The beginning of the new school year is a good time to consider how you can make sure your child receives a quality education designed to help them meet challenging goals. Disability advocates across the nation are hopeful that the Supreme Courtâs decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District will bring changes that…
Giving a Voice to People with Autism: Why Is It Important?
Editorâs note: Tracy Vail will be the presenter for the Autism Society of North Carolinaâs third annual fall conference, âGiving a Voice to People with Autism,â on Sept. 21 in Greensboro. The conference will focus on developing functional social communication skills in children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are non-vocal or minimally vocal….
Easing the Transition Back to School
Easing the transition back to school…itâs that time of year again! The transition from summer to fall, more specifically from summer break to the start of the school year, can be overwhelming for everyone involved. The added stressors of back-to-school shopping, meet-and-greets with teachers, and transitioning into new schools can be challenging. We have some…
It Just Feels Good!
Human behavior is complex, no doubt. There are often layers to the reasons why people behave the way they do and those reasons may fluctuate from day-to-day based on a variety of internal or external events. Everyone engages in some behaviors (e.g., scratching a mosquito bite) just because they feel good. That is, the behavior…
NC General Assembly Adjusts State Budget
The North Carolina General Assembly wrapped up its regular short session in late June after a quick seven weeks. Short sessions focus on adjustments to the budget and passing bills that were still under consideration for both chambers the previous year. This yearâs state budget (SB 99 State Budget Adjustments) comes in at $23.9 billion….
WNC Run/Walk is âAutism Community Dayâ
Daniel Landry knows firsthand what a difference employment supports can make. Landry, a 33-year-old who is on the autism spectrum, faced some challenges at his first jobs. He was capable of doing the work but needed a different way to learn the tasks. âA lot of times the employer doesnât understand autism or why youâre…
How Behavior Can Go the Way of the Dinosaurs
Extinction is what happened to the dinosaurs, the saber-toothed tiger, and the dodo bird. But did you know behavior can undergo extinction as well? Donât worry, behavioral extinction does not involve a massive comet colliding with the Earth. Behavior is said to undergo extinction when it simply no longer produces the reinforcement it once did….