Garvin

Garvin is an 18-year-old young man with intellectual disabilities, speech & language challenges and other health issues. He was evaluated for an iPad and was shown to have success with it. Assistive technology like an iPad will help Garvin in school and in the community. The iPad he received from The Eric Fund will help him with reminders, visual reminders, cueing and note taking. Garvin has challenges keeping up with note taking due to his handwriting speed. The voice-to-text feature of the iPad will help him as he has limited ability to express himself in writing. The iPad will help Garvin with school, homework and employment exploration.

When he’s not in school, Garvin enjoys music and has had DJ gigs for the local ARC chapter and other organizations. He has also been actively involved in a program called the I’m Determined Project, a state-directed program funded by the Virginia Department of Education, that focuses on providing direct instruction, models and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior. This project facilitates youth, especially youth with disabilities, to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer their own course rather than remaining the silent passenger. Garvin’s mother said the program has been very good for him and wanted to share information about it.