Background: There are approximately 1 billion people in the world with some form of disability. This corresponds to approximately 15% of the world's population (World Report on Disability, 2011). The majority of people with disabilities (80%) live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where disability has been shown to disproportionately…

This article describes a case study of adult learning in a Canadian multisite Community Cardiovascular Hearts in Motion program. The researcher highlights the informal learning of 40 adult participants in this 12-week community-based cardiac rehabilitation/education program in five rural Nova Scotia communities. The effects of this learning and…

The concept of social capital provided a helpful framework in which to describe the development of a pilot programme to promote inclusive education within Zanzibar. This had involved 20 schools and was supported by an international donor working through a local non-governmental organisation in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Evaluative…

Purpose: Today, the criminal justice system is annually placing more than 300,000 people with severe mental illness (SMI) in prisons and jails which are neither equipped nor staffed to respond to the unique challenges of this population. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the literature that focuses on treating inmates with…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss programs that serve children with special needs in Iran, as well as early intervention. These programs are provided through two separate governmental organizations: the Well-Fare Department, and Special Education Organization. These programs include different types of habilitation services such as (a)…

A population-based prevalence study in one region of Jamaica in 1987-1989 indicated that about 8% of the childhood population had cognitive (intellectual) disability. Some harmful beliefs and practices persist about child rearing, violence towards women, and child abuse of all types. A lack of knowledge is apparent about the efficacy of home-based…

In Nepal, the estimates of the prevalence of disabilities vary, and there is sparse information specifically about people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Existing data suggest higher rates of prevalence of ID in the more remote northern area due to use of non-iodized salt, lack of health facilities, and extreme poverty. Superstitious beliefs…

This paper examines the magnitude of the problem of disability facing developing countries; the traditional response to this challenge and its ineffectiveness; the emergence of community-based rehabilitation (CBR); its underlying assumptions and effectiveness in terms of staff training, interagency partnerships, and parental and community…

A survey of parent views of the community-based rehabilitation program in two Jamaican communities is reported. Analysis of the 539 questionnaire responses indicated appreciation of home visits, increased knowledge, and improved attitudes and child-rearing practices. Unmet needs in child and parent education were also identified. (DB)

The institution-based model for providing services to individuals with disabilities has limitations in both developing and developed countries. The community-based rehabilitation model was positively evaluated by the World Health Organization as an alternative approach, but the evaluation is questioned on methodological and philosophical grounds.…

Discussion of a survey on non-governmental organizations involved in community-based rehabilitation for people with disabilities focuses on differences between collaboration in industrialized and less developed countries; resource dependency; and structural characteristics of organizations that influence their interactions. The limited public…

Scaling-up (the expansion or development of organizational activities of nongovernmental agencies to achieve greater impact) in community-based rehabilitation is described by using case study materials from industrialized and less-developed countries (India, Canada, and Indonesia) and focusing on differences in structural characteristics of…

This paper reviews research and evaluates information gathered on disabilities and service development in South Asia, especially India and Pakistan. The concept of "community-based rehabilitation" (CBR), which stresses the need for rehabilitation efforts rooted in the context of local cultural concepts, is discussed. The paper emphasizes…

This paper describes video training packages that have been developed in Guyana as part of Hopeful Steps, a program which uses the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) model of service delivery for training rehabilitation workers and volunteers and now serves children with disabilities and their families in five rural regions of the country. (DB)

Reviews the history of services for people with mental disabilities in Pakistan, with emphasis on the development of outreach projects based on principles of community-based rehabilitation. Strategies are suggested that build on existing realities and strengths of families and communities. Promising examples from Bangladesh are cited. (Author/DB)