National Research Goals for Social Inclusion of People With IDD

Abstract

Abstract Social inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is an issue of emerging importance in research, policy, and practice. Though strides have been made to improve community living, inclusive education, and improved employment opportunities for many individuals with IDD, social inclusion has been slower to evolve. A diverse group of stakeholders met at the National Goals 2015 Conference to develop the following set of goals designed to promote better social inclusion in the next 10 years: (a) develop measures for social inclusion, (b) examine how personal and community contexts shape inclusion, (c) embed measures of inclusion in research about other life domains, (d) build capacity for social inclusion, (e) identify best practices for promoting inclusion from the community perspective, and (f) understand life course trajectories that impact inclusion. The goals are discussed in more detail in this article.