Ollibean Think Tank

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.

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."

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

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

What’s the Social Model of Disability?

What is the social model of disability and why is it important ?

Love, Not Fear

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

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

TEDxPSU – Dr. Joseph Valente – Hearing the Unheard

Dr. Joseph Valente is involved in comprehensive research in childhood studies, comparative and international education, educational anthropology, deaf studies and disability studies.

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?

Judith Heumann: Changing the System

Her activism is clearly rooted in a strong sense of justice. Early on she learned that

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

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.