By Martha R. Leary and Anne M. Donnellan
By Diego M Pena
By Naoki Higashida
By Barry M Prizant
Learn more about the research and the autistic voices who inform what we do. Feel free to hangout in the library , read, research, or even check out books and movies to view at home.
Categories of materials include:
Non speaking authors
Trauma
NMT/neuroscience research
RPM resources
Special education law
IEPs
Parenting Advocacy
This is one of the fun words we encourage nonspeaking individuals to type as we begin their communication and regulation journey. We often start by helping them learn about the neuromotor breakdown they experience that leads to their inability to use speech (motor) or their body movements to be understood. Our clinical experiences with nonspeaking […]
Read MoreUncapping Potential is a public art installation imagined, designed, and created by nonspeaking autistic students from Optimal ACCESS/ACCESS Academy and displayed along the Rivertown Trail. The artwork features a vibrant brain, made entirely from recycled bottle caps, surrounded by four colorful flower bottle cap sculptures that extend along the trail, inviting the community into a shared experience of beauty, reflection, and inclusion.
At the center of the installation, the canvas carries a powerful message written directly into the artwork:
“My brain is strong and powerful.”, “I am capable of learning anything.”, and “I am brave, intelligent, and unique.”
These words reflect the voices and lived experiences of nonspeaking autistic individuals—affirmations that challenge outdated assumptions about intelligence, communication, and potential.
Each previously discarded bottle cap is intentionally placed, symbolizing how differences, when supported and valued, come together to create something meaningful and strong. The four flower sculptures lining the Newburgh RiverWalk Trail represent growth, connection, and possibility. Like flowers that bloom in their own time and way, our students show that learning and communication are not one-size-fits-all.
Together, the brain and flowers transform this section of the Rivertown Trail into a celebration of neurodiversity, sustainability, and community involvement. Uncapping Potential adds color and life to a shared public space while inviting reflection, conversation, and a more inclusive understanding of what it means to learn, communicate, and belong.
Uncapping Potential is designed not only to be seen, but to be experienced. Community members are invited to interact with the installation by scanning the QR code displayed on site, which connects visitors to additional information about the project and provides an opportunity to share relevant reflections, autism success stories, and photos. This interactive component allows the artwork to evolve through community participation, creating an ongoing dialogue between students, families, and the public.
Adjacent to the installation is a Free Little Library, thoughtfully curated with books written by autistic self-advocates and educational resources that help the public better understand autism through a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming lens. These books elevate authentic autistic voices and highlight the true potential of students like those at ACCESS Academy—potential that can be fully realized, or “uncapped,” when individuals are understood, respected, and supported.
Through interactive art, shared learning, and community participation, Uncapping Potential fosters connection, awareness, and a deeper appreciation for the brilliance that exists in every mind.
This project was made possible through a grant awarded by the Indiana Arts Commission, whose support helped elevate student creativity, environmental responsibility, and inclusion through public art.
Share a Selfie or picture of you or your family enjoying the art and/or reading a book from our library by an autistic author.
CommunicationFIRST – CommunicationFIRST is the only nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of the more than 5 million children and adults in the United States who, due to disability or other condition, cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood.
Communication 4 All – Communication 4 ALL recognizes that the key to changing policies and practices begins with shifting mindsets. To do so, we’re leveraging the power of film, videos, music, and inspiring personal testimonies to “move hearts and minds.” Our goal: to build awareness—and action—to ensure that nonspeakers with autism have access to the communication and education essential to living meaningful lives.
United for Communication Choice – United for Communication Choice is a grassroots effort organized by individuals with disabilities, their families, and allies to defend and protect the human, civil, and legal rights of children and adults with disabilities to choose their most effective methods of communication.
I-ASC – I-ASC is a global organization of individuals from the nonspeaking and neurodivergent community. We seek to make spelling and the relevant supports accessible to every person who is unable to use speech as a reliable means of communication, regardless of geography, age, socio-economic or educational status. Through resource, programs, education, and events, I-ASC endeavors to create a consistent foundation of standards, best practices, and data that are quickly becoming the cornerstone for expertise in the nonspeaking community.
