Welcome, Educators!
Being Included
I open up Amanda’s sixth-grade school planner and find a yellow sheet of paper with three famous historical quotes. The directions say that each student is required to choose one of the quotes, stand in front of the class and recite it. Attached to this yellow sheet is a pink sticky note saying, “We are not sure if Amanda will do this but thought it was worth a try.”
My first thought is “Are you kidding me?” These are big-worded, long-sentenced quotes. There is no “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!” rest of article here
The following resources and materials have been generously provided by and are used with permission from the Kansas City Down Syndrome Guild (DSG).
We hope you find these resources useful as you work with individuals with Down syndrome. There are a variety of publications and trainings included to assist educators and parents. The most recent issue of the DSG’s Inclusion Solutions Newsletter is full of tips and tools for educators who are doing amazing things with students who have Down syndrome. See past issues of Inclusion Solutions below.
Want to get to know your student with Down syndrome better? Invite your student’s parents to complete our All About Me Booklet so you will understand the best way to engage your student. We would also be happy to present a short program to your students telling them about Down syndrome. Child All About Me Booklet Teen All About Me booklet
Home-School communication is critical to helping a student with Down syndrome succeed academically and socially. See some sample communication logs here and here that your IEP team may consider implementing.
View a great transition timeline for high school students created by the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns.
Universal Design for Learninghelps ALL students have full access to curriculum. In today’s dynamic, diverse classrooms, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers all educators and students an exciting opportunity to use strategies and technologies that bridge the gap in learner skills, interests, and needs. By accommodating students’ diff erent learning styles, UDL is able to transform instruction into a more engaging, meaningful experience.
Post secondary opportunities for students with Down syndrome exist at many colleges and universities across the nation. Check out the resources below for more information!
Think College is designed to share what is currently going on, provide resources and strategies, let you know about training events, and give you ways to talk to others. The information is for transition aged students as well as adults attending or planning for college. It provides resources and tools for students, families, and professionals.
Going to College contains information about living college life with a disability. It’s designed for high school students and provides video clips, activities and additional resources that can help you get a head start in planning for college.
Check out the great resources below:
View a list of 200+ iphone and itouch applications for special educators.
FREE online reading program. Reading Bear is a fun way to learn to read. We teach over 1,200 vocabulary items. Our 50 lessons cover all the main phonics rules.
Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas Educator Manual
Including Students with Down Syndrome
Transition Planning for Students with Down Syndrome
Accommodation Checklist for Students with Down Syndrome
Explaining Privacy and Sexuality to Students with Down Syndrome
Discouraging Elopement in your Students with Down Syndrome
Looking for speech and language resource information on Down syndrome?
Among the most common challenges confronting people with Down syndrome is speech and language development. Both early intervention and on-going therapies can reduce and often eliminate barriers. The material here can help you become oriented and knowledgeable about the challenge and get you started toward effective therapies.
An Overview of Speech, Language and Communication for People with Down Syndrome
Speech and Language Skills for Young Children with Down Syndrome
Speech and Language Skills for Adolescents with Down Syndrome
Project Participate to see how they provide families, educators, administrators and therapists with simple strategies to increase the active participation of students wtih disabilities in school programs. Project Participate facilitates team collaboration and promotes the appropriate uses of technology in the classroom.
What is Active Participation?
Being there is not enough. Students with disabilities benefit from placement in general education classrooms when they are given opportunities to actively participate! Often teams underestimate student abilities and mistake passivity for participation. This handout compares and contrasts active and passive participation to inspire teams to raise their expectations.
Ten Tips for General Educators
This handout delineates ten quick and easy things that classroom teachers can do to include students with disabilities in the classroom from day one.
Ten Tips for Program Assistants/Paraeducators
In the fast paced school setting, paraeducators often embark upon classroom duties without the guidance they need. This handout describes simple suggestions for classroom aides to help them promote active participation and the independence of students with disabilities.
Ten Tips for Special Educators
Collaborate, communicate and promote the participation of diverse students in the classroom. This handout describes simple strategies for learning specialists and special education teachers.
Ten Tips for Administrators
Share this brief list of suggestions with school administrators and enable the principal or assistant principal to promote the active participation of students with disabilities in the regular education classroom.
Ten Tips for Therapists
Keep students in the classroom and meet therapeutic objectives. Follow the advice on this tip sheet designed for speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists.
Ten Tips for Caregivers
This tip sheet offers suggestions to parents and caregivers to help improve their ability to work with professionals and others on the school-based team.
Ten Tips for Assistive Techies
Follow the common sense guidelines on this handout and get people to actually use computers and augmentative communication devices in the classroom!
How Does Your Classroom Work?
Special educators can use this brief but thorough checklist to learn more about the regular classroom environment. Take it along when meeting the classroom teacher to initiate questions and guide discussions. Form includes a To Do list to help with planning curricular adaptations.
Assistance Rating
Students with disabilities frequently receive credit for work completed by another person. Use this quick questionnaire during a visit to a secondary classroom as a way to measure the assistance given to students to complete tasks.
Participation Rating
How often is a student really participating in class? Use this form as a way to guide an observation of the student in the middle or high school environment and assess classroom participation.
Participation Plan
Who is doing what? Where is the student supposed to be and when? Who is supposed to help? Use this form to create a system of accountability and define roles and tasks so everyone on the team knows what to do.
Daily Participation Record
Paraeducators and classroom teachers complete this quick and simple form each day to document classroom accomplishments and maintain focus on pertinent goals.
Daily Participation Record – Sample
See a sample of a daily participation record created to help the school team document the daily performance of staff members and students.
IntelliPics Planning Sheet
IntelliPics is a multi-media authoring tool used by professionals and parents to create accessible learning activities that incorporate graphics, animation, text and sound. This sheet is designed to help individuals with a working sense of IntelliPics plan multi-sensory learning activities.
updated 1/8/2016 sp