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Home-Based Services as a Means to Increasing Community Engagement in Individuals with Autism
Community engagement is a broad term that is informed by an ecological perspective that one’s behavior is impacted by larger social, cultural and physical environments. Community engagement has been defined as “the process of working collaboratively with and through groups of people affiliated...
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The Importance of Community-Based Instruction for Individuals with Autism Across the Lifespan
When looking toward the future, most parents hope their children will be happy, healthy, and enjoy a satisfying quality of life. For families with a child with autism, this desire is no different. The Autism Society of America identified nine key indicators to consider for assessing and improving...
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Creating Community for Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities
Navigating the road to adulthood is rocky for many people. But for young adults on the autism spectrum, the challenge is particularly tough, particularly for creating a community for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Social isolation can pose a significant challenge for these...
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Partnering with the Community to Provide Information and Resources Related to OPWDD’s New I/DD ID Cards
By now, some of you may have heard about OPWDD’s (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) new I/DD ID cards for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities in New York State. These standardized cards are available upon request and can be a very useful tool in bridging the...
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Strategies for Increasing Social Networking and Job Readiness for Individuals with ASD Through Community Engagement
In the past, opportunities for higher education and exciting career paths within a supportive and safe environment were few and far between for individuals with ASD. These challenges to independence and barriers to employment are now shrinking. We are now able to better equip and support...
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A Small Village Becomes an Autism Supportive Community
Like many professionals who work with people on the autism spectrum, consultants from Anderson Center Consulting, a division of Anderson Center for Autism (ACA), focus on building skills that will help people be successful when engaging in their communities. Community engagement, after all, is...
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The Importance of Community Social Participation for Adults with ASD
Over the past ten years, researchers have been investigating the quality of life and overall functioning of adults with ASD (Orsmond, G.I., et al., 2013; Billstedt, E., et al., 2011; Robertson, S.M., 2010; Renty, J.O. & Roeyers, H., 2006). A consistent finding across these studies is the...
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Aspies in the City: Building a More Inclusive Community, One Person at a Time
Since I was very young, I had a fascination with people who had Autism. Although in some ways they seemed different than me, in others there were a lot of similarities. Later as an adult, it was suggested that I might have a lot in common with people who have Asperger’s Syndrome. So, one...
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Taking Learning Out of the Clinic and Into the Community
When working with youth and young adults on the autism spectrum, professionals and parents are often faced with the daunting task of teaching life skills. These skills can include grocery shopping, stranger awareness, everyday cleaning, and self-care. Youth and young adults often need to be taught...
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The Support of Adolescents and Adults with Autism in the Community – How to Establish Community and Life Skills That Will Endure
The United States is on the verge of a crisis as more than 800,000 children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) enter adulthood. Consequently, there are vastly larger numbers of adolescents and adults who need interventions and services than ever before. Unfortunately, the need...
