A Study of Functional Literacy Skills in Young Adults with Down Syndrome

This paper presents data from a study of young adults with Down syndrome who were born either just before, or during the period when radical changes to special education services for people with intellectual disabilities were introduced. The specific aim of the study was to examine the development of language and literacy skills in a group of young adults with Down syndrome, some of whom had been educated at a time when there was an increase in expectations for achievement and opportunity to learn. Results showed that all but one of the young adults had learned to read, though for some, these skills were limited. In general, there was evidence of a positive relationship between age (for those born after 1970), attendance at an integrated school situation, and the achievement of more advanced reading and language skills. It was also evident that learning to read provides both a functional daily living skill and a satisfying recreational activity for young adults with Down syndrome.