Developmental Expectations,Personality Stereotypes,and Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education: Community and teacher views of Down syndrome

Knowledge about Down syndrome and attitudes towards the educational inclusion of children with Down syndrome were examined in a sample of 2,053 people from the community and a group of 538 experienced teachers. Although both groups displayed reasonably accurate knowledge about Down syndrome and its developmental consequences, they significantly underestimated the average life expectancy for a person with the syndrome. In both groups, a positive stereotype of children with Down syndrome as particularly affectionate and happy was evident. Despite recognising the educational, social, and emotional benefits of inclusive schooling, only around 20% of each group believed that the regular classroom was the best setting for children with Down syndrome. The findings suggest that accurate knowledge and positive, but realistic, expectations are important for enhancing the acceptance of individuals with disabilities within their schools and communities.     

The Importance of Self‐Regulation in Young Children With Down Syndrome

Adulthood brings with it responsibilities for making choices and decisions about one's own life. Individuals with Down syndrome, their parents and communities, have begun to expect that at least some of these responsibilities will be met by the person with Down syndrome. This will require a range of skills in managing one's own behaviour and these skills will need to be acquired in childhood. The Down Syndrome Research Program has begun a number of investigations into two important aspects of self‐regulation‐the capacity to delay gratification and mastery motivation. This paper describes the importance of these skills and habits of behaviour to those with Down syndrome and discusses the research to date.     

Building on similarity: a whole class use for simplified language materials

This article examines how the recommended pedagogy for people with Down syndrome may be of use to a wide range of other individuals within a mainstream school setting. Drawing on current practices within English education, it describes the evidence behind the current advice about the language to be used in materials for people with Down syndrome, and then examines why similar language forms have been devalued as teaching tools in relation to people who are learning English as an additional language. The article then describes the use of differentiated materials in a secondary school and the problems that this both highlights and generates. Drawing on these three strands, as well as current best practice and research into comprehension and simple English, this article then proposes a possible usage for simplified language materials (SLMs) at transition points of lessons. It suggests that if SLMs are used at these specific moments within lessons they could be of value to the whole class, and serve as a useful inclusive pedagogy. The article highlights the need for further research into the possible use of SLMs within mainstream schools.     

Using Total Communication With Young Children With Down Syndrome: A Literature Review and Case Study

This paper presents a literature review regarding language abilities of children with Down syndrome and presents a case study concerning the effectiveness of using Total Communication with a young child with Down syndrome. The prevalence of expressive language delays in children with Down syndrome highlights the need to develop early interventions to promote language development. The existing literature on the usefulness of Total Communication as an intervention method with children and adults with special needs is documented and a rationale for the use of Total Communication with children with Down syndrome is presented. In the case study, a single subject simultaneous treatment design was used which involved introducing 20 words during free play (10 oral and 10 Total Communication), which were matched on phonetic complexity and reinforcement value. Results indicated that comprehension was not differentially affected by the type of communication approach used. However, expressively the child was able to use manual signs many months before any understandable words were produced. The use of manual signs did not inhibit use of speech. The results of this case study suggest that the early use of Total Communication can be an effective transitional mode of communication for at least some children with Down syndrome. Further research is needed to explore individual differences between children with Down syndrome and to identify factors that predict those children who benefit most from the use of Total Communication.     

Using Total Communication With Young Children With Down Syndrome: A Literature Review and Case Study

This paper presents a literature review regarding language abilities of children with Down syndrome and presents a case study concerning the effectiveness of using Total Communication with a young child with Down syndrome. The prevalence of expressive language delays in children with Down syndrome highlights the need to develop early interventions to promote language development. The existing literature on the usefulness of Total Communication as an intervention method with children and adults with special needs is documented and a rationale for the use of Total Communication with children with Down syndrome is presented. In the case study, a single subject simultaneous treatment design was used which involved introducing 20 words during free play (10 oral and 10 Total Communication), which were matched on phonetic complexity and reinforcement value. Results indicated that comprehension was not differentially affected by the type of communication approach used. However, expressively the child was able to use manual signs many months before any understandable words were produced. The use of manual signs did not inhibit use of speech. The results of this case study suggest that the early use of Total Communication can be an effective transitional mode of communication for at least some children with Down syndrome. Further research is needed to explore individual differences between children with Down syndrome and to identify factors that predict those children who benefit most from the use of Total Communication.     

Children with Down syndrome: Implications of a contextual approach

Earlier research on the development of children with Down syndrome is summarized from the standpoint of the development-difference debate. While some progress is recognized, it is argued that this research has neglected to theorize the concept of context and has, therefor, to a large extent created a notion of a universal child with Down syndrome. Three such neglected contexts are discussed; (1) the controlled setting, (2) the life context of the children, and, (3) culture as a context of development. With the point of departure in the criticism of how these contexts have been theorized, it is argued that (1) it is difficult to search for specific weaknesses in children with Down syndrome, (2) little is known about what factors in the lifes of these children that are important to development, and, (3) since cultures structure development differently, the development of children with Down syndrome will consequently vary from culture to culture. An outline of a framework for the study of the development of children with Down syndrome is proposed as well as its methodological implications. It is suggested that a partly new way of speaking about the development of children with Down syndrome is needed.     

A Study of Functional Literacy Skills in Young Adults with Down Syndrome

This paper presents data from a study of young adults with Down syndrome who were born either just before, or during the period when radical changes to special education services for people with intellectual disabilities were introduced. The specific aim of the study was to examine the development of language and literacy skills in a group of young adults with Down syndrome, some of whom had been educated at a time when there was an increase in expectations for achievement and opportunity to learn. Results showed that all but one of the young adults had learned to read, though for some, these skills were limited. In general, there was evidence of a positive relationship between age (for those born after 1970), attendance at an integrated school situation, and the achievement of more advanced reading and language skills. It was also evident that learning to read provides both a functional daily living skill and a satisfying recreational activity for young adults with Down syndrome.     

Development in Children With Down Syndrome: facts,findings, the future

This broad overview of progress in our understanding of Down syndrome and of the problems it presents for children affected by it was prompted by the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Down Syndrome Research Program at the Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre, The University of Queensland. This internationally‐acclaimed program has focused on many aspects of development in Down syndrome and on how Down syndrome impacts on the lives of children and their families. Some of the many contributions the Schonell team have made to our knowledge of Down syndrome are covered in other papers in this special issue and will also be mentioned below. In evaluating the role of this work, however, it is important to put it into context. This paper therefore provides a brief‐‐and necessarily selective‐‐ account of some past and present findings from research into Down syndrome and makes some tentative suggestions as to what may be important avenues of investigation for the next generation of researchers.     

自主学习能力的培养——现代教学的重要目标之一

当今世界日新月异，人们普遍认为这种变化还将永久的继续下去，因而对于所有希望成功适应发展变化的人们而言，必须进行终身教育（Lifelong Education），终身教育意味着能让人们在他们一生的不同阶段、在不同的时间、以不同的方式、为不同的目的而学习。目前的社会现状也同样表明，在这样一个信息化的时代里，人们要处理大量信息的同时更要适应迅速变化的环境，在学校接受的教育已无法受用终身。因此，激发学习者的自主性，培养学习者的自主学习能力，即变“要我学”为“我要学”已成为现代教学的重要目标之一。     

Emerging Trends in Mathematics Education for People with Down Syndrome: Current Research and Future Directions

ABSTRACT

In September 2017, a group of researchers met for the first conference devoted to the singular purpose of exploring a neglected field – the learning of mathematics by individuals with Down syndrome. This special issue is a result of that first meeting and identifies three emerging trends in the mathematics education of learners with Down syndrome: the goals, content, and pedagogy. Education is central to the goal of improving an individual’s quality of life and only recently has the impact of mathematics been fully comprehended. Many researchers continue to explore the development of the concept of number and there is still much to learn. As a new development, we see that interest is now expanding to explore other areas of mathematics. We still have a long way to go to understand how best to open the doors of mathematics to all learners with Down syndrome. We conclude by offering six areas requiring immediate future research in the field of mathematics and Down syndrome.     

国外关于智障者体能限制因素的研究

本文总结与分析了大量研究智障者体能状况的科学文献,提出多种因素可导致智障者体能低,寿命短,智障者体能限制因素包括是否罹患唐氏综合症、静坐的生活方式、心脏变时功能不全、下肢力量薄弱等多个方面。     

Children's attitudes toward their peers with Down Syndrome in schools in rural Ireland: an exploratory study

Increasingly, children with Down Syndrome are attending mainstream schools, but evidence suggests that these children are more prone to peer rejection and other problems when compared with their non‐disabled counterparts. However, relatively little is known about children's attitudes toward their peers with moderate to serious learning disabilities, including Down Syndrome. This study assessed the attitudes of non‐disabled primary school children (n = 118) in mainstream education toward their peers with Down Syndrome. A secondary aim was to assess whether exposure to audiovisual material promoting inclusion had any immediate effects on overall attitudes. A cross‐sectional, questionnaire‐based survey was administered in four rural‐based schools. The results showed that female participants over 10 were the most sociable. Overall attitudes toward inclusion were consistently and statistically significantly more negative than those toward sociability. Other factors, such as contact with peers with Down Syndrome, were not related to attitudes. Neither was there any change in overall attitudes following exposure to the promotional material. Further work is needed to identify factors underpinning the attitudes of non‐disabled children to their peers with Down Syndrome and how best to promote inclusion in mainstream schools.     

Teenagers with Down Syndrome in a Time of Changing Policies and Practices: Progress of Students who were Born Between 1971 and 1978

Since the early 1970s, significant changes have occurred in New South Wales in the educational services provided for students with Down syndrome which should have resulted in improved educational outcomes for the students. Information is reported, here, on the schooling, employment, life experiences, and general skills of sixty‐six 13‐ to 20‐year‐old students with Down syndrome who were born over the period 1971 to 1978. These results are compared with data on achievement levels reported in earlier British and American studies of students with Down syndrome. Overall, the personal and leisure skills of the two groups of students appeared to be similar, with some difficulties associated with social isolation. However, when compared with the other groups, the New South Wales students appeared to have received more of their education in integrated settings, attained higher levels in academic areas (reading and money skills), were more independent, required less supervision, and had more optimistic futures in terms of integrated employment and accommodation options. Clearly, the changes in services begun in the 1970s did result in improvements in outcomes for some students with Down syndrome, though it is also evident that changes in policy do not always lead to the implementation of more effective services for all students.     

Values Attributed to Marriage by Persons with Physical Disabilities

Within the so‐called normal society one can observe again and again symptoms of reluctance to being closely associated with people with physical disabilities. The general opinion is that this group of people is characterised by specific psychological and physical functioning and they are thought to have distinct needs and expectations as regards family life. To verify and confirm the above, comparative research was undertaken to find out how young able‐bodied, blind and persons using wheelchairs evaluate marriage. The subject of the research was the importance ascribed to the hierarchy of values related to marriage and family, and the types of needs satisfied through these institutions of social life. The participants were asked to evaluate such phenomena as love, sexual life and parenthood as well as expressing their attitude and opinion on conjugal infidelity. The results obtained do not indicate any significant differences in attitudes and views presented between the groups under consideration. All valued marriage and family life very highly and had similar expectations, however, not all will be able to fulfil their needs and aspirations in these areas. It will be quite complicated, especially so for those who are disabled. All possible failures are caused by, first of all, negative attitudes of the society towards erotic activities of people with disabilities.     

TURKISH AND U.S. ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING

As people live longer and the number of older adults increases worldwide, it becomes important to understand the factors that influence how we understand and perceive our own aging as well as how we construct our attitudes toward older adults. Although studies have indicated that later adulthood can be a healthy, productive, and satisfying time of life, ageism or prejudice and discrimination against older adults and a fear of the aging process, continues to be a widespread phenomena. The purpose of this study was to compare attitudes and anxieties toward aging of young and middle-aged men and women from the United States and Turkey. The results indicate that significant country and gender differences exist in how people feel about getting older and the age at which they consider themselves to be “old.” Contact with elders as well as education regarding the process of aging appear to have a significant impact on attitudes toward aging.     

Verbal Short‐term Memory Performance in Pupils with Down Syndrome

Research has shown that verbal short‐term memory span is shorter in individuals with Down syndrome than in typically developing individuals of equivalent mental age, but little attention has been given to variations within or across groups. Differences in the environment and in particular educational experiences may play a part in the relative ease or difficulty with which children remember verbal material. This article explores the performance of 26 Egyptian pupils with Down syndrome and 26 Egyptian typically developing children on two verbal short‐term memory tests: digit recall and non‐word repetition tasks. The findings of the study revealed that typically developing children showed superior performance on these tasks to that of pupils with Down syndrome, whose performance was both lower and revealed a narrower range of attainment. Comparisons with the performance of children with Down syndrome in this study suggested that not only did the children with Down syndrome perform more poorly than the typically developing children, their profile also appeared worse than the results of studies of children with a similar mental age with Down syndrome carried out in western countries. The results from this study suggested that, while deficits in verbal short‐term memory in Down syndrome may well be universal, it is important to recognise that performances may vary as a consequence of culture and educational experiences. The significance of these findings is explored with reference to approaches to education and how these are conceptualised in relation to children with disabilities.     

The Relationship Between Public and Private Schooling and Anti-Semitism

No previous research has directly examined the relationship between attending a public or private school as a child and people’s attitudes toward Jews when they become adults. This article sheds new light on this issue by using a large, nationally representative survey of over 1,500 adults in the United States to see how childhood schooling is related to adult anti-Semitism. It finds that even after controlling for a variety of background characteristics, people who attended private schools exhibit more positive attitudes toward Jews than those who attended public schools.     

The Effectiveness of Teaching Geometry to Enhance Mathematical Understanding in Children with Down Syndrome

ABSTRACT

It is widely known that people with Down syndrome have difficulties transitioning from a basic understanding of counting and cardinality to more advanced arithmetic skills. This is commonly addressed by resorting to the mechanical use of algorithms, which hinders the acquisition of mathematical concepts. For this reason some authors have recently proposed a shift in the focus of learning from arithmetic to more fertile fields, in terms of understanding. In this paper we claim geometry fits this profile, especially suited for initiating children with Down syndrome into mathematics. To support this we resort to historical, epistemological, and cognitive reasons: the work of Séguin and his intuition on the central role of geometry in the development of abstract thinking in the so-called idiot children, the ideas of René Thom about the role of continuum intuition in the emergence of conscious thinking, and finally the two strengths people with Down syndrome display: visual learning abilities and interest in abstract symbols. To support these ideas we present the main findings of qualitative research on elementary mathematics teaching to a group of seven children (3–8) with Down syndrome in Spain. The didactic method used, naturally enhance their naïve geometrical conceptions.     

Education about sexuality in the elderly by healthcare professionals: a survey from the Southern Hemisphere

Education about sexuality is one method of reducing common negative stereotypes about this aspect of the life of older people. Knowledge and attitudes toward sexuality are therefore particularly important in those who educate healthcare professionals. We surveyed schools of medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, and social work in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa using White's Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale. A total of 364 usable surveys were returned, revealing no main effects for differences in generally above-average levels of knowledge and attitudes across professions and the three countries. Some country-by-profession interactions were found for both knowledge and attitudes. Age was found to be the sole demographic factor able to predict both attitude toward and knowledge of sexuality. Findings suggest that levels of knowledge about sexuality and attitudes toward it have improved over earlier studies in North America.