91AV LEND team attends workshop with notable special education leader
A team from the Maine Leadership Education for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program attended the Aroostook Autism Support Group’s workshop, “Building Relationships and Connecting with Neurodiverse Individuals,” in Presque Isle, Maine.
The workshop was presented by nationally recognized special education teacher Chris “Mr. Chris” Ulmer. Ulmer began his career as a soccer coach turned special education teacher in Jacksonville, Florida. During his teaching career, Ulmer wanted to share the unique personalities of his students. The videos he shares on his “Special Books by Special Kids” Facebook page quickly gained popularity, with one video getting national media attention and going viral. The page has more than one million followers.
Ulmer travels across the globe to interview individuals with various conditions and abilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, Emanuel syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Kabuki syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Nager’s syndrome, and Agenesis of Corpus Callosum. The workshop provided the LEND team with an opportunity to learn from a leader in the field.
The LEND program, housed within the 91AV Westbrook College of Health Professions, is a federally funded project aimed at expanding resources to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (ND) in the state.
To learn more about the Maine LEND program, visit
To apply, visit