This toolkit provides information about autism to school staff including teachers, administrators, bus drivers, custodial staff, lunch aides, nurses and more. It discusses the features, challenges and strengths of autism and offers tools to help create more positive interactions for all members of a school community.
View the Toolkit – Autism Speaks: School Community Tool Kit
This one-page fact sheet, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides basic information about Asperger syndrome. It identifies the signs associated with this developmental disability and also briefly addresses what parents can do if they suspect that their child has Asperger syndrome. This information is also available in Spanish.
View the Fact Sheet – CDC: Asperger Syndrome (PDF)
This brief article examines divorce rates and marital satisfaction for parents of adolescents and adults with ASDs. Findings suggest that even though parents of children with ASDs have a similar rate of divorce as parents of children without disabilities, they are more likely to divorce during the later parenting years. It also indicates that parents with higher marital satisfaction report less stress when it comes to parenting than parents in poor marital relationships.
View the Article – Marital Quality and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
This article, featured in the newsletter from the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Minnesota, discusses the importance and benefits of friendship. It also outlines four factors affecting friendship development and strategies to promote friendship between students with autism spectrum disorders and their peers.
View the Article – Impact: Best Practices in Promoting Friendship Development for Students with ASD
El Plan de estudios para la autovaloración es una herramienta desarrollada con el propósito de ayudar a las personas con autismo y otras dificultades del desarrollo a aprender más sobre este movimiento; celebrar la neurodiversidad; cultivar grupos locales de autovaloración; y, en última instancia, fortalecerse y mantener las capacidades a través de este movimiento.
View the Handbook – Plan De Estudios Para La Autovaloración
The Self-Advocacy Curriculum is a tool that is intended to help individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities learn more about the self-advocacy movement; celebrate neurodiversity; cultivate local self-advocacy groups; and ultimately, become and remain empowered through self-advocacy.
View the Handbook – A Curriculum for Self Advocates
The Premise Alert System provides a uniform tool for families in Pennsylvania to alert first responders of the specials needs of individuals in order to help them respond in the quickest and most effective way. The form (found here: http://papremisealert.com/images/form.pdf) allows individuals with autism and other special needs to notify police, ambulance, and fire department personnel about any needs or challenges that they may have in emergency situations before an emergency occurs. This website also provides Autism 101 for first responders and Law Enforcement 101 for families in order to build a greater sense of understanding and support between these two groups.
View the Website – Premise Alert System
CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, including those with disabilities, through the Universal Design for Learning. Universal Design for Learning encompasses the idea that a curriculum should provide ample opportunity for all students to learn.
CAST presents resources and tools for students, parents and educators on its website to help all groups ensure that schoolwork considers and meets the needs of all learners.
View the Website – CAST: Center for Applied Special Technology
This webpage presents information on the different options that an IEP team will have to consider when students with disabilities need to take state- or district-wide assessments. This page discusses different types of accommodations that can be offered to the student. These include accommodations in terms of test timing, scheduling, setting, presentation, and response forms. Additionally, information about what steps an IEP team needs to consider if a test is inappropriate for a student and determining appropriate alternative assessments are also offered.
View the Website – NICHCY: Accommodations in Assessment
“Friends Like You. Friends Like Me.” is an community outreach initiative of Children’s Specialized Hospital. It helps educate all children about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and offers tools to facilitate friendships among children with or without ASD. This initiative promotes the recognition of all children’s similarities and works to promote social inclusion, regardless of ability. Materials offered on this webpage include fact sheets, videos, program guides and other resources.
View the Website – Children’s Specialized Hospital: “Friends Like You. Friends Like Me.”
