Camp Greenacres Summer Camp When Benji and Giulietta were younger, they had the opportunity to attend several different summer camps, each offering meaningful experiences that supported their growth and confidence. These camps became important spaces where they could explore new activities and feel included alongside their peers. Camp Green Acres stood out as a particularly positive experience, especially for Giulietta. She loved spending her days outdoors and moving through

School trips at MJDS have always been planned with inclusion in mind, and Benji and Giulietta have been active participants in every outing. From local excursions to trips to Montreal and Quebec City, the goal has always been for them to be fully involved alongside their classmates. Teachers, support staff, and peers worked together to make activities accessible and engaging. Classmates also played an important role in inclusion, offering help when needed and welcoming Benji

For quite some time now, Giulietta has been an active part of the Yachad program, an inclusive space where individuals build friendships, develop social skills, and participate in meaningful group activities. Yachad has truly become a community for Giulietta. Building Confidence Through Connection Each session at Yachad begins with an hour of free choice. This is one of Giulietta’s favourite parts of the evening. During this time, Giulietta is encouraged to communicate using

Because Giulietta is non-verbal, traditional resumes and interviews don’t highlight her strengths or the way she communicates. A visual resume allowed us to show her abilities in a clear and accessible way. Visual Resume We started by taking pictures and videos of Giulietta doing everyday tasks she already enjoys and is successful with, finding items at the store, placing them in the cart, matching words to products, and using her iPad to communicate. These real moments showe

Giulietta has always loved music. She lights up whenever she hears a guitar, ukulele, or piano, and she’s happiest when there’s music playing around her. Whether it’s a live band at a festival or someone strumming a tune at home, she’s completely captivated by the sounds and rhythms. Music brings her so much joy, it’s a big part of who she is. Giulietta developed a deep love for music from an early age and enjoyed listening to anyone play the guitar and her mom play the piano

Shown here is a standard example of a pre-programmed Proloquo layout. Finding Her Voice: Giulietta’s Journey to AAC Giulietta was diagnosed with verbal apraxia and received extensive speech therapy, including early intervention with the PROMPT method, but made no measurable progress. While her receptive language skills were strong, she was unable to produce verbal speech. At age five, her communication goals transitioned to focus on AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communica

Exploring Therapies: Giulietta’s Journey Giulietta's low muscle tone was present at birth. By 3 months of age, an OT was consulted, and craniosacral therapy began. Craniosacral therapy is a hands-on technique that uses light touch on the skull, spine, and sacrum to release tension and support the nervous system, potentially helping babies with developmental delays improve comfort, mobility, and overall function. Giulietta did not benefit from this approach. OT was also sought

Giulietta developed gross motor skills while building strength, confidence, and enjoyment of sports and exercise. By 6 months of age, it was clear that Giulietta, like Benji, also had gross developmental delays with evident low muscle tone. Given Benji's poor experience with traditional PT modalities until he started MEDEK®, Giulietta began MEDEK® at 6 months of age, helping her learn to sit, stand, and eventually walk by the time she was 3 years old. Like Benji, Giulietta ha

Giulietta is thriving as a valued member of the PC Express (PCX) department at Loblaws, where she helps fulfill online orders for customers. She works two hours a day on Mondays and Fridays, a schedule that allows her to combine her passion for food with meaningful work while developing independence and life skills. Journey to Employment Benji and Giulietta have long been familiar faces at Loblaws in North York, first as customers. Their early visits provided opportunities to

To support Giulietta’s communication development, we use structured modelling sessions where a support worker demonstrates how to use the iPad to communicate. These sessions give Giulietta the chance to observe, learn, and practice responding in meaningful ways. Basic Communication Modelling During everyday interactions, we model simple, functional communication without speaking out loud. We either use a separate iPad to communicate with Giulietta or use her iPad to show and

Giulietta is working on expanding her vocabulary on the iPad to include small words, connecting words, and vocabulary related to daily activities. This allows her to create more meaningful sentences across all areas of her life, at home, during social interactions, or in community settings. Identifying Vocabulary Needs A key first step is helping Giulietta recognize the vocabulary that is most meaningful to her. We guide her in locating and identifying these words on her iPad

Giulietta uses her iPad to express her thoughts, needs, and interests, and our goal is to help her use it more independently. By practicing in everyday situations, she can move beyond single words to full sentences, build confidence, and communicate more clearly with the people around her. Becoming Familiar with the iPad Layout Through Practice and Memory Games We start by helping Giulietta become familiar with the layout on her iPad, exploring the different folders she can u

Mealtime is more than just eating, it’s an opportunity for Giulietta to practice meaningful communication and express herself. Giulietta is encouraged to share details about her day, request additional food items, and form full sentences on her iPad. This approach helps Giulietta expand her communication skills, express her needs more clearly, and build independence in real-world interactions. Encouraging Mealtime Conversations Giulietta will be asked to use her iPad to share

We place a strong emphasis on personal care for Benji and Giulietta, recognizing that these routines are an important part of their daily independence and overall well-being. While they may need support to complete certain tasks, we also encourage them to take an active role and develop the skills necessary to care for themselves. Our approach balances guidance with opportunities for independence, helping Benji and Giulietta build confidence and competence in everyday routine

Giulietta will independently use her iPad to identify and select appropriate clothing items from her closet. We place a strong value on daily living responsibilities, as they provide meaningful opportunities to build independence, confidence, and practical life skills. Everyday routines allow learning to happen in a natural and purposeful way. To start the day, Giulietta is in charge of choosing her outfit, starting with the top drawer to find socks, underwear, and a bra, the

Giulietta has a natural curiosity and a genuine love for learning, especially when activities connect to her everyday experiences and favorite things. Giulietta learns best through hands-on, meaningful engagement, so we make a point to incorporate items and routines from around the house into her literacy activities. Whether she’s sorting food items by their beginning sounds, finding letters on packaging, or blending sounds using her favorite snacks, Giulietta is most motivat

Giulietta learning her letters using her laminated cards. Developing Literacy Skills Giulietta’s goal is to develop literacy skills by focusing on letter identification, both uppercase and lowercase, through engaging activities that build on her interests. Her letter identification journey incorporates learning apps, personalized materials, and real-world community experiences. The goal is to build foundational literacy skills while keeping Giulietta engaged, motivated, and e

We begin by modelling first, showing her how language is used so she can see and hear it in action. After modelling, we give her time to wait and process, allowing her the space she needs to respond without feeling rushed. As her confidence grows, we gradually reduce support by fading prompts so she can take more ownership of her communication. The goal of this process is independence, helping her use language on her own in a meaningful and confident way. Who Should Model? Al

We teach Giulietta how to communicate using Proloquo at home, modelling how to build sentences, ask questions, and express her thoughts using core words. By Creating Predictable Communication Opportunities Through consistent practice and real-life modelling, Giulietta learns how to apply these communication skills independently in other settings. The goal across all activities is to help Giulietta initiate communication on her own and use her device confidently to express her

Giulietta’s learning is shaped by her interests, turning everyday experiences—like trips to the grocery store or mall, time at the library, listening to music, exploring food, and reading books—into engaging, meaningful, and personalized opportunities. Interest-Based Learning Through Real-Life Experiences Giulietta learns best when activities connect to things she already enjoys, so we build her literacy routines around real-life experiences that feel familiar and meaningful