My Nonprofit Reviews

Technology for Autism Now, Inc. (TAN) is Boston based and was founded in 2009 by Marie Duggan, a lifelong resident. She is the mother of a young adult with severe autism and has worked to develop teaching methods and expand opportunities for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in her community since her own son was diagnosed at a young age. After meeting Mayor Thomas Menino, they formed a relationship that led to the creation of a special program for low-functioning students with autism in 2006, saving Boston more than $300,000 per child per year in the cost of outside placements. Mrs. Duggan has been recognized for her volunteer and advocacy efforts in Boston and Massachusetts on behalf of children with special needs. Marie's dream was to provide learners with ASD, as well as other complex communication disorders, an optimized visual support system to approach challenging tasks step-by-step and also track progress toward their individualized goals. So, she assembled a team to create the AutiKnow app.
TAN pilot tested AutiKnow during its early development in Boston Public Schools autism classrooms, in partnership with the City of Boston’s Office of New Urban Mechanics. This experiment demonstrated that teachers can integrate a new technology into an existing curriculum when provided the necessary support. AutiKnow was modified and many new features added as a result of this pilot. I was part of this project and analyzed its results. I remain in awe of Marie's selfless determination to improve the lives of persons with autism and other developmental disabilities through technology.