Capital FC Creates Soccer Program for Kids and Young Adults with Disabilities

Soccer ball on a green field.

Around 18% of students in the Salem, Oregon school district have a disability. almost 1 in 5 – not a small number. Opportunities for inclusion in typical activities such as organized sports can be essential for the growth of all children and young adults. But for those with a disability, such opportunities are often lacking in many areas. Thanks to Capital …

New Video: Cognitopia MyLife Digital Portfolio Helps Tell Child’s Story

thumbnail for MyLife tools and effectiveness for autism support video.

If you are the primary caregiver for a neurodiverse child, you understand how tiring and frustrating it can be to tell their story over and over again. Cognitopia My Life Digital Portfolios make this easy. Your child might be young, an adolescent, or an adult, but you want other supporters to know your child the way you do. Whether autistic …

Get the FACTS about Transition

FACT Oregon thumbnail for 2022 Event.

We’re excited to see that FACT Oregon is conducting its Transition to Adulthood Virtual Learning Summit on January 29th. Many decisions and new opportunities face students as they engage in this transition along with their families and wider support networks. FACT Oregon, which “helps thousands of families each year navigate raising a child experiencing disability,” focuses annually on this great …

Cognitopia Fosters Independence

Person cooking and being independent in living situation.

Through Cognitopia’s long-time collaboration with Supporting Living, Learning, andEarning with Autism (SLLEA), we’ve been helping young adults with autism to be moresuccessful in learning how to live on their own, find successful employment, and pursuecollege degrees. This recently-produced video showcases how for one SLLEAparticipant, Cognitopia systematically builds independence and optimizes the efforts ofa key support staff. View this newly-released video …

Celebrating Dr. Margaret Giannini

Dr. Margaret Giannini headshot with a quote about her dedication to people with disabilities.

We here at Cognitopia mourn the passing of the first director of NIDILRR (formerly NIDRR). Margaret Giannini was a pioneer and champion for people with disabilities well before there was support or acceptance, and long after. In fact, just a week before she died she was lobbying Congress to create a federal holiday for people with disabilities. A true inspiration …

1 in 44 Children Diagnosed with Autism

5 kids sitting on a bench with "autism. earlier detection leads to opportunity" above their heads.

According to a recent report from the Centers on Disease Control (CDC) the prevalence of autism is increasing. In the year 2000, 1 in 150 children were diagnosed as having autism. In 2016 that number had risen to 1 in 54. And for the year 2020 2018, it rose yet again to 1 in 44…or about 2.3% of the population of 8-year-old children in …

Joke of the Day For Connection and Light

Amy Jordan of SLLEA displaying the Joke of the Day "Want to hear a roof joke? the first one's on the house".

Keeping things fun and light is key to dealing with life’s many twists and turns. Heck, without levity, many of us might wallow in the negative and miss the lighter side. Haling originally from Tennessee, enter Amy Jordan. Amy moved to her new home in South Eugene, Oregon back in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 had a stranglehold on …

Project Inclusion: Help Improve Courses in Special Education at the University of Oregon

Too often, the lived experience of disability is not at the forefront of undergraduate learning, but a new effort is underway at the University of Oregon with support from The Tom and Carol Williams Fund for Undergraduate Education. The project is seeking the participation of community members such as individuals experiencing disability, educators, personal support workers, and advocates. Julie HenningJulie …