Extant programs and research related to adaptive behavior or independent living skills encompass nearly every dimension of the severely handicapped individual's life. This article provides a selective review of programs designed to increase adaptive behavior in severely handicapped individuals. It is not our intent here to identify every successful or failed attempt to improve the adaptive behavior of the severely handicapped. Rather, we will selectively address those areas that are of most critical concern and those programs that have enjoyed the greatest success in the improvement of the adaptive behavior of the severely handicapped.
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