April is Autism Awareness Month, and in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, communities across the globe are being asked to “Light It Up Blue” on April 2.

Staffers around HISD wore blue shirts, shoes and other items to signify “Light It Up Blue” day.

Only about 1,375 students have been identified with autism spectrum disorders in HISD (a figure that represents less than one percent of the district’s entire student population), but Autism Support Team Coordinator Lorraine Klim-Drew says that because more are being diagnosed every day, it’s still important to increase awareness on this subject.

“Every child with autism is unique,” said Klim-Drew, “unique in their needs, unique in their strengths, and unique in where they fall on spectrum. There’s no one-size-fits-all way to teach them, so we need to create a group of master teachers who understand how they think, how they learn, and how they socialize. And we have to stay on top of the latest research-based strategies and tools, too, to make sure that each one can be successful.”

Watch the video below to learn more about how HISD is using effective teachers and assistive technology to reach autistic students, including 10-year-old Patrick at Port Houston Elementary School.