The Power of the Internet Can Bring Special Needs Families and Service Providers Together

Several years ago as I was embarking on my journey as a Virtual Assistant for Internet Marketers, Matthew was working with a Behavioral Therapist on social skills.

I remember a conversation with the therapist when she lamented that her client load was being reduced due to budget cuts but that even when she carried a full client load there were only so many clients she could see in a day. She wanted to be able to help more Special Needs Kids.

When the sessions first started, Matthew’s therapist said that she had several basic programs that she used as foundations and then adapted as needed. She worked with Matthew, and with me so that I could continue working with Matthew every day. I had a binder of information to refer to later but it was often difficult to remember just how we had used the techniques during sessions.

At the time I was taking courses on video marketing and creating online learning environments. I thought it would be a great idea to create video tutorials. They would be a great way to reinforce what we covered in therapy but even more important, families who couldn’t get approval for therapy could buy her programs and and use them at home with their special-needs children.

Back then online learning environments were extremely new and it was difficult to explain the potential opportunity. As I’ve worked more in these areas it’s become clear to me that having video tutorials and demonstrations that parents can use to work with their child would be a definite benefit for those who either can’t get funding or want to supplement the programs that their children are receiving.

I have spoken with many service providers who are very excited about the possibility of being able to share their expertise and assistance to families via the Internet using online learning environments. One of my goals here at Our Special Families Village is to bring these programs to families. The challenge has been that many of the service providers who are interested in doing this aren’t yet sure about the how’s.

So I am merging my expertise in Internet Marketing with my passion for helping Special Needs Families. If you are Special Needs Service Provider and are interesting in learning how to help more People with Special Needs using Internet Technologies I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn and join my group, Online Marketing for Special Needs Service Providers.

If you have a family member with Special Needs and think that information and tutorials in an online learning environment would be helpful to you please let me know. And let me know what kinds of help you’re looking for.

I look forward to hearing from you either in the comments to this post or you can email me through the contact page.

Thanks!

Sandra

A PTA for Special Education? Hmmm…

A few weeks ago I did an interview with Peggy Bud, a special education consultant. A couple of things really struck me in the interview.

First, and this is not a new revelation, there is a disconnect between the reality of the law and the reality of available resources.

The other thing was Peggy’s suggestion of forming a Special Education PTA. Matthew is 19 now and we only have two more IEP’s left in our special education journey. Looking back, it’s one of those ideas that sound so simple that you wonder why every school district doesn’t have one.

Think about it

  • A place to come together to support and be supported by other families who get what you’re going through
  • A place to come together to ask questions and get information in an open and cooperative environment; where you can ask questions, anonymously if necessary
  • A place where you can work collaboratively with administrators and other professionals to inform and educate Special Needs parents on the resources available and how to get them
  • A place where those who came before you can give you a hand up
  • A place where you can give a hand up to those coming behind you

We have usually enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Matthew’s IEP team but there were times when I felt like maybe there was information I was missing. Often when we asked questions about policies, procedures and law, we were guided to research resources. Instead of just getting a straightforward answer, I felt like I was researching for a doctoral thesis and having to sort through unfamiliar terms and legalese. I wonder if there were more services that could have been made available for Matthew but I wasn’t asking the right questions in the right way. Having a forum with other parents who may be able to help fill in the gaps, help find the best terminology to form the right questions, share resources that they had come across and then together work with administrators to educate parents would have been, as the commercial says – priceless.

A Special Ed PTA could take a lot of the stress off of parents of trying to figure everything out for themselves. It could be a truly wonderful solution for parents, educators and for our children.

So if you’re thinking that this sounds great but you don’t have one in your area, I strongly encourage you to consider banding together with other Special Needs Parents and forming your own. I did a little bit of research and here are some resources that I found:

Many Special Ed PTAs have Facebook pages; check them out for ideas, too.

If you do form your own, please let me know how it goes and if there is anything else I can do to help.

~Sandra

An interview with Christy Evanko from Good Friend Books

I recently wrote an article for ProviderSearch.com and received this message from Christy Evanko:

I have the same issue at school. My son is high functioning and doesn’t “look different” but because of confidentiality, they can’t say what is different about him. So I wrote a book about it and read it to his class each year. Now, rather than the kids not knowing why he acts the way he does, they go out of their way to help him.

Wow – what a wonderful idea!

And, it turns out that she is creating these books for others now so I knew I had to find out more!

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Listen here or right click to download.

Christy says, “I wrote this book because several things happened that led me to believe that my son’s classmates did not Christy Evanko - Good Friend Booksknow that he has Autism, and did not understand why he did certain things. I figured since they didn’t know, they probably made up explanations for his behaviors. I wanted to inform his classmates about Autism and encourage them to be his friend rather than being afraid of him. I have read the book to his classes two years in a row and have seen improvements compared to his kindergarten year when I did not have the book.”

Christy Evanko is a parent of three children, one with Autism. She holds a graduate certificate in ABA (applied behavior analysis).

Want to get your own Good Friend Book?

Learn more at Good Friend Books or email Christy at christy@goodfriendbooks.com.

Please let us know your thoughts and any questions you may have. You can just leave a comment or if you want to keep it private, go to out Contact Page and fill out the form.

Enjoy!

Sandra

P.S Click here to find more Interviews.

P.P.S Are you interested in being interviewed or being a guest writer? Contact me here, please.

From the Archives – Inspired by Carly’s Voice

Technical Difficulties graphicDue to some scheduling snafu’s and a technical glitch, I don’t have an interview for you this week. I do however, want to share three interviews from the archives.

I’m listening to the audio version of Carly’s Voice, an absolutely stunning book about a young woman with Autism. Technology allowed her to share herself with us and I think we are only beginning to see the changes her words will bring.

Listening to this book reminds me of three interviews I have done that I want share again, in case you missed them.

Provider Search DirectoryOne is with Tyler Burke of Provider Search Directory. Tyler’s service helps families connect with people and services and as Carly’ story demonstrates, finding the right fit is so incredibly important. Listen here.

The second interview is with Dr. Mueller of Stimulus Publications. Dr. Mueller and I talk about what ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis, is and how to work with your child’s IEP Team to help your child. I think ABA had a significant impact on Carly and allowed her the glimpse the possible. Listen here.

MaximumPotentialKids.comThe third interview is with Garrett Butch of Maximum Potential Kids. Garrett and I talked about ABA from a parent’s point of view. Clearly ABA gave Carly’s parent’s hope and let them see the possibilities. Listen here.

Please let us know your thoughts and any questions you may have. You can just leave a comment or if you want to keep it private, go to out Contact Page and fill out the form.

Next week I will post an interview with an author who has a very unique way of helping other’s meet your child. Stay tuned!

Enjoy!

Sandra

P.S Click here to find more Interviews.

P.P.S Are you interested in being interviewed or being a guest writer? Contact me here, please.

Reflections on Autism Awareness Month

Yesterday was the last day of Autism Awareness Month. 

Whew. What an emotional roller coaster.

I believe that Awareness is the first step to Acceptance but what we really strive for, what all Families with Special Needs Family Members strive for, is Inclusion.

So I was truly shocked and extremely saddened by some of the the things I read – at the lack of awareness of the uniqueness of each person and their needs, at the lack of acceptance of a different perspective or opinion. And at the lack of Inclusion within our own Special Needs Community.

This past month I learned that Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion must start with us. With the Special Needs Community.

While we may be aware, we certainly don’t accept all and we don’t include all. There are many opinions and ideas, therapies and treatments, groups and organizations in the Autism Community and the larger Special Needs Community. And we don’t all agree with each other.

But we don’t have to.

What we do have to do is be civil and courteous.

Each person with Special Needs and each Family is different. Each has different needs, wants, dreams and goals. Just like everyone else. And each Special Needs Family has the right to choose what is best for them.

We must treat each other the way we ask the rest of the world to treat us – with dignity and respect. Otherwise, how can we possibly ask that of others?

Mother Teresa was once invited to attend an anti-war rally. She declined. Shocked, the organizers asked her why. She told them that when they have a Peace Rally to invite her, she’d be there.

Welcome to the Special Needs Peace Rally.

Here and on Our Special Families Village Facebook Page, you will find information on a variety of Special Needs related topics.

And they might not all agree with each other.

One post might have information on why you should vaccinate your child and another might share the case against it. I will present the information and you can decide what is right for you and your Family.

One interview might share ideas for helping your Child make the most of an Inclusion setting at school and another might explain the benefits of a Special Day Class setting. Again, I will present the information and you decide if it is right for you.

My goal is to find the best information available and share it with you. Not to find only the stuff you will agree with.

But what will not be tolerated here is the kind of negative, polarizing and hurtful judgement I witnessed from some in the Autism Community last month.

We need to be the change we wish to see in the world.

-Attributed to Mahatma Ghandi