Editor’s note: This post contains snippets about stories, resources, and observations that the SET authors didn’t quite develop into full-blown posts over the past week. I’m hoping we can catch up with our in-boxes, but we didn’t want you, Dear Readers, to miss them. Some of them may later appear as a part (or parcel) of a full-blown post.—JohnL
Peter Schmidt published an editorial in the New York Times on 16 August 2026 in which he offered an anecdote about a community based antidote to the currently hot topic that we might call “the reading crisis.” In “This Is the Solution to America’s Literacy Crisis, and It’s a Lot of Fun,” Mr. Schmidt described a meeting in Brooklyn (NY) where participants recited, sang, repeated, and called and responded parts of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” I hope that individuals with disabilities were included among there readers!
Over on his ‘stack for 20 August 2026, Dan Willingham published a take on guidance for he conditions under which students should use artificial intelligence.Although it seems mostly appropriate for young adults in college, “Students should only use AI for things they already know how to do well: AI guardrails should protect important mental work” readers of Special Education Today will likely find it worth reading, because there’s lot of Dan’s familiar mix of thoughtful analysis and clear prose.
Innisfree Village, a community of adults who live to the west of Beautyville hard by the Blue Ridge Mountains, distributed the summer edition of Innisfree Village Voice 20 August 2026. Although it isn’t in the archives of the newsletters just yet, I suspect this recent issue will show up there in the near future. As usual, there are some wonderful photographs of residents and their gorgeous farm, trades places, activities, and more.
Over on the New York Times, Roni Caryn Rabin published “The App Bringing Disabled Daters Together: Many Dateability users said they were drawn to the app after negative experiences on mainstream platforms” on 20 August 2026. Ms. Rabin’s article provides informative views about dating as individual with disabilities, particularly about one of the technological apps that are common in contemporary life.