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
Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment
11 Accessible Valentine’s Day Crafts (with Braille!) for Kids who are Blind
Fun and accessible Valentine's Day crafts for kids who are blind or visually impaired, including braille Valentine's cards!
Parenting, Special Needs
What does it really take to make a home accessible?
What really makes your home an inclusive space for your special needs or blind child? Is it the furniture? Or is it the way you think?
Support
What can you do for the special needs mom who doesn’t feel anymore?
Sometimes it seems like I don't have the time to feel, and I know this isn't a new thing. I've been not feeling for a long time. Is it OK...
Parenting, Special Needs
When my family accused me of using my special needs child as an excuse
We make decisions for our medically fragile kids every day, but sometimes family members just don't understand our reasons.
Braille and Literacy, Toys, Visual Impairment
How I will change the world for my deafblind daughter, one toy at a time
One father's journey to imagine, create and even distribute accessible educational toys for children who are visually impaired
Advocacy, Visual Impairment
Make Your Own White Cane Lapel Pin for White Cane Day
Celebrate White Cane Day with your very own white cane lapel pin! Show your white cane pride with this hand-made bead pin.
Support
The hidden truth about special needs resources: It doesn’t need to be this complicated
Do you ever feel like you're tied up in knots looking for support and resources for your special needs child? Maybe it doesn't have to be this way!
Support
Do you have the courage to redefine disability?
What does disability look like to you? How do people with disabilities interact with the mainstream world? What can you do to help?
Support
I’m tired of being “the special needs mom”
Are you the parent of a special needs child? Do your friends also have kids with disabilities and that's all you ever talk about? Maybe it's time for a change!
Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment
20 Apple Themed Books For Kids Who Are Blind
We've gathered 20 books about apples that kids are sure to enjoy this Fall season with links to formats in braille, audio and large print.
Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment
How one tiny fish may help us find a cure for blindness
At the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, they are studying the visual system of the zebrafish in hopes of finding cures for blindness.
Support
They told me feeling sad made me a bad mother
By admitting that my child's disabilities make me sad, I am saying that my child's existence brings me grief. By writing this in a public space, I am telling the...
Advocacy, Parenting
I’m Raising My Special Needs Child with Dignity – Are You?
Special needs children deserve honor and respect. As parents, we need to maintain their dignity and help them present themselves at their best in public.
Feeding and Eating, Visual Impairment
Teaching a Blind Child How to Use a Spoon Independently
Tips, ideas and resources for teaching your blind child how to scoop and use a spoon on their own without using hand over hand techniques.
Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment
3 Tips for Teaching Young Children with a Visual Impairment How to Become Strong Readers
Here are 3 tips to get your child off to a great start with their braille reading skills. Learn how you can help them become strong readers!
Crawling, Visual Impairment
Crawling & Climbing for Blind Babies
Crawling and climbing are two very important developmental milestones for babies and children who are blind. Some babies may skip these steps or reach them later than their typically developing...
Advocacy, Visual Impairment
Learning Advocacy When You Have Low Vision
L. Penny Rosenblum is a TVI, a parent and student advocate, and has a vision impairment. She writes about what it was like learning to advocate for herself as a...
Visual Impairment
Positive Eye: Training and resources for practitioners working with children with vision impairment
Positive Eye was established five years ago to offer a consultancy and training service to professionals and parents on meeting the educational needs of children and young people with visual...
Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment
Decorating Tactile Easter Eggs with Your Blind Child
Tips and ideas for making accessible tactile Easter eggs with kids who are blind or who have multiple disabilities.
Communication, Visual Impairment
Teaching Your Visually Impaired Child Sign Language
Jennie writes about how she taught her son, Max, to sign. Max is totally blind and does have a few verbal words, but using signs to augment his early communication...
Education, Special Needs, Visual Impairment
Thoughts from a Preschool Teacher About Teaching a Blind Student
Heidi interviews her son's mainstream preschool teacher and asks her how she prepared to introduce a blind student to her classroom.
Communication, Visual Impairment
Helping your blind child develop effective listening skills
Learning to listen carefully and distinguish between different sounds is an important skill for any child, but espeically for children with visual impairments. Lesley Potgieter explains how to assess your...
Support
To my best friends and support network that I have never met
As the mother of a special needs child I need friends and support. Where is the best place for me to find a support network? Surprise! That's what social media...
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Special Needs
5 Ways to Get a Free iPad for Your Special Needs Child!
Just because iPads are cheaper than other pieces of assistive equipment doesn't necessarily make them affordable! Here are five tips on how to get grants and funding for a free...