How To Organize International Group Travel For Students With Disabilities

BY ERNST VANBERGEIJK, Ph.D., M.S.W  Most non-disabled adults take for granted the ability to travel overseas for business or pleasure. However, for many teens and young adults with disabilities, the ability to travel independently without their parents is a dream. At best, they may have gone on a holiday with their families. They have never traveled to a foreign country with their friends. The benefits of traveling internationally for students with disabilities are numerous. Not […]

Parents Have The Power

BOOK REVIEW This book is intended to provide parents of children with disabilities with the information they need to “make special education work.” Overall, I was very impressed with the theme and presentation. Chapter 1 was extremely helpful in describing the special education process. There is an explanation of referral, evaluation, IEP (Individualized Education Program), triennial evaluation etc. However, missing from “related services” were sensory integration and social skills, which are becoming increasingly common. There […]

Alternatives To Out-Of-Home Placement For Families

BY LAUREN AGORATUS, M.A. Families and individuals need to visualize what they want as goals to see if the program is a good “fit” and if they can picture the person in that environment. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) just published “Out of Home Placements for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities.” This document provides compassionate but incomplete guidance on a difficult decision for families, and presents out-of-home placement as a last resort. Some placements […]