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…
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…
You’ve probably heard of “invisible disabilities”: chronic pain, Level 1 autism, and epilepsy, to name a few. Assistive technology (AT) can also be “invisible.” And in either case, “invisible” often means “misunderstood.” Hidden in Plain Sight Think of AT as…
Since the first generation of flip-phone-equipped teenagers, there have been clashes over bringing devices to school. Teachers protest the distraction potential. Parents claim the right to contact their kids directly at any time. Students can hardly imagine an hour without…
TexasYouth2Adult seeks to link special needs families in the State of Texas with critical support tools and information to help teens and young adults successfully make the transition from the world of childhood to adulthood. Over 10 percent of Texas students qualify…
Definition of an intimidating situation: needing to convince someone in authority that “the way things are done” is the wrong approach. It’s a situation all too familiar to many parents whose children have disabilities: Whatever your gut reaction may say,…
Once a new school year isn’t quite so new, students and parents often discover new problems. The fresh routine becomes a rut. The syllabus looks as impossible as emptying the ocean with a teaspoon. The new friends turn unfriendly at…
