DSE works to improve early intervention and education for children with Down syndrome everywhere. We support scientific research and provide evidence-based resources and services to help over 120,000 parents and professionals in 170 countries each year.
DSE transforms the lives of young people with Down syndrome by improving understanding of their learning needs and by helping families and professionals to provide effective support, early intervention and education. Our goal is to improve outcomes for all children with Down syndrome, helping them to lead more independent, productive and fulfilling lives.
Research
Our research focuses on human developmental and cognitive research designed to identify how best to improve speech, language and communication skills, enhance cognitive development, raise levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy, and support effective inclusion. DSE is a recognised leader in this field with a successful track record spanning more than 30 years.
Resources
We publish books, films, teaching materials and apps offering practical guidance for parents, therapists and teachers.
Our books, films and teaching materials are available from online stores in the UK and the USA. Our apps are available from the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon and the Windows Store.
Additional information about our See and Learn early teaching materials and apps is available on the See and Learn web site.
Many articles and books are also freely available on our Down Syndrome Online web site.
Services
NEW Our new online training courses offer convenient and cost-effective access to up-to-date information and guidance for parents, teachers and therapists supporting children with Down syndrome.
A Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI)
Our Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI) is an evidence-based programme designed to teach reading and language skills to children with Down syndrome. RLI incorporates best practice in structured activities delivered in fast-paced daily teaching sessions. It was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial and found to improve rates of progress compared to ordinary teaching.
RLI provides individualised reading and language instruction designed to meet the particular learning needs of students with Down syndrome. It is based on interventions that have been shown to be beneficial for other children experiencing language and reading difficulties, and incorporates the principles of best practice for all children.