I was wowed

Posted by Beth Finke on March 7th, 2008

What a pleasure it is to introduce guest blogger Jeanne Sowa, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Relations, here at Easter Seals Headquarters.

I was wowed

By Jeanne Sowa

I just came back from the CENTURY 21 International Convention in Orlando. CENTURY 21 has displayed unwavering commitment and dedication to Easter Seals for nearly three decades. Throughout the years, the CENTURY 21 System’s …Read More » »

Thumbs up for Music Within

Posted by Beth Finke on October 26th, 2007

Donna Smith is a colleague of mine from Easter Seals Project ACTION in Washington, D.C. She wrote with details about a movie that sounds very interesting, I thought I’d share this with our readers. 
– Beth Finke

Thumbs up for Music Within

by Donna Smith

A limited release of a movie titled Music Within starts this weekend. …Read More » »

Book review: Pat Thomas’ “Don’t Call Me Special”

Posted by Paula Pompa-Craven on October 19th, 2007

Don’t Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability explains the importance of inclusion using language that children can understand — giving children a nice introduction to the …Read More » »

Consumer Reports: providing for disabled heirs

Posted by Beth Finke on August 8th, 2007

In my “Adults and autism: Our kids might outlive us” post, I talked about estate planning and special needs trusts that can be set up when your child has autism. I also mentioned that MassMutual, one of Easter Seals’ national corporate partners, offers additional resources for people with …Read More » »

New reports on the ADA: I’m all ears

Posted by Beth Finke on July 24th, 2007

I lost my sight in 1985. Up until then I had been working as an advisor at a major University, counseling students who wanted to study abroad. Undergraduates would come in, we’d talk, I’d get on the phone and make sure their credits would transfer. It’s a job a person without sight could do. But the …Read More » »

Book review: Paula Kluth’s “You’re Going to Love this Kid!”

Posted by Patricia Wright on June 29th, 2007

Students with autism are becoming more frequent members of general education classrooms. You’re Going to Love This Kid!: Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom, by Paula Kluth, Ph.D., is a unique resource dedicated solely to …Read More » »

Adults and autism: society needs to step up

Posted by Patricia Wright on June 21st, 2007

This opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle details the concerns shared by many parents of children with autism and other disabilities. What happens when these children grow up … and grow out of government-provided support?

In 1989, I began my career teaching high school at Spectrum Center for Educational and Behavioral Development — now known as Spectrum Center. It …Read More » »

Adults and autism: Our kids might outlive us

Posted by Beth Finke on June 20th, 2007

When my husband and I visited our son in his group home recently, I couldn’t get over how much he had grown. He’s a healthy boy! Well, really –- a healthy young man. And though many of us who have children with disabilities don’t like to think about it, it’s likely our children will outlive us.

While most people know about …Read More » »

How do we define “appropriate” education?

Posted by Patricia Wright on May 22nd, 2007

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities have a right to a free, appropriate, public education. But how do we define what’s appropriate for each child that enters a school system and is in need of services?

Ideally, an Individualized Educational Program team collaborates to define what that individualized education should entail for each child. But …Read More » »

Watching Maurice at work

Posted by Jim Williams on May 21st, 2007

Last Friday night I attended an Easter Seals event where our 2007 adult representative Maurice Snell played a prominent role — as presenter of an award to one of our leading corporate partners, Safeway.

Maurice stood at the podium in front of hundreds of people and was in complete control — of himself and especially the crowd. While his part …Read More » »