April kicks off autism acceptance month: a month to focus on a disorder that impacts every school, teacher, and an increasingly high number of families across the nation. This is a great time to look closer at what can be done to help children on the spectrum to perform at their optimal levels, while also assisting parents with great resources to help make home-life better.
Teachers today have a unique burden of needing their classrooms to be autism-friendly, all while keeping them running smoothly for every other student in the class. From flexible seating plans (check out what Edutopia has to say about this strategy) to sensory aids, like fluorescent light filters, there is a rich array of strategies, products and resources available online for educators. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we’ve compiled some of the most helpful online destinations to help you stay on the cutting edge of helping your students succeed. Check out our resource list here to get started (or continue) on your journey.
- Autism Speaks – Autism Speaks is one of the largest autism support organizations that exist today. Aside from fantastic information about autism, Autism Speaks also hosts events, runs research studies, coordinates autism walks, and works with advocacy groups. This organization helps connect families impacted by the disorder and encourages communities to come together to help the many children who are impacted. Autism Speaks is a great tool for families who have a newly diagnosed child on the spectrum, and their website even has a search function to find support in your area.
- National Autism Resources – National Autism Resources is an online store full of items specifically made for children on the spectrum. They offer all kinds of unique products and cool ideas that teachers can implement into their classrooms to help kids feel calmer and improve concentration. The products are broken down into 8 categories: sensory and OT, focus helpers, visual supports, social skills, oral motor, calming products, handwriting helpers, and academic intervention. Many of these tools can be invaluable to parents too. These products are a great resource that can easily be passed along to families who need help getting their child with ASD be more relaxed, completing homework and home-life in general.
- Organization for Autism Research – Organization for Autism Research is a great resource for teachers and school districts. The “Teachers Corner” portion of the site has great ideas on everything to do with autism and teaching, including transitioning kids on the spectrum back to school from summer break, to simply understanding the disorder. Check out this organization for tips on how you can make your school and classroom a safe place for all kids to learn and thrive.
- Autism Classroom Resources – Autism Classroom Resources is a website dedicated to schools and teachers that seeks to help make learning easier for kids on the autism spectrum. They provide tools and resources for the classroom, as well as onsite and online autism consulting. This unique program offers professional development and technical assistance to schools with students that have ASD. This program even works with school administrators to plan programs and evaluate current systems in place.
- Autism Community Store – Autism Community Store is an online mall consisting of hard-to-find autism and special needs items to make school life more doable for kids with ASD. They offer teaching aids, sensory items and awareness products that teachers may find to be invaluable.
Making school life more doable for kids on the spectrum is the goal of every good educator. Going a step even further and helping families navigate life at home for their ASD child is something you can do as well. There are other great resources that you can pass along to the families including:
- Autism Speaks – This organization has resources that identify programs, medical providers, and services located locally for families of children with ASD.
- New Jersey Department of Education – The NJ Department of Education identifies local programs and resources that can assist the families of children with ASD.
