Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This chapter describes how best practices and an integrative paradigm in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are addressing the challenges faced by organizations and systems to ensure disability rights, a life of quality, and shared citizenship for people with IDD. The best practices described in the chapter emanate from the current transformation in the field and include using precise terminology, empowering individuals and their families, making data-based decisions, incorporating a holistic approach to human functioning, and employing person-centered thinking. The integrative paradigm’s foundation pillars involve core values, underlying concepts related to disability rights, quality of life domains, and shared citizenship principles; disability policy goals; measurable paradigm-related indicators; and best practices. The paradigm’s potential uses encompass framing disability policy goals, sustaining best practice services and supports, promoting valued outcomes, and guiding systemic change. The best practices and integrative paradigm described in the chapter focuses on valued personal outcomes and systemic change across ecological systems.