Research Notes ~ Virtual Community for Adults with Developmental Disabilities and their Families

• Main Author: Susan D. Moisey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Athabasca University Press 2001-07-01
• Series: International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning
• Subjects: developmental disabilities; distance education; barriers; Alberta; Canada
• Online Access: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/39/68

Adults with developmental disabilities in Northeast Alberta, Canada, face numerous barriers to learning opportunities within their immediate and extended communities. The disability itself, as well as geographic distance and the circumstances in which individuals live, may hamper their access to information, interfere with their ability to communicate, and reduce their ability to achieve the quality of life they desire. There are few opportunities for individuals to meet, to get to know each other, and to share their experiences and learn from each other. Family members and guardians face similar barriers, such as lack of access to information, few networking opportunities, and limited means of providing input into decisions about service needs and policy making.