Parenting and Caregiving Relationships

Parenting and Caregiving Finding the balance between parenting and caregiving children with disabilities can be challenging -- there's a fine line between hovering and being there to assist when needed. The dynamics of the caregiving/care receiving relationship are complex. They are constantly changing as our children grow up; what's nurturing and helpful for a five year old doesn't fly at ten, what was okay at ten, doesn't work at eleven, and so on and so on. The media typically presents the perspective of caregivers, particularly parent caregivers, but rarely provides the perspective of the person with a disability who uses personal

Autism and Psychiatric Diagnoses

At different times during my growing up and even during my adult years autism wasn’t something people knew much about. I often came in front of mental health professionals. It is important to know that if you go to a mental health professional or take your child to a mental health professional in all probability you will walk out with a diagnosis of a mental condition as found in the DSM-5 – otherwise known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders In my adult life I obtained a master’s degree in social work. I did clinical work

  • Photograph of Stella Young on the Ted Stage. Text reads- I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much. Stella Young. Ollibean Change Leader

Why The Lie We’ve Been Sold About Disability Is The Greatest Injustice

Stella Young of Ramp Up explains the Social Model of Disability, Inspiration Porn, and the lie we've been sold about disability in this nine minute TED Talk. Stella Young Transcript I grew up in a very small country town in Victoria. I had a very normal, low key kind of upbringing. I went to school, I hung out with my friends, I fought with my younger sisters. It was all very normal. And when I was 15, a member of my local community approached my parents and wanted to nominate me for a "Community Achievement Award". And my parents

Cry Me a River, Katrina Percy. Justice for LB!

I originally wrote this piece for the blog 107daysofaction.wordpress.com. I asked for permission to reprint it to help raise awareness on this side of the Atlantic about the story. If you'd like to get involved with Justice for LB and 107 Days of Action, please click here. I've recently been made aware of the story of the death of a young autistic man in the UK that's not getting any press that I'm aware of in the U.S. or Canada. I'd like to tell you Connor Sparrowhawk's story. Connor Sparrowhawk, known as "Laughing Boy" or "LB" to his friends and

FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Banning Aversive Shock Therapy at the Judge Rotenberg Center

Thursday, April 24, was a day that I'd been waiting for that day for a long time. An FDA advisory panel finally got to thoroughly hear both sides of the story of what goes on at the Judge Rotenberg Center, and to deliberate, based on testimony, whether what happens to the students there needs to be stopped. And they made the right decision. I just hope that they act on it quickly. I found out about the Judge Rotenberg Center by accident two years ago, doing some research for another post on my blog. I came across an article about

Musings from an Autism Outsider – Seeing the Full Spectrum

When I started writing about disabilities, I’d been working with disabled people for over fifteen years. I’d been in schools and agencies as the numbers of autistic people requiring support had started to rise. I’d heard the projections from the experts about how the numbers were going to continue to rise. And, in my most recent job, I’d had to tell several families with autistic teenagers that the agency for which I worked wouldn’t be able to support them, as we only supported individuals with intellectual disabilities. I knew that autism was a spectrum disorder. But I’d really only seen

Sesame Street, This is an Autistic Speaking

Sesame Street knew nobody was missing, or lacking, anything. I was perfect! Everyone is perfect! But in real life, as I grew older, doctors and teachers convinced everyone that I was too broken to be worthy of any effort toward education and a future. Nobody saw me the way I was seen by my friends at Sesame Street.

  • Image description: Pink square with tiny, interspersed light pink hearts. In the center there is a large white heart withe dark pink text that reads "Love, not fear is living a posAutive life It is refusing to see despair Just because you are faced with the new. Amy Sequenzia on Ollibean.

Love, Not Fear

Today is “Love, Not Fear” flashblog. We write about the beauty of being, living, sharing and experience Autism, an Autistic life.

  • Photograph of lower part of jeans and multicolored plaid sneakers. The sneakers have mud on them and the person wearing them is standing on damp earth . There is green moss and foliage on the right side of the image and Ollibean logo in white. Ollibean logo is a circle composed of various shapes and sizes of equal signs and the word Ollibean.

Walk In My Shoes

I want you to walk in my shoes Not because I want you to feel what it means To be disabled But because I want you to understand How it feels to be excluded I would like to see you walk in my shoes Not because I need your pity I don’t need it I don’t want it I want you to experience The uselessness of feeling pity for others Like me I would like to see you walk in my shoes And experience what I feel When my rights are denied When I am silenced Ignored Mocked Bullied Abused

Judith Snow ~ Relationships & Inclusion

"The research shows that when a child who is not academically gifted is included in a regular school, not only do the academics improve across the school, and I did say that, I didn’t say “in the classroom”, I said “across the school”, not only do the academics improve, but drug use and violence goes down."

  • 2014 Joint Letter to the Sponsors of Autism Speaks

2014 Joint Letter to the Sponsors of Autism Speaks

January 6, 2014 To the Sponsors, Donors, and Supporters of Autism Speaks: We, the undersigned organizations representing the disability community, are writing to urge you to end your support for Autism Speaks. We profoundly appreciate your interest in supporting the autism and broader disability communities. Our work is about empowering and supporting people with all disabilities, including adults and children on the autism spectrum, to be recognized as equal citizens in our society and afforded all of the rights and opportunities that implies. Unfortunately, Autism Speaks’ statements and actions do damage to that work and to the lives of autistic

Pro Infirmis Mannequins Video Shows Bodily Diversity is Beautiful

A trip to the mall bombards me with unattainable ideals of “perfection” everywhere I turn. Mannequins of one standard body shape and size taunt me in each store I enter, all of them wearing clothing that won’t look anything on me like it does on them. Their plastic bodies are tall and thin; I am less than 5 feet with more than my fair share of curves. They stand in casual poses; I am sitting in my wheelchair. To me, mannequins are not always inviting displays. Instead, they’re nothing more than sculptures of a supposedly idyllic body type that I

  • Image description: Photograph of screenshot of C-SPAN a light skinned man with black hair. He is wearing glasses and a dark grey suit, light shirt and maroon tie. Ari Ne'eman Autistic Self Advocacy Network

The Importance of Supports

"If we invested a mere one-tenth of the amount of money that we currently pour into causation into empowering Autistic people to communicate, that young man and hundreds of thousands more like him would be able to communicate their needs to us today. I am not here today to speak for every Autistic person – that’s impossible. What I am here for is to argue for every Autistic person to have the same opportunity to communicate that I have come to enjoy thanks to the support that I have been lucky enough to receive in my life." Ari Ne'eman

Supporting United States Ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Why Every Voice Counts!

CALLING ALL SENATORS .It’s time for the U.S. To take their seat at the table In support of global disability rights . RATIFY THE CRPD I have a confession to make: I can only vaguely recall skimming the e-mails that made their way to my inbox in late November and early December last year that called upon the disability community to contact their senators in support of U.S. ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It's not that I didn't realize the importance; I just thought to myself "Oh, I should help.

  • All disabled people need to know we are together fighting. Not just adults. All kids need to know the big community . Meeting people like me who made the choices of life changed all. Then I am knowing I want this life. It is hard to not have once you see.

This Is Autism by Henry Frost

Best place for all autistic people, all disabled not disabled people, all families to speak together. Speak together for acceptance, inclusion, communication, and rights for all people. I am thinking when you look closely, this is what autism is.

I Am Disabled and I Am Proud

‎"Polite society often tells us that we need to take the 'dis' out of disability, but maybe... just maybe, we should spend some time putting it back in. Take the "dis" out of disability and you remove the core of what has shaped my life. Disability puts the "D" in diversity, but in order to make that a real difference we've got to own that spot. It took me 35 years to respect and honor that truth. Others shouldn't have to wait that long..." Lawrence Carter-Long

Don’t Call Me Inspirational

"Disability is not something terrible that needs to be fixed, cured, or made to go away forever. It is a natural part of reality. We ask for acceptance as equal members of society." From the PSA "Your Daily Dosage of Inspiration" by Cheryl Green and Caitlin Wood.

Wanting More and Finding Disability Justice

White House Champion of Change recipient Mia Mingus is writer, organizer, and member of the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collaborative. Disability was always framed as a sad or bad thing, as something unfortunate that happened to me, a tragedy, a flaw. My experience with the medical world was one about “fixing” me and making me more “normal” and less disabled. This of course, echoed my experience of the world at large. I never saw disabled women in the media being desired or living whole complex lives, let alone disabled women of color. The messages always boiled down to: disability is

Open Letter To Jon Stewart

When I met Jon Stewart I was very disappointed by his lack of knowledge and sensitivity toward autism. During a recent interview, while still a bit condescending, his views seem to have evolved. This is my open letter to him.

More Problems With Functioning Labels

Every now and then my autistic friends and I have to explain why functioning labels are not helpful, why it works against acceptance, why it is something created by non-disabled people who knew very little about how autistic brains work, who saw autistics as lesser people, and who saw the need to grade us in order to apply their wrong assumptions in an attempt to "fix" us. To them, "high-functioning” autistics were "better", easy to deal with. The "low-functioning” autistics required a lot more work because their lives was "misery". That's the first problem: lack of understanding of autism, leading

  • .There’s none exempt from this disability community, and as a matter of fact we’re the cool community, because we accept everybody.” Keith Jones

Disability Activist Keith Jones on Community

"So let us remember that when we teach, when we educate, we make policy, we make decisions that we do it with a conscience and that we remember that we are leaving fingerprints on forever." Keith Jones

Judith Heumann: Changing the System

Her activism is clearly rooted in a strong sense of justice. Early on she learned that if she wanted to be part of society she was going to have to fight for the right. "I had no choice because, as a disabled person, I was going to either have to get involved with changing the system that limited me or not participate in society," she says. In 2010, Ms. Heumann became the first-ever special adviser for international disability rights at the US State Department. Her job: Promote and protect the rights of people with disabilities internationally and ensure that US

The Reality Behind Those Walls

The Judge Rotenberg Center is recruiting disabled students in the Midwest to be legally tortured with electric shocks. Help us stop this inhumane treatment of disabled people.

Thank You, Ed Roberts

"And we’re going to develop leadership, that has a fundamental difference and that is, it's inclusive . It believes in people, and in our strengths together . And we are going to change our society. " Ed Roberts

Intersection of Law, Education and Civil Rights

As a deaf-blind student with very limited sight and hearing, Haben Girma '13 learned that you must be a self-advocate and come up with creative solutions to the problems you face. If that fails, she says, then the law can be a strong ally.

We Are Not In Our Own World

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

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.

Senator Harkin Delivers Speech in ASL Upon ADA Passage in 1990

Upon passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 13th, 1990, Senator Tom Harkin delivered a speech on the Senate floor in American Sign Language. Harkin, whose brother Frank was deaf, was the lead Senate author of the ADA, which was enacted later that year. His speech is the first in American Sign Language to be delivered from the Senate floor.

J.Cole Writes Apology Letter to Autism Speaks

J.Cole offended many over the lyrics "I’m artistic, you is autistic, retarded" in his Jodeci Freestyle rap number. He was called on this.  The Anti-Bullying Alliance created a petition and asked for a formal apology from each rapper, as well as the offending words be removed from the song. Read the original article and letter on Complex Music here http://www.complex.com/music/2013/07/jcole-writes-apology-letter-autism-speaks.   Kuddos to J.Cole for writing an apology letter that sounds sincere. The disheartening thing about his letter is that it is addressed to Autism Speaks. J. Cole offended autistic people, not an organization – in this case an organization that

Senator’s Call for Transition Action Plan An Excellent Idea

Democrat Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey has introduced a bill focused on transition services for students with developmental disabilities who are transitioning to post-high school life. The legislation, known as the Assistance in Gaining Experience, Independence and Navigation Act of 2013, or the AGE-IN Act, calls for:  - Funding for research to determination the best ways to support students  with developmental disabilities who are about to leave school. - Creation of a nation strategic plan focused on transition planning for students with developmental disabilities. - Grants to train "transition navigators" to assist students with developmental disabilities to plan for

Sensory Tool Kit or Purse ?

Notebooks, silly putty, colored pencils, a favorite book.. I did many of these suggestions with all three of my kids when they were little. A mom carries around ever so many things in her purse to entertain kids in public places. However, if the kid has been diagnosed with autism you call all the junk in your purse a sensory tool kit. The difference here is if the kid is not on the spectrum it is a nice diversion and helps keep him better behaved. If the kid is on the spectrum the regulation offered by the stuff in your purse is

  • op one fourth of book cover is a white background" Black and White" written in black text with capital letters in large font "A Colorful Look at Life on the Autism Spectrum"Beneath also in black text with capital letters written in small font . Middle section contains a color photograph of blonde light skinned woman in profile . Text in right hand corner reads A Book by S.R. Salas Bottom quarter of bookcover has a black background with white text, small font that reads "Renee provides a fascinating insight to autism, I highly recommed (her) book..."- Dr. Tony Attwood "Black and White provides an inside positive view of autism..." - Dr Temple Grandin

Ollibean Spotlight: Renee Salas

" 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

Because I Stood With Henry

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.

Untitled

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.

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

Katie Couric will have a Twitter Chat with Autism Speaks on Wednesday May 29th at 1pm EST . Autistic people should be in the chat. hashtag #KatieAutismChat. This is my message. Hi @katiecouric I am #autistic & would like to talk to you about #inclusion, #communication & #civilrights #KatieAutismChat .    

Amy Sequenzia: Does it matter?

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?

Mother

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.

Standing With Ashley

I stand with Ashley because she is part of our community, she is brave and she survived brutality.I stand with Ashley because I hope to show her, one day, that the joy of belonging to our caring community trumps the memories of pain.

‘Autistic People Are’ by Amy Sequenzia

Autistic People Are   Awesome!   Autistic People are the real experts on autism.   Autistic people are not more complicated than non-autistics. Autistic people are misunderstood and mischaracterized by non-autistics.   Autistic people are artistic and we don’t need speech to show our talents.   Autistic people are your friends your co-workers your children.   Autistic people are parents siblings grandparents.   Autistic people are not tragedies we are not burdens.   Autistic people are not sufferers because of autism we suffer discrimination from non-autistics.   Autistic people are “different but not less”.   Autistic people are not “Rain

  • autistic people speaking, The Loud Hands Project

“Loud Hands – Autistic People, Speaking” A Review

The title of the book should be enough for anyone who wants to know, know more or know anything, about autism and Autistics to buy it and read it.

I Feel Tired

Some parents understand that autism is a natural part of some children’s lives and they fight the societal attitudes toward autistics. That’s love. Some parents don’t, and they fight, and hurt, their own children. This is not love and is one of the things that make me very tired.

Autism Acceptance – Leading the Conversation

I want to talk about Autism Acceptance again. I want to talk about Autism Acceptance because soon we will be, again, referred to as tragedies, burdens, afflictions. This will go on, more than usual, for the whole month of April. April is the month chosen

Krip-Hop Nation: Music, Advocacy and Education

"Where were the other people who looked like me as a Black disabled young man? With this continuous question of race and disability along with my love of poetry and music, I started to question the arena of music and performance around the representation of musicians with disabilities, especially disabled musicians of color." - Leroy F. Moore, Jr.

Worth Repeating: Ed Roberts’ 504 Sit-In Victory Rally Speech

Editors' Note: Following is the text of a speech by Ed Roberts, one of WID’s founders, at the 504 sit-in victory rally in San Francisco, April 30, 1977. We have chosen to reprint it to celebrate Ed Roberts Day, which was January 23. Ed’s speech captures his spirit, his vision and his commitment to the disability rights movement that was in its infancy in 1977. The San Francisco sit-in, still the longest such action in a U.S. federal building, was part of a national cross-disability protest to force the Carter administration to sign regulations to enable the enforcement of section

When Autistics Grade Other Autistics

“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree…”We know how functioning labels are not helpful, despite being largely used by neurotypicals. But some autistics also grade members of our community and I want to understand why.

People Are Watching Mr. Hughley

Mr. Hughley, we think you can do better than using the r-word. You said your son doesn't mind you using the word, but there are so many people that do. Words like the r-word perpetuate negative stereotypes about people with disabilities, please don't use it.

It is About Respect

Respect for one another is one basic quality if we want to have meaningful conversations and relationships with other human beings. The ableism that disabled people experience is a form of disrespect.

Christmas Wish for Children and Teachers of Sandy Hook

We wanted to do something that would specifically honor some of the passions and characteristics the victims families described.

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30 Ways to Support Sandy Hook Families Now

The victims and families have been and will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers. We've compiled a list of the ways to honor and remember these children and adults who were taken far too early. Remember. Honor. Celebrate. The children and teachers of Sandy Hook. Josephine Gay, 6 Donations may be made to Joey’s Fund in her name through the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism. The proceeds of this fund will help families raising autistic children.   Daniel Barden, 6 Donations may be made to Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main

My Top Ten

These are the top 10, now top 18 things I need for teachers, therapists, doctors, friends and family to know.

My iPad Is Not a Toy

Please never refer to my iPad as a toy. It is not. It is my voice. Imagine if you could not speak with your mouth how important your iPad voice would be.

  • Boy with brown hair and blue and white checked shirt holds sign that reads The Civil Rights Act of 1964 granted equal rights to all people. I am a person. I want these rights.

Standing Together for Inclusion

Standing together for inclusion, communication and civil rights. Please include all kids in your classroom.

Changing the Paradigm

Sir Ken Robinson on education reform. "Changing Paradigms in Public Education" covers the importance of thinking differently about human capacity , recognizing the benefits of collaborative learning, and changing the culture of our institutions.

Ollibean: All of a kind

The faces of Ollibean are kids with and without disabilities all trying to make the world a better place.

I Am

How do you talk to someone who uses AAC?

Amy Sequenzia: I, Too, Want to Understand.

Why would a parent of an autistic child decide that it is better not to listen to other autistics? Why? I, Too, Want to Understand.

  • ollibean think tank. tim villegas. inclusion

The Case for Inclusion Part 3: Sea Change

The longer there is a strong distinction between general and special education the worse it is for students who are labeled with a disability. It perpetuates the language of Us and Them...

Amy Sequenzia: To You, Young Autistic Friend

Autistic advocate and poet Amy Sequenzia's message of acceptance and respect for young autistics for 2012 Autistics Speaking Day. "There is nothing wrong with being who you are. You are perfect in your uniqueness."

  • Ollibean Think Tank Amy Sequenzia Advocacy on turquoise and green background

Supporting Young Autistics

We hope that young autistics today will be proud of themselves and without shame. The message that boy received at that moment was the opposite of acceptance. It was ableist and it came from someone who is part of our own community.

Inclusive Education: It’s Great If You Can Get It

Inclusive schools need to become a reality for all students across the nation regardless of abilities, socio-economic background and geographic location. Unfortunately, many school districts do not see the inclusive classroom as the Least Restrictive Environment and an appropriate placement for children with special needs. Thus, what one child has free and appropriate access to, another one doesn’t. And then inclusion , which has been proven by experts to be the gold standard of special education, becomes an ideal situation…if you can get it. The lack of universal practice of inclusive education in our school system creates an overall discord in

The Case for Inclusion Part Two: What Does Inclusion Look Like?

It should always be the objective of public education to serve all students no matter what their disability label. It should always be the objective to give the right amount of support for all children.

Bureaucrats

You look at me But you don’t see me You talk about me but not to me You think you know all about me But you deny my humanity You think I don’t have wishes You believe I don’t have plans You don’t respect my basic rights According to you I should be grateful That I have a place to sleep That I have three meals a day If I say I want to go out You ignore me To you I am only a burden Too disabled to have an opinion To you I don’t count as a person

I Stand With Henry

What Henry is doing is advocating for his rights, at the same time that he reminds us of our own rights and about how far we still have to go.

  • Girl with brown hair , blue tshirt is holding an iPad out in front of her. Her face is obscured by the iPad. Boy with Brown Hair holds a white sign that says " The Civil Rights Act of 1964 granted equal rights to all people. I am a person. I want these rights.

A Sister Stands with Her Brother: I Am Heard, I Am Important, and I Am Included

No one wants to be the excluded one, the one to stand alone in silence, the one left out of the conversation. No one wants to be forgotten. So why are some individuals treated this way? Luckily it just takes one person to stand up and include, and the rest will follow. Be that person, take a stand, make a difference.

A Poem About Pain

Other people have written better articulated articles about the same things I write in this poem. It is hard for me to elaborate beyond the words in the poem. It could have easily been me in some cases, it can happen to any of us.

I am the 20 % and the RNC

Henry takes his bi-partisan message of inclusion and civil rights for all to the Republican National Convention.

  • flowers, green leaves, red geranium, blue bells, hyacinth, ivy

A Sensory Garden for Zoë and Oliver

One of Ollibean's contributors, the lovely and amazing, Julie Lohoefener of Bloom Garden Shop, let's us in on some great tips on creating a non-toxic Sensory Garden with your kids.

  • Ollibean Think Tank Amy Sequenzia Advocacy on turquoise and green background

Amy Sequenzia : Friendship and Respect

It is a mistaken idea that we, autistics, lack empathy. It is also a myth that we are not social. My friends and I, we understand and respect differences. And we understand that we all have a lot to contribute, in a diversity of manners.

Sebastien’s Smile

Sebastien's Smile was created for the sole purpose of raising awareness for Mitochondrial diseases which affect the Setin's son Sebastien.

Henry’s video for his friend Sebastien, please help by sharing

Thursday Henry decided he wanted to write something to help his friend. We decided to video the process, as you can see, typing one letter at a time is a very long and arduous process. It took Henry  hours to type and edit that paragraph. It was hard and Henry decided to not to share the parts that were too emotional. Sebastien is one of Henry's best friends, he loves him dearly and he has watched his body get weaker and weaker each day. I am so proud of H for writing this, it was very, very hard for a

Amy Sequenzia: “Storm”

"Storm" a poem by autistic self-advocate Amy Sequenzia.

  • woman reading a book in lounge chair with ocean in background

Ollibean Mama Spotlight

Connect and learn with other parents like Tonya who presume competence and celebrate their children for being exactly who they are. #allofakind

  • ollibean think tank. tim villegas. inclusion

The Case for Inclusion: Does All Really Mean All?

Tim Villegas of Think Inclusive on the motivation to change from educating students with disabilities in segregated settings to inclusive settings where all means all.

Ollibean Think Tank Member Tim Villegas

My hope is that ThinkInclusive.us can create a bridge between educators, parents, and advocates (including self-advocates) to promote ideas, innovation and inspiration to change our world to be more accepting and value each and every human being.

  • Change Leader in pink capital letters. AMY SEQUENZIA in brown capital letters with brown line on top and bottom of text. poet. advocate. human. lower case text

Change Leader: Amy Sequenzia

"Presume competence. The same way I want people to assume I am competent, I also assume that others are competent".

Snacking: The Little Bite That Won’t Hurt You

Ollibean contributor Kristie Salzer talks about the benefits of "refueling" between lunch and dinner to decrease hunger related meltdowns for kids. We love her suggestions of 25 super easy snacks to get you started!

  • Ollibean Think Tank Amy Sequenzia Advocacy on turquoise and green background

Amy Sequenzia:Dear Mainstream Media

I am an autistic woman, non-speaking and I have many needs.Yes, dear mainstream media, I am the autistic supposedly too “low-functioning” to deserve to be heard. You pity me and you ignore the facts.

  • Because we are all human beings and ‘disability’ does not define a person. And I hated social injustice and inequality from a very young age. I dislike ‘disability labels’ and I feel that children deserve something better than to be segregated and denied an equal education and a means of communication on grounds of disability. Richard Attfield activist. author. human.

Change Leader: Richard Attfield

Richard Attfield, a contributing author to "Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone", is passionate about the rights of children with disability labels to have equal access to education and communication supports.

  • Change Leader Richard Attfield author.activist.human.

Change Leader Questionairre: Richard Attfield

Change you would you like to see in your lifetime? "The end of discrimination towards children/people with disability labels. And the human right of communication implemented fairly. " Richard Attfield

  • Ollibean Think Tank Amy Sequenzia Advocacy on turquoise and green background

Ollibean Think Tank Member Amy Sequenzia

Amy Sequenzia is a poet and autistic self-advocate. Her writing is as beautiful and powerful as she is. She is an extraordinary voice in the disability rights community .

  • Why would we separate, segregate and alienate children from one another while at the same time teach them to look after the world around them, respect differences and take a stand at injustice ? Nicole Eredics on Ollibean

Why Would We Want Inclusive Education?

Why would we separate, segregate and alienate children from one another while at the same time teach them to look after the world around them, respect differences and take a stand at injustice?

  • “I can’t speak for my friends, but labels hinder my life. I reject labels. I am just me.” Amy Sequenzia

Amy Sequenzia: “Just Me”

Amy Sequenzia writes about rejecting society's many labels. Perceptions such as “super spectacular” autistic and “low-functioning” are equally harmful .

Inclusive Educational Practices for Students with Special Needs

Studies have shown when kids with disabilities are educated in inclusive settings, the classrooms are better for all of the students.

  • ollibean think tank inclusion advocate. talk show host. human. Nicole Eredics

Introducing Ollibean Think Tank Member Nicole Eredics

We are very proud to introduce Ollibean Think Tank member, Nicole Eredics of the Inclusive Class . We know you are going to learn as much from Nicole as we have. She is kind, extremely knowledgeable, and beyond lovely. She really is the consummate teacher. Listen to any one of her podcasts or read her blogs and you'll see what we mean. Nicole is very committed  to inclusion and we are grateful to have her share her knowledge with us. Welcome, Nicole! Hello! I’m Nicole Eredics and I’m an Elementary Teacher who has spent over 15 years teaching in an inclusive school

  • ollibean_therapy

Dinosaur Claw: Physical Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

"Helping Hands" at Rice University have developed Dino-Might, a controller/game designed for patients with cerebral palsy to use for physical therapy.

  • parenting

Jedd Hafer of Love and Logic ® answers your parenting questions

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jedd Hafer, of Love & Logic® and asked him some of our questions. Jed's one of those people that you start talking to and feel like you've known him forever.

Introducing Ollibean Change Leaders

Introducing Ollibean Change Leaders - comprised of the most innovative, passionate doers on the planet. Folks out there blazing a trail for the rest of us, leaders in advocacy, inclusive education, cutting edge medicine, technology, human rights, the arts, disability rights, and philanthropy. They are changing things for people of all abilities. They are the Einsteins, the Ghandis, the Martin Luther Kings, the Helen Kellers of our generation. You’ve probably heard of most of them, and if you haven’t, you will. We all have the power to create real change and make our world a better place, we just have to

Change Leader: Larry Bissonette

Our first Change Leader is artist and disability rights advocate, Larry Bissonnette. Larry's art, writing, presentations, and films are changing perceptions about disability around the world. His quote in Wretches & Jabberers, "More like you than not" says it all.

Happy Father’s Day to all of the amazing dads presuming competence

Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing dads and stepdads raising children who do things differently- who love and appreciate them for exactly who they are. Thank you for setting a great example every day, for treating your children with respect, so your child expects that same respect from others. Thank you for believing in your child's capabilities, for seeing their strengths, so they grow up seeing their own and expecting others to do the same. Thank you for advocating for your child’s rights, for showing them their rights are worth advocating for. Thank you for fostering your child's

  • ollibean think tank inclusion advocate. talk show host. human. Nicole Eredics

Top 3 FAQs About Inclusive Education

Parents naturally want what is best for their child, particularly when it comes to education. If a parent is not very familiar with inclusive education or had a child in an inclusive school, they have many questions and concerns. While too numerous to list, here is the top 3 frequently asked questions about inclusive education: Why isn’t there an inclusion program in my child’s school? Inclusive education is not considered a program that can be offered by schools. Inclusive education is a philosophy that the entire school district must believe in and support. The belief that all children should have

  • Amy Sequenzia

Amy Sequenzia: Respect How I Choose to Speak

I type my words because I am non-speaking. One of my disabilities, or one characteristic of my disability, is that my body does not move like my brain wants. That of course, includes my arm. And I use my arm, my hand and my fingers to communicate. I also need the support of someone to help me coordinate and synchronize my brain and my finger. I need to define support. It is the physical support of helping me type slower than my brain works, being able, at the same time, to feel my movement, knowing when to let go, when

One Day without Starbucks for Sebastien and Mitochondrial Disorders

Sebastien is an 11 year old boy, who likes to do things any other 11 year old boy likes to do- play video games, watch sports on tv (especially his favorite player, Lebron James), and play baseball.

Larry Bissonnette featured on National Geographic

The amazingly talented artist Larry Bissonnette, of Wretches Jabberers, will be featured on an upcoming episode of the National Geographic TV program, Taboo.Check it out.

Matt W’s Field Day Race

Matt ran an amazing race on field day at Worthington, Ohio's Colonial Hills Elementary School. According to the Youtube video, Matt was given the opportunity to sit out, but after watching this kid run, you can see why that wasn't ever an option for him. The strength and determination Matt shows in completing this race is incredible. Matt has  cerebral palsy which makes running challenging, but that does not stop him. Love seeing his classmates and teachers encouraging and supporting him all the way to the finish line.

Facebook blocks NC mom’s pictures of Special Olympics event

Diane Cornwell said her seven year old, Cole, who happens to have Down Syndrome had a great time at his first Special Olympics event last Friday. She uploaded an album of 40 pictures to share and says Facebook blocked it for inappropriate content and locked her account.

Subconscious Stereotyping

When it comes to negative stereotypes, your subconscious may not be the best dinner guest.

Presuming Competence

This issue is very important to me because so many events and breakthroughs in my life happened because I was presumed to be competent. On the other hand, some events in my life were not so good because of a presumption of incompetence. The message of presumption of competence is of encouragement and acceptance. The presumption of incompetence sends a negative message, a message that says no matter how much one tries, success is out of reach. For disabled people, especially the ones who need more support, who can’t communicate through speech or who have other communication difficulties, this negative

OlliNEPAL at the SERC School

OlliNEPAL at the SERC School in Kathmandu

OlliNEPAL team at HDCS, Asha Bal Bikash Sewa (“Children’s Hope Development Service”)

OlliNEPAL team at HDCS, Asha Bal Bikash Sewa ("Children's Hope Development Service")

Epidemic, Awareness and Us, Autistics

By now everyone knows about the new numbers on autism diagnosis. And we have already seen the media jumping in the alarmist train: IT IS AN EPIDEMIC! My friend and I decided to look up some definitions for this word that has been used to classify me. This is what I found in one on line dictionary: epidemic noun a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time: a flu epidemic. a disease occurring in such a way. a sudden, widespread occurrence of a particular undesirable phenomenon: an epidemic of violent crime. Am I a

Autistic Man, Jesse Saperstein Free Falls to End Bullying

Best-selling author, autism advocate and motivational speaker Jesse A. Saperstein is spreading an Anti-Bullying movement across America with his “Free-Falling to End Bullying in 2012” YouTube video hoping to put an end to torment in and out of the classroom.

Acceptance

Welcome new Ollibean writer, Amy Sequenzia! We know you're going to love her blog and her poems........ "Accepting myself is an on going process. A few days ago I wrote a poem about acceptance. It is easier for me, sometimes, to write about my life in verses. But after I write about what bothers me in verses and stanzas, I can talk about it in any format. I freed myself when I wrote the poem. In a way, I accepted myself a little more." It is very hard to have confidence in my abilities when all my life, when people

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

Jill Bolte Taylor This TedTalk by Jill Bolte Taylor is a testimony to the power of presuming competence and importance of a nurturing, positive environment when learning. Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor woke up one morning and realized she was having a massive stroke. Bolte Taylor details her experience as her left brain slipped away and she was left without language, awareness of time. But, instead of being terrified she was intrigued and serene. As her left brain's stopped functioning she experienced the wonders of her right brain. She was fully present, connected to everything, thought in pictures, was inundated with sensory information

Creators of Halo & Star Wars Renew Student’s Dream after Charter School Rejection

Self-advocate Tres Whitlock on how the NPR story, "Florida Charter Schools Failing Disabled Students" has impacted him.

  • book cover "My Voic: Autism, Life, and Dreams" by Amy Sequenzia

My Voice, My Life : A Poem by Amy Sequenzia

This powerful poem from the book "MY VOICE, Autism, Life and Dreams" by self-advocate Amy Sequenzia says so much. We were fortunate enough to get to know Amy at ICI's Summer Institute at MIT and are very grateful to her for allowing us to publish "My Voice, My Life" here. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Amy's book, you can find her on Facebook. My Voice, My Life Look at me. Go ahead, take a good look. What do you see? Weird? Silly? Pitiful? Can’t do anything? You might feel sorry for me You might pity me

The Loud Hands Project

Love this video published by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Share it, Post it, Donate at http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Loud-Hands-Project?a=351448 so they will make more:)

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