by Carlton Anne Cook Walker If you are the parent or family member of a child or teen who is blind or has a visual impairment, you have (hopefully) heard the term IEP. Three letters: I, E, and P can engender a wide range of emotions – in parents, in teachers, in administrators, and even in children. Before diving … Continued
Your child has likely sunk their teeth into a crisp apple bursting with sweet juices or taken spoonfuls of sugary, smooth applesauce with notes of warm cinnamon, but do they know how their snack came to be? Do they know how apples are grown and harvested? Do they truly know what an apple tree is? Have they run their fingers over the scaly bark, wrapped their arms around the girth … Continued
Such a whirlwind of bittersweet emotions—kindergarten is approaching! It’s hard to believe how quickly the years have passed, isn’t it? Your little one went from complete dependence on you (with 100% baby adorableness) to making strides toward independence (with 100% “big kid” adorableness). Thankfully your child’s absolute preciousness hasn’t changed, but their level of autonomy has. So, let’s take a look at how you can be preparing your … Continued
It’s play time—colorful, sensory, tasty play time. And perhaps the best part, this activity is easy-peasy. So, gather your little leprechauns and taste the rainbow. Here’s what you need: One box of Fruit Loops Cereal Food processor, or ziplock bag and rolling pin A large bowl Play things (I used measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a whisk)— consider color contrast and accessible measuring tools A … Continued
My curly-haired, almost ten-year-old daughter is spunky, empathetic, artistic, and creative…She’s also a struggling reader. Though she’s continued to receive slow and steady instruction in phonics since she was four or five years old, reading is an effort and a significant source of frustration for her. Maybe you, too, have a struggling reader who panics when … Continued
Yes, we’re all over and done with this trying season. Even so, take a deep breath and join me in considering how we can make something beautiful out of it. While many are working longer hours, many others still find themselves with unaccounted for hours in their days. If this is you, maybe you’ve had … Continued
Editor’s note: This blog post was written by Stacy Kelly, Ed.D and Gaylen Kapperman, Ed.D. of Northern Illinois University. They will join us for a webinar on February 17 at 3:00PM ET. Visit the APH ConnectCenter webinars page to learn more and register. Parent-professional partnerships make a difference for students who are blind or have low … Continued
Well organized living and learning spaces will support your child’s safety in moving about the environment, will enhance her independence, and will help them simplify responsibilities and tasks. Imagine a typical morning routine void of methods of organization: Your child wakes with limited time to ready themselves for school. Your child brushes their teeth and … Continued
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) just released the Access and Engagement research report. If you haven’t heard of this project, it’s worth making some time to take a look. During the spring of 2020 some 1,432 U.S. and Canadian participants responded to a survey on how COVID-19 social-distancing decisions were affecting educational access … Continued
As if there wasn’t enough to consider when making a school placement decision, unwelcome COVID certainly created further complications! Nevertheless, at the end of summer break families used the information they had at the time to make placement decisions for their children who are blind or visually impaired and now the school year is upon … Continued