USA News in Review
Neuroversity: a game that will help
individuals with autism develop career
skills
Young adults with autism show
improved social function following
UCLA skills program
Redmond, Wash. — A Microsoft employee came
up with an idea of a game called ‘Neuroversity‘
that will help individuals with autism develop
career skills necessary for them to find
employment in the future.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – LOS
ANGELES: Researchers at the Semel
Institute for Neuroscience and Human
Behavior at UCLA have found that a social
skills program for high-functioning young
adults with autism spectrum disorder
significantly improved the participants’
ability to engage with their peers.
Cari Mason’s idea is just one of the many
projects being worked on by both old and new
developers alike at the annual Microsoft
Hackathon— an event where programmers
collaborate together to help complete each
other’s projects.
May Center prepares students with ASD
for adult life
Quincy, Mass. — The May Center School for
Autism and Developmental Disabilities in
Randolph, Mass. is very much aware of the
pressing issue brought about by the fact that the
rate of individuals with autism is growing
exponentially— that many of them are now
turning into adults, and that those who are
already adults are having a hard time trying to
find the means to support themselves.
It is for this reason that the school decided to
open the Todd Fournier Center for Employment
Training and Community Inclusion three years
ago.
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In the study, the largest randomized
controlled trial to show improved social
functioning in young adults with autism,
the participants’ advances continued to
be seen 16 weeks after the program’s
conclusion, and were even augmented by
other improvements such as increased
empathy and greater responsibility.