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Remote Learning: Autism Science Foundation Goes Virtual with Day of Learning Conference
We all know 2020 is a challenging year, but it’s not without its silver linings. One unexpected upside? The Autism Science Foundation’s annual Day of Learning, a TED-style science conference, went virtual this year on Sept. 22, allowing attendees to take part from all over the world. Although I...
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Utilizing Digital Media to Enable Continuity of Autism Services
For over a decade there has been an abundance of professional articles and seminars on the potential of telehealth and distance learning services. Outside of the medical world, the movement of state licensing bodies and insurance payers to permit use of telehealth services by licensed behavioral...
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Using Telehealth to Create a Virtual Community for Adults with Autism
During March 2020, many community-based programs for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) needed to make the difficult decision to suspend in-person services for the safety of all stakeholders. The unexpected interruption in daily operations led to an immediate concern for the overall quality...
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Transitioning an ABA Company to Telehealth Service Delivery Model
Working for a company that provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services, we were always tied to insurance companies’ untouchable rule: if you are not with the client face to face, you are not entitled to reimbursement and your time is not valid as service delivery. As Executive Director of...
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Strengthening Community Engagement with Vocational Training and Employment for Young Adults with Autism
We want our students with autism to be able to answer the question, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” Vocational training and employment provides a sense of belonging, improved quality of life, community inclusion, and a paycheck. Historically, however, employment rates for adults...
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How Do I Fund My Child’s Applied Behavior Analysis?
Your son/daughter has just been medically diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by their primary care physician or by a psychologist. It has been recommended that you pursue Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. ABA is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics as an...
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Strategies to Support Communication and Address Challenging Behaviors
Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities who face the greatest challenges most often have failed to acquire strategies to support communication. Most adults and children alike without verbal behavior are likely to develop a strong repertoire of challenging behavior. The young...
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Communication Modality Decisions for Individuals with ASD
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have complex needs, and their challenges include social deficits, communication difficulties, and behavioral challenges (APA, 2017). The needs of individuals with ASD necessitate the expertise of several professions, including behavior analysis and...
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Building the Skills for School Readiness
Parents get excited about school starting in the fall and all the new adventures their children will have. They also know starting school can be a shock for first-time students. Getting up early and out the door, a day of sitting still, lining up and switching activities on a schedule isn’t easy...
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Integrating ABA into Practice: Addressing the Misconceptions
The past few decades has seen drastic changes to the field of autism, at least in part due to changes in the defining characteristics/diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).1 As a result of increasingly inclusive criteria, professionals in fields such as psychiatry, medicine,...