Mental Retardation/ Mental Retardation/ Intellectual DisabilitiesIntellectual Disabilities

Best & Promising Best & Promising PracticesPractices

Honor and pleasure to be here

Pleased see so many people

Honored to be among esteemed colleagues from Perú and other countries

Excited about the international feel to the Congress

jpatton@austin.rr.com

(512) 740.4082(512) 740.4082

http://web.mac.com/

jpatton

James Patton James Patton BackgroundBackground

30 years +30 years +

TeachingTeaching

Writing/ResearchWriting/Research

Five Areas of Interest …Five Areas of Interest …• classroom management/

organization• study skills instruction• transition assessment• research -- MR/ID• MR forensics

““Death Penalty IssuesDeath Penalty IssuesFollowing Following AtkinsAtkins””

James R. PattonJames R. PattonDenis W. KeyesDenis W. Keyes

Journal: Journal: ExceptionalityExceptionality

Basic Information On

Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities

Major Misconceptions Major Misconceptions about Persons with MRabout Persons with MR

• “childlike”• homogeneous group• incapable• visibility of “mild” mr

Traditional ComponentsTraditional Componentsof MR Definitionsof MR Definitions

• significantly subaverage significantly subaverage general intellectual general intellectual functioningfunctioning

• limitations in adaptive skill limitations in adaptive skill areas/ adaptive behaviorareas/ adaptive behavior

• developmental perioddevelopmental period

Key SourcesKey Sources

• American Psychiatric Association American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual --

Fourth Edition -- Text Revision Fourth Edition -- Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) -- 2000(DSM-IV-TR) -- 2000

• American Association on Mental American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) -- 2002Retardation (AAMR) -- 2002

AAMR AAMR (2002)(2002)

““Mental retardation” is a disability Mental retardation” is a disability characterized by significant limitations both characterized by significant limitations both in in intellectual functioningintellectual functioning and in and in adaptive adaptive behaviorbehavior as expressed in conceptual, social, as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. This disability and practical adaptive skills. This disability originates originates before age 18before age 18. .

Key CharacteristicsKey Characteristics• Attention• Use of mediational

strategies• Memory• Generalized

learning• Motivation• Cognitive

development

• Language development

• Academic development

• Sociobehavioral considerations

– naiveté/gullibility

• Physical• Health

Current Practices of Note

General PracticesGeneral Practices

• lifespan philosophy • comprehensive assessment

& planning • intervene early • involve families • empower students

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic language • functional needs• self-determination• work preparation

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusioninclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic language• functional needs• self-determination• work preparation

Placement Trends(% students in a given setting)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 2000

Regular ClassResource RoomSeparate Class

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skillsliteracy skills• pragmatic language• functional needs• self-determination• work preparation

Literacy Skills

• ReadingReading

• WritingWriting

• MathMath

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic languagepragmatic language • functional needs• self-determination• work preparation

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic language • functional needsfunctional needs• self-determination• work preparation

• Employment• Further Education/ Training• Daily Living• Leisure Activities• Community

Participation

Source: Clark & Patton (2005)

Adult Domains

• Health• Self-Determination• Communication• Interpersonal Relationships• Transportation/

Mobility

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic language • functional needs• self-determinationself-determination• work preparation

School SettingSchool Setting• inclusion • literacy skills• pragmatic language • functional needs• self-determination• work preparationwork preparation

Home SettingHome Setting

• what parents want

• supports

• long-term issues

Home SettingHome Setting

• what parents wantwhat parents want

• supports

• long-term issues

What Parents Want

Moderate MR:

1. Functional skills

2. Academic skills

3. Friendship/social

Severe/Profound MR:

1. Friendship/social

2. Functional skills

3. Academic skills

Hamre-Nietupski et al. (1992)

Home SettingHome Setting

• what parents want

• supportssupports

• long-term issues

Home SettingHome Setting

• what parents want

• supports

• long-term issueslong-term issues

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supports• living arrangements• dealing with the

demands of adulthood• lifelong learning• quality of life concerns

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supportsnatural supports• living arrangements• dealing with the

demands of adulthood• lifelong learning• quality of life concerns

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supports• living arrangementsliving arrangements• dealing with the

demands of adulthood• lifelong learning• quality of life concerns

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supports• living arrangements• dealing with the dealing with the

demands of adulthooddemands of adulthood• lifelong learning• quality of life concerns

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supports• living arrangements• dealing with the

demands of adulthood• lifelong learninglifelong learning• quality of life concerns

Community SettingsCommunity Settings• natural supports• living arrangements• dealing with the

demands of adulthood• lifelong learning• quality of life concernsquality of life concerns

Workplace SettingsWorkplace Settings

• preferences & interests

• inclusion

• supported employment

• ongoing (natural) supports

Select Issuesof Interest

. . . executing persons who . . . executing persons who are mentally retarded … are mentally retarded …

NoteNote

. . . not preparing this group . . . not preparing this group for the complexities and for the complexities and

demands of adulthood that demands of adulthood that they are likely to facethey are likely to face.

“Night College”

• adults with MR and other DD

• one night each week

• go to University of Virginia

• life skills classes

• other benefits

. . . the lack of short- and . . . the lack of short- and long-term friendships.long-term friendships.

. . . the resistance of many . . . the resistance of many people to the idea of a couple people to the idea of a couple -- both of whom are mentally -- both of whom are mentally retarded -- getting married.retarded -- getting married.

. . . some persons who are . . . some persons who are retarded having retarded having

children.children.

. . . parents who do not . . . parents who do not acknowledge that there is acknowledge that there is

dignity in risk-taking.dignity in risk-taking.

Thank you for listening to me.

I wish you great success with your studies

and/or work.