This summer, 27 NECC staff members presented their original research during the annual Simmons University Applied Autism Research poster session at NECC’s Southborough campus. 

The evening featured 12 research posters created by staff enrolled in Simmons University’s Applied Autism Research graduate course. The presenters came from across the NECC community, including the Southborough campus, residential and day programs, and Partner Program classrooms in communities such as Barnstable, Massachusetts, and Derry, New Hampshire. 

For those who see these staff members every day, the evening offered a different perspective. Dressed up and standing alongside their research posters, presenters shared the questions they had explored, the methods they used, and what they learned throughout the research process. 

The projects covered topics including prompting procedures, chaining strategies, skill acquisition, procedural integrity, and teaching functional and academic skills. Partner Program staff members Libby Sibbio and Ryan Massey received the “Outstanding Poster Award” for their presentation, “Comparing Prompt Fading Procedures: Most-to-Least, Least-to-Most, and Flexible Prompt Fading.”

The poster session is set up as a gallery walk, with judges moving from poster to poster, asking questions and learning more about each student’s research. Judges considered everything from how confidently and professionally students presented to how clearly they explained their research, methodology, and findings. 

The panel included Simmons faculty alongside NECC staff and Simmons alumni, many of whom have participated in the Simmons graduate program themselves and are current adjunct professors: Amanda Willand, Ed.D, BCBA, LABA; Tanvi Pendharkar, PhD, BCBA, LABA; and Holly Wiggins, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA. 

Chris Evans, MEd, chair of the education department and professor of practice in the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Simmons University, helped lead the evening alongside faculty mentors, continuing a tradition that has become an annual highlight of the partnership between Simmons and NECC. 

“Every year, I’m impressed by the thought, care, and enthusiasm our students bring to this experience,” shared Evans. “This poster session is a great reflection of the work they’ve done throughout the Simmons course. From developing their research to preparing for practicum in a public school inclusive classroom, the curriculum gives our students opportunities to build their knowledge, strengthen their skills, and become confident, well-prepared educators.”  

For Jescah Apamo-Gannon, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA, an invited judge and NECC alumna, the evening also offered a chance to reflect on her own journey. In 2005, she stood where this year’s students stood, presenting her own research as a Simmons graduate student. More than two decades later, she returned to the poster session as a judge, watching a new group of students share their work. 

“It was inspiring to see so many students share research focused on improving educational outcomes and promoting meaningful independence for learners. Having once stood in their place as a Simmons graduate student, returning as a judge was a meaningful reminder of the lasting impact this program can have on a person’s career,” said Apamo-Gannon. 

Since 1992, NECC and Simmons University have partnered to provide graduate training in autism education, helping NECC staff deepen their knowledge, strengthen their research skills, and bring what they learn back to the students they support every day. 

To learn more about NECC’s graduate programs, including the free on-site Simmons University program, visit the NECC graduate programs page.