The nation's premier special-needs theme park, Morgan's Wonderland opened four years ago based on the vision of philanthropist Gordon Hartman. "I was at a hotel pool with my daughter, Morgan, who was 11 or 12 at the time, when she kept looking over at two other kids in the pool who were tossing around a ball," he recalls. "I knew she wanted to play with them, but because she has special needs she didn't have the communication skills to ask, so she hit the ball. They grabbed it from her and got out of the water." That's the moment the retired homebuilder decided that he wanted to create a place where kids with special needs and those without could have fun together. He traveled around the country, seeking input from pediatricians, families, therapists, and engineers. The result: a 25-acre oasis on the city's northeast side, where every ride and attraction -- from the carousel to the train to the off-road adventure -- can accommodate all children and adults.
Roger Holt on 15 Jun 09As an occupational therapist, I work with learning disabled children who are average to above average in cognitive/intelligence, with a "glitch" in one or two areas of learning. They need help and yet they are often denied services, told by their teachers they could do it if they want to and just need to try harder. These children look bright, they seem to be listening, they can repeat what the teacher is saying and for all intent and purposes, seem as if they understand. But when the connections are not secure, the communication is like hearing a phone conversation with static on the line, and some crucial information is missed. This can happen if a child has an auditory processing disorder, attention deficit, sensory motor issues or a myriad of other "soft" developmental disabilities. These children "look" so good that the natural assumption is often that they're not listening and just need to "try harder."