People with disabilities should have chances to go to mainstream schools and carry on learning throughout their lives.
This is written in Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In the past, children with Down syndrome did not go to mainstream schools or join in social activities alongside other children.
This is still the case in many places.
Some children with Down syndrome are sent to special schools. Some children with Down syndrome do not go to school at all.
We now know that children with Down syndrome learn just as well, if not better, by being included in mainstream schools and activities.
All children should get the same chances to learn as other children. They should get extra help to learn if they need it.
Children also need chances to make friends and explore things that interest them.
This is inclusive education.
Being in a mainstream school gives children with Down syndrome the chance to learn from their typically developing peers and develop age-appropriate social skills.
They can also make friends with children they will see outside of school in their local community.
For other children, learning alongside a child with Down syndrome teaches them about diversity and inclusion. They become more tolerant and patient. They learn that everyone has something to offer.
We worked with teachers and experts in education to write these guidelines.
By following these guidelines, everyone can learn better. Teachers can teach better, and managers can run schools better. This helps learners with Down Syndrome have a good education.
Children with Down syndrome learn new skills more slowly than other children. For example, motor skills, social skills, communication skills, cognitive skills, and self-help skills.
Each child has their own mix of strong and weak points. The speed of learning different skills varies between children with Down syndrome, just like other children.
This mix is called a learning profile. It shows what they are good at and what they find hard.
Children with Down syndrome learn differently to other children. This means that they need different strategies to help them learn and grow.
By recognising a child’s learning profile, we can use the best strategies to help them learn new skills, and be included in school.
Most children with Down syndrome need extra help at school. The usual school resources are often not enough for them.
In some places, local authorities check what each child with intellectual disabilities needs. They write a document about these needs and tell schools what they should do differently to help the child to learn.
The school can use more visual teaching or give simpl er work on the same topic. This helps children with intellectual disabilities understand better.
