Digital Citizenship: Technology Access and Use for Youth With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Technology is integral to the lives of youth who, as digital citizens, use technology to participate in social and civic action to improve their communities. Using a digital citizenship framework and National Longitudinal Transition Study of 2012 data, we explored technology access and use between youth with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We found youth with IDD have less access and less participation across four digital citzienship elements putting them at greater risk for digital social isolation and community disengagment. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, which has thrust employment, school, health, and social lives to online spaces, we situate our findings on digital access, opportunity, and support and call for individual and systems-level investment in digital citizenship to support full participation.

Where Are Students With Autism and Intellectual Disability Learning? Placement Trends in California

The variability in placement of students with autism and intellectual disability and lack of access to general education for these students suggests the need to identify factors associated with placement and then address the role of current policy. This article presents the results of a 5-year trend analysis of placement of students with autism and intellectual disability in California and the relationship between these trends in placement and district factors. Results suggest trends in increased access to general education environments for both groups of students and relationships between the probability of placement in general education settings and the percentage of students in the district who receive free or reduced-price meals. Implications for district and state leaders are discussed.

Expert Perspectives on the Inclusion of Students With Significant Disabilities in Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a framework intended to benefit all students in a school. However, recent research suggests that students with significant disabilities may not fully participate in SWPBIS. Given the complex reasons for varied involvement in SWPBIS (e.g., student educational placement), the purpose of this study was to investigate expert perspectives on the extent to which students with significant disabilities should be included in SWPBIS. Overall, experts agreed students with significant disabilities should be included in all tiers of SWPBIS, receive instruction in schoolwide rules and expectations, and have the opportunity to participate in schoolwide reward systems. Experts shared differing perspectives on the ways behavior violations of students with significant disabilities should be documented.

Mothers' Perceptions of Satisfaction, Trust, and Power in the Individualized Education Program Process

Parent involvement in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) is a foundational tenet of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Unfortunately, mothers, the parent most likely to attend the IEP meeting, often report negative perceptions and even feelings of disillusion with the IEP process. Including mothers as equal members of the IEP team is crucial to student success, especially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To determine the extent of mothers' satisfaction, trust, and perception of the power of the IEP process, we surveyed 929 mothers of students with disabilities. Survey results indicate mothers are neither overly satisfied nor dissatisfied with the process, but almost always perceive an imbalance of power between IEP team members. A high percentage of mothers reported experiences with bullying, coercion, and shame. The findings suggest that more efforts are needed to empower mothers during the IEP process and improve parent-school partnerships.

Propositions for Race-Based Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

A nuanced understanding of disparities impacting racialized people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) requires scholars employ research methods that make visible the structural factors that influence outcomes. Following the work of Tukufu Zuberi and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, we explore race-based methodological considerations for disparities research with Black people with IDD. Specifically, we discuss (a) structural racism in research methods, employing disability critical race theory as a framework, (b) the absence of Black voices and Black scholarship, (c) the abstraction and misuse of race as a variable, and (d) mapping race as a point of discussion in the IDD discourse. Implications for research are discussed and recommendations for contextualizing race, ensuring equity in representation and dissemination, and amplifying the voices of Black scholars are provided.

I'm Trying to Make Myself Happy: Black Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Families on Promoting Self-Determination During Transition

Promoting self-determination for students with disabilities has proven to be a critical component of effective transition planning. However, researchers seldom consider race when promoting self-determination for people with disabilities. The purpose of the current phenomenological research investigation was to explore how Black youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families explain transition planning experiences that promote and hinder self-determination. We found that participants in the current study experienced some hurdles during their transition experiences that they perceive are rooted in systemic and structural racism and ableism that prompted advocacy, family engagement, inclusion, building knowledge of rights, and other emergent strategies to promote self-determination. Findings from the current preliminary investigation have implications for transition and self-determination research, as well as improving the quality of services and support for Black youth with IDD and their families.