FYI: Alice McElhinney Interview

AAMR F.Y.I.

Alice McElhinney, international rights consultant to AAMR, has more than 20 years of experience in domestic and international translation rights. She was Director of International Rights and Permissions for the publishing house Lippincott-Raven and serves on the editorial boards and marketing and management committees of several companies. McElhinney is also a literary agent for new and established authors.

Back from a busy Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany where she represented AAMR, McElhinney talks to AAMR F.Y.I. editor Anna Prabhala about her experience raising visibility for AAMR publications abroad.

For interview, see below:

From your experience, how does the international community perceive AAMR?

I’ll let the audience speak for itself! Dr. Miguel Angel Verdugo, author of the recent Handbook on Quality of Life for Human Service Practitioners and resident of Spain reports that the work of AAMR is widely known in his native country. Noted psychologist and educator Bob Schalock, also an AAMR member reports, "My wife Sue and I were in Mainland China last fall and visited a number of rural schools with special education programs. To our amazement, they were building their IPPs around the 10 adaptive skill areas of the 1992 Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports." Ms. Chiyoko Numato of the Japan League on Intellectual Disabilities (JLID) in Japan says, "Professionals such as university professors, doctors, post graduate students, and high ranking government and non-governmental officials are familiar with the work of AAMR, but not many direct workers serving for MR and Autism and parents know of AAMR." And, Paolo Moderato, an Italian publisher says many people know of AAMR "… just through AJMR and your books."

Also, the year 2003 will be known as "The European Year of People with Disabilities" (see www.eypd2003.org) and AAMR authors in Europe are busy raising visibility for our publications. Wil Buntinx, one of the authors of the 10th edition of Mental Retardation: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports and a native of the Netherlands is busy getting our publication reviewed in various journals throughout Europe. Dr. Verdugo is organizing principal events in Spain related to the event. And, I am hopeful that we will learn of other plans throughout Europe, as well as events pertaining to intellectual disabilities throughout the world.

It looks like there is a great need for AAMR publications in the international disability community.

It is not unusual for the international community to look to the United States for research and information. This is not to imply that we have the best knowledge, but that our country’s buying power combined with our large population makes it possible to publish to a large buying audience. In turn, the size of the market allows for higher print quantities. In many parts of the world, there is a need to have materials for the disabilities professional, but economically this person may not be able to afford a book. This means a publisher in such areas must be very selective about what can be published. We must become better listeners to learn what books are needed in the United States, as well as in the international arena.

So what publications would you say are needed beyond what AAMR currently publishes?

In addition to the books that AAMR publishes, many in the international market would like to see materials to assist teachers, parents, educators, direct support staff, and psychologists. Ms. Numata of JLID indicates, "In many countries including Japan, Autism and P.D.D. are two of the most difficult disabilities to deal with. It will be welcomed if AAMR would plan publishing information with them."

International rights then is a valuable arm of a publishing program…

All publishers want to disseminate knowledge to the largest audience. In many parts of the world, English has become such a dominant second language that the professional and paraprofessional may speak (and sometimes read) English fluently. However, in many professional services-as with our specialization-we are serving persons and families who may never learn English. They must be reached in their mother tongue. When we become more responsive to the needs of our global community, our publishing program and, in turn, our international rights program will flourish.

Can you talk about the successes you have had in translation rights with AAMR?

The response we have received for the 10th edition of Mental Retardation: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports clearly indicates that the international community has been waiting anxiously for this new edition. Five months after the 10th edition was released, it has been sold in three languages-Italian, Spanish, and Japanese. Organizations and/or publishers in nine other languages are currently interested in the book. Success builds success. The earlier 9th edition had been the Association’s most popular work for translation rights. Therefore, it is only natural that the new edition would be well received.

Ms. Numata of JLID reports that 200 key members of the JLID met last September to discuss the 10th edition. Says Ms. Numata, "The philosophy of the last two editions attracts us. In Japan, almost 100% of the people with disabilities benefit from professional services now. We are proud of this. But at the same time, we wonder if our system responds to the needs of the service receivers. Is it a system too professionally oriented? Are we sensitive enough to the needs?" We are honored that 78 of the participants in the meeting have ordered a copy of the English edition of the 10th edition of Mental Retardation.

In December 2002, the Italian Association on Mental Retardation will have two nation wide conferences, and Bob Schalock has accepted an invitation to be their keynote speaker.

Several other languages are also considering partial translations of AJMR.

Paolo Moderato, who will head the Italian translation of the 10th edition of Mental Retardation, feels that the edition is important because, "Definitions of things are in my opinion pivotal concepts both to have common language and well-described (manualized) procedures." And, as Bob Schalock wrote, "It sets the standard and reflects the most current thinking in the area."

Yuval Ekstein, who is a member of AAMR, and heads the Adam Interdisciplinary Center in Israel, is hopeful to have the 10th edition of Mental Retardation translated and published in time for the Israeli 3rd Conference for Mental Retardation that will take place in 2003.

Page last updated October 31, 2002 3:23 PM