You’ve read about the high school program we have in the Robison Service car complex in Springfield.  Our unique school has been profiled in news stories and on New England Public Radio. If you are a certified Massachusetts vocational teacher, or prepared to get certified, this is your chance t…

I am pleased to announce the first-ever change in the style of this blog.  I hope you find it more accessible and usable. Circus at The Big E, West Springfield, MAJohn Rando's Long Wheelbase Shadow restoration takes 1st at the RROC National MeetFlowers in the GardenOn the big stage, Big EVolcan…

“…the notion of a “neurotypical savior” who brings a severely challenged and mistreated autistic individual out of their shell would be considered offensive by many viewers today due to recognition of the success in self-advocacy and professional achievement that so many individuals on t…

Ask A BCBA is a new series where we take your questions to our favorite ABA professionals. Do you have a question for a BCBA? Email us at info@difflearn.com and you could be featured in a future post! Congratulations on passing your BACB exam!  Not only did you pass this notoriously difficu…

Growing up, did your grandma ever make you handmade apparel? Karen Bowersox took this idea for her granddaughter who has Down Syndrome to the next level. She founded the clothing line, NBZ Apparel International, which stands for No Buttons/Zipperless. The company’s specialty is jeans but th…

In 2010 HBO’s biopic Temple Grandin won five Emmys. Claire Danes won for Best Actress for her portrayal of Grandin. By Nils Skudra Among the autism-themed films that I have seen, one of the most outstanding biographical depictions is the 2010 HBO film Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes as t…

There will be triumphs and challenges along the way. You will gain and lose friends. You will question yourself constantly about who you are. It will take awhile to get acclimated with your autism, and it will not be easy. Change is good, and that’s what life is. By Leanne Libas Author’s Message: He…

I look down at my hands and they look like fragile crepe paper. There are lines all around my eyes and silver streaks of hair on my head that contrast to the dark brown that once was dominant. I am tired much of the time. I am weaker than I was before. I feel my limited time for life and I am okay w…

Business: JT FireStarters Mission: JT FireStarters is a business that is owned and operated by an adult with autism. Our mission is to provide job training for autistic adults who experience challenges in finding work in the community. We bring them rewarding and fulfilling employment opportunities.…

Acts of kindness can touch our hearts, especially when we receive blessings from strangers. One new mother, Rebekka Garvison, found that a stranger's compassionate actions transformed a potentially negative experience for her and her baby.Source: The Autism Site

By Keri Bowers and Debra Muzikar As part of the Art of Autism California Road Trip in May, The Art of Autism honored people who are unsung heroes in California. As we traveled up and down the state we had the opportunity to stop at people’s homes and their businesses. This is the second of a t…

Only eighty people in the world have been diagnosed with HSAM (Highly Superior Autographical Memory) and Becky Sharrock was the first from Australia. By Ron Sandison As a toddler Becky Sharrock screamed when cuddled. “I can remember every detail from my infant years. It felt unnatural to me to be h…

The Austrian doctor Hans Asperger cooperated extensively with the Nazi regime and may have sent dozens of children to their deaths. Horrific details of his involvement were revealed yesterday in the journal Molecular Autism and will be detailed in a forthcoming book called “Asperger’s Children: The …

Elise Robinson’s newest office mates are a ficus tree, its broad variegated leaves enjoying the light from a narrow window, and a pair of small succulents perched one above the other at the edges of bookshelves. And these are just a fraction of what Robinson has in her home in Wellesley, where an ex…