102 Michelle L. Bonati
(Putnam, 2000). Two of the thought leaders in the field of social capital theory,
Putnam (2000) and Coleman (1988), focus on the collective benefits of social
capital that arise from reciprocal actions based on trust and solidarity of people
within a social network. As a society, we can accomplish more than as individuals,
and these benefits accrue through our relationships with others. The third major
leader in social capital theory, Bourdieu, focused on the individual benefit derived
from social capital and noted the negative potential of social capital as a means to
exclude and maintain social inequality (Bourdieu, 1986). The potential negative
implications of social capital can be concerning for people with disabilities, who are
often considered to be in the out-group, whether through bullying, discriminatory
practices in employment, or a lack of options for accommodation in the commu-
nity (Parsons, 2015).
More recently, the development of social capital has been proposed as a means
to promote positive adult outcomes for individuals with disabilities (Trainor,
Morningstar, Murray and Kim, 2013). Secondary school educators need to ensure
students with disabilities have the opportunity to develop social capital during
their transition years. Social capital can be promoted through inclusive education,
development of communication and social skills, expansion of social networks, and
options to become socially connected within their communities (Biggs and Carter,
2016). After high school, the challenges are greater to address the structural, attitu-
dinal, and skill-based issues related to developing social capital for adults with ASD.
By using social capital theory, we can reframe issues from focusing on individual
deficits to further explore and come to understandings about the complexities of
structures and interactions that may inhibit positive outcomes (Trainor et al., 2013).
Quality of life
Social capital theory emphasises the importance of our support network for our
quality of life, and interdependence is a desired outcome for adults with ASD
(Wehmeyer and Schalock, 2001). To quote from the adapted Old English poem
by John Donne, “No man is an island, entire of itself ” (Donne, 2016, Para 1).
Social capital is necessary to achieve and maintain our quality of life (Brown,
Cobigo and Taylor, 2015). While we often focus on developing skills to promote
independence, people live within societies that require and enjoy the reciprocal
nature of our interactions with other humans (Wehmeyer and Schalock, 2001).
Quality of life serves both as an overarching principle for addressing the needs
of an individual through a focus on person-centred planning and as a means to
evaluate the services and providers in achieving the desired outcomes for people
with disabilities (Schalock, Verdugo, Gomez and Reinders, 2016). Quality of life can
be conceptualised as a framework comprised of eight dimensions that encompass
personal well-being (Wehmeyer and Schalock, 2001). These dimensions include
“personal development, self-determination, interpersonal relations, social inclu-
sion, rights, emotional well-being, physical well-being, and material well-being”
(Schalock et al., 2016, p. 2). These core dimensions are considered to be the same