*** What educational strategies are being used to teach children with Down syndrome?
*** How does the medical condition of a child with Down syndrome affect his/her development?
*** What is the best way to support the families of a child with Down syndrome?
These topics and more will be on the agenda at the 1st Annual Statewide Conference on Down Syndrome: Down Syndrome – Reaching Across the Plains, held on Saturday, March 7, 2008 at the Moore Norman Technology Center, South Penn Campus in Oklahoma City.
Co-sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma (DSACO) and the Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa (DSAT) (as well as other groups from Arkansas and Texas), the event will feature presentations on family and parenting issues, education, medical concerns, and therapies to help parents, educators and professionals provide the best care for those individuals who have Down syndrome.
"Many things are changing for people with Down syndrome here Oklahoma," said Juanita Killingsworth, organizer of the conference and member of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma. "Children with Down syndrome are being included in more aspects of school, recreational activities, and their communities. It's important for families know the opportunities that exist in our state and this conference will give them that opportunity."
Topics on the agenda include: early intervention therapy, employment opportunities for teens & adults, , workshops for new parents, inclusion, secondary transition, higher education, special needs trusts, health concerns, writing effective IEPs, sexuality, and homeschooling.
One of the highlights is the choice of Jan Moss as the conference's keynote speaker. Moss is with the Center for Learning and Leadership at the OU Health Sciences Center and was chosen as Outstanding Woman of the Year in 2007. She is also the parent of two adult children with disabilities. Moss has a way of bringing humor into the day-to-day process of parenting a child with a disability.
The one-day conference is set to begin at 8 am with registration and a continental breakfast for attendees. Registration fees are set at $25 per person, $40 per couple and include lunch and an afternoon snack.
Financial assistance is available for a limited number of families. Certificates of attendance will be provided at the conference. The conference brochure can be downloaded at www.dsaco.org.
Location: Moore Norman Technology Center (South Penn Campus) is located at 13301 South Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. For more information call Juanita Killingsworth at (405) 330-5025 by e-mail at JuanitaKillingsworth@gmail.com
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