Transitions: From Self-Conscious of Blindness to Self-Confident and Successful: Meet Gena Harper  

Editor’s Note: Parents of children and young adults who are blind or low vision can take note of Gena Harper’s transformation from a young person who was self-conscious of blindness to an adult who is self-confident and successful. It is common for young people to desperately want to fit in with their peers. For this … Continued

Transitions: “What Did You Say About Frogs”?: Deafblindness, An Incomplete Introduction 

Editor’s note: Is your child or young adult an individual with deafblindness? Do you wonder what it’s like to be DeafBlind? In recognition of DeafBlind Awarness Month, George Stern shares his perspective on living with deafblindness. George is a deafblind Afro-Caribbean immigrant who’s interested in all things food, linguistic, and social justice.   Several lifetimes ago, … Continued

Transitions: Celebrating Helen Keller: Her life, her achievements, and her indelible influence 

Editor’s note: Helen Keller DeafBlind Awareness Week 2022 is June 26- July 2. Parents, family members, and caregivers of children who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind, let’s take the opportunity to look back at Helen Keller’s life and advocacy work in effort to continue carrying the mantle of empowering individuals who are blind, low … Continued

Meet Satauna Howery: Voice Actor and Small Business Owner Who is Blind

Editor’s note: Is your child or young adult interested in voice acting? Meet Satauna Howery, a voice actor who is blind, and hear her advice to others who are blind or low vision who are interested in a career in the industry.   Hold on to your hats and be prepared to be wowed! You’re about … Continued

Transitions: My SWEP Experience (Student Work Experience Program)  

by Daniel Bair Editor’s note: Career Exploration is a critical component of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) for high-school students and transition-age youth who are blind or low vision.  The W.I.O.A. act set aside IDEA money to develop transition experiences for high-school age students with disabilities. Blindness vocational rehabilitation programs have responded with creative Pre-Employment opportunities for … Continued

Transitions: Zero Discrimination Day: A Discussion on Ableism

Editor’s Note: Zero Discrimination Day is a great opportunity to explore discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities.  Youth with blindness and low vision often experience peers viewing them as different.   This might take the form of peers performing mini eye tests and asking questions about what a person can or cannot see instead … Continued

Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, Part 1: Joanna and Chrissa’s Journey

If your child has been diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (ONH), you are not alone! According to Dr. Borchert for The MAGIC Foundation, Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) is the leading cause of blindness in infants and children.   Let’s look at a brief summary of ONH and listen to a mom share her story of her … Continued

Illuminating the IEP, Part Three: Top 10 List for Parents in the IEP Process

What does a parent or caregiver need to know about the IEP process?   So far we’ve looked at the purpose of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP): An â€śIEP” is designed to set forth the way a school will meet the educational and disability-related needs of the child. We’ve also looked at the components of an IEP meeting, including what will be discussed and … Continued

Braille Literacy Month: Emergent Literacy for Individuals Who Are Blind or Deafblind

Have you ever thought about how people learn? As I have written on previously (for instance, in the blog Explore an Orchard with Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired), and as you have no doubt witnessed in your own learning endeavors and when teaching your child(ren), individuals learn when they are able to make connections.  People aren’t blank slates on which we simply download or impart information; individuals understand concepts … Continued