Funding from Uio: Life Science has resulted in plans for future research related to Down syndrome!

Silje and Kari-Anne received funding from UiO: Life Science to conduct a two-week Research stay at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. The purpose of the visit was to follow up on an ongoing Collaboration Project With Associate Professor Christopher Lemons and his research team, as well as making further plans for research involving children With intellectual disability.

Vanderbilt University Campus

Earlier this year, Christopher Lemons received an internal grant from Vanderbilt University to translate and pilot an American short version of the Down Syndrome LanguagePlus Intervention (DSL+). Since then we have been working together on the adaption of the American version. During Our stay, we have discussed linguistic challanges related to the translation of tasks, study design, measures and different other methodological aspects in order to esure high quality research. We met with SLP students working on the projectt and we participated in the first round of audio recordings for the app.


Furthermore, we started the preparations of a new review study related to interventions in children with intellectual disabilities. This review will be a collaboration Project between senior and junior researchers at Peabody and UiO. In addition, we have started the work on a research proposal related to a new intervention project that will be sent to the research counsil of Norway within April 10th.


Christopher Lemons organized a fantastic Down syndrome symposium. Altogether, there were 9 talks from researchers within the field, focusing on communication, speech, language, phonological awareness, reading, and teaching of children with Down syndrome. We are Grateful for all the researchers, both speakers and active discussion partners, for providing Insight into recent and ongoing studies as well as contributing with valuable input in methodological discussions.


We would also extend a great thanks to Lynn Fuchs, Douglas Fuchs and Christopher Lemons for inviting us to their expert panel discussion on career and research applications for the departments PhD students. Especially the discussion on "small research": how to conduct research without large external funding Sources appealed to us.


In addition to the above-mentioned activities we have had the pleasure to meet with several researchers for dicussions of important issues related to special needs education both in formal and informal events.


Finally, we would like to thank Christopher Lemons, his Family and his research team for preparing such a great stay in Nashville and for taking great care of us day and night. We look forward to future collaboration and seeing you again soon!

Chris, Kari-Anne & Silje at Cheekwood

Kari-Anne & Silje