Now that a significant number of people with developmental disabilities are reaching the later stage in life, service providers are faced with new challenges. There are concerns about retirement, health, leisure activities, and social networks. The overall goal of the proposed project will be to develop, produce, and test an interactive multimedia training program on providing quality retirement and leisure services to older adults with developmental disabilities. The program will be designed primarily for use by direct care staff in residential and day programs who work with these older adults. Other potential users include parents and advocates, case managers from the developmental disabilities service network, and community program staff from the aging service network. The program will combine text-based information, video (narrative and simulations), computer graphics, and audio (voice, music, and sound effects) in a self- paced interactive CD-ROM training format Program interactivity will enable the user to individua1ize aspects of training by regulating the pace of instruction, as well as choosing which topics to explore and in what order. The system will be programmed to monitor progress, provide immediate feedback for correct and incorrect responses, review previously covered materials following incorrect responses, test for comprehension, and document the amount of training received. The program will address four training modules in the area of retirement and leisure. The proposed modules are: l) expanding leisure options, 2) planning for retirement,3) developing integrated community experiences, and 4) enhancing choice and self-determination. In Phase l a prototype CD-ROM of two sub-topics in the first interactive module -- expanding leisure options -- will be produced. The two proposed sub-topics are: the importance of leisure and the leisure experience. In Phase II the interactive system will be expanded to include the rest of module one and the three remaining modules.
There is a growing need for retirement and leisure training strategies for direct care staff in adult service settings. Given the aging of the developmentally disabled population, there is tremendous potential for innovative tools to help administrators effectively and efficiently train staff. This interactive multimedia program will be marketed to vocational/day programs and residential programs.
