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
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...
Sleep, Visual Impairment
Developing Your Blind Child’s Sleep Schedule
LeAndra writes about her daughter's Circadian Rhythm Disorder (CRD), also called Non-24 Disorder. CRD kept Abby from sleeping for years. LeAndra researched solutions and shares them with you!
Special Needs
Funding an Accessible Home Modification Project
If you are having to make your home accessible for a child in a wheelchair, it will probably involve major construction. Home modification projects are pricey, but often necessary. We'll...
Education, Visual Impairment
The College Experience: Preparing Your Blind Child for College
Sue Rawley's son, Aaron, is graduating high school and looking at colleges. Sue talks about this transition and how you can prepare your blind child for independence now.
Assistive Technology, Braille and Literacy
Accessible Braille Smart Phones
Smart phones and tablets have many accessibility features but are still basically smooth surfaces. Two new technologies try to change this by making tablets with tactile output or phones with...