Advocacy Archives

APH FamilyConnect Parent Advisory Board: When Personal and Professional Roles Merge

Posted on January 9, 2024 - 10:59 am by Amy Lynn Smith

For Amy Shepherd, M.Ed., transitioning her career from teaching in elementary school to being a resource for students who are blind or low vision. Most recently joined the APH FamilyConnect Parent Advisory Board – was the direct result of her son Austin’s vision. Now 23 years old, Austin was shaken as a baby by a […]

Rosie the Resilient

Posted on December 4, 2023 - 4:12 pm by Melissa Schenkel

Child holds a Curious George stuffed animal in an eyeglass shop.

At just five days old, Rosemary faced a daunting battle when she contracted bacterial meningitis. Her grandmother, Angela, recounted their harrowing experience, “She went to the pediatric ICU, where she nearly died and had to undergo a bilateral craniotomy to treat the infection that had walled itself off in her brain.” Rosemary’s odds were grim […]

Digital Inclusion Resources from the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Posted on October 19, 2023 - 10:38 am by Melisa Matthews

A student wearing glasses uses an iPad in the classroom.

Your child may come home with a school iPad, Chromebook, or laptop, and you may be aware of increased digital instruction and activities. If you recognize accessibility issues, you may need resources to help your child’s team with accessible technology. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) conducted the Access and Engagement research series during […]

Letters to Parents: A Student Teacher’s Personal Journey

Posted on September 27, 2023 - 1:22 am by Noye Enwereji

A young teacher stands with her upper middle school students; the students' heads are covered by stars for privacy.

At the beginning of our college adventures, my friends and I referred to student teaching as the “Final Frontier” because it is the last class an education major must take to graduate and become a fully licensed teacher. Honestly, I was surprised how fast time flew by; it was finally time to switch positions, from […]

To Be Happy in Whatever My Son Chooses

Posted on September 4, 2023 - 5:53 am by Ashlyn Lincoln

A family photo of Ace, Axel, Ashlyn, and Gunner. Gunner is holding a cane in front of a front door with fall décor.

Most special needs parents know the well-known poem “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley. For those unfamiliar, it’s a poem describing the experience of raising a child with a disability. You plan an extravagant trip to Italy, including buying guidebooks and making all the magnificent plans, only to find out you are going to […]

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