Unequal Penalties

A new tablet, called the Feelif multimedia device, allows blind children to learn braille and geometry and play interactive learning games with their fingers. The device allows children to create drawings and write on a tablet and then feel what they've created in a 3 dimensional way.

When mother Rebecca Bonner's daughter had to seek treatment for an opioid addiction after her freshman year of high school, Bonner was worried about her daughter returning to the high school where her daughter's addiction began. After two relapses, Bonner decided to open Philadelphia's first recovery high school. There are several recovery high schools nationwide that accept sober students to help keep them in recovery.

What began as an individual project for a family adapting toys for their children with disabilities to use and communicate with has turned into a global non-profit operation. With a dedicated volunteer base and a frugal idea to make toys more accessible, those with disabilities across the world have been able to receive toys that are both fun and accessible.

People with HIV/AIDS don't always know where to go for help or don't feel empowered to return when psychiatrists or doctors seem unwelcoming. Organizations throughout Washington, D.C. are working against perception by providing comprehensive approaches to health care services.

Providing a comprehensive approach helps veterans struggling with addiction. At the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, when VA campus police who identify drug-related cases, patients are also paired with social workers and representatives of job placement programs. The benefit plan of the VA system provides a range of services, including medical care, addiction treatment, counseling, and social services such as housing or job assistance.

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down school buildings and led to many people working from home in New York City, a city child care program was launched to give children a place to go while they were learning from home. However, the program failed to accommodate children with disabilities who required the assistance of a paraprofessional. After realizing the gap in care, the city is now working to increase access.

Employment intermediaries from VšĮ SOPA act as workforce development counselors and recruiters for both employers and people with disabilities. By preparing people for jobs that fit their abilities, and then aiding in a job search, the intermediaries are able to place about half of their 100-plus clients in appropriate jobs. Common in Western Europe, where government funding enables such services, the service in Lithuania relies on private funding, which can be less stable. Jobs for people with disabilities provide self-confidence and independence.

A team of sign language interpreters across Nigeria translated into indigenous Nigerian sign language, the internationally acclaimed book “My Hero is You” which helps children, their parents and caregivers understand and answer questions about the coronavirus. With the signing of this book into an indigenous Nigerian sign language, deaf signers can now reach out to their communities. They teach them in the sign language they understand, using local words to explain how the virus came to be and how to prevent its spread and protect their communities.

The Mary Lyon School is a “full-inclusion school” designed to give students — especially those with special needs, including emotional and behavioral disabilities — the necessary resources and supports to see positive outcomes with their education. The Mary Lyon School uses community-based approaches and philosophies rooted in inclusion to stay connected with students and their families to help guide them toward their graduation day.

The School of Special Needs ensures students with disabilities have equal access to education by making attending school more accessible. Students who attend the school have their fees paid for and are also provided with helpful resources like guiding canes and special typewriters for those with vision impairments.