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One would think that after such a long time to finally have a real diagnosis of what was wrong with me I would be relieved, but at the age 11 all I really knew was that this “thing” I had was ruining my life and I may never get better.  That is what I felt when the term “autism” entered my family’s life.  My parents were very relieved to finally have a name of what was wrong with me, but what they did not seem to understand was that just because it had a name did not mean the bullying and teasing would end, that my speech problems would end or that I would suddenly be accepted by my classmates.  All I knew was that I was still having meltdowns and that school was where I did not want to be.

My name is Jamie Knight, and I am an autistic front end web developer from the UK. In this article I am going to explore how Apple technology fundamentally changes my life, and enriches the lives of others. Disabilities, differences, call them what you will, have for a long time been a great area for technology to help. From the first white canes to the latest assistive and augmentative communication aids, there are a range of needs out there which technology is able to fulfil. For this article I would like to focus on 3 areas: communication, organisation and management. These are the ways in which my autism affects me and where technology helps the most.

Students with disabilities face several longstanding challenges accessing services that may assist them as they transition from high school into postsecondary education or the workforce—services such as tutoring, vocational training, and assistive technology. Eligible students with disabilities are entitled to transition planning services during high school, but after leaving high school, to receive services that facilitate their transition they must apply as adults and establish eligibility for programs administered by multiple federal agencies. Students with disabilities may face delays in service and end up on waitlists if these programs are full. In addition, while all five states GAO contacted have taken steps to coordinate their transition services and assist families with the transition process, officials said that it is still difficult for students and their parents to navigate and for providers to coordinate services across different programs. Officials and parents GAO spoke with also noted a lack of sufficient information or awareness of the full range of service options available after high school on the part of students with disabilities, parents, and service providers. In addition, state and local officials said students with disabilities may not be adequately prepared to successfully transition to life after high school. This may be due, in part, to limited opportunities to engage in vocational and life skills training or obtain work experience while in school.

When: Monday evenings starting February 7th,  5:30 – 7:00., through the end of April Where: Romney Gym at MSU, 3rd floor (if you need directions, please let me know)  Why: To teach our special needs kids a few basic dance steps in preparation for the Prom. Please let me know if your child is interested. I am hoping we will have at least 6-12 kids interested in this special program.  I have enlisted the assistance of a college friend of mine who has arranged this entire class at no charge to any of us.  She is using the dance studio where she teaches other classes and will be receiving credits for this independent learning class.  If it all goes well, we can maybe do it again next Spring.  I think dance is a great socializing event and there are opportunities to use these skills later in life. Contact: Ellen Ross at 406-539-1728

In between those scenarios is a zone between life and death, between viability and futility. If a baby is born after the 22nd week of pregnancy but before the 25th, not even the smartest doctors in the world can say what will happen to it. New technologies can sometimes keep these micropreemies alive, but many end up disabled, some catastrophically so. Whether to provide care to these infants is one of the fundamental controversies in neonatology.

Wouldn’t it be nice if our children had super teachers every year that completely meshed with both their needs as well as our own? Sadly, no matter what school, what State of the Union, type of child or how calm the parent, your child may end up with a teacher that does not fit their style or your own. It is a basic fact of life. While it can be hard to deal with a bad fit, there are some important strategies you can use to get through the year.

Edward Stanton is a man hurtling headlong toward middle age. His mental illness has led him to be sequestered in his small house in a small city, where he keeps his distance from the outside world and the parents from whom he is largely estranged. For the most part, Edward sticks to things he can count on...and things he can count. But over the course of 25 days (or 600 hours, as Edward prefers to look at it) several events puncture the walls Edward has built around himself. In the end, he faces a choice: Open his life to experience and deal with the joys and heartaches that come with it, or remain behind his closed door, a solitary soul.