Editors' Introduction

Abstract

We are thrilled to share with you the first issue of Inclusion for 2021. This issue offers readers several studies aimed at promoting the inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As we move forward in 2021, we remain encouraged that Inclusion continues to serve as a journal where audiences gain perspectives about the qualities and strengths of people with (IDD). As our society continues to grapple with the challenges brought forward by the pandemic, we remain encouraged by those that were able to mobilize and share with us their research. We view the sharing of research during a challenging time in our society as an unwavering commitment to justice and liberation for people with IDD that, even during a pandemic, have not been forgotten.The current issue features three manuscripts that were accepted for publication as a part of Inclusion, 8.4, a special issue on the research of doctoral students and early career researchers. These three articles expand research in the field of IDD across the age range, with those articles focusing on adults, on school-aged youth, and on preschool-aged children.In the first article, Kammes and colleagues share findings from a community-based participatory research study of the impact of participation in sexuality training for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study, which relied on the input of adults with IDD, documents the need for mentoring and developmentally appropriate sexual health information.Article two describes the results of a qualitative study conducted by Boisvert-Hamelin and Odier-Guedj to examine writing difficulties by looking at the meanings and motives that students on the autism spectrum give to writing activities both in and out of school. They are hopeful that their findings can lead to further research on the teaching of writing in schools.In the third article, Chung and Meadan examine the involvement of caregivers in early intervention services designed to improve the communication skills of young children with IDD. Their findings have implications for strengthening collaboration between professionals and families to support communication and inclusion.In addition to the three articles from doctoral and/or early career researchers, this issue also includes two articles from experienced researchers. In the fourth article of this issue, Shogren and colleagues discuss the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), including a fidelity measure to assess the implementation of the model. The authors emphasize the focus of implementation science in promoting the generalizability of the SDMLI.In the final article, Friedman examines emergency department utilization and community living of people with IDD. The author describes communication patterns, frequency of emergency department visits, and other complex topics that could influence choice-making decisions for supporting people with IDD.We hope that our readers can learn and apply many of the ideas and strategies presented in this issue. We also hope that our readers find these topics helpful as we continue to mobilize and generate research to build a shared understanding of what inclusion means for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Thus, we remain inspired and hope that our readers feel the same.