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The Center on Human Policy, through its various funded projects, distributes a variety of reports and resources on the inclusion of people with disabilities into community life.  These resources include the Community Integration Report Series as well as fact sheets, bulletins, and information packages.

Please note there are several resources that cannot be reproduced on the WWW. Some documents are available in PDF format.  Also some documents may be available in Rich Text Format (RTF) or in Microsoft Word. Please contact The Center on Human Policy if you have any problems accessing these documents.

All of the files in Abode "PDF" format can be downloaded with the Acrobat Reader Plug-In program which is available free from Adobe Systems. Access.adobe.com is a free server that enables people with visual impairments to read any Acrobat document on the web using any standard web browser. 

Alternative Day Activities

  • Acting on a Vision: Agency Conversation at KFI, Millinocket, Maine (2000) by Pam Walker describes closure of facility-based services and the provision of inclusive day time and residential supports. (20 pages). | PDF | HTML |
  • Creating Meaningful Daytimes: Community Building at Options for Individuals, Louisville, Kentucky (1998) by Pam Walker describes the successes and challenges of creating meaningful daytimes at Options for Individuals in Louisville, Kentucky. (21 pages). | PDF | HTML |
  • It's All Business: A Site Visit Report on Working Order, Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania (1998) by Marjorie F. Olney and Perri Harris describes an organization in Pennsylvania designed to assist people with and without disabilities to develop business ventures. | PDF | HTML |
  • "This is Still A Work in Progress": Common Ground, Littleton, New Hampshire (1998) by Mair Hall and Pam Walker describes a program that closed its workshops and supports all people in integrated daytime activities. | PDF | HTML
  • Job Path: Shifting the Focus Beyond Just Wor (1996) by Kathleen Hulgin and Julia A. Searl describes how an organization in New York City began to develop alternative day services for people with severe disabilities. | PDF | HTML

Community Supports/Inclusion

  • “…to interact with non-disabled persons to the fullest extent possible.” Perspectives on “Most Integrated” Services for People with Developmental Disabilities (2006) by John O’Brien is a resource for discussing the sorts of assistance that offer people with developmental disabilities the best chances for social integration. (39 pages).
  • Reflecting on Social Roles: Identifying Opportunities to Support Personal Freedom & Social Integration (2006) by John O’Brien is an inventory with the purpose of encouraging thoughtful discussion of the meaning of “least restrictive and most integrated” as criteria for service adequacy. (19 pages)
  • Never Give Up: Assets Inc.’s Commitment to Community Life for People Seen as "Difficult to Serve" (2003) by John O’Brien, with Kathryn Carssow, Matthew Jones, Maxwell Mercer, Laronsia Reynolds and Diana Strzok summarizes the results of a focus group with Assets staff concerning their learning experiences in serving people with developmental disabilities and/or psychiatric disabilities designated as "difficult to serve." (38 pages).
  • Community Participation and Social Networks: An Information Package (2002) prepared by Pam Walker addresses issues and strategies related to promoting community membership for people with developmental disabilities. | PDF | HTML |
  • IMPACT: Feature Issue on Volunteerism by Persons with Developmental Disabilities (2001) includes articles that offer strategies and vision, encouraging greater inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in volunteerism. This bulletin was published through the IMPACT series of the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center on Human Policy. | PDF | HTML
  • Community for All is Possible: Promoting Home and Community Life at Community Vision, Inc. (2001) by Pam Walker describes Community Vision, an agency in Portland, Oregon that has assisted people to move out of institutions and nursing homes and live in the community.
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  • Pathfinders: Making the Way from Segregation to Community Life (2001) by Connie Lyle O’Brien, Beth Mount, John O’Brien and Fredda Rosen describes Pathfinder, a project of Job Path in New York City, focused on assisting students with disabilities to transition to meaningful work and other community involvements and relationships.
  • The Continuum and Current Controversies in the USA (2001) by Steven J. Taylor is a reprint of an article (Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 26(1), 15-33) reviewing policy developments in deinstitutionalization and community inclusion in North America, and, specifically, the USA. The article starts with a critique of the continuum concept and the associated principle of the least restrictive environment, which have been used as a conceptual framework for the design of services for people with intellectual disability. It then examines past and current controversies surrounding deinstitutionalization, and concludes with brief comments on the institution versus community debate and assesses the future of the continuum concept. For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • The Genius of the Principle of Normalization (1999) by John O'Brien describes the impact of the principle of normalization based on both the ideas embedded in it as well as the teaching of its application.
  • Community Engagement: A Necessary Condition for Self-Determination and Individual Funding (1999) by John O'Brien is a paper based on a meeting of a working group of family members, service workers, and people with disabilities from Ontario, Canada, concerned about building a strong foundation for community living.
  • From Community Presence to Sense of Place: Community Experiences of Adults with Developmental Disabilities (1999) by Pam Walker is a reprint of an article (JASH, 24(1), 23-32) which discusses community experiences and the importance of place, and a sense of place, for community inclusion and membership. For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • Building Stronger Communities For All: Thoughts About Community Participation for People with Developmental Disabilities (1999) by Robert Bogdan and Steven J. Taylor is a paper that presents some thoughts and observations on what It means for people with developmental disabilities to be part of the community.
  • Community Integration Policy and Practice Abstracts, Fifth Edition (1999) prepared by Julia Searl and updated by Perri Harris is the fifth edition of a compilation of recent journal articles relevant to community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities and includes topics of education, employment, policy, communication and supported living.
  • My House is Covered with Papers! Reflections on a Generation of Active Citizenship (1999) by Connie Lyle O'Brien and John O'Brien tells the stories of five women, mothers of children with disabilities, who have made and continue to make important contributions to the civic work of shaping policies and programs that offer people with developmental disabilities the opportunities and supports they need to be full and responsible citizens.
  • The 30 Year Journey: Experiences of Progressive Inclusion from the Perspectives of Three Adults with Physical Disabilities (1998) by Mair Hall is a reprint of an article (Exceptionality Education Canada, 8(2), 57-80) that explores the experiences of progressive inclusion from the perspectives of three Eastern Canadian adults with physical disabilities and who, by their own accounts, were educated in mainstream or inclusive programs. The adult stories serve as a basis for discussion of the relationship between rhetoric and actual practices under the concept. For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • Annotated Bibliography on Community Integration, Third Edition (1998) edited by Mair Hall and Pam Walker describes many of the best resources on community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities. A new and expanded version of previous editions.
  • One Day at a Time: Changing a System to Realize a Dream by John O'Brien, Ray Browning, and Connie Lyle O'Brien is a paper about lessons for service system change based on the story of Ray Browning, who moved from a nursing home to his own home.
  • Record of The Complexities of Community Building (1997) by John O'Brien is a record of a gathering to reflect on experiences and hopes about community building. For a copy of this paper, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • Standing With People In Support, Not Control: Training Toward Self-Reliance, Inc., Sacramento, CA (1997) by Pam Walker describes an agency in Sacramento, CA that focuses on support of parents with developmental disabilities, support for people with developmental disabilities to manage personal assistance services, and support for people in many other areas of their lives in addition to disability.
  • Deliberate-Fire: An Account of Organizational Transformation in Onondaga Community Living, Syracuse, New York (1995) by John O'Brien describes the organizational transformation at Onondaga Community Living from the perspective of people supported by the agency as well as families, staff, administrators, and board members.
  • Policy Bulletin on Individualized Services in New York State contains several brief articles describing examples of individualized supports in New York State. The bulletin also includes discussion of issues and challenges related to policy and practice regarding individualized supports.
  • Unfolding Capacity: People with Disabilities and Their Allies Building Better Communities Together (1994) by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien offers a perspective on community building around and with people with substantial disabilities and explores five commitments that build community.
  • Remembering the Soul of Our Work: Stories by the Staff of Options in Community Living, Madison, Wisconsin (1992) edited by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien collects 150 stories written between 1987 and 1991 by Options staff who support people with disabilities in their own homes. Their stories effectively communicate some of the qualities that make their work meaningful. To order a copy of this book, contact the Options in Community Living.
  • Supports for Community Living: A Case Study (1991) by Rannveig Traustadottir is a qualitative study which examines in detail the supports provided to one individual with severe disabilities and the role this support plays in enabling him to become a part of community life.
  • Designing Policies in Support of Inclusive Community: Questions for Decision Makers (1989) by John O'Brien asks policymakers to examine the effects of funding priorities and service policy decisions on the capacity of communities to include people with disabilities. For a copy of this paper, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • Signs of Community Building (1989) by John O'Brien summarizes a visit with people involved in community building activities in the Phoenixville-Kimberton area of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
  • Against Pain as a Tool in Professional Work on People with Severe Disabilities (1989) by John O'Brien is an essay arguing against the use of pain, often cloaked in the terms "aversive treatment" and "intrusive procedures" for the control of people with severe disabilities.
  • Community Living for Adults is a newsbulletin highlighting promising practices, issues and resources in supporting adults in the community.
  • What's Worth Working For? Leadership for Better Quality Human Services (1989) by John O'Brien looks at leadership practices that contribute to organizational capacity to support people, build alliances, and incorporate skilled assistance into ordinary settings.
  • Telling New Stories: The Search for Capacity Among People with Severe Handicaps (1989) by John O'Brien and Beth Mount contrasts a new kind of storytelling--done to respond to real changes in a person's life--with the story told by traditional service plans.
  • Caught in the Continuum: A Critical Analysis of the Principle of the Least Restrictive Environment (1988) by Steven J. Taylor is a reprint of an article (Journal of The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 13(1), 41-53) which reviews the origin of LRE, analyzes the conceptual and philosophical flaws of LRE especially for people with severe disabilities, and contrasts integration with LRE as a guiding principle. For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.  

Disability Studies

  • Disability Studies: Information and Resources (2003) edited and compiled by Steven Taylor, Bonnie Shoultz, and Pamela Walker is an informatio package reflecting the diversity of the field of Disability Studies. Included are contributions representing different disability groups, perspectives, and disciplines, including sections on Disability Studies Books, Chapters, and Articles; Films and Documentaries; a listing of North American academic programs in Disability Studies; Periodicals; Special/Features Issues of Periodicals; Organizations; Special Interest Groups of Professional Organizations; Internet Resources; and Resources for Teaching Disability Studies, a special section that suggests books and readings on Disability Studies that can be used in courses in various academic disciplines. Available formats: Microsoft Word | PDF | HTML
  • Disability Studies and Mental Retardation (1996) by Steve Taylor applies a disability studies perspective to the study of people labelled as having mental retardation or cognitive disabilities and examines mental retardation as a social and cultural phenomenon. The article includes an extensive annotated bibliography on mental retardation and disability studies by Steve Taylor and Perri Harris. Reprinted from Disability Studies Quarterly, 16(3), 4-13.  

Early Childhood

  • Paving the Way to Kindergarten: Timelines and Guidelines for Preschool Staff Working with Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families is a booklet that was written by Ellen Barnes in 1997 and updated in 2001 by Dianne Apter and Rachael Zubal. This booklet is designed to offer the staff of preschools serving young children with special needs a process for supporting children and families through the transition to kindergarten. It is a companion to Moving On: From Preschool to Kindergarten, a booklet designed to support parents through the same process. Available in both HTML or PDF formats.
  • Moving On: From Preschool to Kindergarten (1999) edited by Dianne Apter and Anne Winschel is a booklet created by the staff of Paving the Way to Kindergarten, a project seeking to maximize successful transitions to kindergarten and community resources for children with special needs. A version in HTML is now available.
  • Serving Children with Special Needs in Your Child Care Facility (1996) edited by Julia Searl is a manual that gives information to child care providers on including children with disabilities in their facility. It includes the steps of setting up a collaborative inclusive program for preschoolers, and has numerous resources that may help the process, such as how to help staff work as a team. 

Faith Communities and Spirituality 

  • Resource Packet on Disability, Spirituality, and Healing (1999) by the Rev. Nancy Lane presents articles, an annotated bibliography, a course syllabus, and handouts on disability and spirituality. Much of the emphasis in this package is on the spiritual healing of wounds created within individuals by attitudes toward and discrimination against people with disabilities.
  • Faith Communities and Inclusion of People with Developmental Disabilities (1998) by Mair Hall and Philip Lambert includes resources and information on books, articles, newsletters, and organizations that work to include people with developmental disabilities in the mainstream of faith communities. Also included are selected reprints that give examples of this work. 

Family Supports

Friendships/Relationships

see also Sociology of Disability

  • Community Participation and Social Networks: An Information Package (2002) prepared by Pam Walker addresses issues and strategies related to promoting community membership for people with developmental disabilities. This package was previously prepared by Zana Marie Lutfiyya in 1991 as an information package on "Personal Relationships and Social Networks."
  • Policy Bulletin on Social Relationships is first of a series of bulletins summarizing research findings for those who make and are impacted by policy. This document looks at relationships between people with and without disabilities.
  • Unlikely Alliances: Friendships and People with Developmental Disabilities (1993) by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien is a reflection on the nature of friendship, on four of its dimensions, and on the meanings of friendship for people with and without developmental disabilities and the communities they inhabit and create together. For a copy of this paper, contact the Center on Human Policy.
  • Affectionate Bonds: What We Can Learn by Listening to Friends (1990) by Zana Marie Lutfiyya describes a qualitative study of friendships between people with and without disabilities, including how they met, characteristics of their friendships, and implications. For a copy of this monograph, contact the Center on Human Policy.

 Gender and Disability 

  • Women with Disabilities: Issues, Resources, Connections, Revised (1997) by Rannveig Traustadottir and updated by Perri Harris includes an article, "Obstacles to Equality: The Double Discrimination of Women with Disabilities," an extensive annotated bibliography, and annotated listings of resources, teaching materials, services, support groups, organizations, periodicals, and World Wide Web sites. NOTE: A new bibliography is now available on women and disability. 
  • Women and Family Care: On the Gendered Nature of Caring (1988) by Rannveig Traustadottir is a paper based on a qualitative study of families who have children with disabilities; it explores how stereotypical sex roles influence the caring of the child. For a copy of this paper, contact the Center on Human Policy.  

Housing

  • Guiding People Home: The Role of Wisconsin's Supported Housing Specialist (1999) by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien with Marcie Brost describes the role of Wisconsin's Supported Housing Specialist in creating effective relationships, relationships that not only bring people with disabilities along the path to their own front doors, but also lay a foundation for new housing possibilities for other people with disabilities.
  • Not Just a Place to Live: Building Community in Toronto (1997) by Pam Walker and Susan O'Connor describes the creation of two housing co-ops by people with and without disabilities, as well as a support organization, NABORS.
  • From a Community Residence to a Home of Their Own (1995) by Pam Walker describes how the Syracuse Developmental Services Office, in Syracuse, New York, facilitated the process of home ownership for two women previously living in a community residence.
  • Housing for People with Severe Disabilities: A Collection of Resource Materials (1995) is an update of the 1990 information package and provides an introduction to housing strategies and resources to promote home ownership by people with disabilities and parents, to make housing more accessible to all people, and to increase the development and use of integrated housing options.
  • Down Stairs that are Never Your Own: Supporting People with Developmental Disabilities in Their Own Homes (1994) by John O'Brien is a reprint of an article (Mental Retardation, 32(1), 1-6) that discusses the historical and current meanings and dimensions of "house" and "home" for people with developmental disabilities. For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.

Inclusive Education

  • Inclusion in Education: Issues and Resources (2003) edited by Rachael Zubal-Ruggieri and Valerie Smith represents a substantial revision of the previous information package, last updated in 1993. It contains an extensive annotated bibliography, selected readings on inclusive education, as well as information on Internet mailing lists, web sites, and selected organizations and projects providing information and services concerning inclusive education. A brief listing of current resources on IDEA is also included. (135 pages).
  • Inclusion as a Force for School Renewal (1995) by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien discusses schools that include students with substantial disabilities, and the authors point out how inclusion heightens awareness of schools as communities and talk about how people are learning to build inclusive school communities. (25 pages)

Inclusive Postsecondary Education

  • Beyond Compliance: An Information Package on the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education (2003) compiled and edited by Rebecca Cory, Steve Taylor, Pamela Walker, and Julia White contains essays, reprints, and resources designed to assist postsecondary institutions to move beyond compliance and to include disabled persons in all aspects of campus life. It is not intended to provide step-by-step guidelines or to serve as a comprehensive manual on all aspects of inclusion and accommodations. Rather, it is designed to offer some perspectives, strategies, and resources that individuals can use to advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities at universities and postsecondary institutions. (164 pages)   

Inclusion & Membership on Decision-Making Bodies 

Individualized Funding

Institution Closure  

  • Policy Research Brief: Status of Institutional Closure Efforts in 2005 (2005) edited by Steve Taylor, Bonnie Shoultz, Pam Walker, and Sheryl Larson examines and summarizes the research and policy issues that state policymakers may face as they consider whether to increase, reduce, or close institutions in their own states. This Policy Research Brief was published by the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center on Human Policy.
  • Closing Brandon State School: A Vermont Story (1999) by Bonnie Shoultz, Pam Walker, Kathy Hulgin, Bob Bogdan, Steve Taylor, and Charles Moseley is a report examining the complexities of the closure of an institution, Brandon Training School, in Vermont. (53 pages)
  • "I Can See No Downside to the Closure of SDC": A Documentary History of the Closure of Syracuse Developmental Center 1854-1998 (1999) compiled by Mair Hall, Perri Harris, and Lori Lewin, and edited by Steven J. Taylor, this is a documentary history of the events leading up to the closure of Syracuse Developmental Center, which was founded in 1854 as the second public institution for people with mental retardation in North America. The package includes essays, reflections, and newspaper clippings. Although this compilation of materials relates specifically to the closure of the Syracuse institution, some general lessons about institutional closure are discussed. (95 pages)
  • A Chance to be Made Whole: People First Members Being Friends to Tear Down Institution Walls (1997) complied by John O'Brien is a summary of a meeting of People First of Tennessee members and advisors and presents, in their own words, what people have learned about reaching out and being friends to people who still live in institutions, and about supporting them as they move out into the community. Their hope is that other self-advocacy groups can learn from their experiences on institution closure. (27 pages)
  • Feature Issue on Institution Closures (Winter 1995/96) edited by Mary F. Hayden, K. Charlie Lakin, and Steve Taylor contains national information as well as a variety of articles on closing institutions written from the perspectives of self-advocates, professionals, parents, researchers, and policy makers. This bulletin was published through the Impact series of the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center on Human Policy.
  • Making a Move: Advice From People First Members About Helping People Move Out of Institutions and Nursing Home (1990) by Connie Lyle O'Brien and John O'Brien shares the perspective of about 40 People First members on how People First members can help people from institutions and nursing homes. (7 pages)

Internet Resource

  • Fact Sheet: Summary of Internet Terms and Resources (1999) by Rachael Zubal and Mair Hall is written specifically for people with disabilities and summarizes Internet terms in basic, easy-to-understand ways, and includes a brief list of Internet resources and tools. (2 pages) To download this fact sheet in different formats, please see the Fact Sheets section of our web site.

Managed Care

  • Information Package on Managed Care and Long-Term Supports for People with Developmental Disabilities (1997) edited by Steve Taylor includes resources and materials on "managed care" for people with disabilities. The focus of this package is on long-term supports for people with developmental disabilities. The package contains a position statement on managed care, articles containing background information, and cautionary pieces about the potential dangers in managed care as well as a list of additional organizations to contact for further information. (105 pages)

Multiculturalism and Disability

  • Feature Issue on Supporting Diversity (Summer 1996) edited by Betty Horton, Marijo McBride and Bonnie Shoultz explores ways in which services are and could be supporting people from diverse groups. It also highlights a number of individuals who tell their own stories. This bulletin was published through the Impact series of the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center on Human Policy.
  • Multiculturalism and Disability: A Collection of Resources (1993) by Susan O'Connor includes an overview article which offers a discussion on how disability should be included in the multicultural dialogue and an annotated bibliography of readings, organizations and resources dealing with multicultural issues. (70 pages)
  • Policy Bulletin on Disability and Family Policy presents a multicultural approach for working with families, focusing on class, gender, and cultural dimensions, with recommendations for policy makers.

Permanency Planning

  • Policy Research Brief: Do We Really Mean Families for All Children? Permanency Planning for Children with Developmental Disabilities (2000) by Nancy Rosenau addresses supporting all children in families through permanency planning. Includes discussion of permanency planning policy, barriers, implementation, and recommendations. This Policy Research Brief was published by the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center on Human Policy.
  • Fact Sheet: What is "Permanency"? (2000) by Nancy Rosenau describes the importance of permanency for children and discusses strategies to support and implement it. (2 pages) Free. To download this fact sheet in different formats, please see the Fact Sheets section of our web site.
  • Permanency Planning in Michigan: From Philosophy to Reality (1994) by Bonnie Shoultz, Susan O'Connor, Kathy Hulgin, and Paul Newman is a study and policy analysis of Michigan's permanency planning efforts, including successes and challenges, for children with developmental disabilities and mental health needs. The report is based on interviews with parents, state and local staff members, and administrators. (67 pages)
  • Permanency Planning for Children with Developmental Disabilities in Pennsylvania: The Lessons of Project STAR (1992) by Steven J. Taylor, Julie Ann Racino, Pam Walker, Zana Marie Lutfiyya and Bonnie Shoultz is a policy analysis focusing on an agency that emphasizes permanency planning, including adoption, for children with developmental disabilities. (68 pages)
  • A Child's Birthright: To Live in a Family (1990) edited by Nancy Rosenau leads the reader through a vicarious tour of Macomb-Oakland Regional Center's approach to and services for children with developmental disabilities and their families, with an emphasis on permanency for every child. (51 pages)
  • Permanency Planning for Children and Youth: Out-of-Home Placement Decisions (Exceptional Children, 55(6), 541-549, copyright 1989 by the Council for Exceptional Children) by Steven J. Taylor and K. Charlie Lakin advocates the extension of the basic protections of "permanency planning" to all children and youth, including those with severe handicaps. Reprinted with permission. (9 pages) For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy.

Person-Centered Planning

Personal Assistance Services 

Perspectives of People with Disabilities 

  • Opening the Doors of Opportunity for the Year 2000 and Beyond (2000) by Michael J. Kennedy is a reprint of an article (Mental Retardation, 38(4), 373-374) that describes how self-determination is critical to ensuring quality lives in the community. (2 pages). For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy
  • The Disability Blanket (1994) by Michael J. Kennedy is a reprint of an article (Mental Retardation, 32(1), 74-76) that represents the experience of how it feels to be under a one-size-and-fabric-fits-all blanket, and offers a vision for change. (3 pages). For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy
  • Don't Mourn for Us (1993) by Jim Sinclair is an article presented as a message to parents and other people who care about autistic people. It is an outline of the presentation the author gave at the 1993 International Conference on Autism in Toronto, and is addressed primarily to parents. (7 pages).  

Recreation & Leisure  

  • Promoting Inclusion in Recreation and Leisure Activities: An Information Package (1999) compiled by Pam Walker contains an overview, selected articles, and an annotated bibliography. (52 pages)
  • The Kid From Cabin 17 (1988) by Pamela Walker and Betsy Edinger is a reprint of an article (Camping Magazine, May, 1988, 18-21) which tells the story of Chauncey's summer camp experience and the lessons learned about the integration of children with severe disabilities. (4 pages)
  • Beyond the Classroom: Involving Students with Disabilities in Extracurricular Activities at Levy Middle School (1988) by Pam Walker, Betsy Edinger, Chris Willis, and Mary Eileen Kenney describes a variety of strategies used in a middle school in Syracuse, New York to involve students with disabilities in activities such as volleyball, cross country skiing, basketball and the Spanish club. (58 pages)

Resources for Advocacy 

  • Negotiation (2000) by Steven Taylor is designed to enable disability activists, parents, and advocates to negotiate effectively. (10 pages)
  • Principles of Whistleblowing (1979) by Douglas Biklen and Milton Baker contains a list of suggestions for "whistleblowers," staff and others who want to call public attention to rights violations at service agencies. (5 pages)   

Safeguards 

  • Cultivating Thinking Hearts: Letters from The Lifesharing Safeguards Project (1994) by Helen Zipperlen and John O'Brien is an exploration of the rich mix of concepts that arise from and apply to the creation of effective safeguards for lifesharing households (where people with and without disabilities choose life together); a booklet of essays and letters from various perspectives. (111 pages)
  • Policy Bulletin on Safeguards addresses how safety can be increased by strengthening community and improving the assistance people receive. It also discusses the paradox of regulations.
  • What Can We Count On To Make and Keep People Safe? (1990) edited by John O'Brien, Connie Lyle O'Brien and David Schwartz shares a variety of perspectives on creating effective safeguards for people with developmental disabilities, including an analysis of contrasting approaches, strategies for increasing people's safety, and options for action. (40 pages)  

Self-Advocacy 

  • Fact Sheet on Self-Advocacy (1999) by Mair Hall briefly defines what self-advocacy is, provides a brief history of the Self-Advocacy/People First Movement, and includes a brief list of resources. (2 pages) Free. To download this fact sheet in different formats, please see the Fact Sheets section of our web site.  
  • Materials on Self-Advocacy (1997) by Rachael Zubal, Bonnie Shoultz, Pam Walker and Michael Kennedy includes an overview article, a short listing of information available, and selected reprints. (20 pages)  

Self-Determination  

The Sociology of Disability  

  • "You're Not A Retard, You're Just Wise": Disability, Social Identity, and Family Networks (2000) by Steven J. Taylor is a reprint of an article (Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 29(1), 58-92) that examines the social meaning of disability and the construction of social identity in a family whose members, as well as numerous kin and friends, have been officially defined as handicapped, disabled or mentally retarded. This article examines, in depth, how family members and their broader social network construct the meaning of disability labels in nonstigmatizing ways and define themselves and each other in terms of their personal characteristics and family relationships. (35 pages). For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy
  • Relationships with Severely Disabled People: The Social Construction of Humanness (1989) by Robert Bogdan and Steven J. Taylor is a reprint of an article (Social Problems, 36(2), 135-148) that presents the perspectives of nondisabled people who do not stigmatize, stereotype, and reject those with obvious disabilities. (14 pages). For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy
  • On Accepting Relationships Between People with Mental Retardation and Nondisabled People: Towards an Understanding of Acceptance (1989) by Steven J. Taylor and Robert Bogdan is a reprint of an article (Disability, Handicap & Society, 4(1), 21-26) that outlines the sociology of acceptance, a theoretical framework for understanding relationships between people with mental retardation and typical people. (16 pages). For a copy of this journal article, contact the Center on Human Policy  

Supported Employment

Supported Living