Homeschooling is an option for any child—even those who need special therapy and equipment. Today on Home School Heartbeat, Mike and Elizabeth Smith talk about how the Home School Foundation helps families teach their special needs children at home.
Mike Smith:
The Home School Foundation has seven different funds to meet different needs in the homeschool community. Elizabeth, tell us about the Special Needs Children’s Fund.
Elizabeth Smith:
Well, research shows that homeschooling is really beneficial for special needs children. We look at these on a case-by-case basis. Most of the time, curriculum is very expensive for special needs children, and often there is equipment that is required that many parents just can’t afford. In one case, we helped an 11-year-old boy who was blind, and we purchased a special computer to enable him to do his schoolwork—and this is the first time in his life he really had the equipment that he needed. In a Southern California family, there was a mother who had a progressive eye disease. Her son had cerebral palsy and other learning difficulties, and the husband had abandoned the family. We worked with the local support group there to meet the needs (especially in the area of curriculum) for this boy, and also to encourage the mother and encourage the mentoring that took place through that support group. So we have many, many cases that come to us; we look at each one of them and try to specifically meet the needs of individual homeschool families.
Mike:
Well, that’s great. Next time, we’ll be talking about how the Foundation helps widows continue to homeschool. And until then, I’m Mike Smith.
