Status and prospects of people with intellectual disabilities: An exploratory study of benchmarking the equalization of opportunity across 12 nations

Using benchmarks and statistical indicators, the status of persons with intellectual disabilities is profiled in an exploratory evaluation of 12 nations: Brazil, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Russia, South Africa, and the United States. With the exception of the US and Western Europe, quality statistical indicators are rare, and documentary analysis methods were used to rate the nations on the Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. A total of 122 guidelines addressing structural conditions, areas of support and services, and evidence of implementation were scored. The adequacy of existing statistical surveillance of persons with ID is reviewed and summarized and the rationale and conceptual framework for conducting cross-national comparisons is described. Results of the exploratory study indicate: (1) that while governments almost universally commit to international standards for securing rights and access for their citizens with disabilities, implementation lags far behind, (2) that access and rights strongly covary with economic wealth; (3) that there is extreme variability in implementation across sub-domains, even among wealthy nations, and (4) that the status and progress of persons with intellectual disabilities continues to lag well behind other disability groups.