Supporting People with Autism for Successful Transition to Adulthood by Stephen Shore, EdD

Achieving a best outcome for a productive transition to adulthood requires intervention in three main areas:

1) behavioral/developmental/educational
2) biomedical
3) sensory integration

Addressing these three areas of intervention plus approaches focused on addressing social and self-awareness is necessary to navigate the adult arenas of employment, relationships, continuing education, interdependent living, and appropriate self-advocacy.

Stephen Shore, EdD was diagnosed as a child with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies," viewed as "too sick" to be treated on an outpatient basis and recommended for institutionalization. Nonverbal until four, and with much help from his parents, teachers, and others, Stephen completed his doctoral dissertation at Boston University focused on matching best practice to the needs of people on the autism spectrum. More recently, Dr. Shore accepted a professorship at Adelphi University teaching courses in special education and autism. Stephen is the author of the books Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Ask and Tell: Self-advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, and the critically acclaimed Understanding Autism for Dummies.