We all have a story to tell. Your heritage and culture, family and friends, home and school and work environments, interests, habits, and choices, and your experiences shape your characterâthe character of your story, that is. The same is true for your child who is blind or visually impaired. Crafting the story Wouldnât it be … Continued
Editorâs Note: Each state offers a summer work or pre-employment transition program for youth with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities. These programs are excellent opportunities for young people to learn about working as a person with vision loss and build confidence and gain valuable work experience. In this blog Gavin, an aspiring actor, shares what he … Continued
Our APH ConnectCenter staff have been busy this summer with updates to our websites and planning new resources for our FamilyConnect and APH CareerConnect families. August is an exciting time here at the APH ConnectCenter as we reveal our new rebranded websites (FamilyConnect, APH CareerConnect, and VisionAware). We are also launching a new website: APH ConnectCenter Transition Hub. Our new look is dynamic, high contrast with our websites still offering a wealth of curated resources on … Continued
Editorâs note: This blog, written by: Jovany Barba, is the fourth and final blog of a four-part series exploring the importance of incorporating cultural diversity in transition planning. This week Jovany, a first-generation Latinx American, shares the experience of navigating the tensions between their parentsâ, teachersâ, and own expectations of transition and independence. The APH ConnectCenter wants to thank all the authors for sharing their stories … Continued
Editorâs note: This blog, written by: Ann Wai-Yee Kwong, is the third of a four-part blog series. This piece features the narrative of a Chinese American youth finding balance between her parents expecting her to attend college immediately upon graduation and her teachers encouraging her to first master independent living and blindness skills. The APH ConnectCenter wants to thank all the authors for sharing their stories with … Continued
Editorâs Note: In the second installment of our four-part blog series, Daisy the daughter of Mexican immigrants shares her experience of wrestling with forging a path forward when her parents expected her to stay near the family but her teachers expected her to pursue a more independent lifestyle. Read the full article here Bread, Rice, or Tostada: Cultural … Continued
Editorâs note: Join us on June 15, 2021, @ 12:30 pm (EST), for the second of two webinars in whichâŻDr.âŻAlexis G. Malkin, OD, FAAO, andâŻDavid BradburnâŻfrom HumanWare willâŻprovide an overview of assistive technology and services that help people with low vision perform everyday tasks. Using the state of Massachusetts as an example, the presenters will illustrate the needs, available services, and funding for 3 different groups, namely: … Continued
Editorâs note: Transitions: Bread, Rice, or Tostada – Cultural Inclusion at The Transition Table- Part 1: Why It Matters, written by: Ann Wai-Yee Kwong, Daisy Soto, Jovany Barba, explores the importance of taking diversity into consideration during transition planning for blind and low-vision youth. This is also available on APH CareerConnect.  Click here to read the full article. Part 1: Why It Matters Bread, … Continued
by Kristin Smedley I spent nine months memorizing What to Expect When Youâre Expecting. In my pregnancy, everything the book said to expect happened at or before the timeframe it predicted. My baby grew inside me at the perfect rate, made all the right movements perfectly on schedule, and even arrived into the world in perfect health and with a perfect little … Continued
Imagine wrapping up your last zoom meeting of the day to find out that your child is struggling with arrays and factors and you are at a loss to translate what you learned about multiplication into the new terms your childâs school is using to explain math concepts. Now imagine your child is also using braille … Continued