Abstract

Few articles have provided guidance to United States academic libraries on how to provide information services to college students with intellectual and or developmental disabilities. As more children with various intellectual and or developmental disabilities live into adulthood, there is a need for academic librarians to understand how best to accommodate them to not only combat the stigma associated with intellectual and or developmental disabilities but to generate greater awareness of what the specific types of intellectual and or developmental disabilities are and how to accommodate them in the provision of information services in academic libraries. This is especially important as there is scant to no articles specifically providing an overview of some intellectual and or development disabilities and living into adulthood and the challenges within a higher education environment. Specifically, a general overview of Cerebral Palsy (CP), down’s syndrome and other intellectual and development disabilities and secondary or related conditions seeks to inform how the different types of these conditions impact the provision of information services in the academic library and hopefully reduce the social stigma associated with these conditions. Through a metadata analysis or what is plainly stated as a review of websites and journal articles, an overview of intellectual and development disabilities is conducted within the context of United States academic information services or what is colloquially known as reference services. The metadata analysis seeks to inform academic librarians about the different subtypes of intellectual and development disabilities in an attempt to help academic librarians accommodate individuals living with those conditions within the academic library.

Keywords:Academic libraries; United states; Intellectual and developmental disabilities; College and university students; Cerebral Palsy (Cp); Down’s syndrome; Prader-Willi Syndrome (Pws)

Abbreviations: Pre-K: Before Kindergarten; CP: Cerebral Palsy; CVI: Cerebral Visual Impairment; GAD: Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Trisomy 21: Down Syndrome; PWS: Prader-Willi Syndrome