06/04/2026
Association of University Centers on Disabilities thank you for sharing our exciting news!
The Center for Disabilities of SD LEND leaders Marni Johnson and Elizabeth Hanson are helping Special Olympics athletes feel more confident and engaged through simple but powerful visual schedules. First developed over a decade ago, these “station guides” use images, plain language, and checklists to walk athletes through hearing screenings step by step. Recently expanded across Healthy Athletes disciplines, the tools are empowering athletes, improving communication, and giving them a greater sense of autonomy at events like the 2026 SD Special Olympics Summer Games.
Learn more: https://www.aucd.org/news/lend-leaders-share-visual-schedules-with-special-olympics
ID: At a hearing screening station, Marni Johnson uses a pen to review completed steps on a red station guide (visual schedule) with an athlete seated across a table. The clipboard displays a checklist of procedures with icons and marked check boxes. The table includes a tablet, pens, a water bottle, and organized supplies, showing a structured screening setup at the South Dakota Special Olympics Summer Games in Spearfish, SD, May 2026.
