The views expressed in the following presentation are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect those of STAR Institute.

Level: Introductory

Length: 1.5 hours

Timeframe for access: Once you first choose to "Launch" this course, you will have 45 days to access the content as often as you like. Your 45-day window for access will not begin until you first click the "Launch" button.

Presenters:

Kavitha Murthi, MS (OT), OTR, FHEA (UK)

Occupational Therapist

Kavitha Murthi is pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of Occupational Therapy at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She is collaborating with Counselor to the President, Dr. Kristie Patten, on a National Science Foundation (NSF) project titled “Developing Abilities and Knowledge for Careers in Design and Engineering for Students on the Autism Spectrum by Scaling Up Making Experiences.” Her research aims to investigate how interest-driven and strength-based engineering activities impact the learning and social development of autistic students. Kavitha is particularly interested in understanding how autistic adolescents interested in engineering and design engage in maker clubs to problem-solve independently using the Engineering Design Process (EDP). She is also dedicated to amplifying authentic autistic voices in her research by including her participants in the research process using a research process called Photovoice.

Kavitha collaborated with her participants indifferent stages of the research process, namely developing socially valid research questions, data collection, and data analysis. She has also authored several peer-reviewed journal articles; most notably, she co-authored practice guidelines for occupational therapy practitioners working with autistic individuals. She also has presented at several national and international conferences.

Before beginning her doctoral studies at NYU, Kavitha obtained her post-professional graduate degree in Occupational Therapy from the United Kingdom and completed her undergraduate studies in Occupational Therapy at the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in India. In the United Kingdom, she was inducted as a Fellow by the Higher Education Academy for her deep commitment to developing a culturally sensitive course for undergraduate occupational therapy students. She has extensive experience as a registered clinical pediatric occupational therapist in Mumbai and Edinburgh.

Kavitha has been invited to be a guest lecturer at NYU, Queen Margaret University (UK), and internationally. She is also invited to guest in several podcasts in her profession, like the OT Potential, Everyday Evidence by AOTA, and the OT Lifestyle movement. She also was interviewed to be a part of a documentary called ‘Finding Me in OT.’ The American Occupational Therapy Association has also invited her to be a reviewer on panels of award committees.

Additionally, she has contributed to various research projects, notably the Global Co-operation on Assistive Technology with the World Health Organization, for which she was nominated by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 2019. Kavitha is passionate about serving her professional community and has been invited as a project implementation manager in critical projects like the Occupational Therapy Narrative Database as an advisor to the American Occupational Therapy Association Evidence-Based Practice and Knowledge Translation group.

Presenter Disclosure:

• Financial: Kavitha was paid an honorarium for this presentation. She has received an NSF award for a topic that was discussed in this course.
• There are no other relevant financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Nana Serwaa Akrofi, OTD, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Nana Serwaa Akrofi is a Ghanaian occupational therapist with work experience in Ghana and the United States. Her clinical interests include working with children, autistic people, and marginalized disability groups. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at New York University. Her research interests include improving services for marginalized populations, occupational justice, and promoting culturally appropriate occupational therapy services. Her hobbies include watching comedy movies, reading, and writing poems.

Presenter Disclosure:

• Financial: Nana was paid an honorarium for this presentation.
• Non-financial: She is a member of Occupational Therapy Association.

Instructional Methods:

PowerPoint Lecture, Q&A Session

Level:

Introductory

Who should attend:

Occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, educators, child development specialists, mental health professionals, parents, caregivers, and other individuals seeking a better understanding of Sensory Processing in Autism.

Continuing Education Credits:

Course Completion Requirements:

Upon completing each individual course, participants must pass a brief quiz. Passing is getting at least an 80% score.

Individuals who do not meet both requirements will not receive AOTA or ASHA CEUs.

Cancellation Policy:

Because this program is recorded and accessible at your convenience, cancellations are not typically accepted. Please contact education@sensoryheatlh.org if you have any questions or concerns.

Do you have a disability that would require special accommodation?

Please contact us at education@sensoryhealth.org and describe how we can help accommodate your needs.

The views expressed in the following presentation are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect those of STAR Institute.