Staff perceptions and experiences of using Key Word Signing with children with Down syndrome and their peers in the first year of mainstream primary education.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Key Word Signing (KWS) is one system that can be used to support the communication needs of children with Down syndrome (DS) who attend mainstream school. The success of KWS in schools is mediated by staff experiences and perceptions of KWS. The current study is one of the first to explore KWS use in mainstream schools.

Aims

To explore the perceptions and experiences of teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) with reported varying levels of experience, using KWS with children with DS and their peers in the first year of mainstream primary school. Secondly, we aimed to explore how those perceptions and experiences evolved throughout the year.

Methods & procedures

Five mainstream schools were recruited where children with DS attended. A speech and langua

SUBMITTER: O'Leary N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11664463 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan-Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature