Dr. Jaimie Borisoff, a Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball and director of BCIT’s MAKE+ applied research group, is leading a team to compete in Cybathlon 2024 in Switzerland. This unique competition promotes the development of assistive technologies for people with disabilities. …

By Nils Skudra This week, I had the opportunity to watch After Thomas, a heartfelt 2006 film based on the true story of Kyle Graham (Andrew Byrne), a young British boy with severe autism whose close bond with his Golden Retriever enables him to develop emotional connections with his parents. The fi…

By Jeridith Lord, LCPC, BCBA What is consent? What is assent? Many of us have heard these terms used interchangeably, but they have some important differences! Generally, we can agree that both are important… but how do we assess consent and assent? Defining the Terms First things first:…

by Daniel Antonsson When people think about Autism, they might fall into the belief that Autism will stop a person from having a good life. From my own perspective being Autistic, this is far from the truth. Of course having Autism can come with special challenges and that can sometimes be tough, bu…

By Kadin McElwain Recently, SpongeBob SquarePants’ voice actor Tom Kenny revealed that SpongeBob is on the autism spectrum, calling it “his superpower”. This revelation will most likely help a lot of autistic individuals, both adults and kids, to embrace who they are by watching th…

By Martine Mussies It was a bright, sunny day, just after yet another lockdown had lifted during the COVID era. I was cycling along the bustling terraces that lined the canals of Utrecht, soaking in the lively atmosphere that had returned to the city. As I passed through the crowds, my eyes caught s…

By Ron Sandison “Eighty percent of people with autism experience depression and anxiety.” Dr. Tony Attwood After I interviewed a hundred young adults with autism while writing my fourth book Adulting on the Spectrum, I discovered one of the main hindrance to transition and independence is a hopeles…

In a world where over 1 billion people live with disabilities, the need for innovative accessibility solutions has never been greater. The EPICS in IEEE Access and Abilities Competition, held in 2023, showcased the ingenuity and compassion of engineering students worldwide as they tackled pressing a…

By Jack Pemment Should we even be sharing our voices with voice activated assistants? The thought of using my voice to request certain functions through such assistants as Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant has always struck me as weird and a bit awkward. I am not talking to them, after all, I am acti…

Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia has made history by becoming the first U.S. state park to install the RightHear Accessibility system, significantly enhancing the experience for blind and visually impaired visitors. This innovative technology allows users to access audio instructions and direct…

By Nils Skudra This weekend, I had the opportunity to watch Rescued by Ruby, a heartwarming biographical drama about Daniel O’Neil, a Rhode Island State Trooper who adopts Ruby, a hyperactive half-Border Collie, and trains her to be a K9 search and rescue dog. I felt this film was especially compel…

In the world of Paralympic sports, every moment tells a story of determination, passion, and the indomitable human spirit. From the poolside celebrations of victorious swimmers to the intense clashes on the rugby court, these Games showcase athleticism in its purest form. Take, for instance, the …

By Nahoma Presberg, MS, BCBA, NYS-LBA You probably get a lot of questions from families about different kinds of interventions, diets, supplements, experimental treatments, etc. It can be stressful to know how to answer these questions. As behavior analysts, we’re experts in behavior science and …

by John Testore The Brain s Temporal lobe and Limbic System is the space where all the Learning processes take place. Learning is the synergy between Memory, Thinking and Acting. These three skills are referred to in Psychiatry as Executive Function and are indispensable for learning. In ADHD, they…