The national goals of higher expectations for all students and their emphasis on academic achievement are reviewed in light of the data on outcomes for students with disabilities. A new framework for measuring outcomes along the lines of quality of life is proposed. The framework regards academic goals as the means for achieving other outcomes, namely the four outcomes that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) declared: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. We propose that the underlying goal of education should be to enhance the quality of life of students with disabilities and that the four overarching IDEA goals, as implemented in part by the emphasis on academic achievement, should guide the curriculum and all assessment measures.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
2.
Becker, M., Diamond, R., & Sainfort, F. (1993). A new patient-focused index for measuring quality of life in persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Quality of Life Research, 2, 239—251.
3.
Blackorby, J., & Wagner, M. (1996, March—April). Longitudinal post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities: Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study. Exceptional Children, 62, 399—413.
4.
Borthwick-Duffy, S.A. (1996). Evaluation and measurement of quality of life: Special considerations for persons with mental retardation. In R. L. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Vol. 1. Conceptualization and measurement (pp. 105—119). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
5.
Bradley, V., & Knoll, J. (1990). Shifting paradigms in services to people with developmental disabilities. Cambridge, MA: Human Services Research Institute.
6.
Browning, P.L., Dunn, C., Rabren, K., & Whetstone, M. (1995). Post-school outcomes for students with disabilities: A U.S. synopsis. Issues in Special Education and Rehabilitation , 10(1), 31—37.
7.
Carr, E.G., Horner, R.H., Turnbull, A.P., Marquis, J.G., McLaughlin, D.M., McAtee, M.L., et al. (1999). Positive behavior support for people with developmental disabilities: A research synthesis. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
8.
Conroy, J., & Feinstein, C. (1990). Measuring quality of life: Where have we been, where are we going? In R. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Perspectives and issues (pp. 227—234). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation .
9.
Cummins, R.A. (1997). Assessing quality of life. In R. I. Brown (Ed.), Assessing quality of life for people with disabilities: Models, research and practice (pp. 116—150). Cheltenham, UK: Stanley Thornes.
10.
Cummins, R.A., McCabe, M.P., Romeo, Y., & Gullone, E. (1994). The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale: Instrument development and psychometric evaluation on tertiary staff and students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 372—382.
11.
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 15001 et seq.
12.
Edgerton, R. (1990). Quality of life from a longitudinal research perspective . In R. Schalock & M. J. Bogale (Eds.), Quality of life: Perspectives and issues (pp. 149—160). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
13.
Fabian, E.S., Lent, R.L., & Willis, S.P. (1998). Predicting work transition outcomes for students with disabilities: Implications for counselors. Journal of Counseling and Development, 76, 311—315.
14.
Felce, D. (1997). Defining and applying the concept of quality of life. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 41, 126—135.
15.
Ferrans, C.E., & Powers, M.J. (1985). Quality of life index: Development and psychometric properties. American NursingScience, 8(1), 15—24.
16.
Finn, C.E., Rotherman, A.J., & Hokanson, C.R. (2001). Rethinking special education for a new century. Washington, DC: Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and the Progressive Policy Institute.
17.
Gill, T.M., & Feinstein, A.R. (1994). A critical appraisal of the quality of quality-of-life measurements. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 272, 619—626.
18.
Halpern, A.S. (1993). Quality of life as a conceptual framework for evaluating transition outcomes. Exceptional Children, 59, 486—498.
19.
Hatton, C. (1998). Whose quality of life is it anyway?: Some problems with the emerging quality of life consensus. Mental Retardation , 36, 104— 115.
20.
Horner, R.H., Koegel, R.L., Carr, E.G., Sailor, W., Anderson, J., Albin, W.R., et al. (1990). Toward a technology of “nonaversive” behavioral support. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15, 125—132.
21.
Hughes, C., & Hwang, B. (1996). Attempts to conceptualize and measure quality of life. In R. L. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Vol. 1. Conceptualization and measurement (pp. 51—61). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation .
22.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, P.L. 105-17, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.
23.
Keith, K.D., & Schalock, R.L. (1994). The measurement of quality of life in adolescence: The quality of student life questionnaire. American Journal of Family Therapy, 22(1), 83—87.
24.
Lehman, A.F. (1988). A quality of life interview for the chronically mentally ill. Evaluation and Program Planning, 11, 51—62.
25.
National Center for Education Statistics. ( 2000). Dropout rates in the United States: 1998. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
26.
O'Boyle, C.A. (1997). Quality of life assessment: A paradigm shift in healthcare?The Irish Journal of Psychology, 18, 51—66.
27.
President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education. (2002). A new era: Revitalizing special education for children and their families. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
28.
Ouellette-Kuntz, H., & McCreary, B.D. (1996). Quality of life assessment for persons with severe developmental disabilities. In R. Renwick, I. Brown , & M. Nagler (Eds.), Quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation (pp. 268—278). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
29.
30.
Ross, J.K. (1996). Social security: Disability programs lag in promoting return to work (Testimony Before the Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate, GAO/T-HEHS-96-147). Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office.
31.
Schalock, R.L. (1996). Reconsidering the conceptualization and measurement of quality of life. In R. L. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Vol. 1. Conceptualization and measurement (pp. 123—139). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation .
32.
Schalock, R. (2000). Three decades of quality of life: Mental retardation in the 21st century. In M. L. Wehmeyer & J. R. Patton (Eds.), Mental retardation in the year 2000 (pp. 335—355). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
33.
Schalock, R.L., Keith, K.D., Hoffman, K., & Karen, O.C. (1989). Quality of life, its measurement and use in human service programs. Mental Retardation, 27(1), 25—31.
34.
Stainback, W., & Stainback, S. (1989). Using qualitative data collection procedures to investigate supported education issues. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 14, 271—277.
35.
Stark, J., & Goldsbury, T. (1990). Quality of life from childhood to adult-hood. In R. Schalock & M. J. Bogale (Eds.), Quality of life: Perspectives and issues (pp. 71—84). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
36.
Taylor, S., & Bogdan, R. (1990). Quality of life and the individual's perspective . In R. L. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Perspectives and issues (pp. 27—40). Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
37.
Testa, M.A., & Simonson, D.G. (1996). Assessment of quality-of-life outcomes. The New England Journal of Medicine, 334, 835—840.
38.
Thurlow, M.L. (2000). Standards-based reform and students with disabilities: Reflections on a decade of change. Focus onExceptional Children , 33(3), 1—16.
39.
Timmons, V. (1993). Quality of life of teenagers with special needs . Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Calgary, Canada.
40.
Turnbull, A., Brown, I., & Turnbull, R. (in press). Family quality of life: International perspectives. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation .
41.
Turnbull, A.P., & Turnbull, H.R. (1985). Developing independence . Journal of Adolescent Health Care, 6(2), 108.
42.
Turnbull, A., Turnbull, H.R., Poston, D., Beegle, G., Blue-Banning, M., Diehl, K., et al. (in press). Enhancing quality of life of families of children and youth with disabilities in the United States. In A. Turnbull, I. Brown, & R. Turnbull (Eds.). Family quality of life: International perspectives. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
43.
Turnbull, H.R., Beegle, G., & Stowe, M.S. (2001). The core concepts of disability policy affecting families who have children with disabilities. Journal of DisabilityPolicy Studies, 12, 133—143.
44.
Turnbull, H.R., & Brunk, G. (1990, 1997). Quality of life and public policy. In R. I. Schalock (Ed.), Quality of life: Application to persons with disabilities. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation .
45.
Turnbull, H.R., & Stowe, M.J. (2001). A taxonomy for organizing the core concepts according to their underlying principles. Journal of DisabilityPolicy Studies, 12, 177—197.
46.
Turnbull, H.R., Wilcox, B.L., Stowe, M.J., & Umbarger, G.T. (2001). Matrix of federal statutes and federal and state court decisions reflecting the core concepts of disability policy. Journal of DisabilityPolicy Studies, 12, 144—176.
47.
Wehmeyer, M.L. (1996). Self-determination as an educational outcome: Why is it important to children, youth, and adults with disabilities? In D. J. Sands & M. L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 17—36). Baltimore: Brookes.
48.
Wehmeyer, M.L., Lattin, D., & Agran, M. (2001). Promoting access to the general curriculum for students with mental retardation: A decision-making model. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities , 36, 329—344.
49.
Wehmeyer, M.L., Sands, D.J., Knowlton, H.B., & Kozleski, E.B. (2002). Teaching students with mental retardation: Providing access to the general curriculum. Baltimore: Brookes.
50.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Schalock, R.L. (2001). Self-determination and quality of life: Implications for special education services and supports. Focus onExceptional Children, 33(8), 1—16.
51.
Wehmeyer, M., & Schwartz, M. (1998). The relationship between self-determination and quality of life for adults with mental retardation. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 33(1), 3—12.
52.
Ysseldyke, J., Krentz, J., Elliott, J., Thurlow, M., Erickson, R., & Moore, M. (1998). NCEO framework for educational accountability . Minneapolis: University of Minnesota , National Center on Educational Outcomes.
