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Teaching Children With Down Syndrome in the Early Years of School*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2017

Amanda McFadden ,
Donna Tangen ,
Rebecca Spooner-Lane  and
Amanda Mergler
Amanda McFadden*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Donna Tangen
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Rebecca Spooner-Lane
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Amanda Mergler
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
*
Correspondence: Amanda McFadden, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, Victoria Park Road, Qld 4059, Australia. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

We explored 3 general classroom teachers’ experiences of including a child with Down syndrome in their early years classrooms. Located at 3 different Australian school settings, 1 teacher was the head of a Preparatory class, 1 was a Year 3 teacher, and the third was a teacher of a split Preparatory/Year 1 class. Interview data were drawn from a larger study, in which data were gathered over a 5-month period through class observations and teacher interviews. The findings indicate that although there were highly inclusive experiences identified in the school sites, the school context played an important role in the inclusion of the child. Teachers indicated that receiving targeted information about Down syndrome and collaborative support from parents, teaching colleagues, and their wider school enabled them to work more inclusively with their student with Down syndrome in their classroom.

Keywords

Down syndromeinclusive educationearly years of schoolingteacher attitudes
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , December 2017 , pp. 89 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

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Footnotes

*

This manuscript was accepted under the Editorship of Michael Arthur-Kelly.

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