Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a type of developmental disability that can affect how a person behaves, communicates, interacts, and learns, and it affects each person differently. Some people on the spectrum may have advanced communication skills, while others may not speak at all. Some may live and work independently with little to no assistance, while others may need a lot of help or may be in the middle. People with ASD may also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which research shows occurs more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.
People with ASD have the same rights as people without ASD to live, work, and play in their communities of choice without barriers. They may require different levels of support to participate in their community, live independently, or take advantage of the same opportunities as their peers without disabilities. NARIC’s information specialists are often asked for information and resources related to autism spectrum disorders, their families, and service providers.
Below, you will find just a few examples of evidence-based resources produced by the NIDILRR grantee community:
- The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (VCU-RRTC-IDD) conducts research on employer practices that are associated with better employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including those with autism spectrum disorders. As part of their work, researchers at this center have created evidence-based factsheets to support people with ASD and the larger IDD community. This includes Quick Facts 5: Employment specialists’ services and benefits to businesses and people with disabilities, which explains how employment specialists support people with ASD and employers. They also created research findings videos on getting and maintaining a job, how to set up your child for employment success, and choosing competitive integrated employment.
- NARIC’s Research In Focus series features reader-friendly summaries of the latest research from the NIDILRR grantee community. The summaries below highlight NIDILRR-funded research on a variety of topics related to autism:
The NIDILRR-funded project, College Readiness Stories to Help College-Bound Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Prepare for College, is developing and evaluating the use of accessible interactive fiction (AIF) stories to provide targeted instruction and improve the college readiness skills (CRS) for college-bound students with autism. Researchers at this project will be creating AIF stories which enable students to practice key college readiness skills using any computer or mobile device with a web browser; building a service to capture the students’ progress; and measuring the acceptability and usefulness of College Readiness Stories with a cross-section of students with autism. NARIC staff are looking forward to seeing the results of this project and how the results help college-bound students with autism master CRS and increase their job opportunities and higher earning potential after graduation.
To learn more about the research study and these and other products from the NIDILRR community, contact NARIC’s information specialists.
