Abstract
Aim: Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will see individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) self-managing funds for professional services, such as those rendered by university qualified disability specialists (Developmental Educators; DE). DE are allied health disability professionals with multi-disciplinary, holistic, and person-centred approaches to supporting individual learning and development across the lifespan. This study investigated the skill set, roles, responsibilities, perceived recognition and careers of DE.
Method: An online survey was completed by 121 DE. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data.
Results: The skills and values that DE reported contributing to the lives of people with ID include: positive behaviour support, functional/ social skill development, lifelong support, person-centred focus, and passion for social justice. DE reported that people with disabilities, caregivers/families, and other professionals are unfamiliar with their skill set.
Conclusions: DE possess a multitude of skills to support quality of life of people with ID; however, further evidence about quality and variability of service provided by DE is needed from other stakeholders such as recipients of DE services.
Method: An online survey was completed by 121 DE. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data.
Results: The skills and values that DE reported contributing to the lives of people with ID include: positive behaviour support, functional/ social skill development, lifelong support, person-centred focus, and passion for social justice. DE reported that people with disabilities, caregivers/families, and other professionals are unfamiliar with their skill set.
Conclusions: DE possess a multitude of skills to support quality of life of people with ID; however, further evidence about quality and variability of service provided by DE is needed from other stakeholders such as recipients of DE services.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 807-807 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Journal of Intellectual Disability Research |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue number | 7-8 Special issue |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2016 |
| Event | International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) 15th World Congress: Global Partnerships: Enhancing Research, Policy and Practice - Melbourne, Australia Duration: 15 Aug 2016 → 19 Aug 2016 Conference number: 15th |