bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplemental Security Income and Vocational Rehabilitation for Transition-Age Individuals with Disabilities
Authors: Berry Hugh G. , Price-Ellingstad Debra , Halloran William , Finch Thomas
Published: May 2008

This study analyzed the 1996 Rehabilitation Services Administration's (RSA) 911 case service database to determine the characteristics of 59,624 transition-age Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program participants and nonparticipants who exited a vocational rehabilitation program with employment outcomes. Analyses focused on vocational rehabilitation closure statuses, major disabling conditions, earnings and benefits, and services and training received. Findings indicated that SSI participants were just as likely to achieve employment outcomes as SSI nonparticipants. Transition-age SSI participants worked fewer hours and earned less than their nonparticipant counterparts, and employed SSI participants who exited the vocational rehabilitation program were most often persons with mental retardation who continued to receive public assistance income while working. These findings and issues are discussed in terms of policies that emphasize increased work and earnings through the use of SSI work incentives and the provision of timely, consumer-oriented services through the vocational rehabilitation program.
The Implications of Emerging Demographics
Authors: Fujiura Glenn T.
Published: May 2008

The intersection of disability and minority status has been a fixture in U.S. disablement paradigms. In the following commentary I argue that the character of the discussion has become formulaic, focused on vague allusions to discrimination and bias in the delivery of services and supports. Although the disability community has moved from relative apathy to consistent concern over the past two decades, our field has attempted to address symptoms rather than the more fundamental question of the manner in which race and ethnicity matter.
Improving the Cost Efficiency of Supported Employment Programs
Authors: Cimera Robert Evert
Published: May 2008

This article reviews the monetary benefits and costs that taxpayers incur as a result of funding supported employment programs. Each cost accounting variable involved in formulating cost efficiency from the taxpayer's perspective is discussed. Methods for increasing taxpayer cost efficiency are then suggested.
Comparing Perspectives of People with Disabilities and Professionals on the ICIDH-2 Beta-1
Authors: Gray David B. , Welch Patricia M. , Hollingsworth Holly
Published: May 2008

The World Health Organization is revising the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH). As part of the revision process, 51 individuals in the United States completed a survey. The respondents included people with and without disabilities and rehabilitation-related professionals. This article reports areas of agreement and disagreement on several changes proposed for the ICIDH-2. Results indicate agreement for the need to classify activities rather than disabilities, to replace "handicap" with "participation restriction," and to include environmental factors in the classification. Policy implications include tracking the influence of policy changes on the activities performed and on participation in major life activities by people classified as impaired in motor or mental capacity. Including the classification of environmental factors could encourage a confluence of the social and biological models of disability that would provide a richer understanding of the interactions between people with disabilities and their surroundings.
State Policy Innovation and Systems Change
Authors: McGaughey Martha , Mank David
Published: May 2008

The adoption and expansion of supported employment for people with severe disabilities has evolved steadily, if unevenly, across the United States since first defined in the Developmental Disabilities Act in 1985. In that year, this expansion was initiated in the context of systems-change incentives offered by the federal government. States were offered a financial incentive to "change the system" from sheltered work and segregated day programs to integrated supported employment in community jobs with individualized supports. While novel to the rehabilitation field, the concept of systems change in the implementation of progressive public policy has been used with a number of social issues for a number of decades. This article describes factors that influence state implementation of public policy, discusses political cultures that vary across states, and describes disability policy orientations that affect disability policy implementation. These elements are discussed in order to define the context of the emergence of supported employment.
Empirical Evidence of Systems Change in Supported Employment
Authors: McGaughey Martha , Mank David
Published: May 2008

Supported employment emerged rapidly after the onset of federal incentives for state systems change in 1985. This expansion was influenced by local innovations, policy initiatives, and legislation as well as by fiscal incentives. Nonetheless, states have implemented supported employment with variable success. This article reviews state outcomes in implementing supported employment in order to identify states that have excelled in implementing supported employment and to consider the possible relationship of supported-employment outcomes to economic, sociopolitical, and cultural factors. This initial analysis suggests that a variety of factors influenced the federal systems-change strategies for the implementation of supported employment across states.
Awareness and Perceived Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act Among Human Resources Professionals in Three Minnesota Cities
Authors: Waters Karry M. , Johanson John C.
Published: May 2008

The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 created a flurry of activity among human resource professionals striving to comply with the new law. Since that time, there have been editorials, articles, reports, surveys, celebrations, and even a congressional hearing regarding the effect and effectiveness of the law. The dominant theme of those activities has been that the law is a positive influence, but much work remains to be done. To more objectively measure the influence of the law among human resource professionals, surveys were mailed to the employment managers of 197 randomly chosen businesses in three Minnesota cities. The hypothesis that awareness and perceived impact of the law would be greater among human resource professionals in larger communities was not supported, but the hypothesis that awareness and impact would be greater in larger organizations was supported. Additional results regarding the frequency and type of training and accommodation responses made by organizations are also presented.
Assessing and Improving Accessibility of Public Accommodations in an Urban Latino Community
Authors: Kaplan Daniel L. , Hernandez Brigida , Balcazar Fabricio E. , Keys Christopher B. , McCullough Sarah
Published: May 2008

This study was designed to assess and promote compliance with the public accommodations provisions (Title III) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in an urban Latino community. Title III of the ADA requires the removal of physical barriers that prohibit people with disabilities from entering public establishments and accessing their goods and services. An educational intervention was used, whereby the physical accessibility of 38 establishments was assessed. Following this baseline assessment, culturally competent ADA information and feedback were either mailed or personally presented to the owners and managers of these establishments. After at least 4 months, the physical accessibility of these establishments was reassessed. Results indicated that from baseline to reassessment, the establishments averaged one accessibility improvement per site. Presenting ADA information and feedback in person was more likely to lead to accessibility improvements than was mailing these materials. When establishments were assessed by a person with a visible disability, owners and managers were not significantly more likely to make accessibility improvements than when the assessor had no visible disability. However, prior contact with people with disabilities was positively related to improving accessibility. Reasons for not making accessibility improvements included misconceptions and misinformation about the ADA and people with disabilities. Overall results indicate the usefulness of face- to-face feedback and prior contact with people with disabilities in efforts to increase the physical accessibility of public accommodations.
When Harms Become Wrongs
Authors: Banja John
Published: May 2008

This article explores some of the moral language of oppression, especially as it rests on a distinction between harms and wrongs. Authentic instances of oppression are always wrongful, but might not be harmful in certain cases. The analytic challenge is to determine when an allegation of oppression is true or merits public attention as opposed to when allegations of oppression are not socially compelling. Because the language of oppression frequently looks to rights, those controversies that surround rights legislation or its creation also affect and complicate our understanding of oppression. An especially difficult question is how much burden would be "reasonable" for X to bear if creating a right for Y imposes a burden on X—such as having to pay additional taxes to make public transportation accessible. This article suggests that moral theory cannot provide an answer. Rather, this question can only be answered according to the potential that exists for a social consensus that such and such a burden ought to be borne. When that consensus occurs, however, then so has moral progress occurred. Consequently, rather than connoting a heightened capacity for ethical reflection and analysis, moral progress is better understood as a politically based sensibility that moves from socioeconomic narcissism and class isolationism toward social inclusion and tolerating social difference.
Disablement, Oppression, and the Political Economy
Authors: Russell Marta
Published: May 2008

Any struggle for freedom from oppression has something in common with Marxism. Marx's contribution to history was to pinpoint the primary (but not the only) cause of oppression as economic. The capitalist class exploits wage earners for profit to the detriment of the working class. A primary source of oppression of disabled persons (those who could work with a reasonable accommodation) is their exclusion from capitalist exploitation. Many disabled persons are unemployed or underemployed against their will. The social condition of disablement is reproduced by oppressive social relations exercised through the mode of production. Industrial capitalism imposed disablement upon those non-conforming bodies deemed less or not exploitable by the owners of the means of production. The prevailing rate of the exploitation of labor determines who is "disabled" and who is not. This analysis posits that capitalism (and social policy under capitalism) is detrimental to disabled persons whether they are workers, would-be workers, or people who are unable to work.
Disability and Institutional Change
Authors: Schriner Kay
Published: May 2008

For at least three decades, disability rights activists have challenged exclusionary and stigmatizing social processes that constrain people with disabilities, an effort highlighted by the 1990 enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, all environmental barriers to participation by people with disabilities may not be eliminated by a policy strategy that focuses on discrimination and fails to address many forms of oppression that do not fall under legal definitions of discrimination. The human variation model of disability defines disability as the systematic mismatch between physical and mental attributes of individuals and the present (but not the potential) ability of social institutions to accommodate those attributes. Although rights-based approaches remain necessary to overcome the barriers facing many Americans with disabilities, a policy strategy that builds on a human variation approach may further efforts to eliminate disability oppression.
Matrix of Federal Statutes and Federal and State Court Decisions Reflecting the Core Concepts of Disability Policy
Authors: Rutherford Turnbull H. , Wilcox Brennan L. , Stowe Matthew J. , Umbarger Gardner T.
Published: May 2008

This article sets out the 18 core concepts of policy affecting families who have children with disabilities. It defines each concept, provides a reference to the constitutional principle(s) that undergird the core concept, cites the federal statutes that reflect the core concept, and references the decisions of the United States Supreme Court and other courts interpreting or defining the core concept.
A Taxonomy for Organizing the Core Concepts According to Their Underlying Principles
Authors: Rutherford Turnbull H. , Stowe Matthew J.
Published: May 2008

This article organizes and classifies the 18 core concepts. There are nine overarching principles into which the concepts fit: life, liberty, equality, dignity, family as foundation, community, capacity, individualization, and accountability. These in turn reflect three approaches to policy: the Constitutional approach, consisting of the principles of life, liberty, and equality; the Ethical approach, consisting of the principles of dignity, family as foundation, and community; and the administrative approach, consisting of the principles of capacity, individualization, and accountability. There is also a set of Professional principles, which the article illustrates with examples from the field of medicine/health care. Finally, the article demonstrates how the organization and classification of the core concepts create a wholistic, unified approach to policy.
Short- and Intermediate-Term Trends Affecting Medicaid Policy for Persons with Disability, Chronic Illness, and Special Needs
Authors: Wallack Stanley S. , Sciegaj Mark , Long Linda
Published: May 2008

Medicaid is a critically important program for accessing health and supportive services for persons with disabilities, chronic illness, and special needs. Because of its size and scope, Medicaid is the leading payer and policy-making entity for this population. Addressing both the complex needs of these individuals and their preference to remain in their communities has led to the expansion of Medicaid beyond its original medical model to one in which it pays for a wider range of services. This article describes three trends affecting the Medicaid program: the continued growth in noninstitutional care alternatives, private financing options for long-term care for older persons with a disability, and the expansion of cash benefit options to more consumer-directed care-delivery models. For each trend, the article also describes a range of policy responses.
Housing Changes and Moves into Supportive Housing Among Adults with Disabilities
Authors: Newcomer Robert , Kang Taewoon , Kaye H. Stephen , LaPlante Mitchell
Published: May 2008

About one fifth of the adult population with disabilities living in the community moved during a 12-to 24-month period between 1994 and 1996. This article examines the extent to which the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was associated with these moves. Data are from the 1994-1995 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the 1994-1995 Supplement on Disability, and the Disability Followback Survey. Analyses controlled for gender, income, living alone, racelethnicity, health status, and selected mental conditions. Decreased IADL ability had little association with the likelihood of moving, whereas increased difficulty with the ADL tasks of bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting generally increased this likelihood. These effects were more evident among those age 65+ than among those ages 18 to 64, and more common among house than apartment residents. For older persons, increases in ADL difficulties were associated with moves into supportive housing.
Aging and Disability-The Advocacy and Research Agendas
Authors: Kennedy Jae
Published: May 2008

This interview with Judy Heumann, a disability rights leader and former assistant secretary for spe cial education and rehabilitative services in the U.S. Department of Education, explores the role of re searchers, federal agencies, and disability advocates in responding to the disability needs of the aging population. She argues that the principles of the independent living movement are valid across age groups and that aging and disability advocates need to state clearly and consistently that "we have a right to maintain our social independence, regardless of our age, and we're not going to let go of our independence and dignity."
Research on the Lives of Persons with Disabilities
Authors: O'Day Bonnie , Killeen Mary
Published: May 2008

This article describes the significance of qualitative methodologies in capturing the complexities of the disability experience. The authors discuss some of the principles of qualitative research and show how those principles lend themselves to the new disability paradigm that has emerged in the last 20 years. They give examples of three disability studies in which qualitative methods were used to shed light on the complex interrelationships among physical impairment, societal barriers, and public programs. They also explore the underlying assumptions of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, emphasizing their ultimate compatibility and showing how each approach can complement the other to provide a more holistic view of the disability experience.
Self-Directed Employment for People with Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Sowers Jo-Ann , McLean Debra , Owens Cynthia
Published: May 2008

There is a growing belief that to affect the persistently high unemployment rate of individuals with developmental disabilities, a paradigm shift from professional- to customer-directed services must occur. Using this approach, individuals will (a) have the knowledge they need to make informed choices and to direct the employment process, (b) choose from the full array of job and career choices available to other individuals in their communities, (c) receive individual and ongoing advice and support, (d) begin the employment service process by defining their career goals and paths, (e) have individual budgets that reflect their unique career goals and paths, (f) determine the services and supports they will use their funding to purchase, and (g) contract directly with service providers. There are many unanswered questions about how a customer-directed employment service system can most effectively and efficiently be structured and how it affects customers, providers, and funding agencies.
Self-Determination and Disability Rights
Authors: Wappett Matthew T.
Published: May 2008

The methods employed by the women's rights movement are used in this article as a template for the future growth of the self-determination and disability rights movements. The focus is not on drawing parallels between these movements, but on looking at what specific methods were effective for the women's movement and then applying those methods to the self-determination movement. Specific methods and recommendations fall into 4 categories: academic/theoretical, leadership, political, and economic. The need for more direct involvement of individuals with disabilities in all of these areas is emphasized.
Narrowing the Breach
Authors: Hall Jean P.
Published: May 2008

Because of the long history of exclusion of people with disabilities, total inclusion in the educational environment has many outspoken proponents. People and organizations favoring inclusion, however, are overlooking the value of the disability culture that is fostered when children with disabilities have the opportunity to associate with and learn alongside other individuals who share similar identities and life experiences. The history of the disability rights movement clearly illustrates that major changes do not occur unless people with disabilities band together to address shared injustices (e.g., Shapiro, 1993). The phenomenon of a disability culture has been convincingly demonstrated by many researchers and writers, and its importance to the development and self-esteem of students with disabilities is discussed. Although the current special education system has many negative aspects, changes to the existing system rather than a movement to full inclusion will be more effective in supporting disability culture and, ultimately, the needs of children with disabilities.
“You Want Me to Teach Him to Read?”
Authors: Hedeen Deborah L. , Ayres Barbara J.
Published: May 2008

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has strengthened the intent of providing students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum and school settings. As a result, increasing numbers of students with disabilities are being included in general education classrooms to address both their social and academic needs. General and special education teachers often struggle, however, with the process of adapting content-area lessons to address the needs of all learners in their classrooms. This article describes the accommodations and adaptations that were created for one student, Luke, who had a significant disability, during language arts instruction from the second through fourth grades. Results of a Making Action Plans (MAPS) session are presented, along with the educational matrix that guided the IEP team in making individualized adaptations to promote active participation in classroom activities. These accommodations and adaptations illustrate the attitude and creativity required for successful inclusion of a student with disabilities.
Disability Policy in Canada
Authors: Jongbloed Lyn
Published: May 2008

Over the last century there has been a shift from conceptualizing disability as a challenge to law and order, to viewing disability as a medical and/or economic deficit and then as a sociopolitical issue. In Canada, these changing conceptualizations of disability have been reflected in the development of disability policies, which form part of general Canadian social policies. Each model of disability captures a particular aspect of disability and focuses on particular goals, and each depicts a different account of what society owes people with disabilities. However, the lack of linkages between the models and their conceptual bases means that no one model can be used to guide disability policy development. Decision making about the goals of disability policy and the rights of people with disabilities requires the development of a normative foundation.
Starting Off Right
Authors: Lightfoot Elizabeth , Pappas Vicki C. , Chait Jeffrey
Published: May 2008

This article presents a case study of how a state disability agency, committed to consumer participation in policy making, adapted a meeting strategy called Open Space Technology (OST) for use in policy making. The authors first describe how OST was adapted and used to allow for front-end citizen participation at town meetings. They then present the results of a document analysis to show the effectiveness of the technique: There was a great range of citizen input; the input was reflected in the state plan, and nearly 90% of the plan reflected the issues generated at the town meetings. The authors argue that OST is a promising technique for more effective involvement of citizens in the public policy process.
Fear and Loathing in the Classroom
Authors: Austin Vance L.
Published: May 2008

School violence represents a real threat to the safety of students and staff; however, the belief that it is proliferating—as well as the aggressive, prescriptive response on the part of many administrators to this perception—may be ill advised. This article provides the reader with a balanced perspective as well as a synthesis of best-evidence research describing effective interventions that help prevent school violence. Ultimately, the most successful approaches must involve the “problem” student in the solution by valuing his or her membership in the school community and fostering meaningful relationships with peers and staff.
Maine's Adaptive Equipment Loan Program
Authors: Goodwin Adams Kathryn
Published: May 2008

Maine's Kim Wallace Adaptive Equipment Loan Program (AELP) is a creative, consumer-directed approach to affordable financing for assistive technology (AT). AELP, a model for many lending programs, offers low-interest, long-term loans of up to $100,000 to consumers, their families, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Since 1989, AELP has made 1,971 loans totaling $21 million. AELP represents an effective state—community partnership, using a consumer majority board that makes lending decisions. A Center for Independent Living (CIL) and the state's finance authority co-manage the program; the CIL assists consumers in finding and using technology and in managing credit. AELP is funded by two state bond issues totaling $6.5 million. New loans are issued as loans are repaid, and loan interest and fund investments support AELP's program operation. AELP looks beyond the traditional definition of “medical necessity,” enabling borrowers to purchase AT for any aspect of their life: home, school, work, or recreation.
Maryland's Assistive Technology Loan Program
Authors: Dalto Michael
Published: May 2008

The Maryland Assistive Technology Loan Program has generated (a) a rapidly increasing pool of total loan applications through direct mailing and word-of-mouth referrals and (b) a high proportion of loan applications from minorities. The program's success has stemmed from several innovative strategies: direct mail marketing to broadly publicize the program, intensive customer service to facilitate loans and satisfy customers, availability of multiple lenders to offer applicants a range of options, and partnerships with other agencies to expand access to assistive technology (AT) by increasing individuals' available income for purchase of AT and discounting purchase prices.
A survey on the Need and Funding for Assistive Technology Devices and Services in Hong Kong
Authors: Tam Eric , Mak Arthur F. T. , Chow Daniel , Wong Carrie , Kam Anna , Luk Lisa , Yuen Philip
Published: May 2008

A survey was conducted to solicit information from individuals with disabilities and health-care professionals on the need for, funding for, and satisfaction with assistive technology (AT) devices and services in Hong Kong. The study revealed that more than half of the owners of AT devices purchased those devices on their own. Health-care professionals reported that a large percentage of users needed financial support to acquire the necessary AT devices. Although users indicated that their primary source of AT information was rehabilitation professionals, not every user was aware that financial support from the government and charitable organizations was available. Overall, only 40% of end users and 60% of health-care professionals gave a satisfactory rating to AT services—including equipment installation, repair, and maintenance, as well as other after-sales supports. There was a demand for streamlining funding-application procedures, improving after-sales supports, conducting better promotion of AT devices, and establishing an emergency service center.
Competitive Employment
Authors: Wehman Paul , Revell W. Grant , Brooke Valerie
Published: May 2008

This article addresses the issue of availability of competitive employment for individuals with significant disabilities compared to segregated day and work services. Despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Supreme Court decision in the Olmstead v. L. C. (1999) case and its emphasis on full community integration for individuals with significant disabilities, and the blending of individualized support strategies with the philosophy of self-determination in the 1990s, the majority of individuals with significant disabilities currently are not working in competitive employment. In addition, the measures used to define quality supported employment outcomes and programs frequently lack clarity. In this article, the authors briefly discuss the underlying values that should be used to guide all competitive employment programs designed to support individuals with disabilities. Second, they detail benchmark indicators through which the quality of supported employment programs should be measured. The article concludes with a description of the importance of using quality indicators in assessing the validity of supported employment services, particularly in the current environment of strained and finite fiscal resources.
Disability Rights Approach Toward Bioethics?
Authors: Wolbring Gregor
Published: May 2008

Bioethics theories are supposed to develop ethical principles, which allow for the governance of science, technology, and biomedical research. This article presents evidence for the lack of a disability rights approach, or even an acceptance of one, in the development of bioethics theories. The author also describes the debate on bioethics issues as they relate to disabilities, using as an example the debate over sex selection and disability “deselection.” Characteristics labeled as disabilities, a term that often is used as a synonym for defects, diseases, and subnormal abilities, are seen as “medical problems” in need of medical solutions. An “animal farm” philosophy appears to dominate the debate over bioethics issues and the development of bioethics theories as they pertain to disabilities. In this philosophy, characteristics labeled as medical problems are treated differently from characteristics labeled as societal problems, making the acceptance of a disability rights approach impossible because such an approach perceives disability within a social justice framework rather than a medical one.
Stigma and the Term Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Jason Leonard A. , Holbert Cordelia , Torres-Harding Susan , Taylor Renee R.
Published: May 2008

Considerable discussion has occurred concerning the diagnostic label chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Many patient groups argue that using this term trivializes the seriousness of the syndrome. A federal government organization, the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Coordinating Committee, appointed a Name Change Workgroup to attempt to develop different terminology for this disorder. This group distributed a poll to patients and health-care providers to obtain information about its recommendation to use an umbrella term, chronic neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome, and subtypes under it. In addition, the CFIDS Association, a national self-help advocacy organization, distributed a questionnaire to a group of health-care providers concerning these recommendations. The findings of both polls are presented. Overall findings indicated that the majority of patients want the name changed and that the term chronic neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome was acceptable to the majority of this group.
The Power of the Powerless
Authors: Rimmerman Arie , Herr Stanley S.
Published: May 2008

The purpose of this article is to analyze the 1999 strike of people with disabilities in Israel in the context of the emergence of the disability rights movements in Israel and in the United States. In order to reflect on the scope and nature of the strike, descriptive data are presented summarizing the Israeli press coverage, including participants, demands, and political response. Our major conclusion is that the disability strike in Israel is a powerful demonstration of the disability movement in terms of participation, public recognition, and the demonstrated need to improve benefits. However, the movement is still powerless in mobilizing itself from the status of a disability movement to a disability rights movement.
The Social Impact of an Accessible E-Democracy
Authors: Jaeger Paul T.
Published: May 2008

This article examines policy issues related to disability law and the accessibility of the provision of federal electronic government (e-government) information and services. The article first discusses disability discrimination in relation to the on-line environment and examines the history of governmental attitudes toward disability that affect the current state of accessibility of the e-government. Detailing federal disability laws and policies that relate to e-government information and services, the article focuses on the potential impact of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. By chronicling the problems with the implementation of Section 508, the article describes how a fully accessible e-government remains an elusive goal. Finally, the article offers a detailed set of policy suggestions that could be implemented by the federal government to work toward an egalitarian e-government that is fully inclusive of individuals with disabilities.
Twice Penalized
Authors: O'Hara Brett
Published: May 2008

This article examines wage discrimination during the initial stages of employment using panel data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Women with disabilities are twice disadvantaged in the labor market: They face possible discrimination based on both gender and disability status. This article focuses on transitions into new employment. Two key variables indicate the circumstances in which a woman starts working at a new employer: (a) a planned employment transition or (b) finding employment after leaving a former employer for an unplanned reason or after being unemployed. The empirical evidence suggests that wage discrimination is prevalent; discrimination occurs across personal and employment characteristics. Although employment transitions resulted in lower wages, reasonable scenarios that involve personal choices as opposed to discrimination could not be eliminated. For instance, a worker with disabilities may change employers and accept a lower wage if she gains nonwage benefits (e.g., accommodations or health insurance).
Protecting Human Subjects in Biomedical Research— Some Reasons for Optimism and Pessimism
Authors: Opton Edward M.
Published: May 2008

The sponsors of biomedical research are powerful and organized. Operating through phalanxes of well financed lobbyists, they should easily capture or overpower the agencies that are supposed to regulate their use of human research. Yet Sharav is right to advocate better regulation, for it does work, to a degree, some of the time, and no better alternative is in sight.
ADA in the Public School Setting
Authors: Rea Patricia Jordan , Davis-Dorsey Judy
Published: May 2008

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a sweeping piece of civil rights legislation directly affecting public schools. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are more frequently applied, ADA may offer both students and employees another avenue for redress. It is at this intersection between the ADA and the IDEA that requirements for anti-discriminatory policies and practices present serious dilemmas for school officials. Typically, over time courts will provide answers about requirements, and state education agencies will promulgate application regulations. In the meantime, school officials grapple on a regular basis with implementing the requirements of the ADA. The authors of this article describe current circumstances that act as a catalyst for reflection, discussion, and proactive—rather than reactive—responses.
The Educational Inclusion of Disaffected Secondary School Students
Authors: Wakefield Peter
Published: May 2008

The government of the United Kingdom has two top educational policy priorities: ensuring that education is as socially inclusive as possible within mainstream schools and raising students' educational attainment standards. In this study, the author explores a continuing tension between government aspirations as represented by the government's policy concerning the education of disaffected and frequently disruptive students (macro level) and an educational provision intended to address these students' needs in one urban secondary school (micro level). Such students are typically deemed to have special educational needs (SEN), and each school is responsible for identifying and addressing them. Excluding a student from school is widely viewed as the ultimate sanction. The effects of a government policy that encourages inclusion and minimizes exclusion is the focus of this research. In this article, the study is discussed in two parts. In the first part, the author summarizes the challenges presented by the presence of disaffected pupils attending secondary schools in England. In the second part, the author looks at eight students attending a learning support unit established within 1 school to help minimize exclusion. The locus-of-control beliefs of these students; their views concerning three selected “core” subjects in the curriculum; and their attendance before joining the unit, while attending it, and at follow-up are presented.
Developing Issues in the Classification of Mental and Physical Disabilities
Authors: Gross Bruce H. , Hahn Harlan
Published: May 2008

In this analysis, the authors explore the implications of changing classifications and definitional criteria for mental disability and physical disability. Much of this discussion is set against the background of the ideas that have come out of the social and political movements organized by individuals with disabilities. The first part of the article focuses on issues that may develop from increasing implementation of the “social model” of disability. The second part centers on the problems produced by the development of measures based on contrasting definitions. Finally, the authors examine the factors that might contribute to evaluations of the satisfaction of and opportunities for adults with disabilities living in the community.
Home Ownership for Individuals with Disabilities
Authors: Hagner David , Klein Jay
Published: May 2008

Owning one's own home has long been a core value in the United States, and in recent years, Americans with disabilities have become increasingly interested in pursuing home ownership. A sample of 148 underwriters rated the probability that an applicant with a disability would be approved for a residential mortgage. Mailed applicant scenarios were randomized across type of disability (physical or developmental), intensity of supports (live-in or occasional), and source of income (earnings or public benefits). Type of disability alone was statistically significant, with approval more likely for the applicant with a physical disability. Respondents also provided explanations of their decision rationale, and these narratives were analyzed qualitatively. Implications for understanding the mortgage application process and for helping individuals with disabilities enter the housing market are discussed.
The Core Concepts of Health Policy Affecting Families Who Have Children with Disabilities
Authors: Umbarger Gardner T. , Stowe Matthew J. , Turnbull H. Rutherford
Published: May 2008

This article reports research that identified 17 core concepts of health-care policy affecting families that have children with disabilities. It sets out the research methodology, defines the 17 core concepts, and organizes the concepts into a framework that reflects the 4 principles that guide the delivery of health care: benevolence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice.
The Workforce Investment Act
Authors: Cohen Allison , Timmons Jaime C. , Fesko Sheila L.
Published: May 2008

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) authorizes anew workforce investmentsystem thatis rooted in the One-Stop concept, enabling customers to access a wide array of training, education, and employment services from multiple agencies at a single location. Because of the organizational change required by the legislation, including the important collaborations it has sought to create, assessing its implementation in terms of the relationships that have developed between agencies mandated to work together is crucial, particularly in regard to the potential to expand employment for individuals with disabilities served by the One-Stop system. Using Matland's analytic framework for policy implementation, which considers policy conflict and ambiguity, this article addresses WIA implementation in 3 states. Case study research in Maine, Minnesota, and Kentucky provides the opportunity to examine how certain characteristics of the legislation have affected WIA implementation and the collaboration of its partners. Implications from the research can help inform future reauthorization of the legislation.
Self-Employment for People With Disabilities
Authors: Ipsen Catherine , Arnold Nancy L. , Colling Kyle
Published: May 2008

In 2001, an exploratory survey was distributed to more than half of all Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the United States to identify how SBDCs and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies interact to provide self-employment services to people with disabilities and to evaluate how these agencies might further this collaborative relationship. Despite a low percentage of SBDCs that have formal interagency agreements with state VR agencies (8%), the majority of respondents (93%) felt that it was “very important” to have VR assistance for disability issues. SBDC respondents who had formal state interagency agreements or an informal local agreement with the VR agency reported higher rates of referrals between the two agencies, more experience serving people with disabilities in self-employment, and more preparedness to meet the needs of clients with disabilities. Data from this study indicate that SBDCs may be willing partners in the development of cross-agency support for people with disabilities who desire self-employment.
Views of Disabled People Regarding Legalized Assisted Suicide Before and After a Balanced Informational Presentation
Authors: Gill Carol J. , Voss Larry A.
Published: May 2008

A questionnaire on views regarding legalized assisted suicide was administered to 29 individuals with disabilities (12 participants with various disabilities; 17 participants with multiple sclerosis) before and after their exposure to a “pro” versus “con” informational presentation focusing on disability and assisted suicide. Results indicated that participants who expressed neutrality before the presentation were more likely than participants who had a predetermined position (either opposing or supporting legalization) to change their responses from pretest to posttest. Changes in views, when they occurred, tended toward opposition to legalized assisted suicide. Following the presentations, participants were fairly evenly divided in their endorsement versus opposition to legalized assisted suicide for terminally ill people. Most were opposed, however, to the legalization of assisted suicide for persons with incurable disabilities. Race/ethnicity and gender of participant were important factors, in that women, African Americans, and Latinos were least likely to support assisted suicide. The majority of participants indicated that legalized assisted suicide could lead to involuntary deaths and that safeguards would not prevent abuse. It was concluded that balanced disability-relevant information had a mild effect on attitudes in this study, and that differing levels of knowledge may account for some of the differences in views held by disabled people regarding legalized assisted suicide.
Increases in Identified Cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Steuernagel Trudy
Published: May 2008

Autism is the term commonly used to refer to autism spectrum disorders, a group of neurodevelopmental disorders involving sensory processing problems and social and language difficulties. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the exact prevalence of autism is unknown. Estimates range from 1 person in 500 to 1 in 1,000 in this country; and the number of people diagnosed with autism is growing. This article assesses the policy implications of the autism “epidemic.” It begins with an overview of the disability policy—making process in the United States and its implications for autism policy and proceeds to a discussion of the social construction of autism as a policy issue. This is followed by an analysis of federal and state governments' institutional capacity to respond to the autism epidemic.
Multiple Dimensions of Reform
Authors: Shepherd Furney Katharine , Brody Hasazi Susan , Clark/Keefe Kelly
Published: May 2008

We conducted a study using mixed methods to explore implementation of reform legislation and related outcomes for students with disabilities and those placed at risk of school failure. Designed to promote equal educational opportunities, the legislation included provisions for (a) redistributing state funding so that schools would have more equal access to resources and (b) requiring all schools to adopt and use state standards and standards-based assessments. Almost one fourth of the public schools in the state participated in the study, including schools that gained, lost, or were not affected by the redistribution of state education funds. A cross-case analysis identified both benefits and challenges for students with disabilities and those placed at risk of school failure, suggesting a need to ensure that reforms focus on outcomes for all students and include adequate resources and professional development opportunities for educators and administrators in both general and special education.
The Use of Accommodations Among Students with Deafblindness in Large-Scale Assessment Systems
Authors: Horvath Leah S. , Kampfer-Bohach Stephanie , Farmer Kearns Jacqueline
Published: May 2008

The provision of accommodations for students with disabilities is mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 1997) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB; 2002); and as states are moving to adapt their assessment practices to include all students, it is essential that appropriate accommodations be determined. Implementing the appropriate accommodations serves to maximize the student's performance, while also providing fair access to the general curriculum and statewide assessment measures.This study attempted to describe the use of accommodations among students with deafblindness, both in the general curriculum and during statewide assessments, to illustrate how policy affects practice. The three major findings to emerge were that (a) students were provided accommodations that were not specifically tailored to their needs; (b) self-determination among students with deaf-blindness was not actively observed in the classroom; and (c) there was a lack of congruence among accommodations used in class, during assessment, and among those documented on the IEP or 504 Plan.
Conceptualizing Disability
Authors: Putnam Michelle
Published: May 2008

Empirical analysis of disability identity has great potential to improve understanding of the role of disability status in identity politics. Despite ongoing discussions of the relevance of disability identity in the disability rights movement and political actions related to disability, there is limited research into its nature and its underlying psychological, social, and political constructs. This may in part be caused by the lack of a theoretical model to guide analysis. This article proposes a conceptual framework to guide empirical analysis of disability identity, outlining six potential construct domains and their sub-domains based on a review of scholarly discussions and empirical research.