Told from a child's point of view, explains the causes of Down syndrome and describes the things people with the condition can do, and the ways in which they, just like other people, may need help.

Simplified Signs presents a system of manual sign communication intended for special populations who have had limited success mastering spoken or full sign languages. It is the culmination of over twenty years of research and development by the authors. The Simplified Sign System has been developed and tested for ease of sign comprehension, memorization, and formation by limiting the complexity of the motor skills required to form each sign, and by ensuring that each sign visually resembles the meaning it conveys. Volume 1 outlines the research underpinning and informing the project, and places the Simplified Sign System in a wider context of sign usage, historically and by different populations. Volume 2 presents the lexicon of signs, totalling approximately 1000 signs, each with a clear illustration and a written description of how the sign is formed, as well as a memory aid that connects the sign visually to the meaning that it conveys. While the Simplified Sign System originally was developed to meet the needs of persons with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, or aphasia, it may also assist the communication needs of a wider audience – such as healthcare professionals, aid workers, military personnel , travellers or parents, and children who have not yet mastered spoken language. The system also has been shown to enhance learning for individuals studying a foreign language. Lucid and comprehensive, this work constitutes a valuable resource that will enhance the communicative interactions of many different people, and will be of great interest to researchers and educators alike.

Over 1000 newly developed sign graphics from the large format 'Let's Sign Dictionary' are included in this compact volume. Illustrations are accompanied by written descriptions of handshapes, movements, context and variations. Face and body language are also illustrated and explained.

Nancy Gianni is living proof that miracles exist. Fourteen years ago, she had no idea that the birth of her daughter, GiGi, and the shock of a subsequent Down syndrome diagnosis would trigger a series of miracles that would eventually help change how the world sees differences. Through it all, she learned that although a miracle is not always pretty or obvious and may even be disguised as pain or tragedy, it is what we do with that pain that brings the miracle to light. In an inspiring memoir that not only tells the true story of her journey after the birth of GiGi but also shares a call to action, Gianni chronicles the growth of the GiGi's Playhouses empire, as well as the personal struggles and joys that influenced the movement of global acceptance for all #GenerationG. While sharing details of how she learned to tap into her inner strength and rise above negativity, preconceptions, and the unfiltered views of outside observers and how she founded an organization focused on teaching acceptance, Gianni gently reminds us that it is possible to make a conscious decision to be better every day at loving everyone. #GenerationG is the true story of a mother's determination to create a movement of positive change and acceptance after her daughter was born with Down syndrome. All profits from the sale of this book will go toward GiGi's Playhouse and furthering our mission of global acceptance for all through Generation G!

Discover the keys to teaching children and adults with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities how to read for meaning. Written for today's busy parents and teachers, this easy-to-use guide explains how to go in through the heart to hook beginning and struggling readers, but then how to teach to the brain; so that learning is fast and permanent. The methods in the book can be adapted for learners of any age who are reading at a third grade level or below. If you have at least five minutes a day to work on reading, you have enough time to get started using Whole Child Reading!