Course 1: Creating a Culture of Inclusion

Module 3: Quality of Life as a Context for Developing Meaningful Education Programs

Quality of Life Indicators

Inclusion Outreach uses the following Quality of Life Indicators:

• Presence
• Choice
• Competence
• Respect
• Inclusion

These indicators were adapted from John O’Brien’s Five Essential Service Accomplishments (O’Brien, 1979). O’Brien is an American disability advocate who writes extensively about future planning for persons with disabilities.

Quality of Life Indicators not only guide our philosophy of practice but also provide a measure of accountability to ensure that the educational programs we design are meaningful and future oriented. Therefore, what we choose to teach needs to be meaningful and relevant to the students’ lives and represent the values of their families.

The next five sections provide an overview of our Quality of Life Indicators. Each section:

• Defines what we mean by the indicator
• Describes why the indicator is important
• Explains why practicing with intention is necessary for enhancing quality of life