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Aging with Autism: Innovations for Independent Living to Address the Housing Crisis
At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, a friend came down with a particularly bad case of the virus which required emergency transport to the hospital. Laying on the gurney in the back of the ambulance she panicked as they placed the oxygen mask over her face. The EMS workers were frustrated with...
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Enhancing Communication and Accessibility: Assistive Technology for Individuals with Autism
What do a wheelchair, closed captioning on a television screen, and a visual schedule all have in common? They are part of an extensive list of products or services that enable those with disabilities to access activities of daily living. Like a wheelchair, assistive technology can provide...
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A Clinician’s Perspective on Robot-Assisted Instruction for Autistic Children
I’ve been licensed in California as a Marriage and Family Therapist for over 18 years and my career passion and good fortune has allowed me to treat children with developmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), as well as high functioning adults. Therapy is a profound...
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A Technology Safety Guide for Parents of Children With Autism
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly one in 59 children in the United States have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Caregivers of these unique children face a host of challenges, and tech safety is one of those challenges. Technology can...
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Digital Resources for Students with Autism
The digital age brings good news for teachers and parents dealing with students with autism. Today, there are more technologies than ever before to help students with speech, interaction, participation, and communication, making for more integrated classrooms and innovative therapies that help...
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Technology Makes Things Possible
For people without disabilities, technology can make things easier, but for people with cognitive disabilities, technology makes things possible. “At some point, Max’s communication by text seemed so different from the past that I called my wife and asked her, ‘Are you coaching Max when he...
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The Changing Times and Tools of Assistive Technology: One Man’s Story of College Success
Patrick Kelty is a 27-year-old adult with an autism spectrum disorder whose life was changed by multiple forms of assistive technology. From that first elementary school reading tool, his life has immensely improved. Elementary School In his elementary years, PK (as we call him) benefitted...
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Autism and Technology: A Great Benefit and a Double-Edged Sword
Individuals with autism have long had great affinity for and been involved with technology, so it is only fitting that modern technology is becoming of greater value and significance to the autism community. I am able to appreciate this both as an adult on the autism spectrum and as a long-time...
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Technology: The Silver Bullet in Education for Individuals with Autism
The advent of the iPad and iPhone and a host of other hand-held devices have transformed the way the world gathers, manages and organizes information. One device now encompasses just about everything we need to efficiently execute our lives on professional and personal levels. The same advantages...
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Smart Pens, Tablets, and Word Prediction Software: Utilizing Technology for High School and College Students
As we move through this digital age, students in high school and college are increasingly using technology as a mechanism to support learning. Technology can be used in a multitude of ways, ranging from electronic organizational systems and digital reminders to supporting more complex academic...
