Special Needs
Find support for parents of children with special needs. Learn how to advocate for your child, raise funds for needed equipment and find helpful organizations.
Filter by: Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Autism, Schools for the Blind, Support, Visual Impairment
Schools for the Blind
Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired is located in Vinton, Iowa, and provides educational opportunities, resources and support services for Iowa students who are blind or visually...
Parenting, Special Needs
16 things that have helped me as the parent of a child with special medical needs
My son Jaxon was born with bilateral corneal clouding. We have been through a lot with this little man and I wrote a blog post about some of the things...
Special Needs
Anna’s Celebration of Life Foundation
Anna's Celebration of Life Foundation grants wishes to families of children with special needs who require but can't afford therapies, recreational and therapeutic equipment, service dogs and much more.
Support, Visual Impairment
The Perfect Role Model for My Blind Daughter
Cat finds herself face-to-face with a real-life hero and she doesn't even know it. She walks alongside Katie Cuppy, one of the first blind swimmers to make the 1.5 mile...
Assistive Technology
FingerReader from MIT (and other text-to-speech readers)
Devices like the FingerReader from MIT or OrCam allow people with visual impairments to point to text and hear it read back to them. Is this an advancement in accessibility...
Assistive Technology, Special Needs
ATIA 2014 Orlando: News from the assistive tech conference
Catherine Rose reports from the ATIA assistive technology conference in Orlando Florida. She write about the LightAide and learning about assistive tech for communication as well as when is the...
Support
Tommy Edison on YouTube
Tommy Edison is a YouTube sensation! He posts videos about what it's like being blind. He's very real and so funny!
Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment
Braille for Babies
Hadley's free online family course "Braille & Your Baby or Toddler" teaches parents how to introduce braille and pre-literacy skills to their young children who are blind.
Assistive Technology, Special Needs
Funding Opportunities for the LightAide
Assistive technology devices can be so beneficial to your child... but they can also be very expensive! Catherine gives advice on how to raise money to cover these devices, like...
Assistive Technology
Disney Creates Touch Screens with Tactile Feedback
Disney is working on creating touch screens that can actually give users the virtual feel of items displayed on the screen by producing friction and vibrations that mimic the textures...
Health & Nutrition, Special Needs
Hospital Tips & Tricks: How to Prepare for a Long Stay at the Hospital with Your Special Needs Child
Here are practical suggestions from moms about how to prepare for a stay at the hospital. Find out what to pack, what to have in hand, who to connect with...
Assistive Technology, Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment
Getting Around Using Assistive Technology when You’re Blind
Getting around keeps getting easier for blind travelers thanks to new assisistive technology. Find out about a new O&M iPhone app and an UltraBike!
Adoption and Foster Care, Visual Impairment
Bethel China: Supporting Blind Children in China
Bethel China supports parents of visually impaired children in China and helps orphaned blind children find homes. Find out what they are doing and how you can help!
Advocacy, Support
Friends Helping Friends: Why Special Needs Parents Have to Rely on Each Other
Where can parents of children with special needs find the services, resources and programs designed to help them? Noelia says most of her information comes from other parents.
Schools for the Blind
Missouri School for the Blind
Missouri School for the Blind (MSB) serves all students in Missouri who are blind, with or without additional disabilities.
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment
Our Favorite Apps for Children Who are Visually Impaired
A collection of 15 (mostly free!) apps perfect for kids who are blind or visually impaired. Listed in categories ranging from visual stimulation to communication and fine motor needs.
Math and Science, Visual Impairment
Independence Science for Visually Impaired Students
Independence Science strives to create science classrooms that exhibit the full integration of students with disabilities. They provide matrerials, resources and advice that may not be available through a local...
Assistive Technology
Wheelchair or Robotic Exoskeleton?
A Japanese company is working on a robotic exoskeleton that could, in theory, replace wheelchairs and allow for much more natural movement.
Math and Science, Visual Impairment
Reach for the Stars! Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students
Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students is a week long camp that takes place at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, coordinated by teachers for the...
Play, Visual Impairment
Surf Camp for Blind Kids
Indo Jax Surf School's Visually Impaired Summer Camp takes place at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina for a week each July.The camp gets bigger every year and includes sighted siblings...
Parenting, Special Needs
Traveling with a Child who is Medically Complex
Traveling with a child who is medically complex can be difficult. Not only do you have all the normal travel woes, but there's medications, medical equipment and emergencies to prepare...
Behavior, Visual Impairment
Developing Social Skills in Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
In this webcast, Sharon Sacks discusses the importance of including social skills instruction when teaching children who are blind or visually impaired.
Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment
Echolocation for Blind Children
Echolocation is the use of sounds to gain information about the environment and surrounding objects. Blind kids can learn to use echolocation to augment traditional orientation and mobility!
Support, Visual Impairment
Finding Online Support Groups for Parents of Blind Kids
Finding an online support group can be a life line for parents of children who are blind or visually impaired. Here are tips on how to find the best support...