if so, how was is organised. The regions which were looked at were Norway, Flanders, England, Wales, and the German regions of the Rhineland. Key informants in each region completed questionnaires about additional support services. The findings showed a diversity of approaches addressing additional support services. In most regions, there is no general formal policy on providing such support for individuals with ID, their parents, or care staff. Instead, either a range of local initiatives have been developed or there are no initiatives. In these instances, persons with ID or their carers have to rely on regular support services to address their mental health needs. The article concludes that organising additional support as part of a formal services will increase the likelihood that, when regular support has failed, individuals with ID or their carers will be able to obtain supports to find solutions for reducing problematic challenging behaviours.