Using the Characteristics of Current and Subsequent Least Restrictive Environments in the Development of Curricular Content for Severely Handicapped Students

Abstract

This paper is designed to address several critical issues that pertain to the development of longitudinal curricular content for use with severely handicapped students. More specifically, to emphasize: (a) the importance of the principle of partial participation; (b) the need to create a wide variety of adaptations that might allow severely handicapped students at least to participate in many environments and activities from which they have been excluded; and (c) a rationale for using current and subsequent environment orientations and ecological inventory strategies in curriculum development processes. In addition, the authors present a cursory example of how ecological inventory strategies and current and subsequent environment orientations might be combined to generate chrononogical age appropriate curricular content.

Leisure‐dance Instruction for Severely and Profoundly Retarded Persons: Teaching an Intermediate Community‐living Skill

“…First, the general quality of life available to seriously handicapped persons can be enhanced significantly (Brown et al, 1979). Second, successful partial participation can demonstrate the development of skills that were once considered beyond the capabilities of the severely and profoundly handicapped (Brown et al, 1979). In this study the appropriate, partial participation in the social dances with less seriously retarded persons from the community resulted in a greater variety of life experiences for the residents.…”

“…In the present case the residents participated appropriately during the generalization dances with only partial assistance from staff and volunteers. The benefits of partial participation for severely and profoundly handicapped persons have been espoused frequently in the professional literature (e.g., Brown et al, 1979;Certo, 1983;Snell & Smith, 1983), and two of the benefits seem particularly relevant here. First, the general quality of life available to seriously handicapped persons can be enhanced significantly (Brown et al, 1979).…”

“…The benefits of partial participation for severely and profoundly handicapped persons have been espoused frequently in the professional literature (e.g., Brown et al, 1979;Certo, 1983;Snell & Smith, 1983), and two of the benefits seem particularly relevant here. First, the general quality of life available to seriously handicapped persons can be enhanced significantly (Brown et al, 1979). Second, successful partial participation can demonstrate the development of skills that were once considered beyond the capabilities of the severely and profoundly handicapped (Brown et al, 1979).…”

“…However, the program can be considered a successful method for achieving "partial participation" (Brown, Branston-McClean, Baumgart, Vincent, Falvey, & Schroeder, 1979). Briefly, partial participation refers to assisting individuals whose disabilities are so serious as to prohibit totally normal functioning, such that they can participate to some degree in normalized activities.…”

Establishing verbal repertoires: Toward the application of general case analysis and programming

“…Such an ecological inventory strategy has often been recommended and applied in curricular planning for persons with severe disabilities (Brown, Branston, Baumgart, Vincent, Falvey, & Schroeder, 1979). An inventory might still result in a very wide range of situations where manding would be functional and appropriate; it may be necessary to begin with a subset of these situations to make initial training manageable.…”