by requirements for the degree of (Education) - NCRTM

understanding and acceptance of the mentally retarded and have been influ-
ential in helping to establish sheltered workshops, rehabilitation facili-
ties, special school classes, and recreational facilities for the mentally
retarded.
In 1961 national attention was focused on the overall problem when
President Kennedy appointed the President's Panel on Mental Retardation
and commissioned its members to develop a national coordinated pr.ogram of
research and services to combat mental retardation. A thorough study of
causes, prevention, and treatment resulted in comprehensive plans to lessen
the problems associated with retardation. Emphasis was placed on assimilat-
ing and coordinating the knowledge skills, and experience of many disci-
plines to deal with the problem.
From the start, education and vocational rehabilitation had signifi-
cant roles to play. Traditionally, they uphold the philosophy that every
member of a democratic society, including the disabled, has the right to
a secure and satisfying life, and that society is obligated to provide
the necessary special services to equalize the opportunities of the dis-
abled as compared to the non'disabled members of society. The goal for
the mentally retarded was apparent: to provide education and training from
early childhood through adulthood to assist the individual in reaching his
highest and most satisfying level of functioning in the personal, social,
and vocational spheres. If the nation's mentally retarded are to be econom-
ically productive, appropriate habilitation services must be offered as part
of the total educational pr.ogram. As recommended by the President's 1962
Panel on Mental Retardation, these services must inclde provisions for:
a) Vocational evaluation, counseling and job placement
b) Training courses in appropriate vocational areas