

The Headphones Stay in the Backpack
The IEP already lists them. Noise-reducing headphones. Extra time. A quiet corner for lunch. Maybe AAC. At 3:00 they are still in the backpack. Yesterday we wrote that “appears fine” is not a present level. Today is the next sentence. A support that never leaves the bag is not a support. It is a line on a PDF. Written on the IEP is not the same as used 34 CFR §300.323(d) is blunt. Each teacher and provider responsible for the IEP has to know the specific accommodations, modif

Autism Digest
Aug 255 min read


“Appears Fine” Is Not a Present Level
Monday morning, the IEP is already live. Not a draft for October. Not a file that lives in a cabinet. IDEA says each public agency must have an IEP in effect at the start of the school year, and that IEP has to be accessible to the teachers and providers who implement it. The starting GPS is not a grade, a score, or a hallway impression. It is present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. If that statement only records how the student “appears fine,” the

Autism Digest
Aug 244 min read


“We Never See That Here”: After-School Collapse
The teacher says it was a great day. The same student walks in the door and falls apart. You sit in the conference and hear “we never see that here,” and it sounds like two different kids. It is not two kids. It is not bad parenting. It is the bill for a day of holding it together. After-school collapse is school data. The two-kid problem Andrea Loewen Nair, a counselor and parenting educator, named what parents kept telling her: kids who hold it in all day and come undone on

Autism Digest
Aug 224 min read


“I Can’t” Is Information
School starts with a list. The week starts with demands.

Autism Digest
Aug 213 min read


What Never Makes the Supply List
chool starts with a list: pencils, folders, a backpack that can survive the bus. None of those items is what actually decides whether an autistic student can get through the first ten days.

Autism Digest
Aug 203 min read


Discover Eden Autism’s Princeton Lecture Series: Where Innovation Meets Compassionate Care
For more than five decades, Eden Autism has been a beacon of hope and expertise for autistic children and adults facing the most complex cognitive and behavioral challenges.

Autism Digest
Aug 192 min read


Mastering Essential Skills
I recently attended a workshop in New Orleans. The presenter was talking about experiential learning.

Autism Digest
Dec 16, 20256 min read


Easing the Transition to High School
Surprises cause fright. The best way to ease the transition to high school is to have the child visit the school before he or she enters...

Temple Grandin
Oct 16, 20242 min read


Top 10 Edutainment Websites You Need to Know
When it comes to finding websites that are both fun and educational, there are some standout options that offer engaging content

Autism Digest
Sep 26, 20242 min read


Tips for Success in Academia When You are Different
I learned a lot by reading my student evaluations of my teaching. There are two kinds of
critical evaluations.

Temple Grandin
Aug 19, 20243 min read


From Diagnosis to Dean's List
Kadin McElwain, an autistic student, reflects on his path to college.
Marta Chmielowicz
Jul 23, 20244 min read


Why The Son-Rise Program In-Person Start-Up?
The Sone-Rise training course includes immersive live teaching sessions, hands-on activities, and group discussions.

Autism Digest
Jul 11, 20243 min read


Text-Only Prompts
As an early childhood special education teacher, I've witnessed the remarkable impact of text-only prompts as an intervention for...

Autism Digest
Dec 6, 20234 min read


Destination College?
Congratulations, Parents! You have a soon-to-be high school graduate! Now what? Thinking college? If so, be prepared for a rollercoaster...

Autism Digest
Sep 29, 20228 min read


Robotic Technology Successfully Engaging Children With Autism
The Movia Robot-Assisted Instruction System Guides Children with Autism Through Interactive Games, Life Skills, Actions, and...
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Aug 20, 20223 min read
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