Customer Reviews

Raymond's Room: Ending the Segregation of People With Disabilities

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This book has some very good information on the disabilities field and I plan on using it in my introductory course on disibilities. However while the author rails against the Disability Industrial Complex (DIC), he does not stress enough the real problem with servcies to people with disabilities in this country: their de-valued status which results in inadequate funding, low pay for service providers and extremely high turnover. There are too many "experts" in this field who have left management and direct service to become consultants; resulting in what could be called a Disability Consultant Complex (DCC). So while they may fill hotel meeting rooms for their presentations about what is wrong with the system, the reality is over half the people that attend these sessions will leave the field within one year's time. If more consultants stayed in the field to direct services, advocate politically and practice the philosophy, the service system could improve. There are simply too many people "talking the talk" in the disabilties field.

Raymond's Room points out the terrible truth that in so many communities, people with disabilities, served by the most richly funded disability system in the world, remain victimized by the soft bigotry of low expectations. Dale rightly points out it is time to admit we're stuck and start doing business very differently! This should be required reading in all high schools and colleges across the country!

For years, people with disabilities have been invisible in our society--RAYMOND'S ROOM puts the fire in us to make sure this doesn't continue--let's follow the advice given and look at people for their abilities and make sure that everyone has an opportunity to belong in a valued way--Kudos to Dale DiLeo for writing the consummate book on this suject!

What a wonderful book. As a disability support worker I find it truly sad to see the abuse in the area of disabilities. I recommend this book to any student or worker in community services. Thanks again Amazon books for allowing great books to be available.

Ramonds Room was very good when finding out just how badly those with disabilities are still fighting for basic rights that everyone simply takes for granted. It is written by an activist for civil rights and is very direct. Loved It! People need to know what this kind of discrimination does to people...Well Done!

A an easy book to read the kind of book that you would not want to put down. Great to give as a gift to someone who is passionate about changing the culture of special education.

Excellent book and a quick read. The author has "been there" in terms of working with people with developmental disabilities; he really makes us think about how we've segregated these folks from mainstream society in the name of taking care of them. They truly are people first, and the author's story helps change your perspective to see that.

One of the great hidden scandals of our time is the treatment of people with significant disabilities, who are subjected to actions and practices that for any other group would be considered disrespectful, prejudicial, abusive, and a clear violation of fundamental civil and human rights. Yet, the existence of such practices is either ignored, or worse yet, considered acceptable. "Raymond's Room" sheds some much needed light on this issue, and does so in a way that is truly engaging and thought-provoking. Dale DiLeo is to be applauded in his willingness to pull no punches in his critique of the all too often dysfunctional service system, as well as his own self-reflection and self-criticism regarding his role within this system. This book is a call to action for all social justice and human rights advocates, as well as a must read for anyone who considers themselves an advocate for people with disabilities.

I was eager to read this book and was not surprised that it paralleled many of my own experiences in the field. Dale shares valuable experiences and insights that people, whether they're in this field as professionals or not, need to know. I ended up buying a copy of this book for each of the graduate students in my "Disability Systems" course in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at San Diego State University! This book will definitely go on our reading list for all our students as a "must read" item. Thanks Dale!

Because my career has paralleled Dale DiLeo's, I can testify that he's got it right. Thirty years ago many of us were insprired by leaders in the disability field who provided a vision for change based on a combination of the latest research and the civil rights movement of the 60s. What happened? Progress has been made incrementally, instead of the expected broad shifts in perspective. Federal law has provided direction, but the states have failed to implement the intent of federal legislation. Why? The disability services bureaucracy AKA the DIC (Disability Industrial Complex) has their fingerprints all over it! Thanks, Dale! FREE OUR PEOPLE!