Audio and video resources
We produce videos and podcasts about our research talking with our researchers and those with lived experience of Autism.
RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2024
On September 5, 2024, the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre hosted our annual showcase at La Trobe University's city campus. The event drew a diverse audience of approximately 100 attendees - including researchers, clinicians, students, local council and state government representatives, autism support organisations, Autistic people and their families.
The showcase featured a series of thought-provoking presentations delivered by a range of experts from our centre.
Our videos are hosted on Vimeo which offers captions.
The presentation slides from our speakers:
| Dr Jac den Houting | Clare Kermond | Lyndel Kennedy | Dr Melissa Gilbert |
| Kate Gore | Dr Patrick Dwyer | Dr Nancy Sadka |
Featured Media
The story of Autism research in Australia: A conversation with Emeritus Professor Cheryl Dissanayake AM
Bold Thinking Series: Autism: Disability or Ability?
Interview with Professor Margot Prior
Professor Cheryl Dissanayake talks to Margot about their career as an Autism researcher.
Supporting young people with disability exercising in gyms
Aims:
- provide an update on the GYM-SPARC project
- share information about social support strategies you can use in the gym to support people with disability
- ask for your feedback on the social support strategies and how we can disseminate this information to the wider recreation gym industry
- form a community of "gym inclusion champions".
We invite leading international and local scholars to present their research to OTARC researchers, our affiliates and the wider La Trobe community. We would like to acknowledge the generosity of our speakers and the audience for participating in the OTARC Seminar Series.
Our seminar series videos are hosted on Vimeo which offers captions.
OTARC SEMINAR SERIES 2024
The seminars cover a wide range of topics, including participation in community gyms.
Speakers: Georgia McKenzie (OTARC PhD student), Dr Jessica Revill, Victoria Newell, Professor Cheryl Dissanayake AM, Dr Ben Bailey
OTARC SEMINAR SERIES 2023
The seminars cover a wide range of topics, including sensory experiences, caregiver practices, health and wellbeing, early literacy services, coping strategies, self-regulation, and psychological support for Autistic individuals.
Speakers: Professor Alison Lane, Professor Julia Looper, Dr Brittany M. St. John, Dr Lauren Lawson, Milly Romeijn-Stout, Dr Melanie Muniandy, Associate Professor Karla Ausderau, Dr Kelsey Philpott-Robinson and Dr Rebecca Flower.
OTARC SEMINAR SERIES 2022
The seminars cover a wide range of topics related to Autism, including environmental factors, employment programs, telehealth assessment, early detection, and building neurodiversity-inclusive postsecondary campuses.
Speakers: Dr Kate Simpson, Dr Jennifer Spoor, David Tonge, Dr Elizabeth Kryszak, Dr Helen Bourke-Taylor, Dr Anoo Bhopti, Dr Beth Mozolic-Staunton, Dr Professor Sandra Jones, Mohd Syazwan Zainal, and Patrick Dwyer.
The ‘Inside the Lab’ series was filmed in 2013. Since then, language in Autism research has evolved based on feedback from the Autistic community. All new OTARC research and media content follows our Statement on Language.
Separating Autism and intellectual disability
Learn about the early supports program implemented at ASELCC, the Early Start Denver Model, and related research projects, which focus on how Autistic children learn.
Stakeholder driven research
Learn about changes in the diagnostic tools for Autism and training for the use of these tools. Presenters also discuss practices in the UK for involving stakeholders (Autism professionals, parents of Autistic children and Autistic adults) and how these drive policy and research development.
Autism in China
OTARC researchers and their Chinese partners discuss Autism diagnosis and supports in China including the use of the Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS).
Research into early interventions
A discussion of the growth and trends of research into early Autism supports.
Focus on adults
A talk about Autistic adult research and why there seems to be a lack of research in the adult space in the past.
Early Autism and Global Knowledge Transfer
A discussion of issues related to early identification and Autism diagnosis, and global knowledge and resources transfer as part of Autism Speaks' Global Autism Public Health Initiative.
Autism in children data reveals surprise
A new study has found children of ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to be diagnosed with autism. Researchers say the findings highlight the need for greater understanding of the condition, as well as more targeted care to bridge the gaps for minority communities. Dr Ifrah Abdullahi is interviewed about her latest work.
Jaidyn's story
Watch how the early detection of Autism program at OTARC has had a profound effect on the life of Jaidyn and his family.
Transforming the early detection of Autism
Mapping Autism diagnoses in Australia
Understanding the DSM-5
ASDetect is a free mobile app based on the Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) method. The app guides parents through age-appropriate assessments of social communication milestones using videos of Autistic and non-Autistic children. Parents receive:
- an on-screen result of either 'low' or 'high' likelihood of Autism
- a comprehensive formal assessment results email, which they can take to their family general practitioner.
ASDetect website Learn more about the SACS
The benefits of ASDetect
ASDetect: Early detection app for Apple and Android
The technology behind ASDetect
Understanding and facilitating learning in Autistic children
A talk about research on how Autistic children learn and how we can improve the learning outcomes using innovative support approaches.
Victorian Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre
The Centre is committed to addressing the needs of families of Autistic children at the Margot Prior Wing (MPW). The early supports program being researched at the Centre is the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).
Emotional Reactions of Autistic children
A talk about the widespread belief that Autistic people are "emotionally detached" from others to see if this view can still be maintained.
The impact of sleep quality, fatigue and social well-being on depressive symptomatology in autistic older adolescents and young adults
A discussion of sleep, fatigue and social wellbeing with Professor Amanda Richdale.
Collaborative mental health care to support adults on the Autism spectrum
A discussion of collaborative mental health care to support Autistic adults.
Autism and Suicide
Prisoner of the Mind podcast with Dr. Jessica Revill
*sign into YouTube required - age restricted content
The Suicide Response Project
Prisoner of the Mind podcast with Dr. Jessica Revill
*sign into YouTube required - age restricted content
Emotion regulation in autism
OTARC PhD Student & Autism CRC scholar Ru Ying Cai on the kind of strategies Autistic adults use to regulate their emotions.
Podcasts
"Cracking Autism’s sleep conundrum" on the Spectrum News podcast
"Sleep and Autism" with the host of a different brilliant (Aspect)
"Sleep in Autism Spectrum Disorder" on SCN2A Australia
"Sleep: it’s what’s important for Autism" on the ABC
"Sleep: it’s what’s important for Autism" on ASF Weekly Science Podcast (USA)
Other OTARC Resources
We develop and evaluate innovative approaches that enrich the lives of Autistic people.