I wish to respond to the following:
On Tue, 3 Feb 1998, Ben Compton wrote:
> Denis asks a great question of me:
>
> "I have an 18 year old son with a severe intellectual disability...
{snip}
> His disability decreases the number of choices he has. In
> my mind, his happiness lies in exploring all of the options open to him. I
> do not think that those with disabilities have the same choices and those
> without, and therefore cannot be expected to compete with other people.
I am the administrator of adult services for a small not-for-profit agency
working with people with developmental disabilities. We instituted a
system two years ago that changed the way this agency does business. We
moved from the (and continue to) medical model of diagnosis, prescription,
and treatment to one of customer service.
Using the concept of a learning organization and stewardship practices for
the basis of management and the Focus Teaching System for active
treatment, we found that the people we serve know more about their needs
than we do! Of course, this is an overemphasis, but it is a real eye
opener to know that when a person needs something, that basic need is
common to everyone. Each of us has ability, talent, positive attributes,
and affect. Each of us has a shadow side. I suspect that the same trust
issues (I read into) above are the same trust issues with people
everywhere (including employees).
Our secret to what little success we claim is placing the responsibility
of learning and choice on the people we serve. Our staff interventions
become option identification and communication skills (sometimes without
the aid of language). We use a "palms-up" approach, are very careful with
our body language, and do not use most of the "acceptable" means of
behavior control because we find them inhumane.
The focus on this is similar to Carl Rogers empathetic teaching and based
in repect for the individual as an individual with natural rights,
feelings, and beliefs. In short, we work with adult learners.
Jesse W. WhitePg
jeswhite@comp.uark.edu
"Industry without art is brutality" - Coomaraswamy
--"Jesse W. White" <jeswhite@comp.uark.edu>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>