Month: September 2018

A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Receives $3.6 Million Gift to Launch Life Course Outcomes Research Initiatives The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University has received a grant of $3.6 million from an anonymous donor to launch four major initiatives of its Life Course Outcomes research program, focused on understanding and improving quality of life issues for people on the autism spectrum at all ages. This program is led by Autism Institute professor Paul Shattuck, PhD, a nationally recognized expert on these issues. Click here to read the full story  

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Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Not a term that rolls off the tongue easily but increasingly big corporations such as Microsoft and SAP have launched programs to attract candidates with ASD for roles which require certain skill sets.  ASD is the name for a range of conditions that affect the way a person sees the world, processes information and interacts with people. The term covers high-functioning autism such as Asperger’s. Under-employment is high among autistic adults. Only 14% of adults with autism held paid jobs in their communities, according to the National…

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Tech startup Daivergent connects contractors on the autism spectrum with clients in need of their skill sets. Alexis Prendergast, a Brooklyn 25-year-old who has autism spectrum disorder, is the first to admit there are skills she hasn’t mastered. “Mostly it’s social stuff. I miss some cues,” she says. Her wiring also lends unusual strengths, like an ability to focus for long stretches on tasks requiring great attention to detail. Happily, she found an employer looking for someone just like her. The full story can be found here  

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