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Founded
The Associtaion of Medical Officers of American Institutions for Idiotic and Feebleminded Persons is founded. -
Name changed
Name changed to the American Association for the study of the Feebleminded -
Name Changed again
The orginization changed its name to the American Association on Mental Deficiency or AAMD -
F.R Herber
Herber defind mental retardation as "subaverage general intellectual functioning which origionates during the developmental period and is associated with impairments in adaptive behavior, At this point anyone with in IQ determined to be less than 84/85 was considered to be mentally reateded (16% of our population). Professionals were concerned of lack of appropriate assessment instruments . -
Herbert Grossman
Herbert Grossman defined mental retardation as "significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the developmental period" Grossmans defination changed the IQ level to under 68/70 to be considered mentally retarded. (only 2.27% of our population) Also externded the development period to 18years old. Grossman measured personal independance as well as social responsibility expected for a persons age. -
IQ limits changed
Grossman revised the wording of his defination to "significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning resulting in or associated with concurent impairments in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period". Grossman suggests using an IQ level of 70-75 as a guideline. Also stating that we need to be flexible per each ncase. -
Yet another name change
AAMD became known as the American Association on Mental Retardation -
Ruth Luckson
Ruth Luckson and her colleages created what they believe to define intellectual dissabilities. Their defination included subaverage intellectual functioning along with two or more limitations in skills. Those skills included, communication, self care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leasure, and work. All this would manifest before the age of 18. Ruths defination paved way for more accurate assessment. -
Luckson's defination revised 10th edition
Ruth's defination was revised and simplified. It now became defind as, "mental retardation is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills" This refined defination helps up to more clearly understand the concept of intellectual disabilities, while still keeping a positive prespective towards those with disabilites. -
Current name established
The orginization offically changed their name to what it is now knows as, The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities -
Todays defination 11th edition.
Todays defiation is similar to and states the same facts as Ruth's previous defination. It was composed by a group of eighteen medical and legal scholars, as well as policy makers, educators, and other professionals. They changed the word mental retardation to intellectual disability, while still refering to the same group as before. It also uses the term "human functioning" as an umbrella term for general life functions and activities.