Interview with the Mother and Filmmaker of a Mini-Documentary on a Larger than Life Girl with Autism
James Cox wanted to raise awareness for the special needs community by creating a mini documentary. His subject of choice was a thoughtful one: Lizzie has a heart of gold and the story of her and the amazing relationship with her warrior-for-a-cause Mom will both enlighten and uplift. Following thisContinue Reading
Using Mnemonic Devices in School for Test Taking Strategies
You might already use mnemonic techniques in your life. If you have five things to get at the grocery store: sugar, tea, apples, rice and soup, you might create and visualize STARS remember your list. In classrooms, mnemonics is a memory enhancing instructional strategy that involves teaching students to link newContinue Reading
Is Higher Education Ready to Support Students with Asperger’s Disorder? ~ Part 2
In 2013 I surveyed disability service professionals at 578 degree-granting, four-year public institutions of higher education. The survey was designed to determine the current readiness of higher education to support the academic, social and communication, and independent living needs of college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. 230 colleges participated in theContinue Reading
People with Aspergers Become Multi-Talented and Mentally Strong When They Expand Their Interests and Keep an Open Mind
Surely, anyone who has or works with Aspergers Syndrome has received encouragement of the idea that people with Aspergers and their closest acquaintances (i.e. parents and teachers) ought to discover and to nurture that ONE thing that they know or do best. Such an interest is indicated by extreme focusContinue Reading
I decided to make a painting about what it’s like to have Asperger’s Syndrome.
A couple of years ago, I was home alone while my parents were out for the day. Suddenly, I felt like painting something. At the time, I was in an Art Appreciation class and was watching The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross on YouTube, so both of those playedContinue Reading
A Parent’s Perspective on Choosing your Child with Autism Over the Judgment of Others
Many times in our lives, we come upon a fork in the road. One choice leads you down a certain path and the other choice leads you down a very different road. Finding out your child has Autism is complex enough, but eventually we all come to a similar fork in the road.Continue Reading
Autism in the Workplace: ‘Always thought you were a bit weird’
We’re often asked if individuals on the spectrum should disclose at work. While we at ASTEP have our personal views on this topic, what we do is help each individual think through their situation and come to a decision that is comfortable for them. The below blog post is oneContinue Reading
Functioning Socially and Living Independently with Aspergers
I had a lot of problems growing up because I felt socially awkward and did not fit in with my peers. My challenges mainly were with social issues. Getting along with people, reading facial expressions, and body language all seemed completely foreign to me. I was finally diagnosed with High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s SyndromeContinue Reading
7 Guideliness of Defining Characteristics of ABA
As parents, you have expectations of improving your children’s behavior. Behavior analysts, on the other hand, need to make sure improvements in behavior occur within the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) guidelines. These seven guidelines are called the defining characteristics of ABA:Continue Reading
Summer Activities for Young Adults with ASD and the Residential College Experience
Summer can be a challenging time when your teen or young adult just hangs out at home, sleeping late, watching youtube, and playing video games. OR it can be a period of growth and challenge. I am going to highlight a program I am involved with that provides a wonderfulContinue Reading
Beginning School: My Sensory Overloads
When I started school, I noticed that I did not like certain things around me. For example, the fire alarm for the monthly fire drills unnerved me to no end. The feeling that it could happen at anytime almost drove me insane. Some other problems I would have would beContinue Reading
