The Power of Presuming Competence

2016-11-10T10:11:44-05:00By |Categories: AAC, Advocacy In Action, Autism, blog, Cross Disability, General, Inclusion, Inclusion Resources, Inclusive Education, Resources, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

"Thasya", a mini film by Dan Habib, highlights the power of presuming competence, differentiated instruction and augmentative and alternative communication. Inclusion works.

We Are Not In Our Own World

2016-11-10T10:11:47-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Author, blog, Featured (Homepage), General, Inclusive Education, Judy Endow, Search Categories, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We need to be careful about how we think about and talk about people with disabilities. One example is the reference that those who are autistic or deaf or blind or have some sort of movement differences are “in their own world.”

Being Where I Can Simply Be

2016-11-10T10:11:47-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, Author, blog, Editor's Picks, Featured (Homepage), General, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After a three-day conference, I needed to sleep. I needed to sleep because I was dreamy, trying to keep the feeling of being in a place where I can be myself and also be a little bit like a star. Also, building community.

Seattle Children’s Hospital Pulls Bus Ads After Community Outrage

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Author, Autism, blog, General, Judy Endow, Search Categories|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

“Autism is a disability, but it is not a disease. It is not a life-threatening illness,” said Matt Young, co-leader of ASAN-WA. “The idea it’s a state to be wiped out has much negative impact on our lives.”

Advocacy Groups Call for Autistic Teen’s Killers to Be Charged With Hate Crime

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Ableism, Advocacy, Advocacy, Articles, Author, Autism, blog, Disability Rights, General, Sarah Levis, Search Categories|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

How does it make you feel when you hear a

Ollibean Spotlight: Renee Salas

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Author, Autism, blog, Books You Need, Cross Disability, Editor's Picks, General, Inclusion, Lauri Swann Hunt, Lifestyle, Neurodiversity, Ollibean Family, Ollibean Mama Spotlight, Ollibean Thought Leaders, Parenting, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

" Talk to people with disabilities. As many as you can: Adults, adolescents, kids. These people are the real experts on disabilities. These are the people that can tell you what life with a disability is like." Renee Salas

Ollibean Spotlight: Kerima Cevik Pay It Forward Activist

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: blog, Lauri Swann Hunt, Ollibean Family, Ollibean Mama Spotlight, Parenting, Resources We Love|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

"Equal access, level playing field, dignity, respect for my son and all his community. No separate classrooms separate doors or isolation from others. See I’m a woman of color. When I began my education you could still see the Colored Only bathrooms in the Deep South. If you put my son in one room and say he is not good enough to be where the law says he should be, with his peers, then red flags of segregation fly up at me. Many parents of color feel the wrongness of it organically, but they have been convinced that their neurodiverse children are not good enough for their neighborhood school and that their children are a distraction or threat to typical children in some way. The different operating system in their child’s brain throws them off, particularly when maladaptive behaviors are in the mix. It leaves them feeling guilty, helpless, afraid their kids will come to harm, and they listen to anyone, even if their gut tells them the advice is unjust. I am and advocate of Universal Design for Learning. I think my son can be with his peers in age as well as ability and everyone can benefit." Kerima Cevik

Much Needed Resource: “We Are Like Your Child”

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Autism, Autism Resources, blog, General, Lifestyle, Neurodiversity, Parenting, Resources, Resources We Love|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

"We are like your child. Your child is like us. And we may have difficulties, we are disabled--but there is no denying that we are also awesome."

Because I Stood With Henry

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Amy Sequenzia, Amy Sequenzia, Author, blog, Featured (Homepage), General, Henry, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Because I stood with Henry I am happier today and you should too. Henry not only got his rights, he proved that presumption of competence should be the default for every student.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Autism, Autism Resources, Disability Rights, General, Neurodiversity, Politics, Resources, Resources We Love|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people.

Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Autism, Autism Resources, General, Parenting, Resources, Resources We Love|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We love Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, a community of autistics, professionals, and parents sharing what you need to know about autism.

The National Center on Inclusive Education Summer Institute

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Events, Inclusive Education|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Inclusive education conference with keynotes by Lydia Brown, George Sugai, Dan Habib, JoAnne Malloy. Cheryl Jorgensen, Michael McSheehan, Henry Frost and many more you will not want to miss!

Untitled

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, Author, blog, General, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is not directed at anyone in particular. It is about several people I’ve met throughout my life. I sometimes need to remind myself that being me means following my own agenda and not pleasing the ones who will not be part of my story.

AAC Helps Learners with Complex Communication Needs Reach Their Full Potential

2016-11-10T10:11:48-05:00By |Categories: AAC, Accessibility, Assistive Technology, blog, Editor's Picks, Featured (Homepage), General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

" A lot of these kids end up not reaching their full potential because they suffer from low expectations. People think they don't speak well, so we shouldn't have them in the regular classroom, but a lot of the kids I work with, they're cognitively fine. They're perfectly capable. They just need a viable means of communication to really help them through that." Cathy Binger

Not Impossible: The Story of Daniel

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Articles, blog, Education, General, Inclusive Education|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Five years ago (next month) our severely autistic son Daniel had a major breakthrough. This whole world is new to him: standards, peers, comradeship and competition.

Ariane Zurcher: Non-Speaking Autistic Woman Writes Book

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Around the Web, Articles, Assistive Technology, Featured (Homepage), General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Barb Rentenbach's funny, poignant and beautiful must-read book, I Might Be You: An Exploration of Autism and Connection, is now available as an audiobook.

Hi @KatieCouric I am #autistic & would like to talk to you about #inclusion, #communication & #civilrights #KatieAutismChat

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Articles, Featured (Homepage), General, Henry, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Katie Couric will have a Twitter Chat with Autism Speaks

PrAACtical AAC | Presuming Competence and Using The Least Dangerous Assumption

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: AAC, Ableism, Articles, Assistive Technology, Autism, blog, Cross Disability, Editor's Picks, General, Inclusive Education, Resources|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

PrAACtical AAC's latest post on the importance of presuming competence.

Amy Sequenzia: Does it matter?

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, Author, blog, General, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Should it matter that some of us are labeled intellectually disabled? Read the definitions, look at us in a realistic way and ask yourself; Does it matter? Aren’t we all worthy?

Ollibean Mama Spotlight : Ariane Zurcher

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Autism, blog, Cross Disability, Inclusion, Lauri Swann Hunt, Neurodiversity, Ollibean Family, Ollibean Mama Spotlight, Parenting|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

"It means living in a society that embraces the diversity of human beings. It means inclusion is a way of life and manifests itself in every aspect of our culture, from the schools and education, to the work place and everything in between… It means paradise!" Ariane Zurcher

Mother

2016-11-10T10:11:49-05:00By |Categories: Amy Sequenzia, Amy Sequenzia, Author, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Parenting, Think Tank|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is for every person who embodies the meaning of motherhood. This is for the ones who nurture and protect, who never consider their lives more important than the lives of the ones being nourished, educated, protected and loved.

Ostracized for Autism

2016-11-10T10:11:50-05:00By |Categories: Advocacy, blog, General|Tags: , , , |

"The reason for this article is to spread awareness about why people shouldn't believe everything they see or hear from powerful people and companies. Respecting authority is great, but believing everything they say may make you a brainwashed, horrible person. Also, this article was written to remind people to treat others how they'd like to be treated, and not act cold to them regardless of how different they are."

Happy Mother’s Day Week : Turn It Up to 11

2016-11-10T10:11:50-05:00By |Categories: blog, Conversation Starters, Cross Disability, Ollibean Brothers & Sisters, Ollibean Family, Ollibean Mama Spotlight, Parenting|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

It's that time of year .... Mother's Day Week! Is there a song that makes you think about why you love being a mom? Or a song that just reminds you of your family? Share it here.

Go to Top