IDD is a term used to describe the clinical diagnoses where intellectual disability and other developmental disabilities are present. IDD affects how the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system function and affects intelligence and adaptive behavior. IDD is usually present at birth and it affects the individual’s trajectory of the physical, intellectual and/or emotional development. Intellectual disability can start any time before a child turns 18 and is characterized by differences with both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Intellectual functioning or intelligence includes the ability to learn, reason, problem solve. The adaptive behavior includes everyday social and life skills. The term developmental disabilities represent a broader category of often lifelong challenges that can be intellectual, physical or both (Cleveland clinic, 2023; Center for Disease Control,2023; AAIDD,2023) According to American Psychiatric Association, Intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) represent a group of developmental disorders characterized by 1) deficits in measured intelligence and 2) adaptive deficits in self-care, social, self-help, communication, educational, and occupational functioning and 3) an onset prior to age 18 Clinically, this three- prong diagnostic approach covers a large number of Intellectual and developmental disorders
IDD is a lifelong condition that limits intelligence, learning and daily life- skills. IDD refers to one’s ability to understand and interact with the world. IDD affects one’s ability to live independently and the person with ID may need lifelong assistance and support. IDD is slightly more common in boys than girls. IDD affects academic skills, social skills and life skills. IDD affects reasoning and logic, judgment and critical thinking, problem-solving and planning. IDD affects adaptive behaviors that help one to live and support yourself independently. It affects social development leading to limited understanding of social interactions including friendships and romantic relationships (Barnhill and McNeils,2012). IDD is a clinical, social and a cultural concept (Arneil and Hirschman,2016). IDD has a global presence. In USA, and globally, about 1 to 3 % of the population is affected by IDD (Residential Information Systems Project, 2019). The exact definition of IDD, as well as the different types or categories of IDD, may vary depending on the source of the information. For example, within the context of education and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law that aims to ensure educational services to children with disabilities throughout the nation, the definition of IDD and the types of conditions that are considered IDD might be different from the definitions and categories used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide services and support for those with disabilities. These definitions and categories might also be different from those used by healthcare providers and researchers.
People with IDD are often not integrated in the mainstream society for various reasons. First, people with IDD are not able to advocate for themselves. Second, people with IDD are often dependent on their caregivers for living arrangements and transportation. Therefore, as a compassionate society, we have to figure out how people with IDD can be integrated socially in an appropriate manner into mainstream society to ensure their good mental health and to maximize their potential so that they can contribute to the society in their unique way, Physical integration and social connections are difficult to achieve for people with intellectual disabilities since they depend on others to assist them to join the community. Often, people with intellectual disabilities communicate non-verbally rather than verbally. The normal population has to become comfortable with their communication style in order to develop a social connection, Arneil,2009; Arneil and Hirschmann,2016; Ager et.al.,2001; Barba-Sanchez, et.al.,2021) Social Integration refers to the degree and content of our relationship with others. Social integration of people with intellectual disabilities is defined as, “having valuable relationships with others in a community in which the intellectually disabled person is fully accepted and valued as an interaction partner without denying differences or limitations (Van Alphen,2011). Social integration results in community participation, inclusion and non-segregation. Physical integration or community presence and interpersonal relationships represent social integration (Simplican, et.al.,2015, Simplican and Leader,2015). Humans are social animals. Socialization for humans is a basic need for good mental health. Just like normal humans, people with special needs like people with intellectual and developmental disabilities need socialization. Social inclusion of people with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can mean including them in immediate and extended family get-togethers neighborhood activities, schools, jobs, festivals, recreation activities and in religious congregations. Normal humans need to learn how to interact with people with special needs so that they can socialize with them.
People in different societies socialize with people with IDD differently. There is an ongoing debate among Researchers, Parents, Relatives, Social Service professionals, and Policymakers about what constitutes a social inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1999 Olmstead decision reaffirmed that the unjustified segregation of people with disabilities is a form of discrimination prohibited by Title II of the 1990 Americans with Disability Act.
There is a debate on the scope and meaning of social inclusion. The social inclusion requires the recognition of their sameness as human beings. Most care givers try to enable people with intellectual disabilities to live and participate in the community and ‘normal’ society. These sheltered living institutions cater to the specific needs and capabilities of the people with IDD. These communities raise questions about what a good life for people with intellectual disabilities looks like and where and how it ought to be realized. The dominant rhetoric of ‘sameness’ and ‘normalization’ can conflict with the specialized needs and capabilities of people with IDD. One has to consider medical aspects, physical aspects and ethics as we figure out an appropriate socialization of people with IDD (Bredewold and Weele,2023).
In Western societies, the discussion about what constitutes a good life has been centred around the goal of ensuring ‘social inclusion’ (Culham and Nind 2003; Stiker 1999). We can roughly distinguish between two opposing ideals of how a good life for people with intellectual disabilities can be facilitated by social inclusion (Arneil 2009; Bredewold and Weele,2023, Van der weele et.al.,2021; ; Meininger 2010; Silvers 1995; Stiker 1999).