With the return to school and end of summer here, people with autism and their families are navigating yet another shift in schedules and routines. In this edition of E-Speaks, we’ll get a firsthand look at how an autistic grade school teacher is using personal experience to prepare for the upcoming school year, share the benefits of virtual learning from a cyber charter school teacher and hear parents’ perspectives on in-person versus virtual learning. We also had the pleasure of speaking with professional baseball’s first openly autistic player, Tarik El Abour, who shares how he’s staying ready for a return to sports one day soon.

A day in the life of an autistic grade school teacher

Sandy Uppal shares how she’s preparing her mind and her classroom for the upcoming school year.

Parents’ perspective: How families with children on the spectrum feel about tackling back-to-school in unprecedented circumstances

We recently asked parents in the Autism Speaks community for their thoughts about the upcoming school year. Here, they share personal experiences and perspectives on in-person versus virtual learning.

How to best support students with autism in a virtual learning environment

Can virtual learning environments work for children with autism? Public cyber charter school teacher, Christa Oister, says yes.

Autism POVs: Autistic baseball player makes history

Tarik El-Abour never let his autism get in the way of chasing his dream of playing Major League Baseball, so when a global pandemic shut down the sport for months, the 28-year-old outfielder knew just what to do; work even harder. In the newest episode of our podcast, Autism POVs, hear how he continues to train every day in hopes of landing back on a minor league roster. We also share the story of Tom Ripley, chairman and CEO of Lids, a company dedicated to supporting the autism community inviting their customers to make a $3 donation to receive a limited-edition Autism Speaks hat pin, in-store now through September 28!

Let’s move together towards a kinder world

Your commitment to creating a better world for people with autism and their families never ceases to inspire us, and our community needs that commitment now more than ever. We invite you to move with us (in spirit or in person!) in support of a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential.