Dream Plan for Aaron: 1981 (Part 1)

Build a dream and the dream will build you. R. Schuller. What is Normalization? In 1981 when Aaron was 6 years old, my friend Debbie Wetzel and I drove to Louisville, KY to hear Wolf Wolfensberger give a presentation on “Normalization” or “Social...

Ed Roberts’ Day| “Be Extraordinary”

In my class, “Introduction to Exceptionalities,” we read an article by Paul Longmore about the social construction of disabilities. The point being that the traditional “medical paradigm” points the disability finger at the person– they...

Wretches & Jabberers Review| A Jab to the Heart

I’ve been getting questions about Facilitated Communication. In the book Far From the Tree, the author Andrew Solomon interviews Ben Lehr who uses FC. Sue Lehr, of course, is one of the pioneers who works at Syracuse University and is a role model to us all. So,...

A Quarter’s Worth of Advocacy

I am going to update some of the better articles I’ve written for my classes, parent newsletters and magazines. Hope you enjoy them. Since Aaron was young, the language has evolved. When this story took place they used the words, “mental...

Aaron Needs a Roommate

Roommate Needed in Mason, Ohio Aaron is a great guy who likes other people. He is looking for a roommate. Aaron is 38 years old. He attended Lakota Schools and is currently in the Goodwill/Easter Seals Day Program in Lebanon. Aaron likes to go for walks, ride the...