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Background: Statistics are critical in holding governments accountable for the well-being of citizens with disability. International initiatives are underway to improve the quality of disability statistics, but meaningful ID data is exceptionally rare. Method: The status of ID data was evaluated in a review of 12 national statistical systems. Recurring data collection by national ministries was identified and the availability of measures of poverty, exclusion, and disadvantage was assessed. Results: A total of 131 recurring systems coordinated by 50 different ministries were identified. The majority included general disability but less than 25% of the systems screened ID. Of these, few provided policy-relevant data. Conclusions: The scope of ID data was dismal at best, though a significant statistical infrastructure exists for the integration of ID data. Advocacy will be necessary. There is no optimal form of data monitoring, and decisions regarding priorities in purpose, targeted audiences, and the goals for surveillance must be resolved. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables, and 1 note.)

Background: The imbalance between the sheer size of the developing world and what little is known about the lives and life circumstances of persons with disabilities living there should command our attention. Method: International development initiatives routinely give great priority to the collection of statistical indicators yet even the most basic data on intellectual disability is lacking. In response to the recent adoption of the "international classification of function", numerous initiatives are attempting to expand and improve the quality of disability surveillance. Results: We argue that these efforts must not lose sight of the core focus and promise of disability statistics--that of advocacy and the elevation of a disability policy agenda. Conclusions: To this end, we weave throughout our analysis of the technical features of surveillance, reflections on the meanings we attach to disability statistics and by extension, disability itself.

This article presents childhood disability prevalence trends and their interaction with economic status. Estimates derived from National Health Interview Survey data (1983-96) indicate a significant increase in childhood disability rates. Analysis indicates a greater risk in single-parent households and a growing relationship between poverty and risk for disability. (Contains extensive references.) (Author/CR)

The review of some recent studies on use of microcomputers in early childhood special education highlights methodological issues including the qualitative quantitative distinction and the interdependence of research design and interpretation. Imbedding qualitative methods into quasi- or true-experimental designs can provide more information than either method alone. (DB)

Background The imbalance between the sheer size of the developing world and what little is known about the lives and life circumstances of persons with disabilities living there should command our attention. Method International development initiatives routinely give great priority to the collection of statistical indicators yet even the most basic data on intellectual disability is lacking. In response to the recent adoption of the ‘international classification of function’, numerous initiatives are attempting to expand and improve the quality of disability surveillance. Results We argue that these efforts must not lose sight of the core focus and promise of disability statistics – that of advocacy and the elevation of a disability policy agenda. Conclusions To this end, we weave throughout our analysis of the technical features of surveillance, reflections on the meanings we attach to disability statistics and by extension, disability itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian Americans comprise the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the US. Between 2000 and 2019, their numbers almost doubled, from 11.9 million to 22.2 million. The numbers of people with disabilities within this demographically important population, which are also growing, puts stress on the service delivery sector. This situation indicates a pressing need for research on lived experiences of disabled Asian Americans. A review of the extant literature shows that Asian Americans are underrepresented in the research on disability and/or mental health. This lack of hard data is compounded by the tendency to treat Asian ethnicities as monolithic. The US Census Bureau recognizes more than 20 distinct Asian nationalities, ranging from South Asian Pakistani Americans to Southeast Asian Americans. Aggregating all Asian Americans together in surveys and studies impedes a sophisticated understanding of their unique needs and strengths. From a policy or systems perspective, inadequate data representation in the research literature, including outdated conclusions, is an implicit form of disenfranchisement. This conceptual article examines issues and implications around the lack of systematic attention to diversity within the Asian American population in disability research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the history of the journal, which began as a publication entitled "Mental Retardation" in 1977, and discusses organizational changes to the journal's format and the journal's focus on understanding the meaning of disability in culture.