Forty Years of Progress: Where Have We Been? Where Are We Now?

This paper uses personal profiles to highlight major events across the past five decades that have affected the lives of individuals with mental retardation and their families. Each of the scenarios provided represents a creation of prototypical families, communities, school climates, issues, and social attitudes during a particular decade. Barbara is a young adult woman who was involved during the 1960s in the initial phases of integrating individuals with mental retardation into the workforce. Jose, a second-language learner, went through special education testing processes and the public educational system during the 1970s. Terrell is a young man brought up by his teenage mother in a single parent household during the 1980s. Rachel, born with fetal alcohol syndrome, is involved in a School-to-Work Youth Apprenticeship in the 1990s. Finally, Mitchell, born with Down syndrome, faces the future. The profiles are intended to help society reflect on what has helped and hindered employment and independent living for people with mental retardation. For each decade, an appendix outlines the legislative policy relevant to students and adults with disabilities, philosophy, research breakthroughs, and practices in schools and the community. (Contains 52 references.) (CR)