5 Practical Tips for a Less Stressful IEP Meeting
A few years ago, Peter and I both cried at our daughter's annual meeting to discuss her IEP (Individualized Education Plan) goals. We cried because we were so overwhelmed with…
Back to School With a Child With a Disability: 5 Ways to Prepare for a Year of Belonging
I remember, when Penny was younger, how the new school year could bring excitement, uncertainty, and a whole lot of questions. If you’re parenting a child with a disability, you…
2015
Penny in Fourth Grade: What Inclusion Teaches Us About Disability, Education, and Belonging
When she was in fourth grade, Penny was supposed to do a project on a “big question.” She decided to learn about Down syndrome. Later, after she made her presentation,…
When Special Education Works with Adrian Wood
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST Ep 12 — What if inclusion in schools didn’t have to be a constant fight? Adrian Wood, PhD, shares what actually helped her son with autism…
“The Work of Caring for My Daughter Will Never Be ‘Efficient’”
I am very grateful to Julie Kim for writing about the importance of the Department of Education—and her concern over the Trump administration’s cuts to that department and the recent…
What advice would you give someone who is trying to make a plan for their future?
Penny and I did a presentation together at Hope Heals Camp about taking steps to plan for the future. If you want great advice and info from an 18-year-old who…
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Project Presentation
Intellectual disability does not need to prevent young adults from learning. With support, encouragement, and room to make mistakes and grow from them, students like our daughter Penny, who has…
What I Learned from “The Disruptors”
What makes a disorder a disorder? Does it harm us to label each other with disorders? Or does it help us to identify areas where people need support? The Disruptors,…
Denied Treatment and Education?!?
"People with developmental disabilities were granted the legal right to treatment in 1974..." -Exhibit Traces ‘Unfinished Journey’ Of Those With IDD Okay, wait. I know a lot about disability rights…
Penny Goes to College
Most people say that kids with intellectual disabilities fall off a cliff when they turn 18 and complete their time in high school. Even though most of them are still…
