My kids packed their own lunches starting in preschool. One day, my daughter’s teacher called in a panic: “Kate’s ‘lunch’ is nothing but strawberries!” She expected me to rush over with extra food, and was seriously surprised when I said…
Category: Special Needs Family
List Highlight: BridgingApps AAC App List
October is National AAC Month (also International AAC Awareness Month), with AAC standing for “augmentative and alternative communications.” Or in more everyday language, assistive technology for people with verbal-speech disabilities. If you’re looking for the right AAC, or are curious…
Looking Ahead: Planning Tips for the New School Year and Beyond
The 2025–26 school year has begun, and the “urgent tasks” list seems to need every second you can spare. Especially if your child has to navigate a new school with low vision, try to concentrate with ADHD, or keep up…
Are Inclusive School Drills Finally Here?
Fire drills, long a standard part of school days, date back at least to 1914. Depending on where you grew up, you may also remember other types of school drills—such as the “Cold War” drills of the 1950s–1970s, where students…
Working with Your Child’s School to Get Reasonable Accommodations
In public places, everyone has the right to “reasonable accommodations.” In public schools, students have the right to additional accommodations, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) geared to learning style. In both cases, the aim is to ensure that everyone, regardless…
Get Familiar With Our App Search Tool
When looking for a useful app for yourself, your child, or even your students, it is tough to find one that you can fully trust. Whether it is a learning-based app or an app helpful for thriving in everyday life,…
Father’s Day Special: Beating Discouragement for Dads
At first, I was fixated on how to FIX the PROBLEM. That’s what dads do, right? … I believed that if we worked hard enough we could solve [everything. Well, years later] I’m proud to say one of my greatest…
Life After High School with IDD
For parents of high school seniors, graduation season is a season of pride and anxiety. Pride over what the young graduate has accomplished and will accomplish. Anxiety over the challenges ahead. Anxiety worsens when the graduate has a disability—especially an…
Digital Notes and Other Organizers
If you have autism, an organized life is probably extra-important to you. This article is dedicated to April as Autism Month, and to everyone who works with autism-friendly technology. Some Organization Tools Do you have more appointments, duties, and goals…
World Down Syndrome Day: Celebrating Opportunities for People with Down Syndrome
[In 1999, a genetics counselor told us] that our child would never be able to read, write, or count change. –Mother of a young adult with Down syndrome I was completely frightened when I was given the news, [but our son…