In this special episode of The Autism Little Learners Podcast, I'm celebrating 10 years of Sesame Workshop's Autism Initiative and the creation of the beloved character, Julia! I had the absolute joy of sitting down with Kama Einhorn and Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas from Sesame Workshop to talk about the incredible impact of authentic representation, inclusion, and collaboration with the autism community.

We dive into how Julia was created to truly reflect the experiences of autistic children and families, the thoughtful research that goes into every Sesame Workshop project, and the global reach of their work. You'll also hear about puppeteer Stacey Gordon—whose personal connection to autism brings such authenticity to Julia's voice—and some exciting new projects on the horizon that continue to celebrate acceptance, understanding, and belonging for all children.

• Sesame Workshop's Autism Initiative has been making an impact for a decade.

• Julia was created to reflect the experiences of autistic children and promote understanding.

• Collaboration with autistic individuals, families, and experts is central to Sesame Workshop's process.

• Representation in media helps normalize conversations about autism and inclusion.

• Puppeteer Stacey Gordon brings personal insight and authenticity to Julia's character.

• Every piece of content is research-based and tested before release.

• The team continually evolves to ensure portrayals of autism are authentic and neurodiversity-affirming.

• Julia's story continues to grow — showing her friendships, family life, and even her communication with an AAC device.

• Free, bilingual resources are available for families at SesameWorkshop.org/Autism.

• The Autism Initiative has had a global impact, expanding to shows like Sisimpur in Bangladesh.

Before we jump in, I'd love to tell you a bit more about today's guests, Kama and Abby.

Kama Einhorn
As Senior Director of Content Design for Sesame Workshop's Global Education group, Kama Einhorn develops multimedia resources for children, parents, and providers. Before joining the Workshop in 2004, she wrote and edited early childhood teaching resources for Scholastic. Kama holds a master's degree in education from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas
Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas is the Senior Director of Curriculum and Programs in the Global Education Department at Sesame Workshop. In this role, she leads the processes for curriculum development and program design, collaborates on monitoring and evaluation, and develops new project concepts within the areas of nature, health, and social norms and inclusion. Previously, she led education activities for LEGO Foundation-funded work in development and crisis-affected settings, managed educational content and partnerships for the Nigerian co-production of Sesame Street, and directed a professional development project for teachers in Ghana. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Abigail collaborated on health research in the U.S. and abroad, funded by the American Cancer Society and the National Institutes of Health. She holds an Ed.D. in Health Education and an Ed.M. in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an A.B. in Psychology from Harvard University.

Explore all of Sesame Workshop's autism resources and celebrate Julia's 10th anniversary at www.sesameworkshop.org/autism.

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Today, we're revisiting one of your favorite episodes — my conversation with Laura Hayes, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in AAC and supports gestalt language processors. Laura brings so much insight, compassion, and practical wisdom to the topic of AAC — you are going to love everything she shares!

If you missed this one the first time around (or even if you've heard it before), I encourage you to listen again — you'll walk away feeling inspired and equipped with new ideas you can use right away.

Bio:
Laura Hayes is a speech-language pathologist with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in both school and medical settings. She's presented at state, national, and international conferences, been published, and supported both inpatient pediatric and educational AAC research. Laura currently hosts a podcast for her school district called Innovative AAC Solutions, and she created an online course on gestalt language processing and AAC through Meaningful Speech. She has helped thousands of AAC users move toward autonomous, meaningful communication.

In this encore episode, Laura and I dive into how to honor all forms of communication, presume competence, and model language in ways that truly empower our autistic students.

Topics we cover:

• Laura's Journey & AAC Innovations: How her sister inspired her path and how she helps others through her AAC Innovations platform.

• Common Missteps in AAC: Why phrases like "say it on your talker" may do more harm than good — and what to say instead.

• The Power of Modeling: Why seeing adults model AAC helps children build authentic, autonomous communication.

• Presuming Competence: How believing in every child's potential transforms our approach to teaching communication.

• Gestalt Language Processing & AAC: Understanding how some children learn language in chunks and what that means for AAC support.

Connect with Laura Hayes:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aac_innovations/

Resources Mentioned:

• Lily's Voice – Providing AAC devices for children in need: https://www.instagram.com/lillysvoice/

• Meaningful Speech Course: AAC & Gestalt Language Processing

• The Role Of Perception In AAC (PrAACtical AAC)

• Stimming And AAC (YouTube)

Key Takeaways:

• AAC support is a learning journey — and that's okay!

• Every child's language development looks different, and all communication attempts matter.

• Microlearning AAC strategies can build confidence for educators and caregivers over time.

AAC devices give children access to communication all day long—not just during therapy or structured lessons. For many students in the special ed classroom, the key to success isn't just having an AAC communication device, but actually using it in meaningful, everyday contexts.

This is especially true when we think about AAC device autism connections. Many autistic children benefit from consistent access to AAC, whether they are nonspeaking, minimally speaking, or have unreliable speech. Embedding AAC in daily routines ensures that communication is always possible.

The good news? You don't need extra time or complicated materials to make this happen. With a little intention, you can build AAC use into the routines you're already doing. In this post, I'll share three simple, powerful ways to incorporate AAC devices into daily routines.

Takeaways:

AAC devices belong in daily routines, not just in therapy sessions. Real-life practice helps children learn communication more naturally.

Embedding AAC into the special ed classroom shows students that their AAC communication device is a valid and reliable voice.

Transitions are powerful practice opportunities—using an AAC device for autistic children during arrival, lining up, or clean-up builds consistency.

Mealtime routines are motivating and perfect for modeling words like eat, drink, more, different, and don't like.

Play and learning activities make communication fun—AAC devices can be used during block play, dramatic play, sensory bins, and art.

Circle time is a group setting where AAC can shine and is ideal for modeling language.

Families can use AAC at home during everyday routines like waking up, chores, family time, and bedtime.

Taking AAC into the community—at grocery stores, restaurants, or playgrounds—gives children real-world practice and builds confidence.

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You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set: www.autismlittlelearners.com/visuals

• Visual Supports Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3922278281209994/

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/autismlittlelearners

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autismlittlelearners/

If you're enjoying the Autism Little Learners Podcast, I'd love for you to leave a rating and review—it helps more educators and parents find these conversations and join our community.