APH CareerConnect Advisor and friend of APH FamilyConnect, Lisa Lloyd, and her husband have a 14-year-old who is blind whom they adopted from India just before her 5th birthday. If you know Lisa and her husband, you know they are fierce advocates for the truly unique needs of their children. Lisa shares, “Our daughter is … Continued
Editor’s note: You’re invited to a virtual Story Time Show inclusive of your child with complex learning needs. The Sparkly Story Time Show: Marvin’s Italian Adventure with Gwyn McCormack will be presented on Tuesdays, August 16, 23, 30, and September 6, 13, 2022. For families registered with their state DeafBlind Project, please register by July … Continued
Editor’s note: Is your child or young adult an individual with deafblindness? Do you wonder what it’s like to be DeafBlind? In recognition of DeafBlind Awarness Month, George Stern shares his perspective on living with deafblindness. George is a deafblind Afro-Caribbean immigrant who’s interested in all things food, linguistic, and social justice. Several lifetimes ago, … Continued
by Jaida Burrows Editor’s Note: Growing up with cerebral palsy and cortical visual impairment (CVI), high school Junior, Jaida, shares how she doesn’t see her challenges as “barriers”; she sees “puzzles” that she can solve. Jaida’s parents raised her to be a self-advocate. Starting in middle school, Jaida was empowered to share her story which … Continued
Have you ever thought about how people learn? As I have written on previously (for instance, in the blog Explore an Orchard with Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired), and as you have no doubt witnessed in your own learning endeavors and when teaching your child(ren), individuals learn when they are able to make connections. People aren’t blank slates on which we simply download or impart information; individuals understand concepts … Continued
As we celebrate Louis Braille’s birthday and World Braille Day on January 4 – and Braille Literacy Month throughout January – it’s an ideal time to consider how important it is for all students who are blind or visually impaired to learn braille. Of course, there are plenty of ways to take in language without sight, from … Continued
Imagine you are shopping for groceries, safely crossing a street, playing with your child at the park, utilizing an elevator, or completing a routine job task. You’re accomplishing what you have successfully accomplished for so many days and years. Your arm is clutched by a well-meaning individual wanting to “rescue” you, or you hear, “I’ve … Continued
Perhaps you are here today with apprehension or concern, eager to learn how your child will travel when blind or visually impaired and using a wheelchair (whether full-time or part-time). You aren’t sure how orientation and mobility (travel training for individuals who are blind or visually impaired) will work when your child isn’t walking. Is … Continued
Hello, October, arguably the most magnificent month—not (only) because of the sensational scents, sights, and sips of fall, but (also) because October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, NDEAM for short. In celebration: We stop and remember. We educate others. We plan and gear up for the future. Why? Because, as is the 2021 NDEAM … Continued
Toilet training is often viewed as a looming hurdle, a giant obstacle, and an exhausting feat. One requiring patience upon patience. We parents arm ourselves with a litany of literature, hoping to prepare our children for success and ourselves with realistic expectations, but most toilet-training literature is written for children who are fully sighted. While … Continued