A comparison of mainstream and special education for teenagers with Down syndrome: Implications for parents and teachers

Abstract

-This article presents data from a research study designed to compare the achievements of teenagers with Down syndrome educated in mainstream classrooms or in special education classrooms throughout their full-time education. Progress is reported for speech and language, literacy, socialisation, daily living skills and behaviour. For all the teenagers, there is evidence of progress with age on all the measures except for communication. Communication continued to improve through teenage years for the included children but not for those in special education classrooms. There were no significant differences in overall outcomes for daily living skills or socialisation. However, there were large significant gains in expressive language and literacy skills for those educated in mainstream classrooms. Teenagers educated in mainstream classrooms showed fewer behavioural difficulties. Further, comparison with data published by these authors in an earlier study, showed no improvements in school achievements in special education over a 13 year period in the UK (1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999).

Variability of the Aging Process in Dementia-Free Adults With Down Syndrome

“…As in several previous studies (Coppus et al, 2008;Temple et al, 2001;Zigman & Lott, 2007), we can postulate that environmental factors play a key role in aging and were responsible for the some of the interindividual differences reported here. A number of studies have highlighted the importance of education and medical care in the development of people with DS (Buckley, Bird, Sacks, & Archer, 2006;Couzens, Haynes, & Cuskelly, 2012;Hanson, 2003). Although comprehensive health assessment programs have improved health outcomes among people with intellectual disability (Cooper et al, 2006), many adults with DS still do not have access to regular health care, despite the high frequency of medical complications (Henderson, Lynch, Wilkinson, & Hunter, 2007;Määttä et al, 2011).…”

The Down Syndrome Behavioral Phenotype: Implications for Practice and Research in Occupational Therapy

“…However, individuals with DS have been observed to use their social strengths to avoid challenging tasks (Kasari & Freeman, 2002;Pitcairn & Wishart, 1994). In older childhood and adolescence, researchers have reported poorer interpersonal interactions with peers in students with DS who attend general education classrooms (Buckley, Bird, Sacks, & Archer, 2006).…”

“…Researchers have found evidence that preschoolers through teenagers with DS exhibit better progress, particularly in language, reading, and writing when included in general education classrooms (Buckley et al, 2006;Laws, Byrne, & Buckley, 2000). Indeed, the past decade has brought innovations that include a refined understanding of effective inclusive practice in DS (Wolpert, 2001) and new instructional approaches involving computer technology (Lloyd, Moni, & Jobling, 2006;Ortega-Tudela & Gomez-Ariza, 2006).…”

Self‐concept in children with Down syndrome

“…A societal ideal typically refers to the body image that is most desired and accepted in a society [Thompson and Stice, 2001]. For example, there is a reported relationship between not looking like the societal ideal and poor self-esteem [Buckley et al, 2006; Michalko, 2009; Monteath and McCabe, 1997; Strahan et al, 2006]. In the general population, Michalko [2009] identified a cultural imperative to make disability disappear into the normative order.…”