As classrooms, organizations, and individuals around the country gear up for National Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in April, they now have access to a high-quality resource: OAR’s Friendship Tip Sheets, released in December. Available online or in hard copy through our store, the tip sheets can help typical kids be understanding, supportive friends to…
It’s fun for students to learn about their classmates using the Kit for Kids peer education program. Now that fun is more easily available! For the first time, OAR’s Kit for Kids activity workbooks can be ordered as paperbacks. First created as a digital download in 2013, the activity workbooks are organized by grade levels…
When parents first learn of their child’s autism diagnosis, they may feel overwhelmed with the need to learn about the details and complexities of autism spectrum disorder. They have to not only educate themselves about the medical details, but also the range of treatment options available. Understanding a complex disorder such as autism can be…
Many of OAR’s resources are available in Spanish to support Spanish-speaking families, educators, and clinical professionals within the autism community, including: “What’s Up with Nick?” This colorful, kid-friendly booklet is the story of a new autistic student named Nick, told by one of his neurotypical classmates. The story teaches young children that autistic students may…
For many autistic people, finding and keeping a job is still a major challenge. Research suggests that over 85 percent of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, OAR is hosting a free webinar event on the topic of employment on Thursday, October 8, at 11 a.m. ET.…
The COVID-19 pandemic has led many school districts to hold classes remotely this fall. While virtual learning can be difficult for students on the autism spectrum and their parents and teachers, it also provides the opportunity to take advantage of online resources. OAR’s online educational resources can supplement virtual learning for a range of audiences:…
The transition from adolescence to young adulthood can create both anxiety and excitement for young people. For students with autism, anxiety may outweigh excitement as they may face greater challenges than their typical peers in attending college, navigating social situations, or figuring out a potential career path. To help reduce the stress and anxiety that…
People with autism are significantly more likely to interact with law enforcement officials than those without disabilities. These encounters can become tense, even dangerous, when the police officers on the scene fail to recognize the signs of autism and mishandle the situation. It happens more often than you might think. When a police officer encountered…
OAR’s 2018 webinar, Sexuality on the Spectrum: What We Know and What We Don’t Know, explains the current knowledge base around sexuality and relationships and breaks down the current best practices for parents and educators approaching these issues with young people with autism. The webinar presenters were Dr. Peter Gerhardt, the chair of OAR’s Scientific…
COVID-19 has caused all of us to adapt to a new normal. People are coping as best they can to the need to stay at home and keep a safe social distance. This new normal can be particularly difficult for families that include children with autism who are uniquely vulnerable to the disruptions caused by…
