ANCHORAGE, Alaska - is “returning, reflecting and redefining.” Conference Chair Heather Wheeler said special education students have lost so much the last two years due to COVID-19, and some schools being forced to close due to the virus. Like many, some special education students have struggled with remote learning, and not having access to face-to-face instruction, as well as being separated from their peers.
“Yesterday the keynote speaker was actually a woman with a disability herself. She has autism,” Wheeler said. “This morning the keynote speaker has Tourette syndrome, and they’re sharing how they have gotten to be where they are despite their disability.” “Some of the examples that we give are just ways to help coach parents to just do some simple strategies at home,” Wolf said. “... The best way is to create a supportive learning environment for your student on the spectrum in the home setting and not just the classroom.”
“Also tips on how to navigate those tricky behaviors that occur at home in everyday settings,” Wolf said. “So helping to coach behaviors that may occur with students, and their siblings, or family members.”