October 9, 2024
June 2, 2023
Time to Get Social: How and where to build community
Social groups are an excellent way for young people to build community and self-confidence. There is great joy in meeting regularly with those who share special interests. Of course, it can be challenging to find...
May 23, 2022
Accessible Media Arts Training
Training in media arts—including audio and video production, digital photography, and coding—can offer exciting new avenues for creative expression. Heidi Tulcan, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist who works with podcasting students through Able ARTS...
October 7, 2021
Rebuilding Trust After Big Blunders
Imagine arriving at school to pick up your child from the curb where he waits every day with an aide, but he's not there. Or, picture your reaction if you discovered that the carefully crafted...
January 28, 2021
IEP Self-Advocacy
Attending an IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting can seem daunting, especially if there is disagreement with an aspect of the program or services. Parents are a child’s best and most knowledgeable advocate, but self-advocacy requires...
April 16, 2020
Home Learning Resources for Kids with Special Needs
Families are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of shelter-in-place guidelines. As teachers rally to support caregivers for in-home learning, parents also face the task of setting up homes and schedules to manage students’ educational...
November 19, 2019
Improv on the Spectrum
by Anne Malinoski I recently had the privilege of meeting with local nonprofit Unscripted Learning to observe their popular youth improv class. Like many teens I know, the students were quirky, comical and utterly delighted...
May 15, 2019
Top Colleges for Adaptive Sports Programs
California’s adaptive sports programs continue to grow at the high school and college levels. Changes are especially positive for youth who aspire to college-level adapted athletics or simply want to follow an exceptional adapted team....
August 22, 2018
Who’s Got Back-to-School Jitters? Mom and Dad, that’s who.
Nerves and butterflies don’t just happen to school-bound students once autumn approaches and the streets fill up again with big yellow buses. Nope. We parents get the jitters, too—especially parents of kids with special needs....
May 15, 2018
5 Local Spots for Outdoor Learning
Studies show that kids with special needs spend less time outdoors than typical children. Barriers like inaccessibility and the need for additional supervision might keep them from enjoying the incredible benefits of the natural world....
January 5, 2018
Health Risks for Children with Down Syndrome
Approximately one in every 700 babies born in the U.S. has Down syndrome, or trisomy 21, a chromosomal disorder in which children are born with three copies of chromosome 21. Parents today have an abundance...
November 6, 2017
Strategies to Help Children on the Autism Spectrum with Homework
Are you having any homework challenges now that the kids have been in school for a while? It’s important to help your child find a “homework rhythm,” as well as identify tools that are most...
August 21, 2017
Prepare Your Child with Special Needs for Success in School
The beginning of the school year brings new transitions and the fears that can accompany them. A child’s cognitive or speech delay can add to the difficulty if he cannot adequately express his needs. Luckily,...
August 1, 2017
Back-to-School Tips for Students with Dyslexia
Back-to-school commercials look so joyous on TV: Parents happily buying supplies and kids giddily choosing new backpacks. But for children who have dyslexia, the commercials might look a little different. They might depict parents reviewing...
April 24, 2017
Understanding the IEP Process
Emily Dolton’s son Aidan is having the best school year of his academic life. He’s thriving at Innovation Middle School but school wasn’t always this good for Aidan, who has special needs. The 12-year-old was...
February 6, 2017
Homeschooling Children with Special Needs
Homeschooling is something I swore I’d never do with my kids. Many of my siblings were homeschooled and I had strong (negative) opinions about it—until I had children of my own. Both my sons—one who...
October 17, 2016
Taking Anger to Task: Advocating through Emotion
“Even the NORMAL kids experience stress on the first day.” The words hit me like a punch in the stomach. I had just asked why my child with a genetic deletion was pulled from the...
August 18, 2016
Easing Transition: Tips For Parents of Students with Special Needs
A new school year means a new grade, new teachers, new goals and maybe a new school for some students. In order to help ease the transition for students with special needs, here are some...
June 28, 2016
5 Tips to Teach Kids with Special Needs Daily Living Skills
Kids of all abilities can learn important life skills and learn to help around the house. We just have to give them the opportunity to succeed. Here are tips to teach kids with special needs...
October 20, 2015
Managing Your Child’s Health at School
When a child has a chronic health condition, daily living can be a challenge. Managing that condition while he is in school can cause even more anxiety for parents. Lucille Packard Foundation for Children's Health...
August 27, 2015
How to Be an Effective Advocate for Your Child with Special Needs
Carol Foulke M.S. is a retired speech/language pathologist with more than 30 years experience in a public school setting who served elementary through high school students. I asked her the following questions: From your perspective,...
August 12, 2015
The Art of Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs
Parents are natural advocates for their children. We love our children, and we want the best for them. As a mother of four children, three with special needs, I know how important it is to...
May 5, 2015