Use of Assistive Technology to Empower Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

This chapter focuses on the use of assistive technology in persons with Intellectual Disabilities (IDs). Persons with IDs have significant limitations, both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviors. The use of assistive technology is essential to help persons with IDs and make them independent in all spheres of life. Assistive technology devices and services can be used to teach, train, rehabilitate, and empower persons in a variety of daily activities viz. new learning, home living, employment, health and safety, communication, social activities, protection and leisure. Empirical studies suggest that assistive technology is effective in improving the quality of life of persons with IDs and make them less dependent on others. This chapter investigates the available research evidence on the use of assistive technology in IDs, discusses utilizations, impediments/barriers, implications and suggests recommendations for future research.

Recent Trends and Issues in Vocational Rehabilitation of People with ID

Employment has many advantages for people. Besides earning an income, work provides opportunities for social interaction, a means of structuring and occupying time, enjoyable activity and involvement, and a sense of personal achievement. Work is considered therapeutic and essential for both the physiological survival and psychological well-being of people in contemporary societies and hence it's importance in people with intellectual disability. The rights of people with disabilities have been given new attention with the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in May 2008. The various policies, issues and trends in vocational rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities in existence in different countries need to be examined along with different models in existence to develop appropriate executable models whereby such rehabilitation services could be made available early in life to such individuals and after training they could be provided with supported employment or integrated employment as the case may be.

Crime and Legal Issues among Intellectually Disabled Individuals

Intellectual Disability (ID) can be caused by a variety of factors, which may lead to a variety of signs and symptoms. Individuals with ID are living in societies where during the past decade there is a steady increase in the amount of research focused on civil law, criminal law and mental health. In this chapter, there will be a theoretical presentation of the research on ID regarding criminal law and the different forms of aggressive behavior such as sexual violence, homicide, theft, arson and alcohol-drug abuse. There will be information on research regarding civil law and the most common problems for individuals with ID, such as financial capacity and capacity for medical consent. Finally, there will be a section for the most important issues regarding the trial and conviction for individuals with ID and a presentation of a recent research on attitudes toward ID and legal issues. The above will be examined through the prism of current neuropsychological data, while cross-cultural restrictions will be discussed.

Psychosocial Interventions for Individuals with Intellectual Disability

In the recent years, there has been an increased interest and focus on improving the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. In the year 2006, the United Nations drafted the Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) aimed at securing and protecting the human rights of persons with disabilities. As of November 2015, 160 countries have become signatories of this convention and many countries are working towards making legislations consistent with the CRPD to protect the human rights of individuals with disabilities (UN Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities, 2015). Individuals with intellectual disabilities often face increased challenges in self-care, emotional regulation and decision making due to their cognitive and adaptive skill limitations, which further impacts on their quality of life (Emerson, 2001a). A large proportion of population with intellectual disability display several forms of challenging behaviours including aggressive behaviours, self-harm, stereotypical behaviours and sexual misconducts (Crocker, Mercier, Lachapelle, Brunet, Morin & Roy 2006; Emerson et al., 2001b; Poppes, Putten, & Vlaskamp, 2010). Poppes et al. (2010) found a prevalence of self-harm and stereotypical behaviour in 82% of their participants with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD) and 45% of their study participants displayed aggressive and destructive behaviours. Challenging behaviour appears to be a central theme in intellectual disability and its treatment. This chapter provides a discussion of the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in prevention and treatment of challenging behaviours as well as improving the adaptive behaviours of individuals with intellectual disability.

Concerns for Individuals with Intellectual Disability in India

Intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) is characterized by deficits in general mental abilities, such as reasoning, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking judgment, academic learning, and learning from experience (DSM V). This neuro developmental disorder is one of the conditions with onset in the developmental period. This condition has been classified into four categories on the basis of the individual's IQ (Intelligence quotient). The objective of the present paper is to highlight some of the areas that are related to the concerns for the people with intellectual disability. The paper focuses on the following topics: 1) Legal services, 2) Challenges faced by parents, 3) Health issues, 4) Sexual knowledge, 5) Marriage, 6) Quality of life, 7) Old age, 8) Attitude of society towards the individual with intellectual disability, 9) Implications, management and prevention for future improvement for individuals with intellectual disability.

Assessment and Management of Communication Skills in Individuals with Intellectual Disability

The relationship between communication and cognition which has been explored since mid-1900s is a highly contentious topic. Hypotheses from various researchers have experienced a gradual shift from cognitive/innate bases to social perspective of acquisition and development of speech and language skills in individuals with intellectual disability. This acquisition tends to be delayed or deviant (qualitative and /or quantitative). In the recent years, research in this area is experiencing a paradigm shift evolving from ‘incapacity' to ‘functioning' which is obvious in the clinical practice of assessment and intervention of speech and language skills in these individuals. Further, the rehabilitation process is experiencing a transition from clinician directed to child-oriented or hybrid approaches of intervention. This chapter will be a comprehensive document of recent trends in research and practice related to acquisition of language, assessment and intervention of communication difficulties for professionals working with intellectual disability.

Quality of Life of People with Intellectual Disability

Intellectual Disability, according to DSM-V is defined as a “disorder with onset during the developmental period that includes both intellectual and adaptive functioning deficits in conceptual, social and practical domains.” Clinical judgment and individually administered standardized tests confirm deficits in intellectual functions such as reasoning, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgment, academic learning and learning from experience. Adaptive functioning is also deficit as the individual needs assistance in one or more activities of daily living such as communication, social participation and independent living across multiple environments such as home, school, work and community. The need to understand the quality of life of people with intellectual disability is crucial as this mental disability is considered to be a major setback for any individual and his/her family. It needs to be highlighted here, that the families of people with intellectual disability also play a crucial role. New research reviews are required to bring policy changes and better tools.

Family Members as Caregivers of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Whenever you have an individual suffering from any disorder, whether emotional, behavioural or intellectual; the prime focus is almost always the individual experiencing it first hand. Often we tend to neglect the sacrifices or adjustments made by the family members. Caregiver stress is one of the phenomena explored here along with experiences of individual family members and the resources available to make it easier for them. Resources could be in terms of finances, emotional support, personality strengths or the society they live in. Another unlikely term explored over here is that of Caregiver Gain which is recently being given attention due to it. This chapter explores the unique experiences of parents, siblings, grandparents as well as support staff as caregivers of individuals with Intellectual Disabilites. We also have a look at traits that help cope with the caregiving process.

Mind the Gap

Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ID) experience higher rates of psychiatric disorders than the general population, although findings are mixed with regard to the determinants of this increased prevalence. Despite growing recognition of the prevalence of mental health problems among individuals with ID, and the consequences this comorbidity carries for individuals, families and the wider community, there are multiple challenges in identifying and managing these concerns. Accurate diagnosis and effective intervention is currently hindered by factors including the applicability of standardised psychiatric classification systems, gaps in service delivery models and access to such services, as well as unmet training needs.

Intellectual Disability in the Family Context

Literature with regard to parents with intellectual disability is scant. On one hand, parents with intellectual disability engage in the valued social role of raising children; on the other, their parenting attracts (typically negative) attention based on an expectation of their limited capacities to parent. Available research primarily addresses the question of whether or not individuals with intellectual disability can be adequate parents or reports on methods for improving their parenting skills. There has been relatively negligible work in the Indian context with regard to parents with intellectual disability. This paper attempts to review literature on the current data available about parents and parenting with intellectual disability in the Indian context concentrating on directions for future research.