World Down Syndrome Day 21 March 2023
With Us Not For Us
World Down Syndrome Day is coming on Tuesday March 21st. The theme is “With Us Not For Us” and we encourage you to join us in promoting diversity and inclusion in your school for people with Down Syndrome.
This is an opportunity to raise awareness, celebrate achievements, and support individuals with Down Syndrome. Let’s help to make a difference and create a more inclusive society where everyone is valued and respected.
By participating in World Down Syndrome Day, we can create a more inclusive school environment that values and respects everyone. There are many ways to get involved, such as:
1. Wear Crazy Socks: You can support World Down Syndrome Day by wearing your craziest most colourful socks! We encourage everyone to wear colourful, mismatched, or funky socks on March 21st. This is a fun way to raise awareness and start conversations about Down Syndrome and maybe raise some money too.
2. Host an Awareness Day: You can organise an awareness day at your school to promote understanding and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome. This could include guest speakers, workshops, or activities that celebrate diversity and raise awareness about the challenges faced by people with Down Syndrome.
3. Fundraising Events: You can organise fundraising events to support charities that provide advocacy, research, and support services for people with Down Syndrome and their families and help fund assistive technologies to help them achieve more.
4. Educational Activities: You can incorporate educational activities into your curriculum to promote understanding and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome. This could include reading books about Down Syndrome, watching videos, or having discussions about the challenges and triumphs of people with Down Syndrome. There is a fantastic story for children called “Different – A Great Thing to Be!” by Heather Avis, featuring a young girl called Mary. This could be a fantastic book to teach younger children about the achievements of people with Down Syndrome.
If you want to learn more about World Down Syndrome Day and how to get involved, there are several ways to do so. You can visit the official World Down Syndrome Day website (www.worlddownsyndromeday.org) for more information on the day, the events, and how to get involved. You can also follow the hashtags #WDSD2023 #WithUsNotForUS #WorldDownSyndromeDay on social media to see what activities and events are happening around the world.
How can Assistive Technology support someone with Down Syndrome?
Assistive technology can play a crucial role in helping people with Down Syndrome to achieve their educational and career goals. Here’s a story that demonstrates how assistive technology helped a student with Down Syndrome to succeed in college:
Case Study: Tyler’s Journey to Success
Tyler is a college student with Down Syndrome who faced several challenges when it came to studying and taking exams. He found it difficult to read and understand textbooks, take notes during lessons, and recall important information during exams. However, with the help of assistive technology, Tyler was able to overcome these challenges and achieve his academic goals.
Tyler’s college provided him with several assistive technology tools to help him succeed. One of these tools, a text-to-speech software program, allowed Tyler to listen to his textbooks instead of reading them. This made it easier for him to understand and retain information, as he could listen to the text multiple times and at different speeds.
During exams, Tyler was allowed to use assistive technology tools such as a voice-to-text software program that allowed him to dictate his answers instead of writing them down. This made it easier for him to express his thoughts and ideas, without being limited by his writing ability.
Thanks to these assistive technology tools and the support of his college, Tyler was able to achieve his academic goals and graduate with a degree in Business Administration. He is now working as a customer service representative for a local business and is an active member of his community.
Tyler’s story is just one example of how assistive technology can help people with Down Syndrome and other disabilities to achieve their goals. By providing the necessary support and resources, we can create a world that celebrates diversity and embraces inclusion for all. Let’s continue to raise awareness and promote inclusion on World Down Syndrome Day and beyond.
Author: Maureen De Longhi | CENMAC Advisory Teacher
