The Autism Training Center at Marshall University runs The College Program for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome. This program is open to students who have met the acceptance criteria for Marshall University and been accepted into this program. The College Program for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome assists participating students by offering appropriate academic, social, and independent living supports to individuals with autism spectrum disorders, so that they may have a successful college experience and learn necessary skills to enter a competitive workforce.
View the Website – The West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University.
This organization works to support people with autism and other developmental disabilities by providing information about person-centered planning throughout people’s lives as well as providing information about community housing options, training for support staff, augmentative communication devices, and assistive technologies that lead to greater independence.
View the Website – Foundation for Autism Support and Training.
This article discussed autism, sensory, behavioral, social, cognition, and neurological considerations related to physical activity and recreation programs for individuals on the spectrum. It also discussed inclusion, guidelines for exercise in general, cardiovascular exercises, strength training exercises, flexibility, balance, daily routine, and gave suggestions for different types of exercises.
View the Website – The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD): Autism and Considerations in Recreation and Physical Activity Settings.
This webpage briefly explains executive functioning – skills like organizing, planning, and paying attention – and theory of mind – being able to recognize how others think and feel and how these feelings relate to oneself. The page also describes challenges that people with autism may have with these two skills and offers steps that people with autism can take to try to minimize these challenges.
View the Website – Executive Functioning and Theory of Mind.
This web page discusses different methods of educating individuals with autism spectrum disorders, first responders, and on the spot responders on how communicate with each other during a disaster. It provides suggestions to first responders and on-the-spot responders on how to interact with people with autism and how to help them get to safety.
View the Website – Disaster Preparedness for People on the Autism Spectrum and their Supporters.
Author Stephen Shore talks about his personal experiences and gives advice to parents. He also talks about three types of dates, bullying, marriage, and how important it is to be social.
View the Website – Dating, Marriage, and Autism: A Personal Perspective.
This web page provides recommendations and explanations about issues the people with autism and other developmental disabilities may have in relationships and being intimate with other people. It provides some general recommendations to people with autism on dating, being social, and on many of the mistakes that people make when dating or trying to date someone.
View the Website – Website: Autism, Dating and Socialization.
This journal article reviews over one hundred articles on the effectiveness of behavioral and developmental interventions for people with autism in order to determine which interventions had the greatest impact on improving the lives of people with autism. They researchers found that even though the Lovaas Model may help improve the ability of people with autism to communicate when compared to attending special education, the findings overall were based on relatively short-term results and no intervention impacts all of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder. The authors recommend that all interventions for people with autism be guided by the individual’s needs and available resources.
Ospina, M. B., Seida, J. K., Clark, B., Karkhaneh, M., Hartling, L., Tjosvold, L., et al. (2008). Behavioural and developmental interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A clinical systematic review. PLoS ONE, 3(11), 1-32.
View the Article – Behavioral and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review.
This guide includes a list of outdated language-terms and phrases that should not be used and a list of respectful words that should be used. It gives guidelines about how to talk about disability.
View the Guide – National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange: Respectful Disability Language.
This fact sheet discusses obesity and being overweight. It compares statistics among adults and children with disabilities. Other topics that were included were challenges for people with disabilities, physical activity for people with disabilities and health consequences of be overweight and obese.
Download the Fact Sheet – The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDD): Overweight and Obesity Among People with Disabilities.
