Disability Through the Life Course

This volume in The SAGE Reference Series on Disability explores issues involving disability through the life courses, and is one of eight volumes in the cross-disciplinary and issues-based series, which examines topics central to the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. With a balance of history, theory, research, and application, specialists set out the findings and implications of research and practice for others whose current or future work involves the care and/or study of those with disabilities, as well as for the disabled themselves. The concise, engaging presentational style emphasizes accessibility. Taken individually, each volume sets out the fundamentals of the topic it addresses, accompanied by compiled data and statistics, recommended further readings, a guide to organizations and associations, and other annotated resources, thus providing the ideal introductory platform and gateway for further study. Taken together, the series represents both a survey of major disability issues and a guide to new directions and trends and contemporary resources in the field as a whole.

Tamar Heller, Ph.D., is Professor and Head of the Department of Disability & Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also directs the Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities, the Advanced Training for Disability & Rehabilitation Scholars program, and projects on support interventions for individuals with disabilities and their families. She also directs the University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities for the State of Illinois. Dr. Heller has written over 125 publications and presented over 200 papers at major conferences on disability policies and interventions, including co-editing two books and editing special issues of four journals. She was a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. Her main research interest is on lifespan transitions faced by individuals with disabilities and their families.

Sarah Parker, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Originally from Australia, where she received her Ph.D. at the University of Sydney, she has a background in sociology and social policy, and her dissertation was a comparative analysis of Australia and the U.S. on international and domestic human rights, policies, and legislation for people with disabilities. Her research interests include comparative policy analysis, international and domestic disability policies and legislation, international human rights, citizenship and social justice, and issues relating to gender and disability.