Rhonda Faragher - Educating Learners with Down Syndrome: Research, theory, and practice with children and adolescents

For individuals with Down syndrome, the extent of the effect of intellectual disability depends largely on the degree of provision of appropriate support and intervention. In Educating Learners with Down Syndrome, editors Rhonda Faragher and Barbara Clarke have brought together a number of expert contributors, whose chapters review recent findings in the field of DS education, highlight promising practices, and identify areas for future research.

While the emphasis is primarily on the school years, links to early intervention and to life post-16 are made, with chapters organized into three parts: conceptual overview of issues in learning and teaching, learning mathematics, and literacy development. The book is also united by the cohesive themes of assessment, evidence-based practice, and inclusive practices.

Educating Learners with Down Syndrome importantly incorporates the voices of individuals with Down syndrome, whose personal narratives add significance to the research mission of the text and demonstrate the authors' inclusive philosophy. Aimed at researchers, teacher educators, higher degree students, and policy makers, this book is the first of its kind to provide a compendium of research on educating learners with Down syndrome.

Dr Rhonda Faragher is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at Australian Catholic University.

Dr Barbara Clarke is an Associate Professor at Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

Educating Learners with Down Syndrome

Research, theory, and practice with children and adolescents

Edited by Rhonda Faragher and Barbara Clarke

First published 2014
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2014 R. Faragher and B. Clarke

The right of the editors, R. Faragher and B. Clarke, to be identified as authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Educating learners with down syndrome : research, theory and practice withchildren and adolescents / edited by Rhonda Faragher and Barbara Clarke.
pages cm
1. Children with mental disabilitiesEducation. 2. Down syndrome
PatientsEducation. 3. Developmentally disabled childrenEducation.
I. Faragher, Rhonda. II. Clarke, Barbara.
LC4601.E26 2013M
371.9dc23

2013017041

ISBN: 978-0-415-81636-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-81637-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-88358-8 (ebk)

Typeset in Galliard
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

JANET CARR

BARBARA CLARKE AND RHONDA FARAGHER

PART I
Issues in learning and teaching

ROY I. BROWN

DONNA COUZENS AND MONICA CUSKELLY

LINDA GILMORE AND MONICA CUSKELLY

EMILY A. JONES, NICOLE NEIL, AND KATHLEEN M. FEELEY

PART II
Learning mathematics

RHONDA FARAGHER AND BARBARA CLARKE

BARBARA CLARKE AND RHONDA FARAGHER

RUMIATI AND ROBERT J. WRIGHT

RHONDA FARAGHER

PART III
Literacy development

KELLY BURGOYNE, BECKY BAXTER, AND SUE BUCKLEY

KAREN B. MONI AND ANNE JOBLING

RUMIATI

RHONDA FARAGHER AND BARBARA CLARKE

Becky Baxter, MRCSLT, is a speech and language therapist specializing in Down syndrome. She has worked on a number of research projects with Down Syndrome Education International. Her current interests include speech and language development and inclusion for children with Down syndrome.

Roy I. Brown, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary, Canada, and Flinders University, Australia, and Adjunct Professor at several other universities. Through practice, research, writing, and teaching, he has founded and developed programmes in the field of disabilities. His current research and applied writing is in quality and family quality of life. He has written for and edited a series on adults with Down syndrome, is a former trustee of Down Syndrome International, and has consulted to Down syndrome associations in several countries. Currently he serves as the founding director of the IASSIDD Academy and over the years has served on government and regional committees in several countries.

Sue Buckley, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Developmental Disability, University of Portsmouth, and Director for Science and Research at Down Syndrome Education International. Sue's academic background includes an undergraduate degree in psychology followed by training in clinical psychology. She has been involved in research into the development and education of children with Down syndrome for over 30 years with a focus on language, literacy, and memory. Her current focus is on RCT evaluations of effective interventions. She has an adopted adult daughter with Down syndrome.

Kelly Burgoyne, PhD, is currently working as a Research Associate at University College London. Her research focuses on literacy and language skills and intervention for young children who have language difficulties. She continues to have an interest in working with children with Down syndrome and in furthering research with this group of children.

Barbara Clarke, PhD, is an Associate Professor in mathematics education at Monash University, Victoria, Australia. Her major research focus is supporting young children's learning in mathematics. She has undertaken research on the mathematics learning of children with Down syndrome and has extensive editing experience.

Donna Couzens, PhD, is a researcher with the Down syndrome longitudinal research project in the School of Education at the University of Queensland. Donna's research considers biological and environmental influences on age-related development and learning. Donna became involved with children with Down syndrome through the guiding movement and refined her knowledge and skills as a special education teacher, a researcher, and an educational psychologist. Donna's research spans cognitive development and learning, behaviour change, and communication.

Monica Cuskelly, PhD, is an Associate Professor and educational and developmental psychologist. She heads the Down Syndrome Research Programme at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. The programme includes a longitudinal study of the cognitive development of individuals with Down syndrome that has been on-going for more than 30 years. Monica's research focuses on two broad areas: the development of individuals with an intellectual disability and the impact on families of having a member with a disability.