Students with autism are educated in a variety of settings including general education (GE) and self-contained (SC) classrooms. In GE placements, students are educated with their peers by a general education teacher. In self-contained settings, students are educated with other students who have a disability by a special education teacher. Researchers Jennifer Kurth, PhD, at…
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…
Middle school is a socially challenging time for most students, especially those with autism. With about 35 percent of middle school students with autism educated in general education settings, typically developing peers should have some knowledge of this disability. In their research study, “Middle School Students’ Knowledge of Autism,” Jonathan M. Campbell, PhD and Brian…
This How To article was originally posted on the Moms with Apps blog and is reprinted here with permission. Shannon Des Roches writes about parenting, autism, iPads and geekery at Squidalicious.com and BlogHer.com. She is a co-founder and senior editor at Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, and a driving force behind the new book by…
OAR-funded researcher Audrey Blakeley-Smith, PhD, is an assistant professor in the departments of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in developmental disabilities, most specifically autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Through funding from OAR, Dr. Blakeley-Smith is collaborating with local school districts on strategies to…
Geoff Crist is the proud parent of a beautiful, energetic, curious, daughter, Sydney (aka Beanie), 11, who was diagnosed with moderate/severe autism when she was 18 months old. He is a career firefighter and nationally registered paramedic, has worked in the 911 system for the past 16 years, and is an Indiana State-approved autism awareness…
Glenda Fuge is co-founder of Developmental Pathways for Kids, a private practice in Redwood City, Calif., where she specializes in Sensory Integration treatment and Integrated Play Groups for children with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, behavioral dysfunction and other self-regulation problems. In addition to her professional career, she served on the Commission on Disabilities for…
Sara Baillie is a certified special education teacher and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She has been working with people with autism in a variety of settings in the Chicagoland area over the past seven years, including schools, home, hospitals, and recreation groups. She is currently working towards her doctoral degree in special education…
Ernst O. VanBergeijk, PhD, MSW, is the associate dean and executive director of New York Institute of Technology Vocational Independence Program (V.I.P.). Prior to joining V.I.P., Dr. VanBergeijk was an assistant professor at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service, where he served as chairman of the college’s local institutional review board and as a…
Teaching any child safety skills is essential; but it is especially important for those with disabilities. Unfortunately, people and children with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse. While studies exist that examine safety skill interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities, few studies address the use of these interventions with children who have autism. In a…
