Get in the Dirt: Reducing Stress This Season  

Being a parent of a child with unique needs has its share of stressors. You know this.    It’s why we’ve tackled the topic of stress on more than one occasion; remember Parent’s Perspective: How We Manage the Stress in Our Marriage? It’s worth a re-read.  But we’ve long since been in a season which has generated … Continued

Results of the Access and Engagement I Survey Are Now Available

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) just released the Access and Engagement research report. If you haven’t heard of this project, it’s worth making some time to take a look. During the spring of 2020 some 1,432 U.S. and Canadian participants responded to a survey on how COVID-19 social-distancing decisions were affecting educational access … Continued

Mother and daughter smiling for camera, both wearing sunglasses, daughter wearing big floppy hat
Man holding Lite Box, text reads Tips from a TVI for Parents Helping Children Learn at Home

Online Learning for Kids who are Blind or Low Vision In Midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic

COVID-19 has turned our lives upside-down. In our house, one of the biggest challenges we face is continuing education for our son who is blind. Joshua is ten years old and in the 4th grade. We adopted Joshua three years ago from China. Prior to his adoption, Joshua did not have any opportunity to learn … Continued

Two hands holding orange with toothpicks sticking out of it

Teaching Your Child Who is Blind or Visually Impaired About Viruses and Handwashing

You should have seen her—my nine-year-old daughter “washed her hands” after coming in for dinner. My inner dialogue: Wait, what?! Is that how she’s been washing her hands? Does she realize she rinsed off the soap before scrubbing? It’s time to go back to the basics. That’s just scary. COVID-19 is here and it feels … Continued

A blue plastic easter Egg lays open on a table with an egg shaped birdseed treat between the two halves.

Have an Easter Egg Hunt for the Birds!

Recommended age for this lesson: 2+ Skills to work on in this activity: Daily LivingMathReading Comprehension (If paired with an App: Assistive Technology Ex:  iOS: SeeingAI or Android: EnvisionAI)Following DirectionsO&MTactual Discrimination APH Products that supplement this activity: Tactile Town and Guidebook (for creating a large tactile map)Picture Maker (for  a small tactile Explorer Bright Ray … Continued

Eddie smiling while swinging on a swing set
Eddie wearing headphones, smiling

Spring Break Extended

When my son, Eddie, is home for days without structure or routine, he becomes a hot mess. We get nervous gearing up for spring break every year. Last week, before the world stood still, we even had his teacher and speech language therapist pay us a home visit to help set-up a schedule for unstructured days. They gave us tactile symbols for his favorite restaurant and shopping establishments…and now those can’t even be used.