Dan, Carey, and Rob Tedesco

Autism Lights #156 are Dan, Carey, and Rob Tedesco.

Dan and Carey Tedesco

Rob Tedesco

The Tedesco's are from Shelton, Connecticut. Dan and Carey Tedesco are the parents of a son named Evan who has autism. Rob Tedesco is Evan's Uncle. In August, 2008 the trio founded a family business called HandHold Adpative to help provide mobile app needs for autism and special needs. Dan and Carey Tedesco and Rob Tedesco are Autism Lights because of the way in which HandHold Adaptive is meeting communication needs in the autism community.

HandHold Adpative has created several important apps that are available for the autism community. According to their website the mission of HandHoldAdaptive is to "'bridge the divide' between the special needs community and a dynamic world, by innovating technologies that make life easier for people with disabilities and their caregivers."

The following is a news story done about HandHold Adaptive's creation of the iPrompts App.

Carey Tedesco uses a mobile phone with her son Evan

HandHold Adpative has created the following Apps for mobile phones and the iPad that may be of interest to the autism community:

• Autism Track--their newest app is a journaling tool that allows caregivers of people with autism to track interventions, behaviors, and symptoms.
• iPrompts--their original app is a visual support tool that allows people with autism to communicate better. Wade Wingler of the INDATA Project with Easter Seals Crossroads in Indiana did a demonstration of iPrompts for the iPad in a video on YouTube. 

Dan Tedesco said the following about the potential importance of mobile apps to people with autism.

We believe that the autism community needs mobile apps to enable better integration in society. Managing anxieties, communication, data tracking, and ultimately real-time job coaching are all things that can be accomplished in discrete, non-stigmatizing, dynamic and adaptable ways by employing mobile devices (Rob Tedesco).

Partnerships: Handhold Adaptive has partnerships with Autism Speaks, Els for Autism, Southern Connecticut State University's Autism Center. In addition, some exciting new partnerships are being planned as well with some Ivy League schools.

Dan and Carey Tedesco came up with the ideas for their autism Apps because of needs they encountered during the every day care and education of their son Evan who has autism. Rob Tedesco writes,

Dan and Carey are inspired to create tools based on real-life needs in the household in the ordinary course of caring for Evan, who has autism, e.g., we need to track data more efficiently, so we invented Autism Track. We worked with our developers to prototype and test, and also secure grant funding. Under grants and research contracts, we work with universities to study efficacy and improve the apps.

Social Media: Dan and Carey Tedesco and HandHold Adaptive can be followed on the following social media areas:

• Facebook (iPrompts)
• Facebook (Dan Tedesco)
• YouTube (HandHold Adaptive)
• Twitter (HandHold Adaptive)
• Twitter (iPrompts)
• Twitter (Rob Tedesco)

Special thanks to Dan and Carey Tedesco and Rob Tedesco for creating a business that provides mobile technology apps that are making a difference for people with autism. We are grateful that the love they have for their son and nephew inspired them to share a resource with other parents and people with autism as well. If you liked this post you may wish to read the other Autism Light posts with the label iPad on them.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post are used with permission of the Tedesco Family.

This post went into syndication on Autisable.