Online briefings and events
We offer free online briefings and events about our work. These
currently include events presenting the research activities of Down Syndrome Education International and our
partners. We are planning further free events about our other work, services
and resources. These live events are free to access online and by telephone for
families, professionals and scientists worldwide. Recordings are also
available.
Free online briefings about our research
Over the past 30 years, developmental and educational research (conducted
by us and others) has increased what is known about the learning
difficulties experienced by people with Down syndrome. This research has
improved teaching techniques and transformed education for many thousands of
young people with Down syndrome today. However, much remains to do. Many
important questions remain unanswered and many specific interventions have
not been sufficiently evaluated.
Our series of online events will present our current research activities
and discuss how we are working to answer critical questions about
development and education for children with Down syndrome. The following sessions are currently planned:
Science fact and fiction - What research has delivered for people
with Down syndrome and what it might deliver in the future?
Presented by Professor Sue Buckley
Life for hundreds of thousands of people with Down syndrome living in
some countries has improved dramatically in recent decades - in part, due to
improved understanding informed by science. Improved clinical care (informed
by health research) has raised life expectancy from only 12 years to over 60
years since 1950. Improved teaching (informed by developmental, cognitive
and educational research) is helping young people with Down syndrome learn
more than ever before, creating opportunities thought impossible 40 years
ago. Despite these gains, though, there is still much to learn about Down
syndrome that could help us better support people who live with the
condition. This session will explore how research has delivered benefits for
people with Down syndrome living today and examine what future research
might deliver for them and future generations. We will explore the
challenges facing scientists and what the community can do to support
research that will ensure that people with Down syndrome living today and
tomorrow continue to benefit from scientific advances.
Find out more and register to
attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 25 March 2010 20:00 GMT (21:00 Paris,
16:00 New York, 13:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 26 March 2010 09:00 GMT (20:00 Sydney,
14:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
- Recordings of these past briefings are available -
see below...
Research progress at Down Syndrome Education International - current
projects and future priorities.
Presented by Professor Sue Buckley
How can we help children with Down syndrome to speak more clearly? Can we
teach more children to read - even those who struggle most? Are sleep
problems making learning harder? Are children with Down syndrome being
misdiagnosed as autistic? Can we improve memory, thinking and
problem-solving? How can we help teachers deliver extra support for language
and reading in the classroom? These are just a few of the questions that
Down Syndrome Education International's research is working to answer today.
Attend this online event to find out more about our current and planned
research projects. Find out more
and register to attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 22 April 2010 20:00 BST/19:00 GMT (21:00
Paris, 15:00 New York, 12:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 23 April 2010 09:00 BST/08:00 GMT (18:00
Sydney, 13:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
Is autism being over-diagnosed? What do we learn from early autism
screening?
Presented by Professor Sue Buckley
An increasing number of children with Down syndrome are being diagnosed
with autism spectrum disorders. Diagnostic assessments look for a lack of
social engagement behaviours such as pointing, sharing attention and for the
persistence of unusual behaviours such as repetitive behaviours. It is not
known at what ages these social behaviours are typically seen in children
with Down syndrome - so it is difficult to determine if delays in social
engagement behaviour are due to Down syndrome or due to autism. It is also
unclear how many children with Down syndrome show some of the other
repetitive behaviours, how long they last and what significance they have
for development. We are conducting ongoing studies to explore these
questions. Find out more and
register to attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 13 May 2010 20:00 BST/19:00 GMT (21:00
Paris, 15:00 New York, 12:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 14 May 2010 09:00 BST/08:00 GMT (18:00
Sydney, 13:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
Can we improve children's problem solving skills? - pilot data and
future plans.
Presented by Stephanie Bennett
Problem-solving and thinking skills are usually delayed relative to
social competence among children with Down syndrome. The difficulties
experienced may lead some children to avoid some tasks and be reluctant to
engage in learning. With partners at Colorado State University, USA, we are
embarking on studies to evaluate parent-delivered interventions designed to
improve thinking and problem-solving abilities among preschool children with
Down syndrome. If successful, these trials will improve early
problem-solving skills and help promote engagement in learning tasks.
Dates and times:
- This event has been rescheduled - dates TBA
What are we learning about the links between signing and speaking?
Presented by Professor Sue Buckley
The use of sign to teach communication and spoken language has long been
encouraged with children with Down syndrome, though there is a lack of clear
evidence supporting its effectiveness. We are conducting an ongoing study to
investigate the use of signs and their impact on spoken language.
Find out more and register to
attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 27 May 2010 20:00 BST/19:00 GMT (21:00
Paris, 15:00 New York, 12:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 28 May 2010 09:00 BST/08:00 GMT (18:00
Sydney, 13:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
Developing and evaluating a classroom reading and language intervention
- progress one year on.
Presented by Dr Kelly Burgoyne
Last year, in partnership with colleagues at the Centre for Language and
Reading at the University of York, UK, we began work on a landmark study of
a carefully structured language and reading intervention, that was designed
for use in schools. This multicentre, randomised control trial of an
educational intervention - the first of its kind - will offer a high
standard of evidence about the effectiveness of these teaching approaches.
This project is being funded by the UK Big Lottery Fund. If the intervention
is successful, this study will deliver a packaged reading and language programme for use with children with Down syndrome in schools.
Find out more and register to
attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 10 June 2010 17:00 BST/16:00 GMT (18:00
Paris, 12:00 New York, 09:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 11 June 2010 09:00 BST/08:00 GMT (18:00
Sydney, 13:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
Can we improve children's working memory skills? - results of a small
training study and next steps.
Presented by Stephanie Bennett
We have started a pilot to investigate a computer-based memory training
programme. Research has shown that this programme benefits other children
with working memory delays. These studies should help to identify effective
methods for improving working memory skills that are central to many aspects
of speech, language and general cognitive abilities.
Find out more and register to
attend...
Dates and times:
- Thursday, 17 June 2010 17:00 BST/16:00 GMT (18:00
Paris, 12:00 New York, 09:00 Los Angeles)
- Friday, 18 June 2010 09:00 BST/08:00 GMT (18:00
Sydney, 13:30 New Delhi, 10:00 Paris)
The recordings of all of these
events are also available free and on-demand (registration required). Visit DownsEd Meetings, click on "Event
Center" at the top, click on "Event Recordings" on the left. The events
should be listed. Click the title or play icon to start.
Other free briefing events about our work, services and resources
We are also planning further free briefing events about our work, services and
resources - watch for announcements.
Other online services
Advice Sessions
We also offer online advice sessions on a range of topics.
Web seminars
We also offer web seminars and online courses of 10 linked
web seminars providing a live presentation of key information and recommendations
followed by an interactive discussion between participants and expert panellists.
Online and teleconference consultations
We also provide individual online and teleconference consultations
charged on a per hour basis.
(* Restrictions apply - please see our online services
help for details)