Background: Individuals with severe disability exiting school are likely to be enrolled in day activity and sheltered workshops at least as often as in supported employment. Such facilities are often staffed by paraprofessionals who may not have the skills to engage clients in meaningful activities. This article describes a 3-phase staff training…

Background: The involvement of people with intellectual disability in research is framed as inclusive, denoting their active participation in its processes. However, questions are raised about ownership and control, genuineness of involvement, and the need for honest accounts to develop practice. Such issues are particularly pressing in Australia,…

Background: Negative attitudes towards people with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities (ID), have the potential to contribute to the poor healthcare received by this group. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the attitudes of fourth year undergraduate medical students towards interacting with people with…

A total of 274 preservice teacher education students were surveyed at the beginning and end of a one-semester unit on Human Development and Education which combined formal instruction with structured fieldwork experiences. The latter included interviewing community members regarding their knowledge of Down syndrome and opinions on inclusive…

Background: The development of communication skills in children with severe disabilities partly depends on the responsivity of partners to all forms of communicative behaviour. This study explored the behaviours that parents interpret as communicative. Method: Parents of 10 children aged 4 to 9 years were interviewed about the forms of…