Autism Center for Education

Autism Center for Education The VCU Autism Center for Excellence (ACE) is funded by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

Self-advocacy isn't a skill that develops overnightโ€”it's a journey! ๐ŸŒŸIf you are looking for a practical way to help stud...
06/05/2026

Self-advocacy isn't a skill that develops overnightโ€”it's a journey! ๐ŸŒŸ

If you are looking for a practical way to help students with disabilities understand, participate in, and eventually lead their own IEP meetings, check out this excellent ๐™Ž๐™ฉ๐™ช๐™™๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉ ๐™๐™ช๐™—๐™ง๐™ž๐™˜ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™„๐™€๐™‹ ๐™‹๐™–๐™ง๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™˜๐™ž๐™ฅ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ค๐™ฃ from the ๐—œ'๐—บ ๐——๐—ฒ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—บ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ. It breaks down self-advocacy into clear, actionable levels to help students track their progress, build confidence, and take ownership of their future.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Download the printable rubric here:https://www.imdetermined.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Student-Rubric-for-IEP-Participation-For-Print.pdf

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The Autism Center for Education (ACE) is part of the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center () and the VCU School of Education ().

06/03/2026

โ€ผ๏ธ JOB ALERT! โ€ผ๏ธ

Join the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) Autism Center for Education (ACE) and make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals with autism across Virginia. This dynamic role blends teaching and service, offering opportunities to develop and deliver professional learning, provide statewide technical assistance, and support the implementation of evidence-based practices in schools and communities.

The position is ideal for a collaborative professional with experience in education or human services who is passionate about improving outcomes for individuals with autism. Candidates will work closely with educators, families, and statewide partners while contributing to innovative training, research, and program development in a mission-driven environment.

https://vcurrtc.org/about/jobs.cfm

As National Speech-Language-Hearing Month comes to a close, we wanted to share an exciting new resource with our ACE com...
06/01/2026

As National Speech-Language-Hearing Month comes to a close, we wanted to share an exciting new resource with our ACE community! Introducing the,

๐Ÿงญ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—–๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜€

๏ฟฝhttps://vcuautismcenter.org/documents/Communication_Compass_Combined.pdf

Communication is the foundation of independence, connection, and learning. The ACE Communication Compass provides a deep dive into eight topics to support language development. Each includes a definition and examples that illustrate its role in supporting self-determination.

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The Autism Center for Education (ACE) is part of the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center () and the VCU School of Education ().

05/29/2026

The VCU-RRTC-ACE Best Practices Walkthrough Tool: https://vcuautismcenter.org/te/administrators.cfm

Designed specifically for educators who teach and support autistic students. It helps administrators determine whether or not best practices are in place in school environments where autistic students are receiving educational and support services.

05/20/2026

It's graduation season, and the question of "whatโ€™s next" can feel a little intimidating. If you're wondering how to navigate the jump from college to the workforce, this is the session for you!

Join Pete Temple on May 21st for an inspiring webcast featuring a panel of college graduates with disabilities. Our guest speakers will share their real-life journeys of searching for and landing jobs after graduation, offering practical tips and lived experience to help you move confidently from the classroom to a career.

๐Ÿ“… When: May 21, 2026
โฐ Time: 2:00 PM โ€“ 2:45 PM ET
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Cost: FREE (Registration required)

Don't miss this chance to get the "inside scoop" on the transition to employment!

From College to Career: Navigating the Transition to the Workforce with a Disability:
๐Ÿ”— Register today: https://transition.vcurrtc.org/training/webcasts/webcastDetails.cfm/1786

05/20/2026

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month! ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธโœจ

Here at ACE, we want to highlight the incredible group of practitioners who dedicate their lives to making sure everyone has a voice and a way to communicate. ๐Ÿ’™

Want to dive deeper into Communication and Autism? Check out the link below for resources, strategies, and more!

๐Ÿ”— vcuautismcenter.org/resources/communication.cfm
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The Autism Center for Education (ACE) is part of the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center () and the VCU School of Education ().

Administrators set the tone for an inclusive and effective learning environment. Explore these resources designed to equ...
05/15/2026

Administrators set the tone for an inclusive and effective learning environment. Explore these resources designed to equip leaders as they support educators and autistic students.

๐Ÿ“ŒAdministrators Guide Online Course
๐Ÿ“ŒBest Practices Walkthrough Tool for Administrators
๐Ÿ“ŒPrintable Factsheets & Tools
๐Ÿ“ŒMore resources curated by our ACE team

๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ธ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—”๐—–๐—˜ ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฃ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜: https://padlet.com/autismcenter1/vcu-rrtc-ace-resource-board-fc8zytnq3if6k0gh
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The Autism Center for Education (ACE) is part of the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center () and the VCU School of Education ().

Learn about the defining characteristics of autism and how to effectively support students both academically and behavio...
05/11/2026

Learn about the defining characteristics of autism and how to effectively support students both academically and behaviorally in the ๐—”๐—ฑ๐—บ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—š๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฆ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐˜€ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐—”๐˜‚๐˜๐—ถ๐˜€๐—บ ๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ณ-๐—ฃ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—–๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ.

The course is designed around a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework and includes real-world examples that you can apply across various educational settings. Topics covered include:
๐Ÿ—๏ธAcademic support strategies
๐Ÿ—๏ธBehavioral intervention approaches
๐Ÿ—๏ธSupporting students across diverse learning environments

Check out this short course for Administrators TODAY: https://vcuautismcenter.org/training/agsm/login/

๐ŸSummer CoLA session 3 presenters are creating a buzz!๐ŸโญPresenters:  Daniel Irwin, M. Ed., BCBA, Training and Technical ...
05/01/2026

๐ŸSummer CoLA session 3 presenters are creating a buzz!๐Ÿ

โญPresenters: Daniel Irwin, M. Ed., BCBA, Training and Technical Assistance Associate, VCU-RRTC-ACE & Carol Schall, PhD, Associate Professor, VCU-RRTC
๐Ÿ“ขSession Title: Coaching Classroom Teachers: Evaluating Efforts for Effective Instruction

โญPresenter: Jennifer McDonough, M.S., CRC, Principal Investigator and Director, VCU-RRTC-ACE
๐Ÿ“ขSession Title: Beyond the Classroom: Partnering with Businesses

โญPresenters: Katie Cordle, Bristol VA Public Schools, Behavior/Autism Coach & Jared Rader, BVPS, VA Intermediate School Principal
๐Ÿ“ขSession Title: Building Stronger Schools Together: A Practical Student Support Team Model for Schoolwide Problem Solving

โญPresenter: Christopher Bugaj, MA CCC-SLP, Assistive Technology Specialist, Loudoun County Public Schools
๐Ÿ“ขSession Title: Coaching Communication Partners To Support AAC Implementation

๐Ÿ”—Learn more about CoLA at https://vcuautismcenter.org/ta/cola/
๐Ÿ”—Register: https://vcuautismcenter.org/registration/conference/

04/30/2026

30 Days of ACE - Day 30

Thank you for joining us during ! Be sure to check out our website vcuautismcenter.org for more information and follow us on social media for more videos, resources, and trainings.

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1314 W Main Street
Richmond, VA
23220

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