For this month’s Message, The OARacle is featuring two parents’ perspectives on what back-to-school means for their children and families. School is one of the most critical elements of future success for all children, meaning that every decision – including something as basic as selecting the right school – can be a difficult endeavor for…
For parents in the autism community, managing transitions and change seems to be a constant focus. Anticipating, preparing for, and coping with the potential unpleasantries of the unknown and the unexpected can require a lot of energy. While school typically provides a great deal of structure and predictability, each fall brings new teachers, classrooms, and…
With the recent CDC publication regarding the prevalence of autism in the United States, the debate about best practices in special education has grown more divisive. A recent NPR story by Deena Prichep highlighted the two sides, broadly speaking, of the debate: integrated classrooms (the inclusion model) or specialized schools. As the number of students with…
Earlier this week, one writer for The Guardian described the mixed emotions she felt (“Autistic adults deserve the care – and recognition – we all do,” 25 Dec 2013) when attending the graduation ceremony for her younger sister, who has an autism spectrum disorder. The writer, a typically developing young woman, uses her sister’s story as…
Ready, Set, Success: Getting Children Ready for New Schools By Lisa Savo Lisa Savo is a school social worker currently serving in Pinellas County Schools, where she has worked for the past eight years. As the social work department’s autism spectrum disorders (ASD) specialist, she works directly with the ASD Student Support & Interventions School…
Stephen Anderson, Ph.D., is the chief executive officer of Summit Educational Resources, which provides educational and therapeutic services to children with autism in Buffalo, New York. A child psychologist, Dr. Anderson is a national expert in the education and treatment of children with autism and related developmental disabilities. He has worked in the field of…
This year, OAR received more applications for the Schwallie Family Scholarship Competition than ever before. Postsecondary education is becoming a common goal for students with autism and research is beginning to pay attention to this topic. A new research study, Predictive Factors of Participation in Postsecondary Education for High School Leavers with Autism, looks at…
Lisa Savo is a school social worker currently serving in Pinellas County Schools, where she has worked for the past eight years. As the social work department’s autism spectrum disorders (ASD) specialist, she works directly with the ASD Student Support & Interventions School Team (ASSIST) providing trainings and professional development to teachers, social workers, and…
After-school activities and programs benefit the academic performance of children without disabilities. While research studies on benefits of after-school programs have not included individuals with autism, it is easy to see how beneficial after-school programs could be for not only increasing academic skills but also generalizing social skills learned in the classroom. After-school care is…
Michelle Rigler is the director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and the co-developer of the MoSAIC Program at UTC for college students on the autism spectrum. For many young adults, starting college is a tremendously exciting time, but the experience can be very different for people on…
