Development of a Transportation Skills Assessment Tool (TSAT) for Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder to Aid in Finding


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CAIT project no.: OAR-RU3363

Fiscal Year: 2010/2011

Status: Final

Rutgers-CAIT Author(s): Cecilia Feeley

External Author(s): Alyssa Kruszyna

Sponsor(s): Organization for Autism Research

Summary:

This proposal is for the development and distribution of a Transportation Skills Assessment Tool (TSAT) for individuals with the Autistic Spectrum Disorder to understand the skills necessary to ride various paratransit and community transportation services. These services include fixed route, complimentary ADA paratransit, special transportation, community transportation, employment transportation and/or Medicaid transportation. The TSAT will evaluate transportation services frequently used by individuals with disabilities for competitive and noncompetitive employment sites, education services, shopping, Medicaid/Medicare transportation, non-emergency medical appointments (including any therapies), social and recreational activities, etc. While these services are available to individuals with disabilities, they are often underutilized by individuals on the autism spectrum. Providing a tool to understand necessary skills for various transportation services offered will allow for a larger segment utilize these existing services, some of which are mandated for individuals with disabilities. The development of the tool will allow for an increase in access to transportation, which can in turn lead access to employment, housing and community life opportunities thus increasing the quality of life for individuals on the spectrum.