It has always been my biggest concern – where I should bring up my kid. Currently, my son benefits from the IEP, which most U.S. public schools provide under the IDEA Act. The IEP system was enormously impressive to me, not only as a parent but as a law student. It was surprising that IEP…
In order to be an active participant in the transition planning process, your autistic teen needs to develop self-determination skills – the skills that enable individuals to speak up for what they want, what they’re interested in, and how they would like to accomplish it. Self-determination skills also allow individuals to have a strong understanding…
Twenty-one years ago, a group of parents and grandparents of autistic children founded OAR. Since then, our focus has primarily been on resources to support those families, educators, and other caregivers. As the autism community has grown and changed, so has OAR and the resources we offer the autistic community. In the past few years,…
Transition teams are critical to building effective plans for youth who are preparing to embark on their adult lives after high school. These teams are tasked with creating and implementing plans that best align with young adults’ goals, strengths, and interests. The transition process is meant to answer questions such as: What does the youth…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight applied autism research studies in 2022. These new grants, totaling $313,712, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $4.7 million since 2002. This article is the first of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. Evidence-based practices are a key way to…
It’s finally happening …You’re ready to move into your own home after months or maybe even years of planning. Having worked with many autistic young adults and their families over the years, I’m happy to share my ideas for making this important transition a smooth one. Moving to a new place, whether you will be…
My experiences of having an autistic brother aren’t anything special. I am not a saint. My parents aren’t saints. Strangers have an assumption that helping people with autism and raising a son with autism makes you an angelic, divine person. That they would never dare to do anything like that. We are ordinary people. My…
If you have weighed the pros and cons of disclosing your disability in order to obtain approved accommodations through your college’s disability office, please refer to the general steps in the process below. There may be differences in the steps at your college, but these should reflect the general or common practices. Sample scripts are…
Disability Disclosure Many Autistic individuals are provided information during their time in high school or elsewhere that encourages them to disclose their disability across college, employment, and/or social realms. However, making the decision regarding whether to disclose your disability is a deeply personal one and a choice that is yours alone. Data suggests that only…
Staying safe requires your child to develop an important set of skills and to apply them to a variety of situations throughout his life. To be successful, he is going to need your support and encouragement. In this guide, we strive to provide general information about safety topics that can help families address their unique…
