Audio 5.2: Robin Wisner Robin Wisner is the mother of four boys, ages 18, 15, and 13 (twins). Her thirteen year old twins have identical physical disabilities and communicate using – Lloyd, Fuller, & Arvidson (1997) “>Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Because of her children’s disabilities, Robin has educated herself about ways to help her sons…
Audio 5.1: Patsy Pierce Dr. Pierce has worked as a speech-language pathologist for over 20 years specializing in children with severe, complex communication needs. She has also been the Associate Director for Early Childhood Research and Practice in the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC-CH and a professor in the Division of Speech…
Activity 5.9a: Consider experience-based knowledge Resource Type: Activity In this activity, learners listen to clips of phone interviews of family and professional leaders in early childhood, and identify important considerations about assistive technology interventions. Resource File (PDF): CONNECT-Activity-5-9a.pdf
Audio 4.6: Salvador Moran Salvador, an early childhood special educator who works with diverse families, talks about the advantages and importance of involving the family in making decisions (running time: 1 min., 30 sec.). View TranscriptSalvador: It’s important to get the family involved. And so that’s, I think, that’s one of the biggest teaching…
Audio 4.4: Subarna Dharia Subarna, a pediatrician whose main interest in serving children with disabilities was inspired by her son who has global developmental delays, talks about the importance of making sure professionals listen to parents (running time: 1 min., 19 sec.). View TranscriptSubarna: I want the professionals to understand how difficult it is…
Audio 4.3: Samtra Devard Samtra, the mother of three children, including one who has a disability, talks about the need for families to be heard and for professionals to ask about parents’ hopes for their children (running time: 1 min., 53 sec.). View TranscriptSamtra: I spent probably the first 3 years looking for permission…
Audio 4.2: Janice Fialka Janice, the mother of two children, including Micah who has intellectual disabilities, talks about her experiences with teachers sometimes only focusing on the disability and not the whole child (running time: 1 min., 56 sec.). View TranscriptJanice: I remember one time a teacher called, saying, I have to talk to…
Audio 4.1: Perspectives of Dr. Beth Harry Dr. Beth Harry, a professor and chair of special education at the University of Miami, discusses the importance of earning the trust of parents from diverse backgrounds through demonstrating respect for their perspectives. Dr. Harry has described the transforming impact of her daughter with special needs on her…
Audio 3.3: Barbara Hanft Barbara Hanft, a developmental consultant with degrees in occupational therapy and counseling psychology shares advice on communication. She explains the difference between talking and communicating, the importance of listening and responding with your eyes and ears, and developing empathy (running time: 2 min., 38 sec.). View TranscriptBarbara: I have three…
Audio 3.2: Vera Stroup-Rentier Vera Stroup-Rentier has worked in the field of early intervention as a teacher, family service coordinator, and program coordinator, as well as in the field of early childhood as a classroom teacher and center director. She shares advice on communication and stresses the importance of having an open mind (running time:…