OTD Capstone Projects

Abstract

This doctoral capstone project was completed through partnership with GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville. GiGi’s Playhouse is a non-profit with 61+ locations across the United States and Mexico, that offers free educational and therapeutic programming for individuals of all ages with Down Syndrome. The primary goal of this project was to develop and implement an evidence-based vocational training program for adults with Down Syndrome to promote work readiness, independence, and community participation. A secondary focus of this project was to support skill generalization through real-world application and individualized job coaching within a community-based internship. Program development included classroom-based instruction targeting communication, executive functioning, task sequencing, and social participation. Intervention strategies incorporated task analysis, visual supports, repetition, and graded cueing to facilitate skill acquisition. Collaboration with staff, families, and community partners supported carryover across environments. Resources developed during this project included structured lesson plans and vocational training materials organized within a shared platform for ongoing staff use. Throughout this project, participants demonstrated improvements in task completion, workplace behaviors, and confidence in vocational settings, supporting the role of occupational therapy in promoting meaningful employment outcome for adults with Down Syndrome.

Publication Date

Spring 4-20-2026

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Candace Thrash

Department

Occupational Therapy, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

GiGi's Playhouse, Occupational Therapy, Down Syndrome, Vocational Skills, Community Based Programming, Program Development,

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