Introduction and Purpose

How do Autism and other social communication disorders effect the online experiences of children? What can parents and educators do to help children with such disorders have positive experiences online? It is important that parents and educators have resources to enable them to meet the online access needs of diverse students, including those with disabilities. After all, the internet is a technology  that does not seem to be going away, if fact it is a primary communication resource for some teens. Application of Universal Design principles, assistive technologies, and research-based practices can support young internet users to get the most out of the internet.

This website looks at research-based best practices to support children with and without social anxiety or communication disorders, focusing on applications to prevent cyberbullying. You will also find suggestions for teachers who work with families dealing with an Autism diagnosis or designing online content/learning experiences. This site is designed to accessible for parents and include suggestions specifically for parents who have children who suffer from social anxiety or communication disorders.

This site provides access to a parent lesson on preventing cyberbullying, tutorials on modifying computer operating systems and internet browsers to improve accessibility, and resources for evaluating websites and apps for all children, including those with disabilities.

To learn more about the research that supports the suggestions you will find here, visit the research page.