BrainWise, Special Needs Students and Conflict Resolution

Posted On: July 2, 2015

BrainWise board member Dan Himelspach, JD, co-founder of  Dispute Management, Inc. and an expert litigator and mediator,  saw a grant announcement from the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), in partnership with the JAMS Foundation, to fund “unique and innovative” projects that advance conflict resolution education serving blind, deaf, and special needs populations.  Dan saw that the grant was a perfect fit for BrainWise —  the 10 Wise Ways complement skills taught in conflict resolution, and many BrainWise  instructors teach special needs students.  The “tactile brain” Karyn Singley Blair, MS,  created for her blind students is an example, and other special needs sites, including the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, are teaching BrainWise.   We submitted a pre-proposal, and asked for funding to upgrade BrainWise online, develop a companion BrainWise mobile phone app, and add problem situations specific to special needs youth. Educational software provides an opportunity to teach BrainWise using  a blended learning approach that will not only enhance special needs students’ learning and retention, but will benefit all students.