START Resources
| Title | Description | Keywords | Format | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Barriers to Belonging: Promoting Inclusion and Relationships Through the Peer to Peer Program | From Barriers to Belonging describes Peer to Peer, a time-tested and replicable schoolwide approach for creating meaningful social opportunities and fostering a school climate that is supportive of inclusion. | Peer to Peer, Inclusion, Belonging | Research Article | |
| Girls with Autism: Book List |
This is document contains a list of books organized by age and topic and the categories of books include: younger children, older children and pre-teens, adolescents and young adults, health and puberty, sexuality, and parents. This book list provides a wide variety of information that demonstrates research and unique lived experiences of girls and women with autism. |
Girls, Masking | Document | |
| Girls with Autism: Resource List |
This resource list provides a wide variety of information that demonstrates the landscape of research and unique lived experiences of girls and women with autism. This is meant to highlight areas of strength, encourage better supports, and promote greater awareness of autism in girls. |
Girls, Masking | Document | |
| Girls with Autism: We have so much to learn |
This START Connecting Article explores how girls with autism are amazing and unique in their own ways, just like boys with autism. They have strengths and challenges, just like boys. However, their autism manifests in ways that can be quite different from boys. |
START Connecting, Girls, Masking | Article | |
| Girls with Autism We Have So Much to Learn | Girls with autism are amazing and unique in their own ways, just like boys with autism. They have strengths and challenges, just like boys. However, their autism manifests in ways that can be quite different from boys... | START Connecting | Article | |
| Inclusive Mindset |
This Inclusive Mindset Bite reminds us that true inclusion means everyone, including people with disabilities, feels a genuine sense of belonging in everyday life. An inclusive mindset values diversity, embraces neurodiversity, and recognizes that no brain type is better than another. |
Inclusion, Neurodiversity, Belonging | Bite | |
| Instruction | Foundational inclusive instructional practices are grounded in evidence-based research. We can utilize this, along with collaborative planning and student data, to create instructional environments that support all students. | Instruction, Academic Engagement, Teaching Strategies, Universal Design for Learning, Inclusive Education | Topic Page, Website | |
| Introducing Learning Bites Flexible Learning for Every Path | We are excited to introduce Learning Bites or “Bites,” which are short and focused professional learning opportunities that make it easy to grow your knowledge and skills on your own time. The Bites are a mix of videos, handouts, resources, and tools designed to support neuroaffirming and inclusive educational practices. | START Connecting | Article | |
| iQuest Begin Your Independence Quest | START is happy to introduce the iQuest, or independence Quest! The iQuest is an electronic and updated version of the Passport. The Passport was designed as a physical booklet, where teams and families identified relevant independence and self-advocacy goals by grade level and tracked them. | START Connecting | Article | |
| iQuest (Independence Quest) |
iQuest is short for independence quest—a practical and dynamic tool designed to help users identify and practice skills that lead to real-life independence at home and school. |
Independence, Goals, School, Home | Document, Slide Deck, Website | |
| iQuest Info Sheet | An Info Sheet about the iQuest, a customizable tool for identifying and practicing skills that support independence at home and school. | Independence, Self-Advocacy, Self-Determination, Goal Setting, Family-School Collaboration | Document | |
| Key Principles to Involve Peers in Advancing Inclusion and Belonging |
Creating inclusive schools begins with meaningful relationships. When students with and without disabilities have authentic opportunities to connect, learn together, and share experiences, the result is greater belonging, understanding, and growth for everyone. Involving peers is not a side effort—it is central to building communities where all students feel valued and supported. |
Peer-mediated Intervention, Inclusion, Belonging, Social Connection, Friendship | Bite | |
| Label the Need, Not the Person: Understanding Spiky Profiles in Autism |
In this Bite, you will learn how the language we use influences our understanding, expectations, and interactions with Autistic students. You will also explore the concept of spiky profiles and why functioning labels do not capture the full picture of a person’s abilities and challenges. |
Language, Spiky Profiles, Strengths | Bite | |
| Language Matters | Language Matters emphasizes the critical impact of language on perceptions and inclusivity, specifically regarding disabilities. It discusses the importance of using asset-based rather than deficit-based language, addresses the implications of ableist language, and explores the preferences between person-first and identity-first language. The page encourages thoughtful reflection and dialogue about language use to promote equity and acceptance of autistic individuals. | Language, Person-First, Identify-First, Equity, Inclusion, Perspectives | Website | |
| Learning from the Pandemic Creative Approaches to Peer to Peer | When unexpected situations arise, it creates opportunities to adjust our practices and work in new ways. Although the pandemic presented many hardships for schools, students, and staff, the challenges inspired innovation and tenacity in an attempt to persevere and maintain important connections... | START Connecting | Article | |
| Learning from the Pandemic: Creative Approaches to Peer to Peer |
This resource outlines adaptations made by Peer to Peer programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic as reported by participants in the study by Pulido et al. (2024). This resource is intended to be a tool for Peer to Peer teams to consider whether the adaptations could enhance their program and/or address current implementation challenges. |
Peer to Peer, Elementary, Secondary | Document | |
| LINKS Boxes | The LINKS Box is an all-in-one set of materials for a LINKS teacher to use with their students for an entire month. This includes connection activities, energizer activities, weekly awards, and a materials list. | Activity, Peer to Peer, LINKS | Document | |
| Literacy | Information and resources related to literacy instruction and supporting access to reading and writing for students with disabilities. | Literacy, Reading, Writing, Communication, Instruction | Topic Page, Website | |
| LRE and Belonging Practices Across the Lifespan | To create inclusive environments that foster belonging, we can no longer consider it standard practice for students, from early childhood to adulthood, to be removed from their natural settings because of a label, test scores, behavior, or ways of communicating (Taub, 2021). | START Connecting | Article | |
| Maximizing Engagement in Grade-Level Math for All Students | Research shows that when students are held to high expectations, they make greater progress in learning. In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Education recognized: "Inclusive educational practices rely on learning environments that are intentionally designed to hold high expectations for the success of each student through meaningful access to the general education curriculum and grade-level state academic standards.” | START Connecting | Article |