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

Blind child touching a sensory board

Sensory Activities, Visual Impairment

Creating Sensory Activity Centers for Blind Children

Learn how to make an activity center for children with visual impairments. Using general hardware materials (like cardboard or peg-board) and other household items (like toys or kitchen utensils) you...

Matteo using Braille

Education, Visual Impairment

Thoughts from a Kindergarten Teacher About Welcoming a Blind Student to Class

Michelle interviews her son's mainstream kindergarten teacher and asks her how she prepared her classroom for a blind student. She also asks her if she has any advice for other...

Education, Special Needs

Reaching the Disabled Child in the Mainstream Classroom

What happens when a child with a disability is in a mainstream classroom? How can teachers accommodate their students with special needs? Lesley Potgieter describes her own experiences as both...

Life-Size Shoots and Ladders Game

Sensory Activities, Visual Impairment

Activity Bank: Sensory Activities for Kids who are Blind

Find sensory activities that have been adapted to meet the needs of students who are blind or visually impaired.

broken ornaments

Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment

How to Help Your Blind Child Survive (and maybe even enjoy) Christmas

A holiday survival guide for parents of children with sensory impairments.

Yellow letters NMSBVI on blue background with braille dots beneath each letter

Schools for the Blind

The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NMSBVI) offers a continuum of services to children throughout New Mexico.

church tower

Visual Impairment

Would you let your blind child jump out a window and repel down a wall?

Watch two videos of brave Elizabeth repelling down the side of a church steeple. She's got a lot of us adults beat in the daring department!

Accessible Candy Land

Toys, Visual Impairment

Accessible Candy Land!

Learn how to make an accessible version of your kids' Candy Land game that is perfect for children with visual impairments.

MSDB logo

Schools for the Blind

Montana School for the Deaf & Blind

Montana School for the Deaf & Blind (MSDB) offers core education for day and residential students who are blind, deaf, deafblind, with or without additional disabilities.

Ivan playing with his toy

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Helping Your Blind Baby Learn How to Reach for Objects

Susan Shier Lowry, an Orientation and Mobility specialist, writes about how you can encourage your child to reach out for objects and how reaching can help develop orientation skills needed...

mom and Ivan at the park

Play, Special Needs

ADA Regulates Accessible Playgrounds

The revised 2010 ADA sets guidelines for accessible playgrounds, parks and play spaces. Find out what these new requirements are and when they go into effect.

Jacalyn

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

A Letter to New Parents Living with Microphthalmia

Jacalyn Paulding writes about growing up with microphthalmia. Living a full life as a smart and successful young woman, Jacalyn wants parents to understand what it's like to have low...

Q & A

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Ask the TVI about Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia

TVI Lisa LaDue answers readers' questions about protective eye glasses, testing blind children with assessment programs, and activities you can do at home to boost skills.

School logo consisting of initial caps and braille dots

Schools for the Blind

North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind

North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind strives to be a statewide leader in services to the blind or visually impaired.

Schools for the Blind

The Ohio State School for the Blind

A publicly funded educational facility, the Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB) dates back to 1837. It serves students with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities, and is...

Round crest for USDB

Schools for the Blind

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

USDB serves children who are deaf, blind and deafblind, both from their home in Ogden and with outreach services around the state.

Schools for the Blind

Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind

Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind serves students with any visual or hearing impairment.

Shield-like logo for WCBVI

Schools for the Blind

Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired educates students from k-12 while offering an early education program.

SleepSafe Beds

Sleep, Special Needs

SleepSafe Beds: Beautiful Safe Beds for Special Needs Kids

SleepSafe Beds are the perfect choice for children who need a large bed with high sides. These beds are sturdy and strong and well-padded for safety. They come with many...

Ethan & Naomi

Parenting, Special Needs

Teamwork: The Special (Needs) Family

John Bateman writes about the importance of including all your kids in all activities. When you have a child with special needs it may seem appropriate to keep their activities...

Blind Skills Videos

Visual Impairment

Blind Skills Videos

The Washington State School for the Blind has created a series of videos describing how to do simple tasks with little or no vision, such as how to zip a...

Ella with her first pair of blue prostheic eyes

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Ella’s Story: Raising a Child with Bilateral Anophthalmia

Jill writes about finding out that her daughter, Ella, is blind and how she responded. She explains how her faith in God helped her cope.

John Pitzen holding Ella

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

An Interview with John Pitzen about Bilateral Anophthalmia

MAPS interviews John Pitzen, a 53 year old man born with bilateral anophthalmia. MAPS asks John what he does for a living and what he does for fun.

AJ

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Our Journey with Microphthalmia

Heidi writes about finding out that her son, AJ, is blind and how she reacted. She gives advice to other parents dealing with this.