DNEA Resource Guides

Understanding Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities


What is Neurodiversity?

There are a lot of different terms related to neurodiversity. This resource guide defines some key terms and provides some useful tips and resources about autistic culture. 

Download the Resource Guide

Avoid Ableist Language

Potentially Ableist Terms/ Discourses and Suggested Alternatives

Download the Resource Guide

Bookclub – We’re Not Broken

We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia is about the author’s journey with autism and how society views individuals with autism.

Download the Resource Guide

Book Club- I will Die on this Hill

There is a significant divide between autistic advocates and parents of autistic children. This book unites both perspectives, exploring the rift between these communities and encouraging them to work towards a common goal.

Download the Resource Guide

Autism & Epilepsy

There are common genetic factors associated with both autism and epilepsy. This guide provides information around autism and epilepsy and outlines steps for how to support someone who is having a seizure.

Download the Resource Guide

Supporting Social Skills

The DNEA Supporting Social Skills guide highlights many effective practices to support autistic youth who want to engage more with their peers:

Download the Resource Guide

Autism and Mental Health


Trauma and Youth with Autism

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic experiences in childhood, such as witnessing violence in the home, experiencing neglect, or having a family member with a mental illness.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Creative CBT: Adapting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autism

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that can help youth manage anxiety by changing the way they think and behave.
Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Neurodiversity-Affirming Autism Evaluation 

 An autism evaluation typically includes a discussion about challenges faced by the person and their family. This guide will provide professionals with strategies to discuss these issues in a more sensitive, non-judgmental fashion. 

Download the Resource Guide 

Practice Traffic Stop


Talking to a Police Officer About My Autism

Should I tell a police officer that I have autism? It’s up to you! This guide provides information about the DNEA’s About My Autism Card and details on noting your autism on your driver’s license or identification card at the Delaware DMV.

Download the Resource Guide

What to do During a Traffic Stop or Car Crash

The police are here to help and protect us and ensure everyone follows the law. Sometime, the police will stop you while driving because of a traffic violation such as speeding, not stopping at a stop sign, or an expired registration. This resource guide lays out the steps you can follow if the police pull you over, what you should do if you are in a car crash or if your car breaks down.

Download the Resource Guide

About My Autism Card

The About My Autism card can be used to explain autism to a police officer or other first responder. It is two-sided, allowing for space to write a short personal statement explaining your autism on the back of the card. The card can be downloaded or ordered using the “Order Resource Guide” button at the top right corner of this page.

Download the Card

Introductory Evidence-Based Practices


Response Prompts

Prompting is an evidence-based practice that involves providing a child support when they are learning a new skill or behavior. There are two categories of instructional prompts: response prompts and stimulus prompts. Response prompts are delivered by an adult.

Download the Resource Guide

Stimulus Prompts

Prompting is an evidence-based practice that involves providing a child support when they are learning a new skill or behavior. There are two categories of instructional prompts: response prompts and stimulus prompts. Stimulus prompts are changes that are made to materials.

Download the Resource Guide

Social Narratives

Social narratives are short stories that use concrete text, photos, or drawings to explain situations or skills that may be confusing to the individual.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is an evidence-based practice used to increase the likelihood of a behavior or skill occurring again.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Parent/Caregiver Training

Parent/Caregiver training programs describe a wide range of interventions, including care coordination, psychoeducation, language or social development treatments, and strategies designed to address maladaptive behaviors.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Visual Supports


Visual Supports: Choice-Boards

Choice boards use pictures and/or words to show a person their options

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Visual Supports: Creating Visual Schedules

Visual schedules represent upcoming activities through the use of sequenced objects, photos, pictures, and/or text. They are a visual support that create structure and establish expectations.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Visual Supports: Environmental Labels

Environmental labels promote independence by clarifying what happens in a particular space or what is contained or located in a space 

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Visual Supports: Visual Boundaries

 Visual boundaries use materials such as tape or furniture to create structure, predictability, and expectations in different areas of a person’s environment.

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Visual Supports: Visual Task Analysis

Visual task analyses promote independence by using pictures and words to break down complex tasks into more manageable steps 

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Visual Supports: Visual Timers

Visual timers help make the abstract concept of time more concrete by showing the passage of time visually. They use pictures, colors, symbols, or numbers to show how much time is left in an activity. 

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Discipline- and Content-Specific Evidence-Based Practices


Supported Decision- Making

Supported decision-making (SDM) allows people with disabilities to get the help they may need to make choices about their personal lives, healthcare, and/or finances.

Download the Resource Guide

Understanding Supported Decision-Making in Delaware: A Guide for Community Members 

 This resource guide is tailored to professionals in diverse sectors, including banks, medical institutions, offices, and agencies. 

Download the Resource Guide

Resource for Teaching Human Sexuality

Many people with disabilities do not receive adequate sex education.

Download the Resource Guide

Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching a New Skill

These tutorials can be used to to help a professional or family member teach a person with autism a new skill or task. They highlight evidence-based instructional practices that can be used to teach new skills across multiple home and professional settings.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Most-to-Least Prompting

Most-to-Least Prompting is an evidence-based prompting strategy that systematically provides predetermined prompts from most to least intrusive by systematically fading them over time.

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Least-to-Most Prompting

Least-to-Most Prompting is an evidence-based prompting strategy that systematically provides predetermined prompts from least to most intrusive.

Download the Resource Guide (English)

Prompting and Task Analysis Glossary

This glossary is designed to support the community in understanding terms commonly associated with these practices.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)

Family Resources


Holiday

While holidays are a time of joy and celebration, they can also be difficult for youth with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this guide is to provide strategies to help de-stress during the busy holiday season.

Download the Resource Guide (English)
Versión en español de esta guía de recursos (Spanish)