I just came across this site (I know, a bit slow since it has been in business for a few years!) and I love it! Great low tech, AAC products and a wonderful resource list for parent friendly AAC info all over the web! They also sell adorable shirts and gift items, including greeting cards, that display messages with picture communication symbols. Love it :)
If you are a parent or professional looking for AAC tips to support your special kids, definitely check this out (Giving Greetings/Say It With Symbols!).
I have found so many cool iTools for professionals lately that I decided to start a running post to showcase some of the apps that make my job as a therapist a little bit easier. :). Unlike other posts on SNEAK, which often focus on apps for our kids, this one is for my #slpeeps and other professionals working in the trenches and looking for some great apps to help out. Please comment below if you would like to share professional apps that you find helpful. I will update this list as I find new gems :)
*Note: All of the app links below are for iPad apps but many of these apps are also available for the iPhone.
Say Hi Translate
Work with multicultural families and need some communication help in a pinch? This handy app will translate into many common languages when you speak aloud!
Disfluency Index Counter
Keep track of stuttered syllables and more with this handy, disfluency data tracking app.
Artik Pix
A full articulation deck for word and sentence level practice with built-in data tracker, reinforcement, and auditory feedback. Great pictures and extensive word lists!
Time Timer
An awesome visual timer to help kids stay on task and transition between activities.
Token Board
A visual token board app that helps kids work for rewards and achieve their goals.
Custom Boards
A great, on-the-go app for making visual supports and communication boards on your iPad! Great symbol library and lots of templates included!
Super Duper Data Tracker
A simple and easy to use app for tracking data during sessions. Data tracker also includes graphs to help you visualize each student's progress.
3D Human Oral Cavity
Great, 3D models of the human oral musculature to help in patient and family education during therapy. This series has lots of companion apps for different parts of the body.
Pages
Created by Apple for iPad and iPhone, this word processor is a great way to keep up with your documents on-the-go. It is a fully functioning word processing app that can be used to write therapy notes, create home programs, compose letters to colleagues and families, and more!
Metronome!!
Help your students control their speaking rate, motor planning, and fluency with a simple, but handy metronome app. This one provides visual and auditory feedback and is very customizable.
I just read a great blog post form Little Stories and it brought to mind something I stress often when working with families of children with special needs: Don't underestimate the power of an organized play environment!
Don't get me wrong, unstructured play filled with creativity and freedom is crucial to the development of all children. However, most of us don't work or play our best when we are surrounded by confusing clutter. Reducing clutter, rotating toys often, and categorizing toys according to their purpose can help children in so many ways. I have witnessed first-hand the type of magic a well-maintined play area can create!
Increased attention
Reduced hyperactivity
Improved interaction and social skills
Expanded language comprehension
More speech output
Improvements in pretend play
The list goes on!
Check out some details on the how's and why's of establishing a toy routine for your child with special needs at Little Stories.
How do you set up play time magic for your child with special needs?
Don't get me wrong, I love the Internet. But sometimes, you just need a little more depth when you're trying to find important answers. Even with this vast web of knowledge, I still look to books to help me in my practice and to give me resources for the families I serve. I LOVE that many of the resource books that tackle common difficulties in parenting children with special needs come in electronic book format too! Check out these great books and eBooks on a variety of topics, from dealing with the stress of parenting a special needs child to feeding a picky eater.
Want to find crafty ideas to make your own assistive technology solutions? How about ways to adapt play for your child with special needs? You can find these tips and more, shared by SNEAK, via the colorful, fun, and visually easy interface of Pinterest! Here's how!
I love technology (and I love to eat!) and I am always looking to integrate it into my practice. I truly believe that much of what we do today, as professionals, parents, and people, is enhanced through technology. So why should feeding therapy be any different? :) Here are a few ways to use some awesome websites, blogs, and apps to support children who have difficulty eating in therapy sessions and at home.
#1 Teaching Kids and Families About Food (and Nutrition)
For some kids and parents, part of achieving oral feeding progress is to learn about portion size, balanced diets, and the vital nutrients the body needs to learn and grow. This is especially true for children who eat a limited range of foods and limited volume of the foods they accept. I have also found that some families just aren't really sure what and how much when it comes to feeding their kids. The websites and mobile apps below are great tools to support learning about new foods and nutrition ( not to mention, educational and fun for parents and kids!)
Nourish Interactive
"Nourish Interactive is your free one stop resource for fun nutrition games for kids, interactive nutrition tools and tips for parents and health educators to use to promote healthy living for the whole family." This AMAZING, interactive site is colorful and kid friendly, and even provides printouts on topics related to food groups, portion size, meal planning, and more! The site has some culturally diverse information as well and can be viewed in English or Spanish. Think this site is a great way to help families plan out meals for their picky eaters and to help kids learn about new foods. There are even some blog posts in their blog section that specifically address picky eating.
ChooseMyPlate.gov
My Plate is an effort by the USDA to promote healthy and safe eating habits for all American families. This site is less kid-directed and more for caregivers but it is loaded with helpful information on nutrition guidelines, meal schedules for various ages, and even picky eating tips. I especially love the online tools this site offers to help parents keep daily food logs and calorie counts.
Kids Food Adventure (App for mobile devices)
"Explore new foods with your family that are delicious, healthy and sometimes exotic! Kids Food Adventure puts the power of discovery in your child’s hands." This fun and interactive app includes:
Colorful photos of each food to help kids identify and recognize new foods
Seasonal monthly food suggestions to pinpoint the ideal time to try new foods.
Parent/kid-friendly fun facts, health benefits, and other information on cooking, buying and preparing each food
Color-coded stars help kids track their progress and rate the foods they’ve tried.
Reward stickers encourage kids to give new foods a try!
The developers of this app are also working on another app that targets picky-eating more directly (Choose my Food).
#2 Having Fun (and games!) With Food
For some kids, simply taking the pressure off can get them more comfortable with new foods and the eating experience. Many times, we will create cooking and sensory exploration activities around food without any focus on actually eating. Food theme activities can also be fun, especially for kids who need a less direct exposure to a food before they will interact with it. Here are some great apps and online games that are simply fun and food themed :) I like to use these kinds of activities to prep my kids before a cooking or snack activity, and as a learning tool to set the context for trying new foods.
Alfy.com
This site is simply fun and games. :) It has free online games that target a variety of topics, including cooking and food. Parents, just a bit of a caution here: Some of the games (not the cooking or food related, but some of the others) are a bit mature, so screen them before you sit down to play.
ZisBoomBam: Where It's Ok to Play With your Food
"ZisBoomBah is an innovative website that challenges conventional wisdom and develops tools to empower children and inspire parents to live a fun, active and healthy life. ZisBoomBah’s free online tool “Pick Chow!” allows children to create meals by dragging and dropping foods onto their virtual plate. The “Add it Up!” meters show the nutritional values in a fun and easy way and rates each meal with one to five stars – a feature that helps children learn quickly how their choices make a difference in creating a well-balanced meal. Children can send their “chow” to their parents, who then receive an email with what their child has chosen to be a healthy choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with the menu, recipe, shopping list and coupons." Event though the focus is on calorie control (rather than gaining weight, which is what many of our picky eaters need to do:), I still think this site is a really fun way for kids to get involved in planning and cooking meals with their parents. :)
Here are some fun, food themed apps available for advices and Android:
Cookie Doodle
Cake Doodle
More Toast
Faces iMake-Premium
More Sundaes
Fruit Ninja
Food Processing
Cupcakes
More Pizza
Charlie Wonders Milk
ABC Food
Ice Cream Parlor
*There are COUNTLESS food-themed apps in the app store so you should definitely search on your own to find many more not listed above. :)
#3 Teaching Kids and Families About The Eating Process
In feeding therapy, we often use techniques to help children understand the mechanics of chewing and swallowing. Technology can be a great supplement to teaching the science of eating!
Kids Health: The Digestive System
The Kids Health web series (including Kids health Classroom, a great source for theme materials and printouts on nutrition across childhood) is a great tool for parents and kids to explore a variety of healthy topics, including good eating and nutrition. The Digestive System section also helps kids understand what happens in their bodies when they chew and swallow foods, and what happens when their tunnies hurt.
Keeping a food diary of mealtime scheduling, foods eaten, and amounts/calorie and nutrition counts of foods eaten is a large part of a comprehensive feeding therapy plan. These tech tools can help therapists and parents with this part of the process.
#5 Navigating Special Diets and Food Allergies
Many of our kids with feeding aversions, especially those on the Autism Spectrum, may suffer from extreme food allergies, intolerance, or sensitivities. This can compound feeding therapy even further. Here are some tech tools to help support your picky eater on a special diet.
App Advice App List: Cooking for Special Dietary Needs
This is a fantastic app list from App Advice that focuses on Apps related to special diets. It includes databases of foods containing certain, common allergens, and even offers some apps with recipe builders based on allergy-free food choices.
Kids with Food Allergies Foundation (App and site)
This site focuses on food allergies related to kids and also has a companion, mobile device app, bringing this info to families who may not have Internet access outside of that on their smart phones.
#6 Mealtime Schedule and Planning
Food On the Table
A website and companion app that helps families plan meals and save money on groceries.
*In addition, many of the websites mentioned above in this post have meal planning and recommended feeding/eating schedules for kids of various ages.
#7 Rewarding and Reinforcing
Keeping mealtimes positive is an important part of learning to eat new foods. Verbal praise and rewards are some of the many tools we can use to support kids with feeding difficulties, These tech tools can help us reward kids for trying their best at mealtime and can also keep mealtime tasks more visual for those who need a little more support to get through the hard stuff.
#8 Getting Specific Questions Answered: Blogs About Feeding Therapy and Related Topics
Food for Tubies
An insightful and informative blog targeted to parents of children who are fed through a G-tube (or another variation thereof), specifically those following a slenderized G-tube program.
Food Chaining
A really great blog on food chaining for children with sensory feeding aversions.
Feeding Therapy Help
A Q & A blog with specific tips and strategies and a forum to ask questions.
Feeding Therapy/Oral Motor on Pinterest
Using Pinterest to obtain information can be great for visual learners, especially those who aren't sure what they're looking for. Here is a great pin board related to feeding and oral motor therapy, including tools and ideas for DIY's.
The Tender Foodie
Lots of information here on feeding and allergy related issues for children on the Autism spectrum.
One last note: One of my favorite, simple tech tools to use for feeding therapy: a web cam! Video modeling and feedback is a wonderful tool to help kids conquer their fears and put themselves out their at mealtimes! Videos are also a great way to track progress!
What technology do you use to support your picky eater?
There is no question that the iPad has brought much more affordable learning and communication technology to children in need. With this awesome gadget, we can now offer voice output communication for a mere fraction of the cost of dedicated AAC devices. However, for some kids with special needs, dedicated AAC devices may be more appropriate for long term language growth and communication development. This necessity comes with a hefty price tag as many dedicated AAC devices cost thousands of dollars and are not fully covered by private medical insurance. For those children with medical coverage that reimburses for these systems, the assessment and application process can be effortful and time consuming for the parents and team supporting the child, at times resulting in denials from funding sources. And lets not forget that just because the iPad and other tablets are much less expensive then these dedicated systems or a personal computer, doesn't mean that all families are able to meet the financial requirements that arise in setting up an iPad communication system. A family can expect to spend $1000.00 or more when you consider the base price of the tablet, protective gear, audio gear, apps, access supports like switches and switch interfaces-the list could go on and on! So what options are available for families who just can't meet the iPad price tag or for kids that truly need a dedicated system at a significantly lowered price?
Here are a few great resources to help you find used and donated (i.e., lowered cost and free) assertive technology (AT), including communication devices, mobility equipment, and mobile technology.
Do you have a source for affordable AT that you'd like to share? Do you have equipment that you'd like to donate to a child in need? Contact SNEAK or post in the comments below.
If you want to continue the discussion on the technology divide, please comment below or join our chat at SNEAK Freestyle Forum.
Disclaimer: I checked out the above resources to the best of my ability and each seems legitimate and responsible when it comes to assuring the quality of goods being sold as well as the honesty of those selling them. Please be aware when purchasing equipment and other products for third party sellers that you are not familiar with as their is always risk involved. I have never purchased from any of the above links and therefore cannot fully endorse the safety of shopping through these sources.
Will the new Retina display on the iPad HD force you to have to upgrade to a storage size larger than the base model(16 gGB)? This article on App Advice kinda made me frown :(.
Many of the Apps we use with kids who have special needs are large files to begin with (e.g., AAC Apps like Touch Chat etc...). I can't imagine them doubling or tripling in file size! That will be a disaster! This is definitely one thing to consider before buying the new iPad HD. Yo may have to shell out more money just to get enough storage for the new, HD versions of your Apps. :(
This bummer has me womdering: Could the iPad 2 be a better product for our kids?
I had a great collaboration meeting and co-treat with an OT on my team yesterday afternoon and I had to take a moment to reflect and share. :) We have both recently started seeing a bright young boy with Autism who is nonverbal, struggles with engaging, and needs a lot of sensory regulation support. My colleague mentioned that this little guy's mom wanted very much for him to share in family activities, especially game night-and that mom was really struggling on how to make board games something he had fun with and could participate in. As a therapist, I have spent much time using board games with school-aged children on the Autism Spectrum to target many skills: turn-taking, following directions, sequencing, basic concepts, etc... But had I thought about the fun? Could we not only get this little guy to participate but to actually have FUN in doing so? I thought we could, but where could we start?
I started thinking about why kids play these games in the first place. To win! :) Children at that age have a natural competitiveness to them, they start to develop a love for strategy and rules, and they take joy in the endeavor of finishing a game (hopefully with results in their favor :) My colleague and I started wondering, did children with Autism at our little guy's stage of development have this competitive drive? We knew that social interaction was a big hurdle for our little guy, as it is for many children on the Autism spectrum, and we knew that participating in a board game meant using social skills and frame of mind that didn't come easily to him, if at all at this stage. We thought, “we might be able to get him ‘through’ the game by making some adaptations, and we definitely wanted to take a look at what those needed to be. But we also wondered if we could use HIS "currency" to build in real enjoyment that would keep him engaged when he was able (from a sensory perspective) and bring him back to the game of his own will, should he choose to take a break. What was his "currency"? It wasn't always high-fives, or smiles and "good jobs!", and it also wasn't the thrill of the competition. We had to figure out a way to meet this little guy where he was in the process, and then support him along the way. In researching, brain-storming, and a whole lot of trial and error (still underway!), we found a few ways to adapt game-play for this little guy that kept him engaged, and more importantly, willing to re-engage (and, therefore, learn new skills over time)!
Here are a few tips and resources to help bring board games to the table for children with Autism:
1. Choose the Appropriate Level of Difficulty:Just as with other skills, play develops in children across a continuum. Introducing skills sequentially, with this in mind, helps us meet our kids where they are in terms of the skill set needed to successfully participate in a board game. UNC has a great article describing nonverbal skills, cognition, and play development in children. The age range provided on the outside of most board game boxes might be of little help to you as you try to determine where to start. Autism Games, a great site that focuses on bringing a variety of play skills to children with Autism, has a few simple, helpful guidelines for choosing games at various levels of difficulty. I find that nearly ALL board games can be modified “up” or “down” to meet kids where they are. Keep a few things in mind when choosing or modifying games:
What physical skills are needed? The social aspect of game-play is hard enough for our kids on the Autism Spectrum, so keeping the mechanics of the game manageable lets kids focus their mental energy and attention on the social and the fun! (See Tip #10 for ways to adapt the mechanics of a board game for those who need it.)
What cognitive skills are needed? Most games are aimed at “teaching us something”, or helping us practice basic concepts like colors, numbers, and shapes in a fun way. Make sure you consider the cognitive skills required for a game (as it is) and make adjustments as needed. It is OK to challenge, but working on too many challenging tasks at once can really set the stage for disaster, and no one likes to play a game they aren’t good at! (See Tip #5 an #7 for some ideas on adjusting the cognitive demands of games)
2. Balance the New and the Familiar: With children on the Autism Spectrum, new things=challenges. And as discussed above, introducing too many challenges at once can completely overwhelm you and the child. Help games look, feel, sound, and act familiar, especially if it is the first time you and your child have sat down to play this game. You can also build your own games around concepts that are already familiar to your child, and that he enjoys. For example, a child who is good at identifying colors and enjoys interacting with colors might be more wiling to engage in a game about colors (e.g., Candyland, Twister) than a game about numbers (e.g., Chutes & Ladders, Hi Ho Cheerio). Keep in mind that children on the Autism Spectrum also embrace predictable routines (how great, since board games are all about structure and routine!). This is part of the scope of balance “familiar” with “new”. Keep your game-play predicable for the most part, adding new things gradually (See Tip #8 for more information on Predictability).
3. Make it Visual: We know that out kids on the Autism Spectrum learn best when information is presented in a visual manner, and board games are no exception. You might look at a game and think, “aren’t all board games inherently visual?”. And you would be right- in part. But think about all of the aspects of playing a game that AREN’t visual (i.e., taking turns, knowing what to do on your turn, which direction to move, which game piece to use, when the game will end, how you know if you win, etc...). These kids struggle with the unspoken, unseen “rules” of social interaction and the same holds true for game-play. Break down the demands of the game in this manner and make those aspects more simplistic and VISUAL so that your child knows his role and what to expect. Go over the visuals, make sure they make sense, and don’t forget that you will still need to provide gentle reminders. :) Some visuals might include integrating picture communication symbols onto the board itself, modifying dice or spinners, using the child’s picture on a game piece for easier recognition, using a within-task schedule to assist with the steps in the game and/or the sequence of turns between players, and providing a communication board with some basic game related language (See Tip #6 for more on how to integrate visuals).
4. Use the Right Kind of Talk: Talking is a large part of any game. Remember to use talk in a way that facilitates further understanding of the expectations in the game. Autism Games has some great guidelines for adult talk during game-play. You might even find that less talking is more successful, keeping in mind that communication (understanding and expressing) may be one of those “challenges” to balance.
5. Focus on Fun: Remember that although you want your child to learn the game, and attend to the game, etc... that the ultimate goal for the child is to have fun. He doesn't really know (or care) that you would like him to learn how to count or identify colors as part of this game-play experience, nor does he need to in order for you to facilitate that learning experience. Be sensitive to the demands (previously mentioned) of board games and remember that you will need to be flexible if you are going to teach him to be flexible. This might mean allowing your child to take “breaks” as needed, and waiting for him to re-engage on his own terms (with some tempting fun signals from your direction!). You may even have to introduce “fun” that is more familiar to your child than that already built into the game (See Tip #9 for more on reinforcement and fun).
6. Practice Before Play: We all prefer going into situations knowing what to expect. Try to think about the last time you sat down to play a game or complete a task that you didn’t know how to do (panic! anxiety! confusion!) Usually, when adults sit down to a game, they discuss the rules, possibly even reading the step-by-step instructions of how to set up the game, how to play, etc...Now think about how you will introduce a game to your child. Will you set it up, have him sit down, and get to playing? How can you assure that he enters the game knowing what he needs to do? Using social stories and video modeling can be very helpful in narrowing the learning curve. You might also consider introducing concepts and materials form the game prior to actually sitting down to play. This allows your child to become familiar with the concepts, materials, and actions of the game in smaller, more manageable “practice sessions” before adding the social pressure of playing the game itself. For example, you could use the spinner form a game of Chutes and Ladders to practice matching numbers to quantity, counting the number of cars, blocks, Cheerios (pick whatever your child likes and insert it here :) that is represented on the spinner. Taking turns in this way also introduces the concept of turn-taking, a skills that he will need to use when you sit down to play the game together. If you are using visual supports for the game (and you should be :), make sure you go over these supports in more familiar contexts to assure that your child knows that the pictures mean. Autism Games has great resources for video modeling in game play.
7. Bend the Rules When You Need To: When it comes it to playing board games with children on the Autism Spectrum, rules were definitely meant to be broken. Bending the rules of a game can help that game suit the cognitive, sensory, and motor needs of your child. If playing the whole length of the game board takes longer than your child is able to sit for, play half of the board. If counting a different number of spaces each time is too demanding, set a number for the game and have everyone move that amount of spaces. If your child needs more of his idea of “fun” to keep going in a game, consider integrating sensory and other preferred activities into the game itself. For example, modify game boards to include symbols for reinforcing activities (e.g., candy, slide, bubbles, trampoline) every few spaces. This provides motivation to continue to continue the game! Set reasonable expectations and realize that they may not involve finishing the game the way it was meant. You can always build to more more extended, literal play in the future-small changes gradually will lead to more successful play experiences :)
8. Predictability Leads to Teaching Moments: Predictable routines draw a child on the Autism Spectrum into an interaction. He might be thinking “hey, i get what you’re doing!”-and if he gets it, he is more likely to participate. Building on Tip #2, use predictability as a “familiar” element to build a safe play environment in which your child knows he is capable. Then you can mix it up a bit by adding a new element here and there and set the stage for your child to learn from this violation of expectations. Autism Games has some great strategies to help “stretch” your child’s mind in this way without pushing so far that fun turns to game over.
9. Choose Your Reinforcement Wisely: Verbal praise and other social rewards are great when they are great, but they aren’t always needed or welcomed. Choose the way you reinforce you child wisely when playing these new games. Excess verbal praise could derail attention, be overwhelming from a sensory perspective, or add confusion. The actions of the game should serve as motivation for the child to keep participating and may be enough without “atta boys” and “good jobs” flying around.
10. Take Inventory: Similar to Tip #1, make sure that your child has the mechanical skills needed to engage in the game you bring to the table. Consider visual, hearing, sensory, and fine motor needs. If you find that certain game tasks might be difficult for your child from a mechanical perspective, consider modifying them.
You can use electronic or switch-adapted spinners and dice instead of those that come with the game if the act of spinning or rolling is a difficulty.
You can reduce the visual complexity of the game board by folding it in half or covering some of the spaces to create larger spaces.
Card holders can be used to hold cards upright for kids who have difficulty.
Velcro can be added to game boards and game pieces to help them stay upright.
Grip enhancers like foam or rubber can be added to game tools for easier handling
Here is a great video example of many of these tips in Action (From Autistically Inclined
A BLURB on Technology:
As with other skills, mobile and computer technology can be a great tools in helping children on the Autism spectrum participate in and enjoy board games and other social games. I consider technology a stepping stone to real thing in this regard. Utilizing technology for parts of a game or to play a full game could be a great way to motivate kids on the Autism Spectrum to engage in the game and practice interactive play skills. However, I consider these strategies a practice stage for eventually playing these games the more traditional way, helping children engage more readily with partners versus screens, and building the much needed skills for successful interaction with peers in a variety of play environments. With that said, I have found some promising Apps that I see as beneficial tools in the realm of interactive play. More about that in a future post! :)
Ablenet is hosting some cool Professional development courses on power chairs, AT and literacy, using AAC throughout the day, and more! Click here to get more info on these sessions.
And don't forget to check out Ablenet's Sounding Board AAC App
and Blue 2 Switch for iPad!
The awesome developers of Kids Food Adventure, an App to help kids explore new foods, recently reached out to SNEAK on the SNEAK Freestyle Forum about a new App in development that promises to be even more tailored to the needs of kids with sensory feeding aversions.
Daniela from Haymachine Entertainment shared the following about this new App in the making:
A thank you to SNEAK outside the box and many parents of children with food sensitivity issues for commenting on Kids Food Adventure and giving it a try!
Kids Food Adventure was designed to challenge a child's taste buds and to make learning about new, healthy foods fun. The app offers choices and gives kids an opportunity to earn virtual stickers, stars and to rate food, among other features. We learned that providing choices resonated with parents of children with autism and food sensitivity issues. The app fell short in that is lacked customization. Parents also expressed a need for less adventurous foods and more of an exploration of every day and very basic foods that could be within or outside a child's comfort zone.
The response for the need of an app that would help ease the anxiety and stress related to trying new foods inspired us to develop a concept for Choose My Food.
We are seeking funding to develop Choose My Food through Appbckr.http://bit.ly/xvpN5E
We've also started a forum where parents can vote on app features and/or offer suggestions. http://bit.ly/xagb1S
We'd love to hear from you. Please share this with anyone that you think would like to back this app or provide feedback for development.
Vote on the App features you want to see on Choose My Food by visiting the Choose My Food Forum.
Choose My Food is not yet available for sale in the App Store. :( BUT, you can help make that happen by backing this great new App on Appbckr. You can also get more info on this new App, including screen shots of the prototype, by visiting the Choose My Food Appbcker project site. I will keep you all posted of the progress of this App and will share a review as soon as I get my hands on the first release :)
Start your own discussion, ask a question, or share an idea on SNEAK Freestyle :)
What technology do you use to help kids with sensory feeding difficulties?
Closing the Gap is hosting some great, low cost Webinars on a variety of topics related to using the iPad with children who have special needs. Check out the webinar list on their site!
And don't miss this year's Closing the Gap Conference, a wonderful place for learning and networking for parents and professionals who support children and adults with disability. The conference is in Minneapolis in October, check out http://www.closingthegap.com/ for more info!
