I would like to take a moment and introduce myself. My name is Judy Capra, founder of Jel Publishing. I was a Special Education Aide for four years in an elementary school District. I worked with many children who had physical disabilities and speech deficits. As a Special Education Aide it was my responsibility to take students into the general education classes. I communicated between the Special Ed Teacher and the General Ed Teacher as to the student’s needs and accommodations.
During the first four years I had the opportunity to work with a wonderful Special Ed Teacher/Speech Pathologist. She is my true mentor for the building of Jel Publishing. She always found a way for her students to be included regardless of task or disability. As I created curriculum adoptions I was inspired to reach for the stars for my students. The teacher I worked with as well as others in the department, encouraged me to go beyond the classroom. It was their positive attitude that truly inspired me!
My books are quite different than most on the market today. They ask the child specific questions and they have response cards and props for the child to relate their answer when verbal speech is too difficult. The character in the story talks to the children not at them. It praises the child for job well done. All of my books are designed for the child to be successful with each task. Through this format builds self-confidence, which is the milestone all children need to achieve their full potential. Each book also comes with props, which include the character of the story, and additional props for participation. My books are fun, educational, interactive and help inspire two-way communication. Each storybook not only tells a story but also has multiple hands on concepts
I have addressed many issues that I believed to be obstacles for these children. I have had all of books painted in watercolors. They are very soft and soothing. I found that the books that were colored in the bright vibrant colors and had detailed pages were too visually overwhelming for these children. The children always looked at the books from an angle because they could not focus directly on them. It always seemed to cause agitation instead of stimulating them. The pages are very simplistic so it is quite easy for the child to understand what each page of the story is focusing on. The pages are also bordered to help the child maintain his/her focus and not let their eyes wonder off of the page.
The books are all bound in comb binding so each page can be displayed separately. Again this is to help the child focus and understand what each page is displaying without confusion and overwhelming the child. The books are laminated and all of the pieces attach using Velcro.
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I was once asked what I believed the hardest disability was and my response has always been “not being able to help a child reach their full potential”. I was so frustrated that there were not books designed specifically for disabled children. Every child deserves the chance to learn in his/her own developmental capacity. Through Jel Publishing they will have this opportunity. I hope you find they can help your children also!