20 Ways for SLPs to Celebrate Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month

As SLPs, we know a good deal about autism spectrum disorders. Nevertheless, there’s always some new area to explore. Here are some ideas.

1. Learn about and from self-advocates with ASD.
2. Get inspired to learn more about video modeling and self modeling.
3. Enroll in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on Autism, like this one by Swinburne University of Technology.
4. Learn more about what makes a narrative a social story as opposed to something else by reviewing the guidelines for sentence types.
5. Take a ‘real look’ at a speech-language therapy session where the focus is coaching a family member to build play and interaction skills.
6. Learn more about the neurodiversity and the neurodiversity movement.
7. Share some of the empirical supports for AAC use.
8. Learn more about DSM 5.
9. Take a ‘real look’ at a family whose child has Down Syndrome and autism.
10. Renew your commitment to theoretically sound and empirically supported approaches.
11. Examine your vocabulary and reconsider use of terms like low functioning.
12. Share Matthew’s communication journey with PECS, core vocabulary, and SGDs.
13. Advocate for increased opportunities in supported employment.
14. Move beyond ‘autism awareness’ to ‘autism acceptance’ and help others do the same.
15. Think about supporting clients in the community
16. Take a look at some of the behavioral supports that can be embedded into SGDs, like these.
17. Get a perspective from families who experienced ASD across the generations
18. Think autism can’t be reliably detected before age 2? Explore some of the research by Dr. Amy Wetherby and her colleagues which suggests that children who don’t have a repertoire of 16 gestures by 16 months of age, they are at risk for ASD.
19. Explore some new technologies, like the app I Can Have Conversations with You, Teach Town , or watch a webinar on technology for people with ASD.
20. Help families prepare for summer by encouraging them to consider swimming lessons