Background
Mobile technology has the potential to assist adults with intellectual disabilities to initiate and maintain social connections in important areas of their lives, such as family, friends ...and work/volunteering.
Method
The present study investigated how specific aspects of mobile device/app use are associated with the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. The study also examined what background attributes were associated with particular patterns of mobile device/app use and social inclusion.
Results
The findings revealed that the use of mobile technology among adults with intellectual disabilities was positively associated with their social inclusion with family, friends and work/volunteering. There were also some key background attributes associated with participants’ use of mobile technology and the extent to which mobile technology assisted their social inclusion.
Conclusions
Implications for practice and policy are discussed.
Background: Sex education assists students in the development of a healthy sexual identity and relationships. However, students with an intellectual disability tend to receive less holistic sex ...education as compared to students without a disability. In this inclusive study, we explored the perspectives of 10 high school teachers through interviews and focus groups on how students with an intellectual disability are informed about sexual relationships and prepared for their future life living with as much autonomy as possible, including living with a partner and becoming parents. Method: The interviews and focus groups were analysed using the inductive content analysis. Results: Data analysis revealed three themes: (a) sex education; (b) self-determination and self-advocacy skills; and (c) teachers’ concerns. Conclusions: Several recommendations are discussed. These include incorporating sexuality education-related goals in an Individualised Learning Plan (ILP); teachers adopting a rights-based approach and focusing on students’ self-determination, agency, and rights regarding sex education; and providing schools with necessary resources to teach sex education.
Although research on the experiences of females on the autism spectrum is still developing, it is becoming increasingly apparent that their experiences are not comparable to their male counterparts. ...This scoping review aimed to collate research related to the peer interaction experiences of school-aged girls on the autism spectrum from their perspective. A database and journal search (2010-2020) found 21 studies. Key findings indicated that although school-aged girls on the autism spectrum generally desired friendship, they faced diverse peer interaction difficulties, including making and maintaining friendships, peer victimisation, and rejection. Given these challenges, appropriate peer interaction supports and further research into the complexities of their peer interaction experience is needed.
Students with autism and intellectual disabilities experience many transitions during their schooling, and a large body of literature is devoted to best practices in transition planning and support. ...The Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0 is a research-based model that provides best practice suggestions to guide the planning of various transitions and contexts. The researchers aimed to use the current qualitative study to discover the transition planning practices used to support students with autism and intellectual disabilities in inclusive school settings when transitioning from primary to secondary schools and from secondary school to postschool life in New South Wales (Australia). The practices that emerged were then examined for alignment with the Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0. The inductive content analysis of interviews with 8 parents and 13 teachers indicated that although most of the areas of the Taxonomy are represented in the planning processes, there is room for improvement, particularly in the areas of formal individual education program and transition planning, student involvement, information sharing, and program assessment. The results highlighted the importance of formal student- and family-centred planning processes to the success of both transitions. The results were used to make further recommendations for future research, policy, and practice.
There has been an increasing body of research on student wellbeing in recent years. Despite this, there is much debate on the notion of student wellbeing, along with a lack of studies focusing on the ...wellbeing of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 12 studies on the wellbeing of typically developing students were used to identify the domains that comprise student wellbeing. Four studies on the school experiences of students with ASD were also included to investigate how the school experiences of students with ASD relate to the domains of student wellbeing. These articles were located through electronic and hand searches. Eight domains of student wellbeing were identified, along with 8 themes derived from the school experiences of students with ASD. Results support several recommendations for schools to promote the development of the domains of student wellbeing for students with ASD.
Schooling transitions are often challenging experiences for students with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ID/ASD), their families, and their teachers. Transition processes, ...particularly planning, can facilitate successful transitions from primary to secondary schools, and to postschool settings. Bronfenbrenner's ecological model served as a theoretical framework to examine parents' and teachers' experiences with transitions for students with ID/ASD attending special schools. The authors interviewed 14 carers and 13 teachers of students with ID/ASD attending special government schools in New South Wales. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. The fndings of this small-scale Australian study indicate that although transition practices varied widely by school, both parents and teachers perceived that more can be done to support students with ID/ASD during these times. School-home collaboration and access to information about postschool settings were areas that were emphasised by both groups. Furthermore, the lack of student involvement in transition meetings was of great concern, given that student-focused planning is a well-established evidence-based transition practice. The processes that are implemented to support students with ID/ASD require closer scrutiny, as results revealed inconsistencies in transition planning across schools, and both parents and teachers suggested ways to strengthen transition processes.
Background
Adults with severe/profound intellectual disability typically face poor communication outcomes as they are often nonverbal and need their supporters to provide for their communication ...needs. This review aimed to identify studies focused on the communication resources people with severe/profound intellectual disability use for functional communication, and the enablers and barriers to functional communication.
Methods
Nine databases were systematically reviewed with keywords pertaining to the functional communication of adults with severe/profound intellectual disability. Out of 3427 identified articles, 12 met the inclusion criteria. Hand searches and ancestral searches identified another 4 articles. Out of the 16 articles, two did not meet the quality assessment criteria and were excluded. Thus, 14 articles were included in this review.
Results
The findings revealed that picture exchange communication systems is the most common communication system used to support the development of functional communication. The most common functions enabled by the communication systems were choice‐making and making requests. Several barriers (e.g., individual factors related to adults with severe/profound intellectual disability, others' attitudes, behaviour and knowledge) to and enablers (e.g., accessibility and availability of the communication system, training for those supporting adults with severe/profound intellectual disability) of functional communication were identified.
Conclusions
Removing the barriers and enabling functional communication is essential to developing the functional communication of adults with severe/profound intellectual disability.
In recent years, student well-being is increasingly on the research agenda. Yet, little is known about the well-being of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study used ...semi-structured interviews and sought the views of 20 high school teachers of students with ASD to investigate the concept of well-being for this group of students. Grounded theory approaches were used to analyse the data. Teachers conceptualised well-being as consisting of three domains (i.e., peer relationships, sense of safety, engagement), identified three categories of barriers (i.e., teacher’s ability to effectively teach students with ASD, impact of ASD, environment), and several external and internal assets of well-being. Discussion on recommended practices for schools to enhance the well-being of students with ASD are provided.
It is established that parents with intellectual disability raise their children in conditions of severe socio-economic disadvantage, increasing the risk of child removal. Peer support can help ...vulnerable and isolated families engage with social services and assist parents to navigate the child protection system. Despite this, little is known about the experience of peer support for parents with intellectual disability. An inclusive research study involving 26 parents with intellectual disability was undertaken to understand their views of peer support. Inductive content analysis identified three themes. One theme, coping with adversity, explored peer support for a sub-group of parents (n = 10) who had experienced domestic and family violence or had a child removed from their care, in some cases both. Their experiences of peer support to cope with these challenges are discussed, as well as implications for research and practice.
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