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 …

Think College Model Seeds Transition Opportunities for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education

think college logo.

We are pleased to have just exhibited at SOTA 2021 where so many of the great Think College programs participated. Think College, based at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability. Cognitopia collaborates with several Think College programs including Montana State University (LIFE Scholars), Utah State …

Innovative Technology to Increase Confidence & Student Success: New Tool for Social and Emotional Learning

Example of a MyLife digital portfolio.

Amidst the minefield of potentially harmful, social media apps that have so many young people trying to simply keep up by looking cool, there are some amazing online tools that build rather than break down one’s sense of self-worth. Enter Cognitopia with its MyLife multimedia digital portfolio that transforms how students can effectively communicate their strengths, goals, and learning styles …

SOTA 2021

State of the Art Conference 2021 banner.

Cognitopia is excited to exhibit at the State of the Art 2021 (SOTA), an innovative conference focused on inclusive post secondary education for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As a company focused on tools to support self determination, we value the SOTA mission and appreciate our partnerships with SOTA-involved universities such as University of Nevada Las Vegas, University …

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 …

Innovative Training for Integrated Employment at Tennessee Rehabilitation Center

Tennesse Rehabilitation Center (TRC).

As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), innovative, new technologies are being deployed in Smyrna, Tennessee at the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center (TRC), a program of the Tennessee Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. TRC offers training for integrated employment in a wide variety of occupations, ranging from auto mechanics and detailing to certified nursing assistant (CNA) training. In two of …