An Irish girl on the autism spectrum has given the world a gift with her version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Kayleigh Rodgers, a 10-year-old, who gave this knockout performance at Killard House School, a special needs school, in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland. Leonard Cohen died in November.…

Available in child and adolescent levels, this new social skills curriculum teaches students how to become independent problem-solvers via a hands-on and interactive approach through visual cues and supports. We offer class kits including 5 or 10 sets of Student Workbooks and Facilitator Guides to a…

There’s a new robot in town. Although it looks like any other toy robot, it is more of a companion, especially for children with Autism. Leka, the robot, encourages children with autism to develop social and motor skills by keeping them engaged and active. Leka has several apps that engage chi…

By Ron Sandison I love watching on Hulu the comedy television series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay created by Australian comedian Josh Thomas. My favorite actress on the show is Kayla Cromer who plays the autistic character Matilda. I was inspired by Kayla’s journey with autism and her unique sense of …

**NATIONAL CASTING SEARCH** TV SHOW PILOT Searching for an actress who is 18+ and on the autism spectrum for a leading role in a new Freeform television pilot. If you or someone you know fits the following description and is interested in submitting a self-taped audition, follow the instructions be…

Update 7/14/2016 I’m collecting favorite quotes about autism from some of my favorite people. Please share your own in the comments and if I like it, I may add it to the list. 1. “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism,” Dr. Stephen Shor…

Brittany is currently ranked #1 for Special Olympic female tennis players in the world and is a professional tennis player. By Ron Sandison Twenty-eight year old Brittany Tagliareni (5′2″ & 103 pounds) is a little powerhouse on the tennis court. She has won over 100 medals and beat many of the t…

Many people have jobs that require them to use their upper body skills for doing labor intensive tasks like welding, plumbing pipes, heavy lifting, etc. However, it is not easy or possible to perform these tasks for those who have lost that ability because of injuries or disabilities. Ekso Bionics, …

There is a stigma associated with the lack of eye contact in communication. We are seen as rude and/or disinterested. I find it incredibly difficult to make eye contact for a few reasons. I’m hypersensitive to sight, sound, taste and touch which affects my communication greatly as I find it very dis…

A newly developed maze comprising 37 hexagonal platforms may offer researchers an accurate measure of rodents’ ability to navigate their surroundings1. The design, which resembles a honeycomb, could help researchers better assess the animals’ spatial skills and study their hippocampus, a brain regio…

April is Autism Awareness Month: Well, for some of us every month is Autism Awareness Month. But I am all for people learning more about how ASD minds work and what programs work for ASD minds. Thursday, April 2nd, Nicole Hitchcock has organized Bay Area Autism Awareness Day. Temple Grandin and Cong…

Are there solutions out there for people with low vision to help them see things around them much more clearly than they are used to? We know there is the eSight eyewear available that captures images via a camera and displays them in screens housed in the eyewear. Although a viable solution, one bi…

I’ve never heard of bees getting bullied before. By Noushka A blog written for Bullying Prevention Month Part 1: A “how far I’ve come” list I was fragile. I am strong. I was naive. I am cynical. I was singled out. I am cherry-picked. I was hurt. I am healing. Slowly. I …

“I want my audience to look at the individual instead of being SO focused on the next big intervention or technique,” Dr. Karen Clark By Ron Sandison Q. What was your greatest challenge raising a son with autism? Funny that one of the greatest challenges in raising my son who has autism …