Today's site is just a post on the Special Education Law Blog, but it's so thought-provoking that I wanted to highlight it here. I wrote last week about using undesirable music for desirable outcomes, and writer Amanda Windom takes that a lot further by advocating the use of MySpace -- that fearsome online expanse where kids share information about themselves -- to bring a special-needs child some measure of social acceptance, availability and success.
Many parents forbid their child from using MySpace for fear that they will be taken advantage of by adult predators. That's particularly a concern with children whose disabilities make them gullible and trusting. But Windom argues that, with parental supervision and participation, MySpace can also give our kids an opportunity to be one of the gang, while reinforcing IEP goals.
Further, it can strengthen our bonds with our kids when we do MySpace too, creating our own profiles, befriending our kids and sending messages along with other friends and family members. Kids with disabilities can often feel socially isolated, and MySpace may be a way to make them part of an encouraging community, even if you have to construct it.
This really got me thinking this morning about whether this would be a good option for my daughter, who's having some trouble fitting in in high school and also really, really needs to gain some computer skills. Her friends do MySpace, but she's been skittish about it because I've told her only the worst stories. I'm going to look into applying Windom's suggestions to use this tool for good. Maybe you'll want to, too.