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Foundational Strategies to Develop Independence
For individuals with a disability like autism, developing skills that foster independence is a critical part of one’s education. Yet, young adults looking to transition into adult life and their families may not know how to advance the process. Vista Life Innovations, a nonprofit along the...
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Advice for Parents with Children Entering Post-Secondary Education
The transition from high school to post-secondary education can be overwhelming. There are several different pathways to success for your loved one, including a specialized post-secondary experience for non-degree seeking students to provide them with a college campus experience, programs that...
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Effective Collaboration Models for Individuals with Complex Needs
Many students with autism require a multitude of services to aid in their success and independence within the school, home, and community environments. These services may include, but are not limited to, general and/or special education instruction, speech and language services, occupational...
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Supporting the College-Bound Autistic Student: A Need for Better Transition Planning
For autistic individuals, success in college lies in an effective transition plan that acknowledges and addresses the increased challenges they will face as college students. According to a national study, 34% of autistic students who qualified for a post-secondary education program attended such a...
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Implementing Peer Support Arrangements in Schools
Students with autism often require support in developing communication, social, and academic skills (Chan et al., 2009). One treatment approach, peer-mediated intervention (PMI), utilizes neurotypical peers to support students with autism in building these skills (Laushey & Heflin, 2000)....
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Finding the Right College for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 44 children in the United States is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) by age 8 (Maenner, Shaw, Bakian, et. al.), but as these students progress through their academic career, it is known that they are less likely to go...
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Cultivating Independence Through Technology
Is it possible to live independently with a disability? This question is often a source of concern for those with a disability like autism. However, it is important to remember that independence can look different for everyone, and technology can play a valuable role in fostering independence. At...
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Using Cell Phones to Increase Independence in the Community for Young Adults with Autism
All individuals deserve to be active members of the community in which they reside. However, independent societal participation for young people with disabilities, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who also have a secondary disability diagnosis (e.g., intellectual disability)...
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Developing Confidence and Standing Up for Myself
After I lost my mom to dementia, I had very little confidence in myself. I had no voice. People would express their opinions and I would never tell others my perspective because I had no confidence. I could not stand up for myself. If I tried, I would wind up crying instead. I let myself get...
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The Scene Cue: A Tool Delivered via Mobile Technology for Improving Independence in Direction-Following
The introduction of visual supports can often augment spoken language comprehension for learners who are minimally verbal. For example, when directing a learner to put a box into a bag, a symbolate sentence strip of “box in bag” (see Figure 1) could improve understanding assuming the learner...
