Many discussions about autistic adolescents and young adults focus on skill development. Caregivers and professionals play an important role in teaching skills like executive functioning and social interaction to promote independence. These skills, taught throughout childhood, are crucial for becoming a successful adult, so why is the transition to adulthood often so challenging? For autistic…
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Conversations continue to grow about college readiness for autistic students. It is a conversation I am eager to have because higher education choices have never been more widely available. One thing we often do not discuss is that what challenges come with college readiness apply to all learners. College students are underprepared for the college…
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Airports. They can be a sensory nightmare for many autistic individuals. From the thousands of people pushing and shoving their way to the gate and on the plane, invading one’s personal boundaries in the process, to the heightened sensory sensitivities of the loudspeaker, thousands of conversations occurring at once, and the sound of planes taking…
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OAR has awarded scholarships to 64 students for 2024, bringing the scholarship total to $1,909,500 provided to 622 autistic students since 2007. That is the highest number of scholarships OAR has ever awarded in a single year. This year, the Schwallie Family Scholarships, Hussman Scholarships, and Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color attracted 1,096 applicants,…
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Where do you work and what type of work do you do? I work at Ingles Supermarket chain in the Southeastern United States. I work in the Deli Department. I have been with Ingles for about 3 years now and I serve food from the hot bar mostly. That is my main job but I…
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Starting college can be a huge transition. For many incoming freshmen, it includes moving into a dorm room, learning new college lingo, navigating a campus, attending large classes, and staying on top of homework. Incoming freshmen might also want to join a campus club, attend a tutoring session, or visit a professor during their office…
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OAR set a goal of distributing 15,000 print and digital copies of our information resources through our Higher Education on the Spectrum campaign in the fall of 2023. We surpassed this goal by distributing a total of 17,062 resources to autistic college students, parents, and university professors and staff. These resources cover topics such as…
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The holiday season can be a fun, but sometimes stressful, time for autistic people. On one hand, the season may include quality time spent with family and friends. However, it can also be a deviation from one’s routine which may include heightened sensory sensitivities and stimuli that can make the experience uncomfortable. In this interview,…
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OAR’s fall 2023 webinar series, Autism in the Workplace, focused on practical strategies, tools, and accommodations for supporting autistic employees. If you weren’t able to make it to the live events, you can access the archived webinars on OAR’s website: Autism, Disclosure, and Workplace Accommodations: Melanie Whetzel from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) discussed workplace…
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If you’ve had the privilege of working with an autistic student in a college setting, you understand how important it is to ensure they feel welcome and included. In this blog post, we’re going to explore why creating an inclusive environment matters for our autistic students, and we’ll share some practical tips for college professors…
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