Planning for life beyond high school can be daunting for most adolescents, especially for teenagers dealing with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Often unable to express their thoughts and ideas clearly in writing, these young adults are frequently judged as less intellectually competent or creative than they truly are, and their ability to achieve a higher education and join the workforce is limited.
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) award recipient and PhD candidate Heather Brown is hoping her research will help these students to successfully pursue future opportunities.
"There's enormous diversity in brain function among individuals with autism, resulting in incredible strengths as well as deficits that are unique for each individual," Heather explains. "The key is to maximize these strengths and compensate for limitations in order to help people with ASD lead successful lives."
By studying the nature of written language difficulties in adolescents with high-functioning ASD, Heather aims to help speech-language pathologists and educators develop effective interventions for ASD students.
"This should help remove barriers, allowing for more successful participation in post-secondary options," says Heather.
Heather is grateful for those who choose to invest in education and research at Western.
"If I didn't have the support of an OGS award through The Western Fund, it would be very hard to achieve my goals. My award has allowed me to focus fully on my research and coursework."
Heather also lectures in other faculties across campus and in the community. Last year, she was a keynote co-presenter at the Community Alliance for Developmental Disabilities and Autism's "Practical Information for Real Life Issues" conference.
"Heather is one of the most driven and productive students that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting," says Heather's research supervisor, Dr. Janis Cardy. "I have every confidence that her work will make important and well-recognized contributions to the clinical and scientific community."
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