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Keynote speakers
| Ina
van Berckelaer-Onnes University of Leiden (The Netherlands)  |
Autism: According to the letter. Autism is a neurobiological disorder. Research in this field is done on different levels: the behavioural level, the cognitive level and the neurobiological level. Today, however, autism can be classified on the level of behaviour only, following the DSM IV rules. Classifications, however, can also be dimensional. With regard to autism the dimension intelligence or - in a broader sense- cognition is very interesting. Three current cognitive constructs (Theory of Mind, Executive Function and Central Coherence) are trying to unravel the enigma of autism. They might explain the behavioural characteristics and will attempt to find dysfunctions of the brain. The Theory of Mind (Baron-Cohen, 1995) refers to the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. Executive Function (Ozonoff,1997) refers to the cognitive processes that support the self-control necessary for the attainment of a future goal. It is an umbrella term for a constellation of various mental operations. The Central Coherence (Frith, 1989; Happé, 1999) refers to the natural tendency to process incoming stimuli globally and in context, pulling information together to acquire higher-level meaning. In this presentation autism will be linked to the three cognitive constructs with diagnostics and treatment in mind. |
| Derek Moore University of East London (England, UK)  |
Social and cognitive development in children with Down syndrome: trying to build wider developmental models. Children with Down’s syndrome (DS) are often portrayed as being sociable and engaging. This has led some to suggest that their social development is relatively spared in comparison to their cognitive development. This talk will present an overview of the somewhat limited amount of work that has examined the social cognition of children with DS. I will raise questions about whether we have a complete and adequate picture of their social abilities and highlight the importance of taking a developmental approach to these issues and of considering how the social and cognitive domains impact on each other over the course of their development. I will present findings from work looking at the development of infants with DS and present a preliminary model that begins to crystalise out some of the possible developmental pathways that determine the unique profile of social abilities found in children with DS. I will demonstrate how essential it is to consider all levels of explanation (neuro-biological, cognitive, behavioural and social-environmental) when characterising the social and cognitive abilities of children with DS. |
| Tracy
Packiam Alloway University of Stirling (Scotland, UK)  |
Working Memory: Turning disability to ability.
Working
memory is our ability to remember and manipulate information. Working
memory has important consequences for learning, particularly for those
with intellectual disabilities, which can also include those with
Language Impairments, Development Coordination Disorder (motor
disorder), ADHD/ADD, and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Can we increase
our working memory space? Brain training is a growing and exciting new
area in scientific research. In particular, there is a lot of evidence
of our brain’s plasticity: that it can actually change - shrink
or grow - depending on what we do. This has powerful implications for
learning in those with intellectual disabilities. If our brains keep
growing as adults, it is so much more important to train our
children’s brains while they are still developing. I illustrate
how the brain responds to training and trends and evidence for programs
that work in improving classroom functioning.
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