Welcome to Partners in Living, a self-study course created to help people with developmental disabilities, their family and friends explore four important elements that, together, can help them create a meaningful life: Self-Determination, Family Support, Community Living and Assistive Technology.

Every person has the right to a full, meaningful life. The definition of a "meaningful life" isn't the same for every person. What is meaningful to you may not be as important to your brother, roommate, co-worker, or neighbor.

In this course, you will decide what is meaningful to you and learn about:

• Self-Determination and the importance of personal choice and life-planning.
• Self-directed services and financial control, including examining funding sources.
• Family Support and how it has changed over the years.
• The financial, physical and emotional resources that can help your family stay together.
• Community Living and some of the many options available to help people with developmental disabilities live independently in the community.
• Assistive Technology and how it is changing the way people with developmental disabilities live, work and play.

Ready to begin? TAKE THE COURSE and you're on your way to creating a meaningful life.

Partners in Policymaking ® is an innovative, award-winning leadership training program for adults with developmental disabilities and the parents of young children with developmental disabilities throughout the world. Four critical outcomes guide our work:

• Independence - Through increased personal choice and control;
• Productivity - Through expanded positive employment and job advancement opportunities;
• Self-Determination - Through the freedom to choose how, where and with whom to live and work, the freedom to choose recreational activities, and the freedom to choose care providers;
• Integration and Inclusion - Through full, equal participation with all citizens in the community, at school and in the workplace.