Are you aware that April is Autism Awareness Month and April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day? As a special education teacher with high school students who are on the Autism Spectrum, I am aware of the need for autism research to find innovative strategies and resources our young people need to develop to their greatest potential. The students I teach have not fallen into one size fits all. Just as they are unique individuals, their educational needs must be individualized, also. The ongoing research is what helps educators, parents, and all who are involved in their well-being support and expand the needed innovative resources in addition to the important research to find the causes of autism. Autism affects 1 in 110 children, 1 in 70 boys. Why?

Asperger’s Syndrome: Meet Taylor Morris

Here is a video blog created by a teen and her mom, Meet Taylor Morris, where Taylor lets us into her world as a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome. She’s open to questions which she and her mom will use to create their next video.

Autism Speaks: Inaugural Light It Up Blue Campaign

On the evening of April 1, Autism Speaks will mark the launch of its inaugural Light It Up Blue campaign – a unique global initiative to help raise awareness on autism as a growing public health crisis in support of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and Autism Awareness Month. Iconic landmarks around the globe – including the Empire State Building in New York City and Willis Tower in Chicago along with the CN Tower in Toronto and Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia – as well as airports, bridges, museums, concert halls, restaurants, and retail stores, are among more than 100 structures in over 16 U.S. cities and nine countries around the world that will light up in bright blue on the evening of April 1 – the first night of Autism Awareness Month and the eve of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD (Source: Autism Speaks)

Also on Thursday, April 1, a day prior to World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), executives and guests of Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism scienceand advocacy organization, will visit the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate WAAD and Autism Awareness Month.

For the third consecutive year, Autism Speaks Co-founders Suzanne and Bob Wright will ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange, joined by Duncan Niederauer, CEO of NYSE Euronext, and special guests, to highlight the day.

Additionally, NYSE Euronext markets in Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon and Paris will open or close the trading day on April 1 with executives from world autism organizations in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. Since its inception only five short years ago, Autism Speaks has made enormous strides, committing over $142.5 million to research and developing innovative new resources for families through 2014. The organization is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. In addition to funding research, Autism Speaks also supports the Autism Treatment Network, Autism Genetic Resource Exchange and several other scientific and clinical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and an award-winning “Learn the Signs” campaign with the Ad Council which has received over $210 million in donated media. Autism Speaks’ family resources include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit, a community grant program and much more. Autism Speaks has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the government’s response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to cover behavioral treatments. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 80 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org. (Source: Autism Speaks)