⇒   16-17 March 2010: The National Autistic Society’s Professional Conference
Dr Dinah Murray speaks on Participation (session 5B) — see AutreachIT training for autistic service users and staff

⇒   September 2009: An interview with Jamie Knight: autism and accessible web design

⇒   May 2009: AutreachIT/MIT Voice for Everyone Project wiki launched.

⇒   April 2009: Proloquo2Go (AAC application for the iPhone/iPod Touch) launched, used by AutreachIT members and supporters.

⇒   October 2008: Autreach/ASAN video Something About Us shown at the 2008 TreeHouse Lecture, and an AutreachIT team member is one of the speakers.

⇒   more news at Autreach Network

Who We Are | Our Manifesto | Our 10 Year Vision

“Not being able to speak is not the same as not having something to say” but most people think the opposite.

To be included, empowered, and able to take a real part in decisions about their own lives, autistic people need effective ways to communicate. Legislation supports their right of access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

AutreachIT exists to promote access to ICT by

• among autistic people
• among their care providers
• among the public at large

• to autistic people
• to their care providers
• to the public at large

• for autistic people
• for their care providers
• for the public at large

In particular, AutreachIT is

• campaigning and consulting with government and regulatory authorities on codes of practice and key briefing documents for decision makers

• carrying out pilot studies of ICT provision according to the principles of CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research):
  • introducing and monitoring the use of VOCAs among non-speaking people in a small residential care setting
  • collaborating with the MIT Media Lab Affective Computing group in a proposal to develop open-source AAC technology

• developing a website or portal for use in care homes and elsewhere which
  • is accessible, customisable, and secure
  • uses free or affordable software and available consumer hardware
  • is based on an open design process encouraging 360° feedback from stakeholders

• training and familiarising autistic service users in computer use
  • training and familiarising staff in computer use
  • training autistic service users who show an aptitude in how to support staff and other service users in computer use
  • negotiating fair terms for service users providing ongoing computer support

Website access

AutreachIT is a member of the Autreach Network. Some pages on this website are public, others are available only to members of Autreach and affiliated groups with an interest in our work. For access email the site administrator or contact the AutreachIT team. Members can update the site using Backpack.