Beyond the Screen

In a world where technical education and STEM programs dominate today’s world, Catherine Wang took it upon herself to teach a class about soft skills. She founded a space where neurodiverse students could learn and practice social interaction and emotional management. She took action, creating a virtual Social Emotional Regulation class that now serves as a resource for students looking to better understand themselves and the world around them… Continue reading Beyond the Screen

REPRINT: Uniting Art and Community through FCSN Voices Graphic Artist Collaboration Project

Written by: Julia Lee, FCSN Voices Junior Editor Graphics by: Anna Wang, FCSN Voices Senior Graphic Artist In January 2024, the Graphic Artists on the FCSN Voices team launched a Digital Art Collaboration program. In this program, special needs students and graphic artists embark on a journey of artistic exploration over the course of four weeks. The resulting artwork proudly lives on the FCSN Voices … Continue reading REPRINT: Uniting Art and Community through FCSN Voices Graphic Artist Collaboration Project

Health Column Series: The Therapeutic Power of Dance for Kids on the Spectrum

A growing and diverse body of research has investigated the therapeutic benefits of dance and movement for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, consisting of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, qualitative research, and meta-analyses of multiple clinical trials and studies. Clinical trials have provided strong evidence that structured dance interventions can improve a range of developmental outcomes… Continue reading Health Column Series: The Therapeutic Power of Dance for Kids on the Spectrum

Learning to Speak Through Stories: My FCSN Voices Experience

As someone who had never considered journalism before joining FCSN Voices, becoming a youth reporter was the last thing I thought I would ever do. I have always been a quiet person—more comfortable listening to others than speaking, and more at ease expressing myself through music than through writing or conversation. Yet, interviewing people and writing articles for Voices has turned out to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done… Continue reading Learning to Speak Through Stories: My FCSN Voices Experience

Reprint: Supporting Branden Through the Self Determination Program (SDP)

FCSN’s mission is to help individuals with special needs and their families find love, hope, respect, and support through integrated community involvement. Since its start in 1996, FCSN team has always strived to fulfill its mission.  SDP (self-determination program) is a new service model that gives individuals more control and choice in selecting their own services and supports, essentially allowing them to manage their own service plan with a designated budget within the program guidelines Continue reading Reprint: Supporting Branden Through the Self Determination Program (SDP)

Parents Committee & SIGs Information

The Parents Committee was founded in July 2022. The key objectives are to support the FCSN mission—to help individuals with special needs and their families find love, hope, respect and support through integrated community involvement—and to connect FCSN families with parents who have similar interests through Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Continue reading Parents Committee & SIGs Information

Interview with Ms. Chuang: Helping Others Find Their Voice Through Speech-Language Pathology

Ming-Chen Chuang is a Speech Language Pathologist at the Santa Clara County of Education, where she provides services to students with neuroatypical development in areas of speech, language, and communication. She received her Bachelor’s degree from National Chengchi University, Taiwan, and her Master’s degrees in linguistics and Speech and Language Services from UNC Chapel Hill. First introduced to FCSN through one of her student’s parents, Chuang has since given several talks at FCSN about effective communication skills for special needs families. Continue reading Interview with Ms. Chuang: Helping Others Find Their Voice Through Speech-Language Pathology