Support Needs of Adults with Intellectual Disability Across Domains: The Role of Technology.

Abstract

People with and without disabilities universally value the goals of greater control and self-determination, inclusion and participation in their school or community, and enhanced social inclusion. Technology is an important support in achieving these goals. In this manuscript we examine the intensity of support needs, as measured by the Supports Intensity Scale, of persons with intellectual disability (ID) by severity of their intellectual deficit, as well as examining the level of support needs of individuals with co-occurring autism, mental health problems, and physical limitations. We compared the profiles of support needs of persons with ID and particular concomitant conditions and discussed the implications from these findings for the use of technology to address the support needs of people with intellectual disability.