Autism Awareness Month is a perfect time to foster peer acceptance and inclusion in schools. Widespread misunderstanding of autism is a common issue in schools across the country, which can in turn lead to a host of larger discriminatory issues like social isolation and even bullying. Last April, OAR released the interactive learning program, Autism…
As the introduction to OAR’s “Life Journey Through Autism: A Guide to Safety” notes, autism presents its own set of vulnerabilities for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) of all ages. In some cases, the person’s behaviors and traits may make them more susceptible to everyday safety concerns. In other cases, the characteristics of autism…
Since its introduction in April 2012, the “Kit for Kids” peer education program has reached more than 90,000 students. The goal of the “Kit for Kids,” which includes the story, “What’s up with Nick?”, is to promote autism awareness and acceptance of classmates with autism among children (grades K-8) in a non-threatening and age-appropriate manner.…
Adjusting to the unstructured freedom that comes with attending college can be difficult for anyone, but for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the college experience can be especially challenging. In addition to learning to lead independent lives juggling social and academic demands, students with ASD have limited services and accommodations to support their…
Military families face all the emotions and challenges that accompany having a child diagnosed with autism, compounded by the realities of service: war, extended family separation, frequent moves, varying access to specialized health care, and other stressors that complicate and often work against effective treatment for children with autism. To help families deal with those…
In addition to its function as a job board for those on the autism spectrum who are seeking employment, Hire Autism also houses a Resource Center to support its users. The Resource Center provides information for both job-seekers and employers. Businesses posting jobs on the site can view basic information about autism, the interview process,…
OAR publishes and provides many of its resources to support families, educators, and clinical professionals in Spanish, including bilingual booklets. Although the majority of resources in Spanish are currently only available for download, bilingual booklets can be ordered at no additional cost. This list includes all of the bilingual and Spanish resources available to individuals…
As information consumers surfing the internet, we often find ourselves inundated with programs and treatments that claim to be effective, even when there is no scientific evidence behind the claims. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) on the other hand, are interventions that have been shown to be effective based on the scientific literature. So far, the National…
“Autism and the Family: Understanding and Supporting Parents and Siblings,” by Kate Fiske, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is a new release by the W.W. Norton & Company. The publisher describes the book as useful for therapists and educators in understanding “the experiences of parents and siblings of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from the time…
In January 2015, OAR released “A Guide to Safety,” the newest installment of the “Life Journey Through Autism” series. Since then, OAR has distributed over 3,000 copies to homes, classrooms, fire and police departments, and resource libraries. Designed with families, educators, and first responders in mind, the goal is to give readers the tools and…
