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20 2 Road To Responsibility (RTR) was founded in 1988 with the Mission to assist all citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI), in taking their rightful place as fully included members of their communities. The implications of this three-letter word are profound and set us apart from most other organizations serving persons with IDD, ASD and ABI. Our Mission has led to RTR serving people who are among the most complex and challenging in the state. Trying to achieve it demands determination, perseverance and a willingness to continue learning and innovating because the people we serve are ever-changing and unique. This is, perhaps, most prominent among people with ASD. While somewhat trite, the notion, "If you've met a person with Autism, you've met one person with Autism" is a true reflection of the heterogeneity of this community. This level of variability poses many challenges for supporting these folks in common social situations, especially in employment situations. Persons with ASD tend to struggle "reading" social cues and generally experience higher levels of stress and anxiety when interacting with others. When under stress, many persons with ASD will engage in repetitive movements or vocalizations as coping strategies. Unfortunately, these can lead to interactions that range from awkward to highly disruptive depending on the situation. In employment situations, such behavior patterns can lead to unstable employment, social isolation and reduced opportunities. While traditional clinical approaches like applied behavior analysis (ABA) can be helpful, the learning process can be quite slow and complicated. In addition, the skill acquisition process occurs in "high stakes" situations because they involve practicing with people in real life. Sometimes, innovation involves being aware of developments in one area that can then be implemented in other areas. In this case, virtual reality (VR) technology has been used over the past couple ROAD TO RESPONSIBILITY is Innovating for Success Written by Chris White, Ed. D. President / CEO, Road To Responsibility, Inc.