Community | Thinking Zebras

Community Outreach

NYCPS Special Education Advisory Council

As a Member of the Special Education Advisory Council, I have the privilege to work alongside parents, local leaders, university partners, advocates, students, and educators. It is an initiative by NYC Department Of Education to improve educational programs and services offered to children with special needs & their families.

Evidence Based Practice

As a school-based occupational therapist, I frequently work with students who have learning disabilities, and families often inquire about the effectiveness of vision therapy for their child's challenges. This service can be quite costly and typically demands significant time commitments for eye exercises. To help parents navigate this issue and raise awareness, I presented current research on vision therapy at Columbia University, proposing a collaboration between occupational therapists and vision specialists to better support struggling learners.

Research indicates that dyslexia is a language-based disorder. While vision problems can interfere with the learning process, they are not the root cause of dyslexia or other learning disabilities. Scientific evidence does not support the notion that vision therapy is an effective treatment for children with learning disabilities. However, some studies highlight two specific vision deficits—accommodative facility and convergence insufficiency—that are commonly observed in these children. Addressing these issues through vision therapy provided by an ophthalmologist can indeed benefit those affected.

I spoke at the Special Education Summit on the topic: Addressing Sensory Needs of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Classroom. I addressed educators who were looking for practical strategies to support sensory regulation and create a more inclusive classroom to contribute to Sped Summit’s month of learning and empowerment.

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I led a workshop for PS9 parents and caregivers called Everything Sensory as part of the School Leadership Team’s Parent Education Series. The session focused on how children process sensory information and how this impacts their behavior, emotions, learning, and daily routines.

We explored questions many parents have—like why a child might avoid loud places, chew on their shirt, seek constant movement, or have strong reactions to small changes. I shared practical, easy-to-use strategies to help support children at home and in the classroom, along with real-life examples to make sensory processing easier to understand.

It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with families and help them better understand the sensory needs that shape their child’s experience of the world. I’m so grateful for the thoughtful questions and engagement from the PS9 community.

A heartfelt thank you to AFA (Action for Autism National Center) for organizing my talk on the crucial and often misunderstood topic of “sensory functions and behavior” in children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. The audience included parents, professionals from within AFA and other organizations, and students training to work in special education.

Every behavior is a form of communication. Often, the sensory behaviors exhibited by children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities are misunderstood. Research shows that children on the spectrum frequently experience sensory challenges, which can significantly affect their ability to function. Distinguishing between behaviors that are sensory in nature and those that are not can be complex. As parents, educators, and caregivers, it is essential to understand and educate ourselves on how to interpret these behaviors. Only when we, as adults, are informed can we better recognize the root causes of these behaviors and offer the compassionate support these children deserve.