The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida is supporting
literacy at every age level by introducing iCan Read.
To foster a love of learning and a passion for reading is important for every child. Children with Down syndrome are no exception. There is research showing that not only are children with Down syndrome able to read as early as 18 months, but the early learning of reading and reading concepts also speeds up their ability to produce spoken language.
Technology is not required to teach children to read, however, having a fun game or an interactive story book to encourage a child - or adult - to want to read is a great motivator.
There are hundreds of applications available to choose from and many of them build upon the skills needed to make successful readers. From letter recognition, to sight reading, to spelling, to games that work on memory and comprehension the list of fun resources is long and varied.
The first iCan Read program will initially award the Commtiva n700 Tablet to individuals with Down syndrome to see how the technology impacts reading. While the first iCan Read class uses the technology to improve their reading skills, the Foundation will be working with UCF students as they do an assessment of the iPad and Commtiva Tablet to determine which applications and device best serve our members and at the same time build a program that leverages pre-reading and reading skills to help develop speech skills. We will launch that second part of our iCan Read / iCan Communicate program in 2012.
What is the criteria?
To participate in the iCan Read program applicants must:
be an individual with Down syndrome
be4 years old or older
demonstrate ability to learn and use the tablet technology
be a resident of the state of Florida
be a member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida