With Schools Still Closed, Parents Say Children With Disabilities Are Falling Further Behind

As he watches, David Rosenblatt’s 8-year-old son Nico takes part in a virtual speech therapy session. Rosenblatt pays for this therapy out of pocket as one of the various tools the family uses to assist Nico, who has complex developmental disabilities caused by a genetic condition called Angelman Syndrome, meaning he mainly communicates using an assistive device.

A majority of Nico’s supports come through the Arlington Public School system. He attends class along children without disabilities, but has a dedicated aide to help with classwork, social interactions and personal needs. Being in that setting has been a huge boon to Nico, says Rosenblatt.

“A huge thing that Nico gets out of school is being a part of a physical community,” he says. “For him, being in a space where you can’t touch people or share things with people or get their attention, is very, very challenging.”..

https://wamu.org/story/20/09/08/schools-closed-children-disabilities/