Valerie R. Carter is the founder of GraceSigns, LLC, which she describes as "creating educational innovative software applications that teach sign language through story and video, focusing on disability awareness and embracing the differences of all of us." The company's first app, Sign-Me-A-Story, features her daughter Grace, who has Down syndrome. As part of an ongoing series of interviews with Enterprising Parents who have started businesses related to their children's special needs, I asked Valerie to answer some questions about how she got her business going, how it's growing, and what she'd like to share with other parents.

(May, 2013; see update below)

What inspired you to start your business?:

When Grace was younger, she had great difficulty expressing herself. Her speech was limited. I really wanted to talk to her about her day and her feelings but I couldn’t understand her. We began learning sign language together. This opened up so much communication for us because we used signing as an addition to speech and because Grace could finally get her thoughts across. Her friends and classmates really wanted to learn as well. I would make up stories and teach the signing in the story. They loved it. As it turned out, there was nothing like that in the marketplace anywhere. So, I decided to create it.

How did you go about creating the app?:

I wrote a story and took my idea and shopped around for programmers. I found a group of enterprising computer-oriented college students who were eager to learn and to do the work, and who had just started their own development company. They did the animation and programming for the Sign-Me-A-Story application.

I did the voice-over in a studio and the videos with my children.

Is this your full-time job?:

Creating the first Sign-Me-A-Story app, "Greenbeanies' Adventure," working with the team, getting it into the Apple store, and beginning production of the second app, "Greenbeanies II: Wild in the Woods," while continuously marketing this app has been very time-consuming but very fulfilling, so yes! This is my job now. This and being a mom. I take both jobs pretty seriously.

Do you consider your business a success?:

Financially, no! This first app is free. We hope to create a following. Each additional app will teach 11 new signs while revisiting previous signs. The idea is by following and enjoying the storyline, users will build their signing vocabulary. We plan to create nine more apps in this Greenbeanies’ series. The next apps will be a small cost. A portion of the proceeds will go to five charities (four of which are committed to special needs).

Have you had any contact from other parents commenting on your business?:

As of today, we have 65 excellent reviews on iTunes. I am not exactly sure how many of them were in the special needs community, but I know a few were.

Would you recommend that other parents do what you've done?:

Yes, it is empowering. My personal goal is to build disability awareness. People with differences have hopes and dreams and personalities and have a lot to offer our society, they need to be out in our communities, in our media, and on our computers, visible and viable.

What's the best thing about having this business?:

The challenge. The feeling that maybe Grace and I can make a small difference in this world. I would like to think that some families might learn sign language and that communication window will open up for them. I also would like to imagine that people might be able to see that we are all just people and that it is okay to be different.

The hardest?
Networking, marketing, pounding the pavement so to speak. The creative part is easy for me, this part now, is not.
What are your plans for the future of your business?

To keep the app business going. To encourage children to read and learn and be accepting of the diversity of us all. I was a children’s librarian, and I love writing so it is very exciting to imagine the continuing adventures of the Greenbeanies.

On a more personal note, how did you react when you found out your child had special needs?

Our beloved dog died on the same day that I gave birth; our family was devastated by that but yet elated by the birth of our amazing Grace. I had so many feelings at once. I was worried because they had her in NICU and I wanted her with me. I remember crying in my hospital room and the nurses thinking that I was upset because our baby had Down syndrome, but I wasn’t really upset about that, I was more traumatized by our dog dying. As my brother said, “There could not have been a worse time or a better time to lose him (the dog).” Having Grace gave me something wonderful to focus on: her!

How is Grace doing now?

She is great. We had a rough start to the year because we just moved to a new area and unfortunately, the school system and children were not very welcoming. We changed schools and she is very happy. And therefore, so am I.

Do you have other children?

I have four older stepchildren (Jamie, Melissa, Elizabeth and Robert), a 17-year-old son Jonathan, and nearly 11-year-old Grace. Jonathan did the videotaping for the app and Grace is the sign-language video demonstrator. My wonderful and very patient husband, John, is my best friend. He listens and supports me in everything I do. So I guess you could call this a family enterprise.

What does Grace think about your business?

She is very casual about it. Her photograph is part of the Positive Exposure organization traveling the world exhibit and it is featured on their website. Her photo and blog are going to be at the Smithsonian for a year as of this June. She thinks having her face out there for everyone to see is just the way it is.

What advice would you give to other parents about raising a child with special needs?

Be optimistic. Be happy. Be grateful.

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UPDATE 

In September 2014, Valerie Carter got in touch to report on some new developments for GraceSigns:

We are very excited to announce that our app development company GraceSigns is converting to a nonprofit organization through the very generous assistance of a San Francisco law firm. Our goal has always been to make sign language easier to learn and more fun for children. By becoming a nonprofit organization, we can now expand our reach of providing more apps to more children. We will continue to make our apps free and very affordable so that even more schools, parents, therapists, and children can have access to them. 

More great news is that we recently underwent a major update of our story app series Sign Me A Story! Our first two stories -- "GreenBeanies: One Cool Cat” and “GreenBeanies: Two Magical Hats" have both been enhanced with music, more sound effects, and embedded videos. The whole app experience is now more interactive and much more exciting. By teaching the signs in stories, we have found that children remember the signs more readily. In addition, studies have shown that sign language is an excellent tool for increasing speech and fluency for all kids of all abilities. While learning the signs, children also have the option of practicing their reading or having the stories read to them. We are continuously looking to improve and expand our usability and so, based on feedback from parents and teachers, we are now offering free teacher curriculum downloadable from our website at signmeastory.com/links.htm.

We aim to continue to make apps that teach sign language and reading, and as we move forward we will be looking for foundation and grant funding as well as private donations. Access to language is a human right. All children should be able to communicate, be it through words, noises, sign language, ASDs, or a combination of all of these. We are happy to help make sign language another communication tool for parents and children alike.