TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIAXIAL CLASSIFICATION OF PEOPLE WITHLEARNING-DIFFICULTIES

The complexity of need experienced by people with learning disabilitie s might best be described by a multi-axial classification. The data ro utinely collected for a register of people with learning disabilities were analysed to see whether factors that might discriminate between i ndividuals could be identified. Three factors were identified. The fac tor scores were used in a cluster analysis. A ten-cluster model formed from these factors made empirical sense. The present investigation in dicates that a multi-axial classification is feasible and may be usefu l. However, the results cannot be applied beyond the data set used for its development at the present time. Ultimately, it will be necessary to collect additional information in order to calibrate the factor sc ores.