Rosanne J. Westgate, State University of New York @Cortland

Why use poetry to enhance the individual’s ability to read and understand the text? How do we assist people with intellectual disabilities, specifically Down syndrome, with an opportunity to bring richer and deeper meaning to what they read? The special education community is waking up to the possibilities for expression which exist for individuals with Down syndrome. For several decades we have assumed that an IQ or intelligence number can assist professionals in determining just how far someone can go or how much we can teach. In reviewing the literature for individuals with other learning disabilities, and those very distinct and effective strategies, we can now ask, why not use these same strategies for the intellectually disabled, specifically those with Down syndrome?

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