Upward Bound by Woody Brown

In Upward Bound, the reader meets both the employees and the clients of an adult day care center for people with disabilities. There's Walter, who's non-verbal and has gone to college. Tom nurses a crush on Ann (one of the workers), but complications of his cerebral palsy prevent him from telling her of his feelings. Dave, the director of the facility, is a failed actor who tries to do what he thinks is best without adequate funding. Worker Carlos is beloved by everyone and has developed a strong bond with Jorge, who doesn't speak and has a tendency to bolt from the center frequently. Written by author Woody Brown--whom the character Walter is based on--the novel is able to give the reader much insight into the disability community.