My biggest IEP goal, learning to self advocate, and how it has helped me more than I ever imagined

Why I prefer to receive digital accessible materials instead of print ones

When preparing for an IEP meeting, a 504 Plan meeting, or a Disability Services meeting, parents and students will often be asked to come up with sample accommodations that can be used to provide services for students in the classroom. However, it can be very…

I’ve talked a lot about accommodations for low vision students on my website, though many of my posts have focused on accommodations for print materials or the use of assistive technology. Another important consideration for helping low vision students to thrive in the classroom is…

When I was in middle school, I began to experience academic ableism in the classroom, primarily from my teachers. While I was fortunate to have many wonderful teachers who helped me to develop a love of learning and a sense of belonging in the classroom,…

As my eye condition and neurological condition have changed over time, I have received extended time accommodations on all my tests and exams, including standardized tests that I took in high school. When one of my friends was researching extended time accommodations of their own,…

Even though I have trouble seeing in all my classes (and outside of my classes for that matter), my math test accommodations for low vision look a bit different than the testing accommodations for my other classes. This is because in math, every letter, number,…

I’ve used several different types of assistive technology for dysgraphia over the years, ranging from low-tech/no-tech devices that don’t require any batteries to the use of a computer or tablet that makes it possible for me to type all of my notes and not have…

Even though I took over a dozen online classes in high school (and over three dozen in college), I seemed to always find ways to practice self-advocacy in the virtual classroom. While it may have seemed frustrating at the time, my case manager and other…

In response to recent school closures, VISTAS Education Partners (based out of New Jersey) has started a free resource called the National Homework Hotline for blind and visually impaired students to receive support and help with accessing classroom materials during this time. I am super…

A common question I receive from parents of kids with low vision or people who are losing their sight is about the most common classroom accommodations for low vision students. Even as my vision has changed over time, my accommodations have stayed fairly consistent from…

The other day, I was having a conversation with a teacher of the visually impaired about paper and document sizes for people with low vision. They were wondering how I would choose what documents would be on what size paper, and how I would store…

There were many times when I was in middle and high school that I had to deal with anxiety related to receiving accommodations in the classroom for my vision impairment. I was not very confident in explaining why I had poor eyesight and even less…

While it wasn’t officially written as part of my IEP accommodations, my teachers and I worked together to develop various accommodations for my low vision so that I could use computers in the school computer lab. Because I attended schools with limited funding for assistive…

I had three different guidance counselors when I was in high school, including two at my first high school and one at my second high school. Even though a lot of people don’t associate guidance counselors with special education and having an IEP, each of…