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Intellectual Disability
(Down Syndrome/ Autism)
Down syndrome is a genetic condition. It is not
an illness or disease.
Our bodies are made up of millions of cells. In
each cell there are 46 chromosomes. The DNA in
our chromosomes determines how we develop.
Down syndrome is caused when there is an extra
chromosome. People with Down syndrome have
47 chromosomes in their cells instead of
46. They have an extra chromosome 21, which is
why Down syndrome is also sometimes known as
trisomy 21.
Down syndrome is the most common
chromosome disorder that we know of. One
of every 700-900 babies born worldwide will
have Down syndrome, although this number is
lower in Australia.
Having an intellectual disability
Down syndrome is the most common cause of
intellectual disability that we know of.
Everyone who has Down syndrome will have
some level of intellectual disability. There will
be some delay in development and some level
of learning difficulty. Because everyone is
unique, the level of delay will be different for
each person.
People with Down syndrome have
Some characteristic physical features
Some health and development challenges
Some level of intellectual disability.
Because no two people are alike, each of
these things will vary from one person to
another.
What does it mean to have Down syndrome?
Most of the young people growing up with
Down syndrome today will lead quite ordinary
lives in the community. Some people with
Down syndrome may not need much help to
lead an ordinary life, while others may require
a lot of support.
(Down Syndrome Australia, 2014)
Autism is defined as a developmental disorder that affects
social interaction and social communication. Autism is a
spectrum disorder that ranges in severity from mild to
severe. Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) can also have disordered sensory
processing, making interactions with their environments
challenging. For example, an individual with autism may
have a harder time processing visual and auditory
information simultaneously it may be easier for them to
listen to what you are saying without watching what you
are doing. Additionally, many individuals with autism have
very narrow interests and/or repetitive behaviours.
(Infiniteach, 2014)
Implications for Education based on BOS Syllabus requirements
for children with special educational needs
1. Are there separate syllabuses for students with special
education needs in K6?
No, students with special education needs in primary school work
towards the outcomes and content in the Board's K6 syllabuses for
English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Human Society and
Its Environment, Creative Arts and Personal Development, Health
and Physical Education. However, some students with special
education needs may require additional support and/or
adjustments to enable them to access class work and/or
demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes.
Download copies of the K6 syllabuses:
Support Documents for students with special
educational needs:
2. Are there Life Skills outcomes and content for students in
primary school?
No, all students work towards the outcomes and content of the K6
syllabuses
3. Can a student with special education needs work towards
different stage outcomes to the rest of their class?
Yes, teachers should differentiate through selecting and using
syllabus outcomes and content that best suits the learning needs of
each student.
(Board of studies, 2014)
For more information visit:
Skill Champ Lite is a unique, free application
created by Infiniteach which allows teachers to
use their students' interests to teach new skills.
It involves customising and creating unique,
relevant and ultimately meaningful lessons with
students' favourite themes and interests to
foster intrinsic motivation and optimal
engagement.
Every Skill Champ lesson is based on best
practice autism strategies and includes a
printable curriculum so that students can
practice the skills on AND off the iPad..
How does it work?
10 Foundational Skills
These early academic skills include:
1. Picture Matching
2. Letters
3. Numbers
4. Colours
5. Put in
(Concept of finished)
6. 1:1 Put on
(1:1 correspondence)
7. Big & Little
8. Happy & Sad
9. Patterns
10. Shape Puzzles
10 Unique and Engaging Themes
1. Farm
2. Zoo
3. Ocean
4. Town
5. School
6. Food
7. Trains
8. Vehicles
9. Toys
10. Princess
Printable Curriculum
Assessment: Tracking Student
Progress
At the end of each lesson, Skill Champ will allow the teacher to view their
students accuracy and time it took to complete.
When you download the Skill Champ app, each skill comes with its own printable curriculum. The reason Infiniteach so ingeniously devised the
app this way is to encourage students to learn skills on the iPad and then implement and practice these skills in an array of different contexts.
Often this concept of generalisation can be challenging for children with Autism/Down Syndrome, so Infiniteach have developed a simple
curriculum for each skill that includes a variety of printable activities: print and play worksheets, file folder tasks, everyday ideas, and adapted
social games.
(Infiniteach, 2014)
Pros
1. A great app free of charge
2. Every Skill Champ lesson is based on best practice autism strategies
3. Every lesson includes a printable curriculum so that students can practice the skills on AND off
the iPad.
4. Allows teachers to differentiate lessons based on students interests and readiness levels (Carol
Tomlinson)
5. Caters to various learning styles (Howard Garnder)
6. Effective form of assessment that allows teachers to efficiently track student progress
7. Students are able to learn skills on the iPad and then implement and practice these skills in an
array of different contexts through a simple curriculum for each skill that includes a variety of
printable activities (print and play worksheets, file folder tasks, everyday ideas, and adapted
social games).
8. The teacher can combine any skill with any theme for 100 unique lessons
9. Drag and drop functionality for simple use
10. Assists fine motor control by limiting drag and drop functionality to one item
11. .Realistic photo images for relevant learning at any age
12. Child-friendly replay button allows for independent use by child
Cons
Cons
1. The lite version comes with 3 skills and 2
themes. It doesn't offer all 10 skills or
themes; upgrading to the full version costs
$9.99.
2. School requires an adequate amount of
iPad's to cater to each student, which can be
quite costly.
So what are you waiting for?
For more information visit
References
App Store. (2014). Skill champ lite free app download. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skill-
champ/id816314248?mt=8
Autism NOW. (2014). The national autism resource and information centre. Retrieved from
http://autismnow.org/
Autism speaks. (2014). What Is autism? What is autism spectrum disorder?. Retrieved from http://www.autismspeaks.org/
Board of Studies. (2013). Special education needs. Retrieved from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/special_ed/faq_k6.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Autism spectrum disorder. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html
Down Syndrome Australia. (2014). What is down syndrome?. Retrieved
from http://www.downsyndrome.org.au/what_is_down_syndro me.html
Infiniteach. (2014). Skill champ: Autism spectrum disorders. Retrieved from http://skillchamp.org/autism/
Infiniteach. (2014). Skill champ lite. Retrieved from http://skillchamp.org/
Medical News Today. (2014). Autism news. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/categories/autism