National news articles report on families removed from flights or refused the right to board the plane, or have the plane diverted to make an emergency landing to remove a family with a member on the spectrum. One common them of the commercial air travel industry was that personnel were afraid of what the individual might do; they might have a meltdown or otherwise embarrass the employee and or the company. Most of the incidents were largely due to a lack of information regarding autism spectru disorder (ASD). Research shows a better understanding for persons who do not regularly interact with individuals with ASD, are more likely to initiate appropriate assistance to the individual and their family. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) Centennial Vision provides the format for this project to utilize evidence-based practice and present a concise, compelling public image in an area where occupational therapy has not ventured. Upon fulfillment of the requirements for this capstone, the intended final product is an informational manual describing the descriptions of ASD, sensory strategies and tehcniques, while also providing the air travel employee with the confidence to propose neccessary assistance. The goal is to provide personnel within the air travel industry a tool to increase awareness of autism and their confidence to serve individuals on the spectrum.
