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Summer vacation will be here soon. When planning a vacation with a person who has special needs, accessibility is the name of the game: wheelchair accessibility, accessibility to medical needs, a positive sensory environment, accessibility to old interests and new experiences. Every destination on this list welcomes and accommodates visitors with special needs.  You’ve probably heard of some of these places before, but others may get you thinking about vacations in a whole new way.

Autism on the Seas has been in collaboration with Royal Caribbean International since 2007 in developing cruise vacation services to accommodate adults and families living with children with Special Needs, including, but not limited to, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and all Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  These services quickly expanded to other cruise lines.   We provide Cruises with our Staff (selected from regular cruises throughout the year) that assist adults and families in accommodating the typical cruise services, as well as providing specialized Respite and Private Activities/Sessions that allow our guests the use of the ships entertainment venues in an accommodated and assisted manner. Our professional Staff (educated, experienced, background checked and sanctioned by the cruise lines) accompanies you on your cruise to provide these amazing vacation and travel experiences onboard Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney and Carnival Cruise Lines. We also provide a "Cruise Assistance Package" (Cruises without our Staff) on all of the major Cruise Lines to help accommodate guests who wish to cruise on their own. 

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.

Smugglers' Notch Jeffersonville, Vermont Although it's known for its skiing, this resort area offers amazing summertime adaptive programs for kids ages 3 and up. Depending on the need, children may be given a trained camp counselor and can be incorporated into the kids' program to swim, hike, climb the rock wall, and do arts and crafts, or be part of a special-needs group. If they're 6 or older, they can take part in an Autism Mountain Camp that includes horseback riding and sailing. Private swim lessons, which focus on fulfilling a child's sensory needs, are also available.

Morgan's Wonderland San Antonio, Texas

We’re not trying to compete with Google or Bing. There are, of course, a huge number of sites out there that may help you. What we are giving you here is a selection of sites that don’t always rank highly with search engines or that you might not even think to include in your search. You may find that only some of them help in your unique situation. That is why we’ll tell you a little about each. We hope that you’ll find something that truly helps you among them.

 The good news is that there are many theme parks that welcome guests with disabilities and make special accommodations for them.  Some of these are big-name parks with multiple locations, others are small, family-owned parks highly rated by theme park aficionados.  A big bonus is that the whole family can have a great time at a fraction of the cost of a Disney vacation.  Here’s a list of 39 theme parks to consider for your next vacation.

What:As families grow and age they reach many crossroads. Each crossroad generates more questions. Family Life Expo was designed to provide Billings families with answers to their many questions and direct families to local professionals and providers who can help.When you register to exhibit at the 2012 Family Life Expo, you will also be included in the network of professionals and providers on FamilyLifeExpo.com, fully launching to the public dare of the expo, February 4, 2012. At FamilyLifeExpo.com families can get the latest news and updates on just about any issue such as healthcare, financial planning, education, real estate, jobs, vacations, insurance, retirement, and more! Most importantly, families can link directly to one of our network professionals or providers that can help. When:February 4, 2012 Where:MetraPark PavilionBillings, MTContact:Phone: 406-294-9116Email: familylifeexpo.comProceeds to benefit the Special K Ranch.

Accessibleplayground.net is the THE site for Accessible Playgrounds.  Here you will find great resources on how to develop an accessible playground from A to Z.  You will also find hundreds of examples of what other people have done.  In addition, if you are heading out on vacation and want to ensure you have an accessible place to play, the site can point you in the right direction.

Part II Seminar Coverage: How to Beat Bad Seizures Including a discussion of chronic AED meds and Diastat; Discussing DIASTAT with your doctor; Use of DIASTAT in various settings as school, work, vacation, etc.; Summer travel, summer camp, returning to school, and having Diastat on hand for these situation; Case studies; Review of various state laws relating to which professionals can administer DIASTAT. Who Should Attend: Families and Caregivers; Physicians; Nurses; Educators and School Administrators; Allied Health Care Professionals; Institutions Serving the ID/DD Population: State and privately-held facilities, Military Healthcare personnel.

Summer is always an exciting time to kick back, have fun, and spend quality time with the family. In between family vacations, trips to the zoo, playing video games, and sitting around the house bored, many parents are also searching for activities that are not only fun, but also constructive. Look no further.

Hammer Travel offers a variety of travel opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Not only have we chosen destinations that are exciting and unique, we have an experienced and well-trained team to accompany each group, ensuring a safe, fun and memorable travel experience.

One of the best things about Bookshare is that you can take it anywhere you want.  Whether you go on vacation, hang out at a local park, or curl up on a comfy chair at home, you can enjoy Bookshare books wherever you want. This summer, don’t just have fun reading with Bookshare, enter the summer contest and you might win some totally awesome prizes, like an Apple iPad 2! Click here to read the full article

Traveling with disabilities is not only possible, it can also be a wonderful, life-changing experience. Whether you are visiting relatives or going on vacation, traveling can bring out many different reactions and emotions. However before you get to your final destination there is much planning that must be done. Traveling with a child that has special needs is not easy task. There are many details that should not be overlooked. To help you get to your destination as easily as possible we have created the Special Needs Travel Guide