Do2Learn

The Raleigh-based Do2learn.com announced the release of a free online resource named JobTIPS. The site is designed to provide tools for job-seekers with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). In a press release, Dorothy Strickland, who is the president of Do2learn.com and the creator of JobTIPS, says the site “aims to equip these young adults with the right resources to help them optimize their potential and at a level where employers see and appreciate the unique skills and talents they have to offer.”

According to a study published in the Archive of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in 2007, the cost of caring for an individual diagnosed with ASD is estimated to be  $3.2 million over a lifetime. This figure not only includes direct care for the diagnosed individual but also lost productivity at the workplace for both those with autism and family members who serve as caretakers. According to the CDC, North Carolina is consistent with the statistic that 1 in 110 Americans is diagnosed with autism. Of this number, over 70% are unemployed.

However, many ASD advocate groups feel that employment for these individuals goes beyond simple economics. Lettuce Work, a champion for more employment those with ASD, describes their mission as fostering independence and self-worth through employment. While not all with ASD are equally functional, the trend among advocate sites and blogs is to point out that far more of these individuals would be employable if provided with the right training and with on-the-job accommodations.

JobTIPS consists of a lot of “how-to” advice. Video and audio components are peppered throughout the texts to demonstrate various points. One video shows a young man who is making eye-contact, smiling, and nodding to an off-screen interviewer. At the end of the video, a large green check mark appears indicating correctness. A second video, on the same page, shows the “how-not-to” model with an interviewee staring off to the side of the room and by all indications appears to be ignoring the interviewer. It is evaluated with a big red “X” at the end.

Someone from outside this community may find these scenarios to be obvious. But because serious difficulty managing appropriate social interaction and communication is the hallmark of ASD, learning these basic skills are essential to these job-seekers. The common repetitive and stereotypical behaviors that often accompany this developmental disorder can be a major obstacle to getting and keeping a job.

There are four categories of employment issues addressed on JobTIPS: Determining Interests, Finding a Job, Getting a Job, and Keeping a Job. On a separate tab, there is the promise of more tips to come. Do2learn.com also offers many tools for those with special needs that are not directly related to employment.