OAR has expanded its commitment to peer education by awarding grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects that promote autism awareness and acceptance. When non-autistic children understand autism, they develop better relationships with their autistic peers. OAR has helped educate more than 145,000 children through the Kit for Kids Peer Education Program since 2012 and…
OAR has partnered with Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA), a K-12 public cyber charter school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to create 10 videos as well as step-by-step guides for autistic job seekers and students on employment-related topics, including: Job Searching Part 1 Job Searching Part 2 Writing a Cover Letter Resume Writing Connecting with LinkedIn Preparing…
September: Back to School Webinars Supporting Paraprofessionals to Implement Functional Communication Training to Address Challenging Behavior: Practical Guidelines for Training Paraprofessionals September 16, 2021 at 2:00 PM EDT Presented by Virginia Walker, PhD, BCBA-D, and Megan Carpenter, M.Ed. Dr. Walker and Ms. Carpenter will offer practical guidelines to supervise and train paraprofessionals on how to…
In July’s How To, Juliet Hiznay, special education advocate-attorney, writes about how to deal with trauma, both its causes and symptoms. She also provided this list of resources related to trauma. Research Articles About the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study, National Center for Injury Prevent and Control, Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and…
It is estimated that as many as 70% of those on the autism spectrum experience co-occurring mental health issues. While some mental health concerns are being identified in individuals as early as preschool, many are more likely to manifest themselves during adolescence and into adulthood. The most common co-occurring mental health issues include anxiety and…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for six new applied autism research studies in 2021. These new grants, totaling $240,000, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $4.4 million since 2002. This study was entirely supported by funds raised by Team Robby. This is the last of the six previews to be…
Is your student fleeing the classroom, hiding under desks or in the bathroom, or becoming verbally or physically aggressive? This might be a trauma response known as “fight, flight, or freeze,” which is triggered by a sense of danger due to a current or past traumatic experience. That trauma may not be known to you…
Growing up as a young autistic child can bring many challenges. However, there are many new tools and technologies available to help young autistic children with their development. My autistic cousins, Lucas (9) and Ethan (6), have used technology in many ways to help develop their ability to communicate and learn. These technologies are used…
The autism assessment process can feel overwhelming to many families — particularly families whose children are just entering the special education system. Families are likely familiar with an initial diagnostic assessment, but some may be surprised to learn that assessment is not a one-time event. In fact, assessments continue throughout your child’s time in school.…
In celebration of Autism Acceptance Month this April, OAR teamed up with several experts on autism and health to deliver our Health Webinar Series. The series covered the latest research on health and healthcare for autistic youth and adults, developments in autism-specific suicide prevention tools, and attempts to address accessibility barriers in healthcare for autistic…
