The purpose of this study was to examine and describe transition services vis a vis the community integration of an adult-age special education student with a developmental disability. An additional goal was to provide the reader with a detailed portrait of the experiences of this student, especially with respect to the relationships and networks that influenced this student's integration into a community setting. Transition, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004), is a results-oriented process that requires special education program leaders to focus on the specific needs of each student in order to successfully integrate them in communities. This case study was significant in that it contributed to understanding how an individual with disabilities copes in educational programs and in communities. Data collection involved interviews with an adult age student who received special education transition services, her parent, her case manager, document review of the Individualized Education Program of the selected student, and review of relevant transition program and policy documents. Social capital theory was used as the conceptual framework for this study and guided the data analysis. Three distinctive themes were revealed through the analysis of the data: Community Opportunities, Development and Implementation of the IEP, and Employment. The overall findings of this case study revealed that through implementation of the IEP and the transition service in a community based setting, a multitude of social relationships and networks were activated by the student. The IEP specifically generated relationships and networks through opportunities for the student to have a peer mentor, have structured social time with her peers, have access to community venues, and through employment. The following conclusions were drawn: Community opportunities provide access to resources that influence integration: I EP transition services are a mechanism to facilitate community integration; and, e mployment is a primary outcome of transition service and a means to integrate into the community. The overall findings of this case study confirmed that vital social relationships and networks were activated by the student through conscientious implementation of her IEP and particularly as a result of the recommended transition services that afforded her community-based employment. / Ph. D.

This research project, based on qualitative fieldwork undertaken in Edinburgh between 2011 and 2013, explores the ways in which Scottish Muslims have conceptualised and operationalised Muslimness in negotiation of and adaptation to the surrounding social, cultural and political environment. Using Edinburgh as a case study and 9/11 as an important historical reference point, this project analyses the transformations and developments of individual and collective Muslimness within a national and local context influenced by the global, social and political responses to the tragic terrorist attacks that took place in the USA and, subsequently, in Europe. As a whole, this thesis maintains that Muslimness in Scotland has undergone a transformation over the past decade, a transformation which is still ongoing, in which the focus on Islam has increased within both the Muslim community and broader society. At the individual level, this thesis shows that Muslim identities are dialectically shaped at the interplay between macro-structurally shaped sociopolitical understandings of Islam and micro-level, daily conceptualisations of self within the context of intergenerational changes, global and local Islamic affiliations and Scottish cultural influences. Nation, religion, ethnicity, culture and ideology intermingle to shape fluid, reactive, expressive, performed and developmental identities that are adapted to, and played out within, the local Scottish context. These same elements inform the ways in which Muslim communitarianism has been ‘done’ in Edinburgh in the wake of the post-9/11 global, national and local (often securitised) reconceptualisations of Muslimness. As a network of collective diversity based on broad religious homogeneity, relative cultural similarity and variable ethnic diversity, Edinburgh’s Muslim community has developed divergent trajectories as a consequence of intergenerational changes and varying social, political and institutional attitudes towards Islam. While airports seem to be the major loci for the socially interacted stigmatisation of Muslims, Edinburgh appears to maintain relatively modest, albeit emotionally impactful, levels of daily discrimination towards people of Islamic faith within a context of heightened negative labelling of visible Muslimness.

Community integration is vital for older adults with mental health issues, both as a process and as an outcome. The process of deinstitutionalization has made community integration a primary concern for these individuals. Many researchers recognize the significant lack of community resources that have been established in order to accommodate individuals with mental health issues in the community (Davidson, Hoge, Godleski, Rakfeldt, & Griffith, 1996; Pedlar, 1992). Researchers and practitioners alike, however, lack a thorough understanding of the factors that contribute to the successful and lasting community reintegration of older adults with mental health issues. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth analysis of the experience of community integration for older adults with mental health issues. The study was guided by the conceptual framework of phenomenology, focusing on the lived experiences of these individuals (Patton, 2002). Utilizing qualitative methods, data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, oral member checks and the maintenance of a reflexive journal. Participants in the study were five older adults who had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, had received treatment on an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit, and had returned to their homes in the community upon discharge from the hospital. The findings suggest that being healthy and concomitantly maintaining independence played a key role in the process of community integration for these older adults. Independence, from the perspective of these individuals was quite different from the definitions of independence commonly used in North American society. The older adults in this study did not adhere to the principles of autonomy and individualism in relation to independence. Instead, they accepted a certain degree of dependence in order to prevent or avoid future disability, relapse, and readmission to hospital. A number of factors contributed to their independence, both positively and negatively, including: being healthy; social support; a smooth transition from hospital to community; maintaining feelings of self-worth; solitude; the power of knowledge; feelings of burden; and managing stress. These findings point to an emerging model of community integration that incorporates the concepts of empowerment, recovery, inclusion, and independence. The experience of independence, as described by these individuals, evoked feelings of empowerment and was strongly associated with the concept of recovery. For these older adults, being healthy, and thus, independent, meant being integrated. The findings, as well as the process of conducting this research, have lead to a number of recommendations for future research and suggestions for practitioners and policy makers involved with these older adults.

Community integration is vital for older adults with mental health issues, both as a process and as an outcome. The process of deinstitutionalization has made community integration a primary concern for these individuals. Many researchers recognize the significant lack of community resources that have been established in order to accommodate individuals with mental health issues in the community (Davidson, Hoge, Godleski, Rakfeldt, & Griffith, 1996; Pedlar, 1992). Researchers and practitioners alike, however, lack a thorough understanding of the factors that contribute to the successful and lasting community reintegration of older adults with mental health issues. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth analysis of the experience of community integration for older adults with mental health issues. The study was guided by the conceptual framework of phenomenology, focusing on the lived experiences of these individuals (Patton, 2002). Utilizing qualitative methods, data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, oral member checks and the maintenance of a reflexive journal. Participants in the study were five older adults who had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, had received treatment on an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit, and had returned to their homes in the community upon discharge from the hospital. The findings suggest that being healthy and concomitantly maintaining independence played a key role in the process of community integration for these older adults. Independence, from the perspective of these individuals was quite different from the definitions of independence commonly used in North American society. The older adults in this study did not adhere to the principles of autonomy and individualism in relation to independence. Instead, they accepted a certain degree of dependence in order to prevent or avoid future disability, relapse, and readmission to hospital. A number of factors contributed to their independence, both positively and negatively, including: being healthy; social support; a smooth transition from hospital to community; maintaining feelings of self-worth; solitude; the power of knowledge; feelings of burden; and managing stress. These findings point to an emerging model of community integration that incorporates the concepts of empowerment, recovery, inclusion, and independence. The experience of independence, as described by these individuals, evoked feelings of empowerment and was strongly associated with the concept of recovery. For these older adults, being healthy, and thus, independent, meant being integrated. The findings, as well as the process of conducting this research, have lead to a number of recommendations for future research and suggestions for practitioners and policy makers involved with these older adults.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), also referred to as an acquired brain injury, is caused by damage to the brain as a result of trauma to the head. The following report serves as a resource for patients and families wanting to gain information regarding community integration outcomes after participation in post-acute rehabilitation programs. The goal of the post-acute level of medical care is to increase functionality and serve as a transition for the patient from the rehabilitation facility to life within the community. A thorough examination of community integration after participation in a post-acute rehabilitative program with the use of the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) is provided. After investigation of the available literature, four articles were found to meet inclusion criteria and were included within the review. All studies included met the following criteria. Participants were ages 17 to 65 years old, had a diagnosis of moderate to severe TBI, were enrolled in post-acute rehabilitation, and were assessed with the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ). Overall, the available literature suggests that completion of a program within a post-acute facility does create positive outcomes for the individual with TBI; however, the outcomes are dependent on various factors regarding TBI severity, the administration of intervention, the type of intervention, time post-onset and age of participants at the time of onset. Future research is necessary to provide a more comprehensive view of post-acute rehabilitation and the outcomes that these patients may expect as they begin their road to recovery. / text

Executive dysfunction can affect community integration in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach has shown some promise in promoting functional improvements in adults with executive dysfunctions post TBI. However, access to rehabilitation is often limited especially in rural communities. This study aimed to (1) investigate the feasibility of administering the CO-OP approach in a tele-rehabilitation format and (2) examine its impact on community integration and executive dysfunction. A pilot series of 3 case studies was conducted. Participants identified 5 goals; 3 were trained and 2 were untrained to allow examination of transfer. Outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 Participation Index, and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire. Descriptive analyses demonstrated goal achievement and transfer, suggesting it is feasible to implement the CO-OP approach in a tele-rehabilitation format. Community integration and executive dysfunction behaviours also showed trends towards improvement.

The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine the relationships between changes in coping strategies and community integration at 6 and 12 months post traumatic brain injury (TBI). Seventy-one participants were adult significant others (SOs) (family members/friends) of people with TBI. SOs, proxies for TBI patients, completed coping and community integration questionnaire to describe TBI patients’pre-injury status immediately post-injury as baseline information. Followed-up interviewed were completed at 6 and 12 months. Results showed that increased emotional preoccupation coping from baseline to 6 months were significantly associated with decreased productive activities and decreased social integration at 6 months and 12 months and modestly associated with decreased home integration at 12 months. Multivariable regressions showed that changes in emotional preoccupation coping from baseline to 6 months contributed significantly to social integration and productive activities above and beyond demographic factors and injury severity. Implications for cognitive rehabilitation are discussed.

Executive dysfunction can affect community integration in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach has shown some promise in promoting functional improvements in adults with executive dysfunctions post TBI. However, access to rehabilitation is often limited especially in rural communities. This study aimed to (1) investigate the feasibility of administering the CO-OP approach in a tele-rehabilitation format and (2) examine its impact on community integration and executive dysfunction. A pilot series of 3 case studies was conducted. Participants identified 5 goals; 3 were trained and 2 were untrained to allow examination of transfer. Outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 Participation Index, and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire. Descriptive analyses demonstrated goal achievement and transfer, suggesting it is feasible to implement the CO-OP approach in a tele-rehabilitation format. Community integration and executive dysfunction behaviours also showed trends towards improvement.

The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine the relationships between changes in coping strategies and community integration at 6 and 12 months post traumatic brain injury (TBI). Seventy-one participants were adult significant others (SOs) (family members/friends) of people with TBI. SOs, proxies for TBI patients, completed coping and community integration questionnaire to describe TBI patients’pre-injury status immediately post-injury as baseline information. Followed-up interviewed were completed at 6 and 12 months. Results showed that increased emotional preoccupation coping from baseline to 6 months were significantly associated with decreased productive activities and decreased social integration at 6 months and 12 months and modestly associated with decreased home integration at 12 months. Multivariable regressions showed that changes in emotional preoccupation coping from baseline to 6 months contributed significantly to social integration and productive activities above and beyond demographic factors and injury severity. Implications for cognitive rehabilitation are discussed.

Community integration is based on the premise that people with disabilities should have opportunities equal to their non-disabled counterparts (Wong & Solomon, 2002). The purpose of this research was to investigate predictors of community integration and the experiences of community integration for vulnerably housed (i.e., housing that falls below standard levels of adequacy, affordability, and suitability (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2008)) women with a history of homelessness. A quantitative study design used data from women participants in the Health and Housing in Transition (HHiT) study in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver at two-time points (i.e., follow-up 2 (N = 217) and follow-up 3 (N = 208)). Furthermore, a longitudinal qualitative study (i.e., baseline (N = 16) and 6-month follow-up (N = 13)) was also conducted with female participants from the Supportive Housing for People with Problematic Substance Use (SHARPE) evaluation study in Ottawa. Participants were interviewed using mapping techniques, neighbourhood walk-along, and semi-structured photo- elicitation methods. Overall, the findings of the studies show that both individual and environmental factors play an important role in community integration. Together, these studies suggest that for formerly homeless women, factors that have the greatest association with community integration are feeling healthy, having social support, partaking in organized activities, receiving greater income support, feeling protected from victimization, and living in high quality apartments and neighbourhoods close to amenities. Implications of these findings for future research and for improving neighbourhood integration of tenants were also discussed.