Welcome to our April 2026 newsletter!
Bringing you disability-related research, policy, events, training, consultation, and more.
April 2026 Highlights
Autism Acceptance in April
Katie Brendli Brown, research and evaluation associate at the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI), introduces this issue’s theme.
April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time to promote increased understanding and inclusion of Autistic people. In the United States, approximately 1 in 31 children are diagnosed with autism, according to CDC data from 2022. This aligns with data using a nationally representative sample collected from YTI’s Project ATTAIN, which found an autism incidence rate of 2.73% in 2023. Each year, more and more children are diagnosed with autism, which means we will continue to see an increasing number of Autistic people enter adulthood.
Autistic people experience and perceive the world in unique ways. As a former educator, job coach, education coach, autism diagnostic assessment clinic team member, and peer mentor for Autistic children and young adults, I can attest that each Autistic person I’ve met is unique. This is why it’s important to center Autistic voices and learn from their experiences. Two YTI projects in particular integrate the perspectives of Autistic people through participatory action research: Project ATTAIN (Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative) (see below) and Navigating Pathways to STEM Careers (see Improving Interviews for Autistic Jobseekers).
Editor’s note: YTI generally uses person-first language when referring to disability. However, many in the Autism community prefer identity-first language. This newsletter issue uses a mix of person-first and identity-first language.
Employing Neurodiverse Workers
According to Neurodiversity in the Workplace, a web-based toolkit created by the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN), neurodivergent workers bring many skills and talents to the workplace. “Neurodiverse” can describe many conditions, including autism, dyslexia, and post-traumatic stress injury, to name just a few. These brain differences can influence how a person learns, interacts with others, or perceives the world. The toolkit is packed with information for employers who want to recruit, hire, retain, and advance neurodivergent workers. (EARN is housed at YTI.)
Hiring and Supporting Neurodivergent Employees
“Is there a hidden test that you’re trying to guess your way through?” says Luticha André Doucette, consultant. “You don’t really know the rules of engagement when you’re doing these types of applications,” Doucette explained in a recorded EARN webinar, as she shared her expertise about how Autistic people may experience a job application.
Available for free, Neurodiversity: Dispelling Myths, General Awareness, and How to Build a Supportive Work Environment examines how hiring and onboarding can be more welcoming for people with different types of neurodivergence, including autism.
Predicting Success: Research and Resources
Researchers at YTI’s Project ATTAIN (Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative) have identified “predictors of success” for high schoolers with autism. These experiences correlate with success in postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. Transition professionals and families can plan activities using the ATTAIN Transition Predictors of Education & Training for Youth with Autism: Checklist (PDF).
The investigation into predictors continues. ATTAIN researchers are now teaming up with community researchers who have lived experience or expertise in autism and transition. They will first develop a national survey of high school and college experiences, and life after school. After collecting the survey data, they will interview Autistic college students and recent graduates, and family members, to identify factors contributing to college success.
Let’s Get to Work Podcast
YTI faculty are partnering with the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University to conduct research as part of the Disability Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (DEP-RRTC), funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
New episodes of the DEP-RRTC’s “Let’s Get to Work” podcast are now available. The series examines the future of employment policy for people with disabilities. The first two new episodes are Disability and Employment Policy: A Conversation with Lex Frieden and The Business Case for Employing People with Disabilities – A Conversation with Beth Sirull.
Upcoming Events
Tales from the TA Line
May 5, 2026, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Free webinar from the Northeast ADA Center
Join the Northeast ADA Center’s technical assistance team to learn about commonly asked questions and tricky technical assistance requests they have received over the years. This webinar will feature a variety of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues on topics from employment, to service animals, education, effective communication, accessible websites, and more. The team will share specific cases, the questions asked, and how the team responded. It’s an opportunity to learn how to think through situations where the ADA is involved.
30,000+ New Places on DisabilityStatistics.org: Live Demo
May 11, 2026, 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET
Free webinar from the Northeast ADA Center
A project of the Northeast ADA Center, the DisabilityStatistics.org website is a free source of disability-related statistics and estimates. This session showcases new features in the 2026 site update and explains how to use them to create compelling content for use in your own presentations, documents, and other materials.
Register for DisabilityStatistics.org webinar
From Theory to Practice: How Aspiring Teachers Can Support Autistic Students’ Self-Determination
June 4, 2026, 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET
Free webinar from Project ATTAIN
Learn about the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction, which is designed increase students’ self-determination skills, and find out how pre-service teachers with Autistic students used this model in a pilot study.
YTIOnline & eCornell
Get credentials and education in disability employment at YTIOnline or advance your knowledge about disability at work as an HR professional with eCornell courses
Disability Workforce Development Center (DWDC)
DWDC provides professional development to practitioners supporting individuals with disabilities seeking competitive integrated employment.
Next Webinar Beyond the Hire: Strategies to Support Long-Term Job Retention April 28, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET | $50 | CRC credits
Work Incentive Support Center (WISC)
WISC provides training to benefits planners about government disability benefits and work incentives.
Next Webinar SSDI and Transition to Retirement: The Benefits of Aging May 18, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. ET | $20 | WIP continuing education units
eCornell Offerings for HR Professionals
Disability at Work and Neurodiversity at Work are two eCornell courses created by YTI Academic Director Susanne Bruyère. You can take these online courses independently or as part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for HR Cornell Certificate Program.
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Header image credit: Jason Koski / Cornell University