INDIVIDUALS WITH MILD MENTAL-RETARDATION - POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES ANDIMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL-POLICY

The most important outcomes for students with mild retardation are suc cessful employment, development of independence, the acquisition of li fe skills, and successful involvement within the school and community. Models now exist for supported work initiatives, empowerment and self -determination, life skills (i.e., a comprehensive concept of adult ad justment), and the achievement of inclusion within functional curricul ar programs. Inhibitors that have impacted successful outcomes include a variety of factors within the community, absence of supports throug hout adulthood and continued reliance on non-functional curricula. Imp lementation of outcome-oriented programs and services would be enhance d by targeting research and model programs funding for students classi fied as mildly retarded, modifying data reporting procedures, increasi ng commitment to appropriate curricular alternatives at the secondary level, assuring that quality transition planning takes place, adopting the concept of supported education as central to inclusion, and stres sing periodic follow-up after exiting school programs.