An ability switch, in simple terms, is an alternative to a button that requires fine dexterity to push. Many toys and appliances operate because of fine motor stimulation, prohibiting many people with fine motor challenges from finding independence with daily tasks. Ability switches offer the option to make things work with a simple gesture that…

Bucky is 29 years old. Jesse is 27 is years old. Paul is 23 years old. They have lived together at Marram Place, a four-bedroom house, for over a year and have become best friends. Each works 20 hours per week in the community for his own spending money. After work, the guys walk, swim, work on computers, help with the housework, deliver a…

Over the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 800,000 children with autism will age out of their school systems and look to state and federal governments for support services and resources to meet their many needs. "Autism: Coming of Age" provides an inside look at the lives of three adults with autism and their families. The film delves into the…

EMARC, Inc. is a Massachusetts based nonprofit organization founded by family members in 1954 that provides support to individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. This article describes EMARC's Life Choices Program which offers participants the opportunity to receive individualized attention in small groups through the program's…

This article presents the story of Chad Roberts of Canton, Georgia, who is proving himself a promising employee day by day. He works several jobs in increments of up to 90 minutes. Some days, he completes bulk mailings at a law firm. On others, he's at local restaurants stocking the wait staff stations with supplies. The community-based vocational…

There is a famous piece of writing by Emily Pearl Kingsley in which she attempts to describe what it feels like to raise a child with special needs. She explains that it is like preparing for a trip to Italy. One learns the language and buys the travel books. One finds himself on the plane traveling to Italy, and suddenly, the trip is diverted to…

Moving Forward Towards Independence, a California-based nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by a group of parents, is a unique residential program where young adults with disabilities learn to enjoy productive, fulfilling and healthy lives within a caring, responsive community made up of fellow residents, trained staff members, parents and…

This article is the eighth part of a 12-part series that chronicles the life of a fictional family--Amita and Samir, and their daughter with special needs, Anjali. This article describes the transition process experienced by Anjali as she learns to become independent despite her disabilities. In this article, Anjali's experiences as an employee at…

It used to be thought that there were only five senses: touch, vision, hearing, smell, and taste. It is now known that a person has two additional senses. They are the proprioceptive sense, which allows individuals to know where their body parts are located in space, and the vestibular sense, which allows individuals to detect motion. However, in…

For those with disabilities, issues of health are often treated in a reactionary way. This article encourages health literacy, education, and awareness targeted towards those with disabilities in helping them take ownership of their plan for staying healthy, with a focus on weight management. Weight management challenges for people with…

This article is the third of a 4-part series on "Health Promotion and Wellness" from the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD). It focuses on health disparities and people with disabilities. Health disparities are differences in health outcomes between groups that reflect social inequalities. Disability rates vary by ethnicity, age,…

This article describes the new Occupational & Life Skills (OLS) program at Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, Washington. The OLS-Venture program, as it is now called, grew out of a series of continuing education classes in personal finance, cooking, and related life skills for people with autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other…

Even the most uneventful days at home can be challenging for families who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder or another developmental disability. This article provides strategies to help children with special needs enjoy successful community outings. Teaching a child the necessary skills to navigate new and challenging situations…

Deciding what to do after high school is a daunting task for any young person, but for students on the autism spectrum, the thought can be paralyzing. Additional questions need to be asked and answered to insure a goodness of fit between the student's strengths, goals, and weaknesses and a post secondary educational program's strengths, goals, and…

Medications are the primary treatment for epilepsy, yet many teens and their families have problems managing seizure medicines. Fear of side effects, difficulties remembering to take medicines and figuring out how to take them are common challenges. Unfortunately, not taking medicine as prescribed can lead to breakthrough seizures, which in turn…