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Using Storytelling as a Self-Advocacy Tool
I have always tried to advocate for myself, but I noticed from a very young age that I had difficulties doing so verbally. It takes a while for me to organize my thoughts to be able to speak, and I often say that even though my speaking and writing comes from the same brain, it seems like...
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“Putting Me in My IEP”: Encouraging Self-Advocacy in Younger Students
Parents and guardians may not know that students can participate in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meetings at any age and not just during post-secondary transition planning in high school. In describing the IEP team, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states “the...
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Putting My Lived Experience to Good Use
As an autism self-advocate, I wear many hats: writer, public speaker, advisor, educator. One of my roles is LEND Program Faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital and UMass Boston’s Institute for Community Inclusion. The LEND Program (an acronym for Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and...
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Rethinking Non-Compliance as a Skill and Promoting Self-Advocacy
Nearly all behavior analysts have come across “non-compliance” within the behavior repertoire of our consumers. Many of us have operationally defined it and targeted it for deceleration. However, how often do we stop to consider the significance of non-compliance? Can non-compliance be...
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Starting with AHRC NYC Program, Student with Autism Earns Bachelor’s from Hunter College: A First for Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program
Sam Wilkinson always knew he would go to college. However, he recalled having some doubts after enrolling in AHRC New York City’s Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MHREP) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). The program provides a fully inclusive higher education...
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Are Autistic Students Traumatized in Schools?
According to a 2017 study, “77% of autistic high school students play a very limited role or no role at all in post-secondary planning compared to 47 % of students with intellectual disabilities and 27% of students with all other disabilities” (Gillespie-Lynch, K. et al., 2017). Why do so...
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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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Using IvySCIP to Guide Data-Driven Social and Emotional Learning Instruction for K-5 Autistic Students
For the past two decades, educators have placed increasing emphasis on social and emotional learning (SEL) as part of a well-rounded K-12 curriculum. Research shows that SEL plays a significant role in students’ academic success (Corcoran et al., 2018; Schonfeld et al., 2015), and contributes to...
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Student with Autism Proposes Colleges Provide More Support Enabling People with Disabilities to Earn a Degree AHRC NYC: Program Fuels Desire to Help Others Pursue Higher Education
AHRC NYC Program Fuels Desire to Help Others Pursue Higher Education Meghan Mattei models herself after pioneers such as Erin Brockovich and Temple Grandin. “I want to be a self-advocate and advocate for children and adults with disabilities,” she says. “I will fight for our...
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Accessing Accommodations and Resources to Achieve Academic Success
As students with learning differences transition into college, one of the most important things they can do to set themselves up for success is to understand how to access support, services, and accommodations in college. Whether they are at the community college or university level, students must...
